be buying their shares.”
Dalton frowned. “But if you don’t buy them, who will?”
“For crying out loud, Dalton, even a saxophone player like me can figure that out,” Caden said, grinning. At Dalton’s blank look, he then added, “ You will be buying them, Mr. Billionaire.”
Five hours later, the brothers, along with Vidal, were still at the table going over the results of their efforts. Hannah had served them a lunch fit for a king, since it had included slices of her mouthwatering peach cobbler.
Jace had been able to speak with their father personally, to let him know what was going on. Although the call was short, it had been productive. Sheppard Granger approved of their strategy. “Okay,” Jace said, leaning back in the chair. “Eight people have defected, but we won’t know until tomorrow if that will be enough to pull things off.”
“It better be,” Dalton said, grumbling. “My bank account is minus a few million dollars.”
“For Pete’s sake, stop whining, boy toy,” Caden said, studying one particular name on the list. Samuel Timmons. Timmons had owned over thirty shares of stock. More than likely, they all belonged to Mrs. Timmons now that Mr. Timmons was deceased. Jace had called to speak with Mrs. Timmons, but the housekeeper told him that she was out of town and wasn’t expected back until late tomorrow.
One of the stockholders who defected mentioned that Freeman had called earlier to ensure that everyone showed up for the meeting and voted in his favor. So the question was, had he reached Mrs. Timmons, and if so, would she vote by proxy in Freeman’s favor? Caden wouldn’t be surprised if she did. Samuel and Sandra Timmons had been close friends of their parents, and their testimony had been damaging in his father’s trial. And then once the trial was over, they’d forbidden their children to have anything to do with the Grangers’ sons.
“Caden?”
He looked up at Jace. “Yes?”
“So what do you think?”
A slow smile touched Caden’s lips. “I think we should show up for tomorrow’s meeting ready to kick ass and take names.”
“Now you’re talking,” Jace said, grinning with anticipation.
“Well, I hate to be the one to burst your oversize bubble,” Dalton said. “But there are four people on that list who could either be with us or with Freeman, and their votes might be the deciding ones.”
“And we can’t lose our hair over it,” Jace replied. “If we portray Grangers who’re ready to come in, roll up our sleeves and turn the company around, I think they’ll go our way. Most of them have been loyal to Granddad over the years and hopefully will want us to carry out his wishes.”
“May I offer a suggestion?” Vidal said, presenting a business card to them. “Her name is Shana Bradford, and she’s only twenty-eight, but she’s been getting a lot of attention since her company relocated here a few years ago.”
Jace glanced at the card. Shana Bradford, Bradford Crisis Management Firm. “Is she good?”
“Her firm has turned more than one company around, getting them out of the red very quickly. She definitely has a proven track record. I suggest you bring her on.”
Jace glanced at his brothers. “What do you think?”
Caden smiled. “It’s your decision to make, Mr. CEO.”
Dalton shrugged broad shoulders. “I vote we hire her only if she looks good.”
Jace rolled his eyes and glanced back at Vidal. “If things go in our favor tomorrow, I’ll give her a call.”
* * *
After hours of tossing and turning, not able to sleep, Jace got out of bed, slipped into his robe and headed downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk. He stopped when he saw Hannah sitting at the kitchen table, staring down at her folded hands.
He turned to go back to his room, not wanting to intrude on her private moments. But then he recalled something she had told him when his grandmother Ava had died and he had been filled with grief. At times
Dalton frowned. “But if you don’t buy them, who will?”
“For crying out loud, Dalton, even a saxophone player like me can figure that out,” Caden said, grinning. At Dalton’s blank look, he then added, “ You will be buying them, Mr. Billionaire.”
Five hours later, the brothers, along with Vidal, were still at the table going over the results of their efforts. Hannah had served them a lunch fit for a king, since it had included slices of her mouthwatering peach cobbler.
Jace had been able to speak with their father personally, to let him know what was going on. Although the call was short, it had been productive. Sheppard Granger approved of their strategy. “Okay,” Jace said, leaning back in the chair. “Eight people have defected, but we won’t know until tomorrow if that will be enough to pull things off.”
“It better be,” Dalton said, grumbling. “My bank account is minus a few million dollars.”
“For Pete’s sake, stop whining, boy toy,” Caden said, studying one particular name on the list. Samuel Timmons. Timmons had owned over thirty shares of stock. More than likely, they all belonged to Mrs. Timmons now that Mr. Timmons was deceased. Jace had called to speak with Mrs. Timmons, but the housekeeper told him that she was out of town and wasn’t expected back until late tomorrow.
One of the stockholders who defected mentioned that Freeman had called earlier to ensure that everyone showed up for the meeting and voted in his favor. So the question was, had he reached Mrs. Timmons, and if so, would she vote by proxy in Freeman’s favor? Caden wouldn’t be surprised if she did. Samuel and Sandra Timmons had been close friends of their parents, and their testimony had been damaging in his father’s trial. And then once the trial was over, they’d forbidden their children to have anything to do with the Grangers’ sons.
“Caden?”
He looked up at Jace. “Yes?”
“So what do you think?”
A slow smile touched Caden’s lips. “I think we should show up for tomorrow’s meeting ready to kick ass and take names.”
“Now you’re talking,” Jace said, grinning with anticipation.
“Well, I hate to be the one to burst your oversize bubble,” Dalton said. “But there are four people on that list who could either be with us or with Freeman, and their votes might be the deciding ones.”
“And we can’t lose our hair over it,” Jace replied. “If we portray Grangers who’re ready to come in, roll up our sleeves and turn the company around, I think they’ll go our way. Most of them have been loyal to Granddad over the years and hopefully will want us to carry out his wishes.”
“May I offer a suggestion?” Vidal said, presenting a business card to them. “Her name is Shana Bradford, and she’s only twenty-eight, but she’s been getting a lot of attention since her company relocated here a few years ago.”
Jace glanced at the card. Shana Bradford, Bradford Crisis Management Firm. “Is she good?”
“Her firm has turned more than one company around, getting them out of the red very quickly. She definitely has a proven track record. I suggest you bring her on.”
Jace glanced at his brothers. “What do you think?”
Caden smiled. “It’s your decision to make, Mr. CEO.”
Dalton shrugged broad shoulders. “I vote we hire her only if she looks good.”
Jace rolled his eyes and glanced back at Vidal. “If things go in our favor tomorrow, I’ll give her a call.”
* * *
After hours of tossing and turning, not able to sleep, Jace got out of bed, slipped into his robe and headed downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk. He stopped when he saw Hannah sitting at the kitchen table, staring down at her folded hands.
He turned to go back to his room, not wanting to intrude on her private moments. But then he recalled something she had told him when his grandmother Ava had died and he had been filled with grief. At times
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