28. Gabriella
Gabriella
A fog of tension descended on the conference room with Julia’s announcement followed by the men’s assessments. My mind scrambled with all the new information recalling the two individual CEOs. Knowing names was as important in this new job as it was with the fundraising. Robert Ayers was from McCree Pharmaceutical; their most popular and lucrative formula was an ACE inhibitor that lowers blood pressure. Dwain Welsh was from Moon Medical, and their primary product was an anxiety medication.
I looked from Damien to Van and back. There were too many thoughts fighting for my attention for me to concentrate on the obvious one that was before me. Both Damien and Donovan were incredibly handsome men. Not only were they pleasing to the eye, but over the last few hours, they showed that they were genuinely knowledgeable and willing to help this campaign succeed. “Both men live in Ohio,” I said. “Maybe that’s why they came together.”
Julia turned my direction. “I’ve spoken with all the CEOs. Everyone is onboard and extremely interested in this campaign. Don’t let these men worry you.”
I pressed my lips together and looked around the table. “Should I be worried?”
“No,” Damien said. “You’ve got this.”
“I feel like there are things not being said.”
Damien took a deep breath and leaned back. “I said I didn’t want to poison you on any members of the coalition. I meant that. What you’re sensing is a problem with me. Dwain Welsh and I are together in this coalition because of Julia, not because we are friends.”
I smirked. “Is that all?”
“Doesn’t that bother you?” Damien asked.
“No. When I worked at Sinclair, I dealt with people all the time who didn’t like you.”
Damien’s lips twisted into a smirk as Van’s laughter filled the air. “Ella, I like you.”
“Thank you,” I replied to Van with a nod. Addressing everyone, I asked, “Is there anything else I need to know?”
Julia’s eyes sparkled. “Eva Holston can be rude. Don’t let her get to you.”
“Now who’s gossiping?” Damien asked with a grin.
“It’s true,” Julia replied. “That means it’s not gossip.”
“Remember what you said about Perry Drugs this morning?” Damien asked, his question bringing back the fog.
While I felt like I was on a witness stand, I replied, “Yes, it’s a corporate front for Body Kindness.”
“How did you learn that?” Van inquired.
I shrugged. “I dug. It took some time, but I was coming up with very little on Perry Drugs. I followed the trail of money.”
Van grinned. “Damien didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“Have you been given access to coalition information?” Julia questioned.
“No.” The small hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention. “Is it bad that I learned about Body Kindness?”
“Not bad,” Van replied. “Impressive. You see Kendrick Cade doesn’t want that connection made public, for many reasons.”
“It is. I found it,” I said.
“It’s because you’re good,” Damien said. “You’re better than good. The Cades don’t want that information to be common knowledge.” He tilted his head. “So don’t mention it tonight.”
Julia nodded.
“I don’t understand. It is a matter of public record.”
“They’d rather that Perry is solely named as the benefactor to the fraternity,” Julia said.
“And at the same time, they want me to recommend Body Kindness to facilities and physicians.” I didn’t phrase it as a question.
Julia nodded. “I’m sorry if that makes this complicated. I promise it’s legal.”
“I have questions, but I can hold off until we all gather to talk about the campaign.”
“Friday evenings are usually casual, a time to catch up.”
Casual.
Then why was I dressed in designer business attire?
At nearly six o’clock, the final members of the coalition arrived. Cynthia Broche and her husband, Ian Morrison, from Broche, a multigenerational pharmaceutical company out of Michigan that was best known for asthma and allergy health products and drugs. Such as with Julia and Wade Pharmaceutical, Cynthia was the Broche heiress. And unlike Van who wasn’t as involved in Wade, Ian had been at his wife’s side in the running of Broche for nearly forty years.
As more people arrived, our group outgrew the conference room and moved downstairs to a larger meeting room. As Julia had said, the evening was spent more as a reunion than a meeting.
At some point, Julia pulled me aside and whispered. “Despite what Damien said, this coalition has created a connection that goes beyond business. As I said, tomorrow we’ll get deeper to the campaign. And as I’m sure you were told, tomorrow night is a cocktail and dinner party at our home. Don’t worry if you didn’t plan on formal wear.”
“Damien warned me.” A smile curled my lips as I looked around the room. “Everyone seems to get along.”
