Chapter Four
MADDOX
"Natalie, can I have a word with you before I leave?" I asked her on Friday morning.
She nodded. "Sure. Want us to go to your office?"
"Yes. Give me an update on the next events."
Natalie immediately started rattling everything off before we'd even entered the office.
She was very good at her job. I was lucky that she needed one way back when she met Jake.
She'd been trying to get her event planning business off the ground, and Gran was her first client.
Natalie organized her ninetieth birthday party.
I offered her a job because she couldn't get clients fast enough, and we'd been a team ever since.
She was practically my right hand, and I was going to promote her, considering the hotel would eventually demand more of my time, leaving her to take care of the office here.
"Okay," I said as we both sat down. "Do you need me at any of these events?"
Since we focused on creating office spaces, we routinely held all sort of events—it was part of our marketing campaign. We always handed out invitations to existing customers, and they were welcome to bring over other business partners.
"It would be helpful. You know, most people attend these things because they can't resist your charm and want to check you out."
I knew she was only half joking, and I smirked. "I'll do my best to attend. I think I'll be able to make it tonight too."
"I saw on your calendar that you've got a meeting out of the office today."
"I'm meeting Samuel in Essex. And I’m taking Gran too." Natalie pressed her lips together, and I narrowed my eyes. "What's that? You look like you want to tell me something."
"Yes. I feel like it's my moral duty. Not just because you’re my boss and brother-in-law but because I like you. I have to give you some tips about Jeannie."
"Tips? She's my grandmother."
"Ah, yes. But you see, you've never been on the receiving end of her matchmaking efforts."
I jerked my head back. "That is not what's happening here. Gran's coming because she wants to see the property and meet Cami and… Fuck," I groaned. "That’s exactly what's happening, isn’t it?"
Natalie laughed. "It's good that you caught on. Now that we're on the same page, you're going to be more open to my tips."
"How did you know she was trying to matchmake you and Jake?" I asked.
"She wasn't at all subtle about it. She kept finding excuses for us to spend time together and kind of sang his praises to me. Honestly, he needed it, because I wasn't sold on him when I first met him."
"I wouldn't mind if she sang my praises to Cami. That might certainly butter her up for the sale."
Natalie winced. "Listen, Maddox. Unless you want Jeannie to actually go forward with her matchmaking efforts, do not encourage that. She'll take it as a sign that she's on the right path." She looked me in the eye. "Is she?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I don't know. Why did you flirt with Cami in the first place? You never mix your personal and professional lives."
I cleared my throat. "No, I don’t." I couldn’t deny that Cami was an extremely attractive woman, and she was tough too. I wouldn’t have minded hooking up with her. My priorities were all screwed up. "I fucked it all up, damn it!"
Natalie sighed. "Yes. I’m just surprised that you tried to negotiate that way."
"That’s not why I did it."
"So you were attracted to Cami, and that’s why you flirted? Not to get the deal?"
My nostrils flared. I wasn't a liar.
She put a hand over her mouth. "Um, well, just so you know, Jeannie will pick up on it. No matter what you do or try, she will."
"Natalie, I appreciate what you're trying to do. But I know my grandmother."
She shook her head vehemently. "Every single one of your brothers thought they had everything under control… until they didn't. I mean, it worked out well for them. But if you remember anything, remember this: don't let Jeannie be alone with Cami."
“Of course I won’t.”
"Second, don't let her 'accidentally' set up another meeting with Cami for you."
I was a grown-ass man. Of course that wasn't going to happen. "And third?"
"Let me think."
"You don't have a third one?"
"Oh no, I have about fifteen, but I'm thinking about which to pick so you actually remember it.
If I just list all of them, you'll be overwhelmed.
" Her eyebrows rose. "Oh yeah, I know. Look, she's got two strategies.
One, she does everything without telling you her intention, like she did with me and Jake. "
"You said before that she wasn't subtle."
"No, she wasn't. But she also didn't try to tell me what she was planning."
"Right," I said, not really following.
"But then with Cade and even with Colton, she was very in-your-face. She actually told them she was playing matchmaker."
"All right."
"Also, don't let her say that out loud. If she does, things might get awkward between you and Cami."
I burst out laughing. "Natalie, they cannot get more awkward than they already are."
"Believe me, things can always get more awkward."
