Chapter 2
Chapter Two
GAbrIEL
I’d been waiting for this meeting since the merger was announced.
The elevator ride up felt longer than it actually was, every floor a reminder that I wasn’t in my old building anymore.
This building was newer, the hallways unfamiliar with modern artwork.
It definitely had a different energy than my office in London.
The conference room they led me to boasted a polished table, and a spectacular skyline view highlighted with the wall of windows, announcing money in every direction. The sort of money that bought out a small rival without blinking.
Today marked a chance to get some clarity and start figuring out how this post-merger structure was going to work. Two familiar faces stood inside the conference room near the entrance, John and Ray, but they barely registered. What stopped me cold was the woman at the far end of the room.
For a second, I wondered if she could be the acting CEO.
But the thought faded the moment she crossed to the printer in the far corner, cleared a paper jam like it wasn’t her first time, and tucked a stack of copies neatly into a binder.
No, she had to be support staff, maybe one of the senior team’s assistants.
“If it isn’t the golden boy himself,” John muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.
My jaw tightened from his prod, but I didn’t bite. Since meeting John last year in our London office, I’d figured out he was the type who thrived on baiting people. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.
“How’s the first day going?” I asked instead, shifting my attention to Ray. Despite a gruff exterior, Ray was solid.
Ray opened his mouth, but John cut him off with a scoff. “My new boss told me today he leads with empathy. What a pussy.”
I let him continue to drone on, though my mind wasn’t on John or his griping. It was distracted by the brunette who was now mingling with people filing into the conference room. Who the hell was she?
The business news articles called this a merger, but it was definitely an acquisition. The smaller company, mine, had to fit into the structure of the larger purchasing company.
He finally ended his rant with, “This transition’s going to be a nightmare.”
I merely responded with, “Maybe, but maybe not.”
He wasn’t done poking. “Says the guy who got to keep his job.”
His bitterness over the situation grated on my nerves. “I’ll remind you that we all got to keep our jobs.”
Considering most acquisitions included a reduction in staff, the fact Arrow Communications was doing their best to accommodate everyone into the new company said something. They wanted and needed our talent as much as we’d evidently needed the investment money.
John wasn’t letting it go. “But you got to keep your title.”
I refused to continue a pissing match with him. “For now. There’s still the matter of having two chief operating officers.”
My new boss, Charlotte Green, was well respected and liked from what I’d heard. The only reason I hadn’t already been demoted was because she was taking the reins as the interim chief executive officer, a position I was sure she’d be gunning for permanently.
I had other ideas. CEO had been my goal since as far back as I could remember, and this was my opportunity.
Of course, I’d always thought the CEO spot would eventually be at my father’s company, Chambers Technology, when I took over for him.
But he hadn’t been open to any of my fresh ideas.
It still stung, but I’d chosen a different route.
As a result, I’d proven nepotism hadn’t paved the way to my success.
Other people started to file in and take seats now that we were a minute away from the start time of the meeting. “I recommend you keep your thoughts to yourselves if you want to keep the jobs,” I remarked.
Although I was less than thrilled about the merger, I was selfishly happy to come back to San Diego. My daughter, who was about to turn thirteen, lived here, and I wanted to spend more time with her.
I wasn’t sure the feeling was mutual.
“Well, at least I get to head back to London next week while you two deal with the ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ bullshit here,” John griped.
London was a good place for him.
I turned to Ray. “Have you met your new boss yet?” Ray was someone I’d always respected, and I valued his opinion. But he hadn’t been dealt a great hand in this situation, forced to take a step back in both his title and career.
“Yeah, earlier this morning he came up to introduce himself. I’ve heard he’s all right. Been at the company twenty years and worked his way up to his position.”
I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ray put his résumé out there and left soon. It would be a shame to lose him, but I couldn’t blame him for looking.
Frankly, if I didn’t get the CEO position, I wouldn’t be sticking around, either.
I still couldn’t believe the shock we’d all received when the owner had told us he’d sold the company.
No one had seen it coming. I’d thought the owner was in it for the long haul and couldn’t understand why he’d sold.
But it wasn’t worth lamenting the why. The bottom line was always money. The owner had made a pretty penny and was now halfway across the world in the Canary Islands busy spending it. Not everyone gave a shit about the fate of their employees.
Funny how screwing his employees was one thing I could absolutely say my father had never done. He’d always invested in his people and had built his company with integrity even if he was stubborn about modernizing his business or processes.
“At least I don’t have to report to some chick.” John lobbed the misogynist remark carelessly.
“What’s this about reporting to a chick?” The voice came from over my shoulder, smooth and authoritative.
I turned to find Bobby, the chief information officer, standing there.
But he wasn’t the one who stole the moment.
At his side stood the brunette from earlier, so stunning up close she seemed to pull the air from my lungs.
The gaze from her gold-flecked brown eyes was cool and assessing as it landed squarely on John.
John didn’t have the decency to look contrite nor filter himself before responding. “Was just saying how Gabe is going to have a girl boss.”
The woman’s expression was unreadable while Bobby’s brows jumped up. “Considering she’s the acting CEO, she’ll be the boss of all of us. Not sure how she’d feel being called a girl boss, though. How does the term strike you, Charlotte?”
Oh, fuck.
The mystery bombshell was Charlotte Green.
Our new boss.
Her smile was tight, not reaching her eyes. “Instead of thinking of me as a girl boss, it may be simpler to remember I’m THE boss.”
The verbal punch landed with a resounding smack.
I wasn’t sexist, but now, thanks to John, she undoubtedly had that impression of all three of us from Juniper. I extended my hand. “Of course. Apologies for any misconception otherwise. I’m Gabriel Chambers.”
She took my hand in the type of firm handshake which showed confidence without overcompensating. “Charlotte Green.”
The problem was once I touched her, I was hard-pressed to let go. Stupid. I wasn’t fifteen, and I certainly could control myself around a beautiful woman. “Pleasure to meet you.”
She didn’t look like she shared the sentiment as she was the first to pull away. But at least my voice was steady and calm, indicating I’d recovered from whatever the hell was making this woman affect me.
She turned to both Ray and John, who introduced themselves as her new finance director and her new IT director.
“Nice to meet you all. Take your seats, gentlemen. We’ll start on time.”
As Charlotte moved to the head of the table, exchanging warm greetings with those already familiar with her, I allowed my gaze to linger under the guise of casual observation.
Despite the faint crease of irritation etched between her brows, she was striking.
The glint of understated jewelry caught the light, subtle yet deliberate. My eyes involuntarily dropped to her left hand.
No ring.
The detail lodged itself in my mind before I could stop it, and I forced myself to look away. My instincts might have been quick to register her appeal, but reason reigned supreme.
Charlotte wasn’t simply another executive in the room. She was my boss. Even if only temporary, that fact alone quelled any stray thoughts.
As soon as we took our seats at the far end of the conference table, Ray glared at John and muttered under his breath. “Nice job. Real classy introduction by calling her a chick boss.”
John merely shrugged.
Wonderful. We were all off to a bumpy start.