Chapter 2
KATHERINE
For as problematic as my mother is, she taught me a few important lessons, and right now, her words whisper through my mind as I listen to the board of Chanler & Cort.
You have just as much of a right to be here as any of them.
Ronald Reyes sits to my right at the head of the table. I’m the only woman in the room.
Shocker.
King was absolutely right about the deep teal suit he picked out for me to wear.
“Powerhouse,” was the word he’d uttered beneath his breath, making me stand taller. The cut hugs my curves without being too tight, and the fabric is heaven.
Glancing around the long, gleaming conference table, for the first time ever, I don’t feel like an outcast. I don’t feel like the president’s daughter playing dress up.
As with Ronald, I’m on a first-name basis with every man here. Ninety percent of them are old enough to be my grandfather.
Just like my grandfather, they’re looking for weaknesses. And as my mother taught me, I show them none.
My spine might as well be a ruler, it’s so straight, and I keep my chin up and meet their gaze with a carefully calm regard.
I have zero intention of helping them out of this snafu.
They don’t know that yet, though, because they spent the first dozen minutes of the meeting quizzing Hayden Cort, but he’s standing firm in his family’s decision to sell. Good for him.
“What do you expect us to do? Change our name to Chanler & Rothburn?” Cornelius York demands from down the table. His suit is ill-fitting, and his gray brows are thick and wild.
Soon, this will no longer be Hayden’s circus. Although I do wonder if he’ll rethink selling without my mother at the helm. He could make a move to consolidate. But I don’t see any signs that he’s interested in that.
Charlotte sent me a report on the handful of things I missed while I was in Greece, so I’m up to speed.
“We just don’t see this as a good bet anymore,” Hayden says.
“I agree,” I say.
Ronald’s jaw drops, and he quickly snaps it closed. All eyes turn toward me.
“Not a good bet?” Cornelius’s voice goes high-pitched, almost mouse-like.
My skin heats, and a lone butterfly takes flight in my stomach. It’s one thing to be an observer or even part of a conversation, but it’s quite another to be the bug under the microscope. I squash the uneasiness immediately because I’m done letting the topsy-turvy feeling control me.
I take a deep breath and count to four. I hold it for another four count and then exhale as I search their faces.
“Numbers are down, retention is at an all-time low, and we’ve had some costly mistakes. Surely this isn’t news to any of you,” I press.
I’ve spent my life learning how to read a room. These men think their world is crumbling, and I find that laughable. As far as I know, none of them has ever been kidnapped, let alone by the one person they should be able to trust above all others.
There’s a flurry of discussion now. Rapid-fire questions to each other. I’d say I successfully poked the hornet’s nest.
Some of them see this as their opportunity to expand their power and claim more control over the company.
I even have two pegged as ready to vote themselves into the role of president.
A larger handful are in a tailspin, utterly shocked by the scandal.
And I’m pretty sure all of them think Gabe’s after a hostile takeover.
I wouldn’t know because he still hasn’t said anything to me.
But I’ll be damned if I’m going to make this easy on any of them. They are the same men who lost their marbles over the bad press I was bringing to the bank. They’re the ones who demanded I take a few weeks off, as if that was going to fix things.
And now they’re looking for someone, namely me, to save the day.
Ronald clears his throat and then addresses everyone. “We were hoping we could get a press release out this afternoon announcing that you’re taking your place at the head of the company. We’ll lean heavily on the strong family legacy.”
I guess my photo in the papers is both a distant memory and innocuous compared to my mother’s transgressions.
“I’ll give you my decision on Tuesday.” I hold strong to my desire for space and time to consider not just my future, but the future of everyone who works for and deals with Chanler & Cort.
One by one, the men’s jaws drop, and suddenly it looks like I’m surrounded by a bunch of fish.
They’re shocked.
I love it.
They thought I’d clamor for the position. There’s so much more to life than duty and status. I keep my chin up and let them wait.
Yes, I think my newfound confidence is born of the suit and the knowledge that they need me more than I need them. Sure, they could hire from within or even appoint someone from the board. Honestly, it’s probably what they should do.
It’s what I’d tell them to do if they’d bothered to ask.
I bite back a bitter laugh. A dozen living, breathing humans at this table and not a single one considered what I want. And they sure as hell didn’t ask.
The sad truth is, I’m not surprised.
“Miss Montgomery,” begins one of them, “I’m sure you can understand what a precarious position we’re in. You’re the obvious successor—”
I hold up a hand, and he falls silent.
About halfway through this morning’s shopping trip, I was ready to beg King to spirit me back to Greece again. Forget New York. Forget the bank. Forget my mother and the trial.
But I said I’d hear Ronald and the board out, so here I am.
As much as the ornery side of me wants to turn them down flat and let the whole place burn, there’s a tiny kernel that worries about the employees.
Not the men at this table but the people like Charlotte.
People who have a good job because of my grandfather’s company.
People like LaShonda’s grandmother, who worked as a bank teller for over a decade.
They deserve consideration even as I want to thumb my nose at these assholes.
“I understand how fickle the finance world can be. But I’m sure you can understand that less than a week ago, I was kidnapped in front of my home by my own mother. You’ll have to forgive me if I have other things on my mind than the company.”
“Of course.” He nods. But it’s disgustingly obvious that many, if not most, of them don’t get it.
Automatons.
Hayden is the only one who shows any empathy. I spot the slightest amount of chagrin in his expression that his fellow board members have called me into a meeting, all but demanding I step up to the plate.
“I’ll be in touch with Ronald on Tuesday,” I say again, and Ronald nods his agreement. It’s only a handful of days, and I honestly need to think over this proposal. I need to talk to my guys, to Ford and Shon and my dad.
Farther down the table, Cornelius’s voice blasts the air, full of exasperation and contempt. “You can’t be serious!”
The balding man jumps to his feet, hands practically slamming on the table. The tone in the room changes from thick tension to chaotic energy.
I can just imagine my bodyguard on the other side of the door getting ready to barge in. Gripping the arms of my chair, I drop both feet to the floor and prepare to intervene.
“I told you she wasn’t ready,” Cornelius says. He thrusts a finger in my direction but faces the man across the table because, apparently, that’s really who his beef is with.
Even as they bicker back and forth, reasons and accusations flying, it bounces off me like water off a duck’s back.
Silently, I take stock. I’m not exactly numb. This is different. A quiet strength. A feeling I can best describe as calm. Resolve. And thank goodness for that.
What would it take to have a board of younger minds? Open minds. People who are optimistic and ready to take necessary risks? Who consider more than the bottom line?
The ludicrous idea bursts like a bubble almost as quickly as it’s formed. Still, I wrap that hope around me, push the rolling chair back, and stand.
Delegate. Move on.
Never let them see me sweat.
My mother was right about some things.
See also: sometimes men are just full-grown babies.
I catch Cornelius’s eye and pause.
“Actually, I think it’s you who isn’t ready, Cornelius. It’s a new century. Banking is changing, and you’ve failed to keep up. Rest assured, I wouldn’t make that mistake.” I hold his gaze for a half second. “Have a good afternoon, gentlemen.”
I stride from the conference room and glance at my watch. I have another meeting this afternoon, a more important meeting, and Gabe had better be there.