Chapter 27 #3
He pulled me to his chest, holding me close. I wrapped my arms around Jasper and just let him hold me. I listened to the beat of his heart, steady and reassuring. Even when everything else felt out of control, he was always there—a calm, solid presence.
When he pulled back, it was only to cup my cheeks. His hazel eyes were filled with such love and tenderness that it stole my breath. He leaned in to kiss me, and just as our lips were about to meet, there was a knock at the door.
I jolted, springing back from him as if I’d been shocked. He chuckled, going over to the door to answer it. One of the board members was standing in the hallway.
“The board would like for you to return.” So formal.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one on edge. And now that their decision seemed imminent, any small bit of calmness I’d had vanished.
Jasper held open the door and turned back to me. “Halle?”
I nodded, brushing past him as I walked through the doorway. He placed his hand on my lower back, and we didn’t speak as we headed back to the conference room.
When we entered the room, I couldn’t get a read on anyone. The air was charged with unspoken tension, and it felt as if we were witnessing the aftermath of an intense thunderstorm.
“Please,” Leith said. “Take a seat.”
Jasper held out a chair for me before sitting next to me. If he was nervous, he was doing a damn good job of not showing it. I straightened, lifting my chin and trying to let his confidence infuse me with courage I didn’t feel.
Leith shuffled some papers on the table, and my blood pressure ratcheted up a notch.
“Thank you for coming forward with this matter. This is a big decision and not something we take lightly. With that in mind, the board would like more time to determine whether your relationship is a conflict of interest. For now, we are tabling the question of promoting Halle to SVP permanently. And we think it would be best if Halle takes a leave of absence.”
What? My vision spun, and I gripped the table for support.
Jasper jolted upright. “No. Absolutely not.”
I tugged on his wrist, knowing that we needed to keep a clear head. Getting emotional wasn’t going to help the argument that we were professional and impartial. Nor would it improve relations with the board.
“Does this proposed leave of absence relate in any way to my performance, or is it purely for optics?” I asked.
“What do you think?” Jasper asked, clearly annoyed, though I knew his ire wasn’t directed at me. “It’s a punishment. But if they’re going to punish you, they should also punish me.”
Leith peered at him over the top of his glasses. “Would you prefer that we put you on a leave of absence?”
“I’d like to see you try. This is bullshit, and you know it,” Jasper said, growing more agitated.
“What’s bullshit,” Leith said, a bite to his tone, “is that you had an inappropriate relationship with an employee and now you want to promote her to the second-highest position in the company.”
“No,” Jasper gritted out, his anger scarcely contained.
“Everyone knows the chief of staff position is a springboard, intentionally designed to be temporary. The temporary promotion showed what we already knew—Halle is ready to transition to an executive leadership role. Besides, I’m not the one who advocated for her temporary or permanent promotion.
That was Halle’s direct supervisor—the person best positioned to know Halle’s skills and the role that would suit her. ”
“Semantics,” Leith bit back. “Halle’s direct supervisor is your sister. It’s not a good look.”
Jasper shook his head, his nostrils flaring. “We are a family company. Of course my siblings are going to weigh in. That’s why my grandparents put us in charge.”
“It’s also why they created a board of directors,” Leith countered. “To settle any disputes. To keep things running smoothly.”
As much as I wanted to jump in and speak, I knew I needed to sit back and let Jasper handle this. If I butted in, I risked looking like I controlled him or was trying to control the company through him.
Jasper huffed. “Putting Halle on a leave of absence makes it look like she did something wrong.”
“It’s a paid leave of absence,” Leith said. “To give the board time to deliberate.”
“She might as well leave the company if you’re going to do that. It would be better for her future career prospects.”
“She’s free to do that if she so chooses.”
Well, that was disappointing. Were they really willing to let me go so easily?
Jasper shook his head. “This is wrong, and you know it. It’s an insult to Halle and everything she’s done for the brand. And it’s the opposite of what the company needs.”
“You’re not the only one responsible for deciding what the company needs. And it wasn’t until the past year or so that you actually seemed to give a damn about anything more than partying and having fun.”
I cringed.
Jasper’s fist landed on the table. “I have always cared about the brand. Its employees. Its standards. Our guests. I haven’t been CEO for long, but the Huxley is in my blood. My grandparents founded this company, and I am positive they would not agree with what you’re suggesting.”
“They elected to have a board of directors for a reason. And this scenario definitely qualifies as one of those reasons. Even if you wanted to override the board—which I would not advise—you lack the necessary votes.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Jasper said.
I was silently cheering him on, while also filled with a growing sense of unease. We’d hoped the board would be supportive, but I worried how far Jasper would take this. I worried the board might become resentful or cause trouble in the future based on how this situation was handled.
But I also knew that Jasper needed to stand his ground with the board. Relations so far had been cordial, but he was right to assert his dominance. It was time for Jasper to become the leader he was always meant to be.
Leith was halfway standing out of his chair. “You cannot simply ignore the board’s decisions because you don’t like them.”
Jasper looked to Pierce. What was going on?
Pierce spoke next. “In the event that a member of the family who is on the board is recused from voting, they can designate someone to vote by proxy for them.”
“Yes.” Leith’s tone conveyed boredom. Impatience. I’d never had a problem with him until now. “But the proxy also has to be a blood relative of the founders. And no single blood relative can vote for more than their individual share.” Meaning Knox, Nate, Sloan, and Graham were ineligible.
“I’d like to designate my proxy,” Jasper said, undaunted.
“Who? Nate’s daughter, Brooklyn?” Leith’s tone was incredulous. “She’s not old enough. Even if she were, she’s not your direct descendant. Jude is also ineligible for that reason. Since you have no children, it has to be someone at your level or above.”
“Correct. And I have someone who qualifies,” Jasper said.
There were murmurs around the room. We hadn’t discussed this, and I was racking my brain, trying to figure out who could serve as Jasper’s proxy, considering the stipulations.
His parents were deceased. He had no children.
And all his siblings were present and not allowed to vote beyond their shares.
The door swung open, and I blinked a few times, surprised to see the person standing there.
“Members of the board.” Jasper grinned. “I’d like to introduce my sister. Well, if you want to get technical about it, she’s my half sister.” He went over to her, giving her a hug. “Tabitha.”