“Stop!” Billy shouted as he catapulted to his feet and nearly knocked over his chair. “Pop, I love you, but you need to accept me for who I am or just divorce me and find someone your own speed. I am not interested in this company. I’ve told you that a million times, but you never listen. I want to write historical novels. So, I guess you need to ask yourself if being married to an author is good enough for you or not.”
She changed her tone to a softer, more coaxing one. “I want to be your wife, Billy, no matter what you do. I just think we’d both be happier if you took a more active role in the family business.”
Before Billy could respond, Katie stepped in to finish explaining their plan. “As I was saying, we are going to need a replacement vice-president for Reginald and now one for Billy, especially since Chase isn’t going to work around the clock anymore. He will still be president, but we need two active vice-presidents.”
“Katie is going to take Reggie’s place,” Chase said.
Evelyn paled. “What does she know about business? She’s a secretary, for pete’s sake.”
“Shewasa secretary, Mother. Now, she’s my wife, and you’d be surprised by how much she knows about the company already.” Chase winked at her. “She has some great ideas. Sweetheart, why don’t you tell them who you have in mind to replace Billy?”
Katie pointed to Poppy. “You. Billy admitted all of his good ideas over the past year have come from you, and you have been running things around here almost by yourself for weeks. So, instead of being married to a leader, why don’t you become one?”
Poppy positively glowed at the idea. “I accept.”
“Not so fast.” Chase held a hand up. “If you want the position, you have to stop trying to undermine me here at work. The moment you go after more stock or try to turn board members against me, you are done. Understood?”
Poppy mumbled. “Doesn’t seem fair that you and your wife hold seventy percent of the stock and control everything.”
“Agreed,” Katie said. “If you stop trying to undercut Chase and act like a reasonable member of this family, we’ll give you more stock.”
“In five years,” Chase said. “You have to play nice for five years, and then we’ll give you more stock.”
Poppy seemed to love that idea. She retook her seat, still smiling from ear to ear. She and her husband both looked happy with the situation. That left Evelyn to deal with, so Katie turned to her next.
“We realize you only have ten percent of the company,” Katie said. “But you don’t work here like the rest of us. The only time you come in is for these meetings. If you want more input, Chase and I think you need to take a job here. We can find something that suits you.”
Evelyn gaped at her. The woman slowly shook her head, declining the offer just as Chase predicted. “I’m content with my ten percent, and I think the two of you are doing a marvelous job. Giving Poppy the position of vice-president is brilliant, and I take back my previous objection to you being a vice-president, Kathryn. I think you will do just fine.”
Katie winced at the lengthening of her name, but she didn’t bother to explain that the name on her birth certificate was actually Katie. Not Kathryn. Evelyn probably wouldn’t care. She enjoyed calling her children by formal, stuffy sounding names. The only one she didn’t seem to do it with was Poppy, and that would be a difficult name to formalize.
They talked a bit more about the details before closing the meeting.
As everyone stood, Billy asked his brother, “Are you really going to spend less time here at work? Dad used to come in before dawn and stayed until well after dark every single night. I figured you would continue to do the same until they buried you.”
Evelyn gave Chase an I-told-you-so look.
“Banker hours, Billy,” Chase said. “My daughter is more important to me than this job.”
“That’s good,” Billy said with a nod. “You are a good dad, much better than ours.”
Katie agreed. “He sure is.”
“Well, if he ever falls back into old habits, you have all of us to put him on track.” Billy smiled as he put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And you have an excellent vice-president right here to share the workload. I’m sure she’ll do a fine job and make us all proud.”
Poppy beamed at her husband, enjoying the praise.
After the others left the conference room, Chase pulled Katie closer, and his arms wrapped around her to create a tight embrace. He placed his chin on the top of her head, and she heard the smile in his voice. “Want to try out the bed in my city apartment? We haven’t done that yet.”
Now that their marriage was real, he only wanted to make love in bed. She had a feeling she wouldn’t have to worry about him getting bored with their love life. He seemed revved up and ready to go all the time. In the blink of an eye, they were newlyweds again. But it wasn’t just about the sex.
She giggled. “You are insatiable.”
“Only with you.”
He kissed her firmly on the mouth, and she melted against him.
“I was wrong,” she said when they came up for air.