wave them in front of Ana’s broad nose along with a big nanny-nanny-boo-boo. Two things stopped her: The will had yet to be probated. And, bitch or not, Ana was good at her job. If Olivia was going to keep French Kiss from going bankrupt, she needed all the help she could get.
“Fine,” she said, “you may use the office for now.” She tipped up her chin and swept from the room, then almost ran over Parker in the hallway. He was as meticulously groomed as he always was. Shoes polished, suit pressed, purple tie perfectly knotted in a Windsor, and not one blond-highlighted hair out of place. But what Olivia noticed more than anything was his clean-shaven face. Probably because she’d spent the entire weekend thinking about a bearded one.
“Where have you been?” he asked. “I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer one of my texts or messages.”
“I’m sorry. My phone broke.”
“And you couldn’t have used another phone and called me?”
She had thought about it, but then hadn’t wanted a Louisiana area code showing up on his cell phone. Which was weird. If she was dating Parker, she should trust him—and know a little more about him.
“Do you have a dog?” she asked. His mouth opened in mute surprise, drawing Olivia’s gaze to his jaw. It was not just clean-shaven but baby-smooth, and she had to wonder if he could even grow a beard.
“No,” he said. “I don’t have a dog.”
“A sister or brother? And are your parents alive?”
He looked confused. “Are you okay? Did the doctor prescribe tranquilizers after Michael died?”
She shook her head. “No, I was curious. We don’t get to talk much about our life outside of work.”
“Because we don’t have a life outside of work, and I thought that we were both quite happy with that.”
“Right.” She backed away. “I’ll call you later.”
Before she headed to her office, Olivia dropped the contracts by to Jason Melvin. Jason was a young company lawyer who, unlike Parker, always looked like a wrinkled mess. His hair needed a cut, his shirt an iron, and his pants an extra inch of length. Not to mention that his purple ties always had some sort of stain on them. And yet Olivia trusted him more than anyone in the company. Probably because he had chosen loyalty over confidentiality. He was the one who had alerted her about Michael’s will. The one who had helped her write up the contract to buy back French Kiss.
As soon as she stepped into his office, he dropped the jelly doughnut he’d been eating and jumped to his feet. “So did they sign?” Before she could answer, he continued. “Of course, why wouldn’t they? That’s a lot of money.”
She set her briefcase on the desk and opened it. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought. Deacon Beaumont gave me a little trouble.” She handed him the contracts. “Have you heard anything from your snitch at Michael’s law firm?”
“They found the Beaumonts. And with the ironclad will Michael set up, it shouldn’t take any time at all for you to get their shares. I’m thinking that by this time next week, you’ll be the new CEO. Won’t that surprise the board?”
“I don’t know about that. Someone already leaked the information about the will to Anastasia.”
Jason held up his hands. “It wasn’t me. I’m terrified of the woman.”
“That makes two of us.” She nodded at the contracts. “Guard those with your life.”
“Will do”—he winked—“boss lady.”
Rather than make her happy, the two words made her feel slightly ill. Thankfully, Kelly was waiting at the door of her office with a cup of coffee. As usual she wore totally inappropriate clothing for work. Her blue-jean skirt was too short, her shirt too tight, and her Hello Kitty pink glitter belt too…weird. But she had caffeine, so Olivia chose to ignore her outfit. “You’re a saint,” she said as she reached for the cup.
Kelly pulled it back. “Sorry, but this isn’t for you.” She nodded at the
“Fine,” she said, “you may use the office for now.” She tipped up her chin and swept from the room, then almost ran over Parker in the hallway. He was as meticulously groomed as he always was. Shoes polished, suit pressed, purple tie perfectly knotted in a Windsor, and not one blond-highlighted hair out of place. But what Olivia noticed more than anything was his clean-shaven face. Probably because she’d spent the entire weekend thinking about a bearded one.
“Where have you been?” he asked. “I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer one of my texts or messages.”
“I’m sorry. My phone broke.”
“And you couldn’t have used another phone and called me?”
She had thought about it, but then hadn’t wanted a Louisiana area code showing up on his cell phone. Which was weird. If she was dating Parker, she should trust him—and know a little more about him.
“Do you have a dog?” she asked. His mouth opened in mute surprise, drawing Olivia’s gaze to his jaw. It was not just clean-shaven but baby-smooth, and she had to wonder if he could even grow a beard.
“No,” he said. “I don’t have a dog.”
“A sister or brother? And are your parents alive?”
He looked confused. “Are you okay? Did the doctor prescribe tranquilizers after Michael died?”
She shook her head. “No, I was curious. We don’t get to talk much about our life outside of work.”
“Because we don’t have a life outside of work, and I thought that we were both quite happy with that.”
“Right.” She backed away. “I’ll call you later.”
Before she headed to her office, Olivia dropped the contracts by to Jason Melvin. Jason was a young company lawyer who, unlike Parker, always looked like a wrinkled mess. His hair needed a cut, his shirt an iron, and his pants an extra inch of length. Not to mention that his purple ties always had some sort of stain on them. And yet Olivia trusted him more than anyone in the company. Probably because he had chosen loyalty over confidentiality. He was the one who had alerted her about Michael’s will. The one who had helped her write up the contract to buy back French Kiss.
As soon as she stepped into his office, he dropped the jelly doughnut he’d been eating and jumped to his feet. “So did they sign?” Before she could answer, he continued. “Of course, why wouldn’t they? That’s a lot of money.”
She set her briefcase on the desk and opened it. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought. Deacon Beaumont gave me a little trouble.” She handed him the contracts. “Have you heard anything from your snitch at Michael’s law firm?”
“They found the Beaumonts. And with the ironclad will Michael set up, it shouldn’t take any time at all for you to get their shares. I’m thinking that by this time next week, you’ll be the new CEO. Won’t that surprise the board?”
“I don’t know about that. Someone already leaked the information about the will to Anastasia.”
Jason held up his hands. “It wasn’t me. I’m terrified of the woman.”
“That makes two of us.” She nodded at the contracts. “Guard those with your life.”
“Will do”—he winked—“boss lady.”
Rather than make her happy, the two words made her feel slightly ill. Thankfully, Kelly was waiting at the door of her office with a cup of coffee. As usual she wore totally inappropriate clothing for work. Her blue-jean skirt was too short, her shirt too tight, and her Hello Kitty pink glitter belt too…weird. But she had caffeine, so Olivia chose to ignore her outfit. “You’re a saint,” she said as she reached for the cup.
Kelly pulled it back. “Sorry, but this isn’t for you.” She nodded at the
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