Her eyes flared wider. “Oh. That’s awful.”
“Isn’t it? So I gave him the night to himself, while I assure myself this isn’t true. After all, everyone in the upper echelons of my company must realize they are not irreplaceable if they engage in shameful behavior.” Gregory stood up straight again. “Still. It’s good to see you. Why don’t I show you to the parlor? My grandmother will be able to tell you about the house’s history while I welcome a few others personally.”
“Certainly,” Colleen said. She paused when her husband touched her elbow and murmured in her ear. “Why don’t I take Vivian there? She can tell me the way.”
Here it comes.“We’ll be right behind you,” Gregory said, and hung back while Colleen took charge of Vivian’s chair.
They’d taken a scant five steps before Robert said, “Did you handle the matter we spoke about the other day?”
Gregory raised an eyebrow. “This again. Robert, did I say I would take care of it?”
“You did, but–”
“And did you then tell me you trusted me to take care of matters?” Gregory put his hands into his pockets and straightened his spine for an additional touch of height.
Robert tried the same posture but didn’t have the intimidation in him. Not when presented with Gregory’s best stern expression. “I did.”
“Then I consider the matter finished between us.” Gregory took one hand out of his pocket to gesture down the hall. “Let’s rejoin the ladies, shall we?”
Robert’s displeasure showed through his attempts at a calm facade. “Yes. Let’s.”
They found Gran listening as Colleen explained how they’d left their children with their grandparents, whom they’d flown to England for the purpose. Both women smiled as Gregory and Robert entered. When her husband gestured for her to look at one of the paintings with him, Colleen crossed to him for what Gregory knew would be an exchange of information.
He stood by Gran for the same purpose. She had the look on her face that said she had a matter on her mind. “Everything all right?” he said softly.
“Robert is unhappy. And that isn’t his usual style of suit,” she answered under her breath.
“I know. He’s put out with me right now.”
“Be careful of crossing him, son.” Gran glanced up at him. “Don’t take his guff, but don’t make an enemy if you don’t have to. Not until you see if you can win the board over, and have time to talk to your shareholders. Don’t start the battle until you know you can win it.”
“I know,” he said, and pursed his lips.
And I know I’ve already made an enemy. What I don’t know is why, and what he’s up to behind my back.
* * *
“It isn’t asif I mind gay people, you understand,” Charles Vanderpool said between sips of champagne. “I have gay friends. The man who cleans my pool is gay. It’s just that– Well, look there. See Robert and Colleen dancing? There they are, a married couple, two children, and they couldn’t resist slipping off for a dance. Even before the dancing started, they couldn’t help it. How could two men dancing together compete with the way they look? So perfect. SoAmerican. Just wholesome all around.”
Never before had Gregory wanted so intensely to put a wine bucket over a man’s head, then clang the bucket with a nearby candlestick. “So, I take it you don’t want to dance with me then, Charles,” he said, forcing his tone to remain light.
Charles stared at him, then burst out laughing. “That’s a good one! You have Henry’s sense of humor.”
“Here I’ve always thought I had my own sense of humor.” Gregory could feel his smiles wearing thin. “I’m going to admit, I find all this discussion about my private life off-putting. It’s called aprivatelife for a reason.”
“When you’re the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the United States, Gregory, nothing is private.” Charles seemed very amused by this. Gregory pondered the wine bucket again. “You’re the face of the company. What you do reflects on us all. When you look good, when you hold up our image, we look good, too. When you inspire trust, stocks rise. Try to run around with the pool boy…”
Gregory counted to ten. “I would think the image of me caring for my mother and ailing grandmother would be plenty ‘wholesome’, as you put it.”
Charles turned a look of condescending sympathy on him. “Let me level with you. No one likes Darlene. No one ever has. Henry did what he could to polish her image as his daughter, but the entire thing was a scandal, and everyone knew it. And don’t get me wrong, we all love Vivian. We respect her. But she isn’t going to be around forever. Think about what your image will look like when you no longer have Henry’s widow to soften it.”
In his imagination, Gregory decided to forego the wine bucket and just use the candlestick. “My image will be that of a capable businessman who has brought stock up and expanded the company’s revenue streams. I think that’s what matters most, don’t you?”
“We’ll see,” Charles said with a shrug, then followed a server with a tray full of champagne glasses.
Gregory inhaled until his lungs threatened to burst, held it, and let the breath out slowly.We haven’t even put out the buffet yet. This night is going to last an eternity.
He scanned the room for his grandmother and frowned. Vivian had abandoned her wheelchair to mingle at a stately shuffle, offering personal greetings and conversation to the guests. Her faint frown told him she hadn’t had more pleasant conversations than he had. She looked frustrated, and worse, she looked tired already.