“Oh, they do—to a point.” Julia shrugged. “That’s just business. I have a hard time being cutthroat, unlike a few people we both know.” Her smile returned. “I make a good buffer and honestly, this coalition has been good for Wade. I couldn’t be happier.”
Lauren Cade, who I’d met earlier in the evening, joined Julia and me. “Julia, at tomorrow’s business meeting, I’m going to move that you are only allowed to host this weekend during the third quarter. How do you stand the cold?”
Julia laughed. “Dear, this isn’t cold. You should be here in January.”
The polite and friendly conversations continued until seven when the twelve of us walked down the street to a local pub where a small private room was reserved. As we were led inside by the hostess, I had a flashback of Damien’s private room at the steak house in Carmel. That room was twice the size of this one with only a table for two.
Damien’s hand came to the small of my back. “You’re a hit,” he whispered.
I pushed my hands into the pockets of my new coat. “I think it’s the coat.”
“No, it’s you.” He kissed my cheek. “You radiate confidence, and that’s what is needed with these kinds of people.”
“People like you.”
“You’re an expert at handling me.”
“That’s a tougher job than them.”
After I untied the belt, Damien helped me remove the coat.
Servers came and went as we all enjoyed our meal and drinks. Sitting at Damien’s side I took in the faces around the table. The age range was significant. Julia and I were the youngest, and if I were to guess, the Holstons were the oldest. I’d researched the net income of each company as well as the administrators’ salaries. Small pharma was a misnomer when it came to revenue. Add to that Donovan Sherman’s wealth and this room was overflowing with money. Yet we were eating hamburgers, fries, and salads, and drinking a variety of drinks—regular people.
That wasn’t completely true.
Tomorrow, these people would morph from who they were tonight into sharks, wanting to know what Beta Kappa Phi would and could do for them.
During the dinner, occasionally, Damien’s hand came under the table and rested on my thigh. His touch was reassuring and supportive. While the table hid our connection, I suspected we weren’t fooling the others with our characterization of friends. When I’d look at him, seeing his handsome smile, my heart would flutter. Were we fooling the others, or was I the fool for opening my life and heart again?
The Cades were the first to excuse themselves. Their departure opened the floodgates. Soon, I was standing, and Damien was helping me with my coat, and everyone was saying their good nights.
“Tomorrow, nine o’clock at Sherman Corporation,” Julia said. “My husband has been generous with his office building this weekend.”
Words of appreciation floated through the air.
“We’ll hit the ground running,” Julia said. “We have our business meeting, and then we’ll spend the afternoon with Ms. Crystal. Oh, and lunch is catered. There will be coffee and donuts at nine.”
Everyone nodded their agreement.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Damien said to the Shermans.
I reached for Julia’s hand. “Thank you for making me feel so welcome.”
Her smile beamed. “I’m not sure why, but Van likes Damien.” She laughed. “Okay, I do too. And after…” She shook her head. “Let’s say, it’s good to see him smile.”
After?
Damien’s hand was again in the small of my back. “Did you hear that? There are people who like me.”
“Miracles do happen.”
He leaned close and whispered, “I’m ready to be reimbursed for this coat.”
Warmth filled my cheeks as my core twisted.
“See you tomorrow,” I said to Julia as Damien and I left the private room.
Soon, we were back on the sidewalk. My face was down, and my hands were buried deep in the pockets as I braced myself for the walk back to the hotel.
“Mr. Sinclair.”
We looked up to see Michael waiting with his car. “Unless you’d like to walk?”
Damien and I looked at one another.
“Ella?” Damien asked.
“Oh, the car. My feet are killing me.”
Michael opened the back door and we both scooted inside.
Once the door was shut, Damien whispered in a deep voice. “Sorry that the shoes aren’t comfortable, but they’re part of the repayment plan.”
“You don’t actually expect me to do what you said, do you?”
Under the illumination of the outside streetlights, Damien’s blue eyes simmered with a spark that caused my blood to heat.
“Ms. Crystal, I’d hate to return to the coalition tomorrow and tell them you’re not a woman of your word.”
“I don’t recall agreeing.”
He laid his large hand over my coat-covered thigh. “You’re wearing the evidence.”