Chapter 4 #2
He barely listened to the conversation going on around him.
He had brought his assistant along with him to take notes and make observations.
Leonora was excellent at that. The woman was seated at the table with her iPad and notepads, as well as the folders she needed, and she was busy making notes.
While the members of the board were indulging in nervous conversations, she was making her observations.
So was he. He was also looking out for her.
He was seated strategically at the corner of the room, a position that gave him an unrestricted view of the entrance.
His body tensed and went rigid at his first look at her.
As much as he had told himself he was prepared for that first look, he had been kidding himself.
Kady-Ann Klein had been a beauty when she was a teenager, but that was nothing compared to the woman striding into the conference room.
She was breathtaking, and she shimmered.
It was the color she had chosen to wear, or there was a light shining from inside her, or it was just his damn imagination. But she took his breath away.
The conversation died a slow death the minute she walked into the room. She had not seen him yet.
"Gentlemen, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I see you've been provided with some sustenance." She turned to the man who was standing at the head of the table. "Phillip-"
"Before we commence, let me make the introductions. Kady-Ann, I think you've heard of Crenshaw Enterprises. Well, this is Landry Crenshaw. Mr. Crenshaw, this is Kady-Ann Klein, manager of this fine establishment," Phillip said.
He saw when it all registered and noted the expression of shock and then rage, and saw how she struggled to appear neutral.
"We've met. Hello, Kady-Ann," Landry said.
"Landry. This is... a surprise," she said.
"Ah, I see we're all friends here," Phillip chimed in nervously.
Even as dense as he was, he could sense the tension vibrating around the room, nor could he ignore the fact that the couple were standing there staring at each other.
Clearing his throat, he gestured to a seat at the head of the table. "Would you mind sitting?"
"What do you have in store for the airline?" she demanded, completely ignoring Phillip and the rest of the men, who had risen to their feet as soon as she entered the room.
"We were waiting for you to arrive to get to that.
Would you mind taking a seat?" Landry felt the ache starting inside his heart and branching toward his stomach.
He wanted to embrace her; the urge to just rush over and haul her into his arms was so great, he wondered how he was still standing where he was.
"I prefer to stand. Was this deliberate? Did you plan this to belittle and humiliate me? Haven't you done enough already?"
"Ms. Klein!" Phillip's eyes rounded in shock as he stared from her to the man who held the future of the airline in his hands. What the hell was she thinking? And what was he missing? "Mr. Crenshaw, I must apologize-"
"Everyone out. Give us the room," Landry ordered.
"I don't think-" Phillip stuttered to a stop when he was pinned with icy jade-green eyes. The sound of chairs scraping the floor was heard throughout the room as the men scrambled to leave.
"I have nothing to say to you," Kady told him furiously. Marching to the table, she poured some orange juice and took it with her to the front of the room, as far away from him as possible. "Why are you here?"
"We acquired the company," he said simply. He watched as she vibrated with fury and almost smiled at how magnificent she looked. She always had a temper, and now he was getting to see it in full gear.
"Why?"
"It was sinking. Crenshaw Enterprises specializes in companies that are badly managed but show potential." He lifted his hands at the dangerous light flashing in her eyes. "You're doing an excellent job, but within the year, the airline would have gone bankrupt."
She turned toward the window and blindly stared at the view. The gray clouds were hanging low, giving the morning a bleak and forlorn look. Fall was already in full swing. The weather matched her mood, she thought wearily. "Why did you return?"
"It was time."
"For what?" She could see his reflection in the one-way glass and felt the familiar ache inside her chest. Even after he had dumped her and broken her heart, she still yearned for him. She was pathetic. How could she still want him?
The knowledge that she did had her turning around, her eyes flashing. "You know what? I don't give a damn. I just want to know if I still have a job, or if I have to start looking for something else."
"I'm sorry." His deep voice had a quietness to it that tugged at her heart and almost disarmed her. Almost.
"What?"
"For the way I left things before. I apologize."
She stared at him in shock. "You're sorry?
