Chapter 3
Kady-Ann stared at the fastidious looking man seated across from her in the large conference room and wondered, really wondered, if she was dreaming.
Phillip Atlas polished his gold-rimmed designer glasses slowly and carefully as if it were the most important thing he had to do. In fact, he was avoiding looking at her, and they both knew it.
“You're not serious.”
“As the proverbial heart attack.” He coughed a little self-consciously and carefully refolded the monogrammed handkerchief before tucking it into the top pocket of his ash-gray jacket.
He was slender, to the point of being thin, and was always dressed in the very heights of fashion.
He had inherited the airline from his ailing father along with several other lucrative businesses.
His idea of making a contribution was to show up for board meetings and try to pay attention to what was being discussed.
“You know the business had been limping along-”
“I don't know anything.” Kady gritted. The urge to reach across her desk and wrap her hands around his scrawny neck was so strong, she had to physically restrain herself.
“I was never privy to the accounts, which was kept from me, even though I happen to be the managing director.
And now you're sitting there telling me that you're selling the airlines.
After all the work I've put into making this place solvent over the years.”
“And we appreciate it. I appreciate all you've done.” His voice was cultured, due to the stellar private school education he had received.
His entire body was pampered. She doubted that the man seated across from her had ever done any lifting in his life.
Rumor had it that he was gay, but he could not even decide on that.
He had been coupled with both men and women in the past. He had never been married, so the Atlas line would die with him, which she realized was a blessing.
“Who?”
The bite in her voice had him straightening his thin shoulders.
He had wanted to avoid this very confrontation, but the board had reminded him that it was his responsibility to alert her to the impending takeover.
He had a hot date with his manicurist after discovering to his horror that he had a hanging cuticle.
He shuddered to even think about his left hand looking less than immaculate.
“Now, my dear-” he patted the air with his left hand before remembering the damaged cuticle. Dropping his hand, he folded it in his lap and pursed his lips. “You know that's privileged information.”
Her eyes glowered and had him sucking in his breath. The woman looked positively feral.
“Cut the crap, Phillip. I need to know details. I've been kept in the dark much too long. I'm CEO of this place-”
“And I'm the owner.” He lifted his chin and found the balls to return her glare. “You will discover who it is the day after tomorrow. We've been assured that your position is safe-”
“Why, thank you.”
Her sarcasm had his lips thinning. He considered her irreverent and completely disrespectful.
If it hadn't been for the ironclad contract that his father had signed with her, he would have recommended they get rid of her.
But he grudgingly had to admit that she was excellent at her job.
He did not like intellectual women who were also ball busters, and Kady-Ann Klien was the worst of them all. She behaved as if the place was hers.
“There will be a meeting with the new owners first thing Wednesday morning.”
“Will I be sitting in on the meeting, or am I supposed to stay in my office like a good little girl and wait to be summoned?”
“Of course you'll be part of the meeting.” He said magnanimously. “Now, if there's nothing else-”
“That's it?” She pushed back her chair and rose.
“You just walked in here and dropped the bomb and now you're leaving?
Don't you care about the company and the people who have been busting their asses while you prance all over the place behaving like a damn teenager?
You're not even going to fight for them?”
He stood up slowly, the color draining from his face, leaving it pale. Light blue eyes stared at her haughtily as he fought down the urge to simply run from the building. He hated scenes, and this was rapidly becoming one.
“The airline has been losing money for several years now, and I'm sure you were aware of the straits we're in. Most of the employees will be kept on, at least that's what I was told. The others will be suitably compensated. It's not my fault-”
“The blame lies with you.” She wanted to leap across her desk and grab the lapels of his very fashionable jacket. “If you'd paid attention to the running of the company, we would not have been in this position.”
“How dare you speak to me in this manner! I didn't have to take the time to come and tell you of the situation. I could have allowed you to be blindsided-”
“Why did you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Why did you take the time to come and tell me?” Her mahogany eyes glittered as she stared at him.