I looked at her intently. "You want to add a fourth point, huh?"
"How can you tell?" she asked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You're fidgeting. And you're never nervous."
"Well, it's not exactly a warning. Just… follow your instincts."
"I always follow my instincts."
"I mean, if there was a spark between you and Cami, don't ignore it." She grimaced. "Sorry. Forget I said that."
Except I couldn't.
I cleared my throat. "Listen, I know you’re employed here, but you're family. You can always say whatever goes through your mind. I've never had a sister, and I think it's refreshing to have a woman's perspective. An honest one."
"You can always count on me to be honest." She got up. "Anyway, I've got to hurry because I do have to put a few fires out before tonight. Um, good luck, then. I'm giving you both thumbs up. I can't wait to hear how it goes."
"Natalie, really. Don't worry about me. I have a lot of experience with Gran. I can absolutely handle her."
"Ah," she said on a sigh. "Famous last words, Maddox, I'm telling you."
I was picking up Gran from home, and she was already waiting for me in front of the house. I immediately jumped out of the car, opening the door for her. My SUV was a high step up, so she needed some assistance getting in.
"How long have you been out here?" I asked.
"Oh, not that long. Your granddad had some friends over, and I didn't want to be in their way."
I laughed. "You've got a million rooms. You weren't in his way, for sure."
She smiled devilishly as I closed the door and then got in the car.
Once I started the engine, she said, "Well, whenever he has friends over, he likes to pretend he doesn't have any food or alcohol restrictions. And I can't help but nag if I'm at home. That’s why I got out—so that he can have some fun."
"Since when are you so cavalier with his restrictions?”
She cleared her throat. "After I myself saw what it’s like to have someone hovering over you, I decided to relax a bit."
I started laughing. She'd gotten a taste of her own medicine.
Both their health scares had been quite a while ago.
The doctor's orders for my granddad had been clear.
He shouldn't under any circumstances return to the office again, and there was no need for him to do that.
We had all branches of Whitley Industries under control. And they were thriving.
"It's so good that it's only a short ride," Gran said.
"Forty minutes. Not bad," I said, especially since I planned to travel there a few times a week.
“I’m so glad you and Gabe are doing this together. I'd always hoped to see my grandsons from both sides of the family build something together.”
I stiffened at her words. Usually she didn't differentiate between our half brothers and us. Most of the time you wouldn't even know we didn't all grow up together.
She looked at me and smiled. "It'll bring you closer.”
"It's a great opportunity. In time, maybe we’ll open even more new branches."
My brothers and I were careful when it came to expansion. Dad had a huge ego and had opened new companies within Whitley Industries purely to make himself look good. He nearly ran them all into the ground because he hadn't paid attention to profits. We were doing things differently.
"So, tell me more about Cami. What exactly do you know about her?"
"Nothing," I said truthfully.
Gran turned to me. "Oh, that can't be right. How do you go into a negotiation without preparing beforehand?"
"I thought I was going to deal mostly with her father."
"Then tell me about her father.”
"Why?"
"Because that’s going to tell me a lot about her too. Sometimes people resist change for the wrong reasons. That might be the case here.”
"The guy has run the business for nearly forty years. He’s looking to take it easy. Gabe and I are offering him a lot of money, which will make for a fantastic retirement.”
"And the daughter works with him?"
"Exactly.” Why is she making me repeat everything? We'd already discussed all this at Sunday dinner.
"And what exactly would she do if her father sells the business?”
I shrugged. "Probably find another job. She's a college graduate. She's got management skills under her belt. I'm sure she's going to have no problem finding other employment."
"In Essex?" Gran asked suspiciously.
I was starting to see what she was getting at. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye before focusing back on the road.
"We don't know that she wants to stay in Essex."
"I'll find out. You just give me enough time alone with her. I need about an hour."
"Gran, you said you want to help. You can’t interrogate her for an hour.” I’d figured she’d want fifteen minutes or something.
"Oh, don't be silly. I’m very good at what I do.”
Alarm bells rang in my mind. What did Natalie warn me about? Fuck, I should have paid better attention. She might have been onto something.
"Gran! Gabe and I are in the middle of negotiations."
"Which are going nowhere," she continued.
I cleared my throat. "We hit a temporary roadblock."