All right, why don't we break out the champagne and offer a toast?
The great Landry Crenshaw apologized. You ruined me!
I had to hear from a servant who delivered a note saying that it was over.
You didn't even have the guts to face me yourself.
You sent a servant to deliver your crushing blow! "
Taking a deep breath, she struggled to control herself. "But that was the past. I'm over it, over you."
Marching over to the table, she put down the juice that she had not bothered to touch. "Now, Mr. Crenshaw, you haven't answered my question. Do I still have a job?"
He wanted to go to her and kiss the anger from her lips, but he knew this was not the time. She hated him, and he could not blame her. He had hurt her, and he hated himself for his part in the entire thing.
"You do." Turning his back to her, he stared bleakly out the window.
"You will retain your position, and it will be business as usual.
We will have to meet several times a week to iron out what needs to be done to get the airline up and running.
" He turned to face her and felt his heart contracting. "There are going to be changes."
"What sort of changes?" she demanded.
"The flight plans need some altering. People have been complaining about the mechanics of the airplanes.
We're thinking of acquiring new ones and changing the name.
Atlas Airlines is a thing of the past. There will be a meeting with the staff, including ground and air employees.
A better compensation package is in the pipeline, depending on job performance.
I will not be telling you how to do your job, but I'm hoping we can work together to fix the problems."
"Is that all?" she asked stonily.
"Not quite." He smiled grimly. "In order for us to accomplish what is going to be a massive task, we're going to have to put aside our differences. Can you do that?"
Her tapered brows lifted, and a look of scorn settled on her lovely face. "Absolutely. I'll just pretend that you mean nothing to me, which is no hardship at all. Shall we call in the rest? I think I'm done here."
"Kady-Ann-"
"I would appreciate you calling me Ms. Klein," she told him coldly. The fact that he was the only one who called her by her full name was more than she could bear.
"That's not going to happen. Hate me all you want, but I'm here to stay."
"Oh, really?" she responded sweetly. "Or will I be getting a note sent by your assistant saying that you're skipping town? Which, in fact, would be more than acceptable." Before he could respond to that, she turned and walked out of the room.
He stood there for a moment, wondering if he should go after her. They had started an office rumor by now. He was about to head out of the room when Leonora walked in.
"From the way that young lady steamed past me, I suspect the meeting is concluded." Her stoic expression, combined with the words, caused the tension to leak from his face.
"She's pissed."
"I get that."
"Where are the others?"
"Huddled in some corner and whispering. Want me to call them back in?"
"No. I will ask for your observations while we're on our way back. I have something to take care of." He moved toward the doorway, then paused and looked back at her. "I think you already know that Kady-Ann and I knew each other."
Her thin brows lifted. "You did hire me for my brain."
He had to laugh. "I certainly did. Take care of the board, will you? I won't be long."
He found her standing at her window. After asking directions from a dazzled female employee, he made his way past a number of smaller offices until he came to hers. Her assistant, a sober-looking Black woman, eyed him briefly before gesturing toward the door.
"You could get an upgrade." He closed the door firmly behind him and stood leaning on it, arms crossed over his chest.
He saw her stiffen but admired the fact that she did not turn around.
"You're entitled to a bigger office," he added.
"I don't need a bigger office, and I have work to do."
"We left things up in the air back there."
"You're good at that. In fact, you wrote the book on the topic."
Sighing softly, he crossed the room to stand behind her.
"I wish I could explain."
"Save your breath." Steeling herself, she turned around and found him too close. She could smell his cologne and see the jade-green depths of his eyes. Heat was pumping from him and moving through her. "Step back."
"I don't want us to be enemies."
"Too late. Is there anything else?"
"We need to talk. I have some plans."
"Put it in writing and shoot me an email. I'm sure you have the address."
He studied her mutinous face. The urge to take her in his arms had him taking a step back.
"I will send you that email, but Kady-Ann? I will be back, and we're going to sit down and have a meeting."
She watched as he crossed the room and did not relax until he shut the door.