“Oh, let me guess. The board demanded that you do the right thing, and that's the reason you're here.” The color staining his cheeks had her shaking her head.
“You're not only spineless, but you're also a goddamned coward.”
His eyes bulged out in shock and his mouth dropped open. “How dare-”
“I speak to you like that. Yes, you said that before. Since you're no longer my boss, why don't you do us both a favor and get the hell out of my office?”
He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it as she glowered at him. Turning on his heels, he hurried out, slamming the door shut behind him.
Sinking down in the chair, Kady pressed her fingers to her temples and could practically feel the headache bursting through the flesh.
She could not believe that in just a week, her life had gone from satisfying to complete upheaval.
She had spent the weekend trying to put work over her riotous thoughts and memories of the past but had not managed it.
Her brother had called to invite her over for dinner on Sunday, but she had declined, pleading exhaustion and laundry that needed tackling.
She had a woman who came in three times a week, but she liked to handle her delicacies herself, and she loved to bake.
It often amused Kyle and her best friend that she loved puttering in the kitchen, but it relaxed her.
Thank God, Lori was out of town! Her friend would not have been shoved aside as easily as she had managed to evade Kyle. She would have insisted on coming over and demanding to hear everything. Kady did not think she could bear talking about him.
And if that wasn't enough, now this. She should look around for something else. She had the qualifications, didn't she? It wouldn't be difficult to land herself another well-paid job.
But her heart sank at the very idea of leaving a company she had invested so much time and effort in. It was her baby, by God, and she was not about to let some nameless, faceless corporation step in and take over what she had nurtured over the years.
A battle light came into her eyes and had her straightening her shoulders. She was about to reach for the phone when there was a discreet knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Her assistant poked her head through the opening, a curious look on her plump face. Helen had been with her since she started out, and the woman was a jewel. Kady had no idea what she would do without her.
“I saw that idiot Phillip scuttling out of here when I stepped out of the elevator. He gave me a look that could only be described as baleful.” She grinned, showing dimples in her left cheek as she came further in. “What did you say to him?”
“Sit, please.”
Sensing that there was something afoot, Helen took the chair nearest to the door. “Uh oh. What is it?”
“Phillip was the bearer of some bad news.”
“Oh no!” Helen's hand flew to her mouth, brown eyes widening. “The rumors, they were true? The company is in trouble?”
“Someone bought it.”
“Oh my goodness!” Helen's generous bosom quivered as she took several deep breaths. “I'm fifty-five. I cannot... no one's going to hire me-”
“Calm down.” Kady took a deep breath to settle her nerves. “You're not going anywhere. According to that fickle moron, my job is safe, and if that's the case, then so is yours. You know I cannot do anything without you.”
Helen smiled at her gratefully, her heart settling.
“Do we know who the new owner is?”
Kady shook her head, still pissed that she was being left in the dark. “We will find out soon enough. They're convening a meeting on Wednesday. Oh, I could just murder Phillip!”
“I would be right behind you.” Helen sighed. “He's nothing like his old man. Mr. Atlas fought to keep the company in the family, and for what?” She shook her head. “Honey, do you need me to get you anything? Some painkillers?”
“No. I want my brain clear and sharp. I'm going to need the reports over the last six months. We made some changes to the structure of the airline that came into effect a few months ago.”
Helen nodded. “The grievance department, where customers could air their woes and we tried our best to fix them. I think that was an excellent idea, and you were the one who came up with it, among others. If it weren't for you, this place would have closed its doors ages ago.”
“Let's hope the new owners think that way too.” Kady shuffled papers on the desk. “Let's get to work.”
***
“You look like crap.”
“Why, thanks.” Lacking the desire to be offended, Kady kicked off her shoes and wriggled her toes. She felt as if she had been running several marathons all at once. “I can always count on you to keep me from being vain.”