Flash by Jayne Ann Krentz

It’s in a different position now than it was two years ago because of the R&D commitment. But it has not yet carved out a new, stable market niche.”
    â€œGlow is poised to do extremely well.”
    â€œOne misstep during the next two years and the company will implode. If that happens, you and I won’t be sitting around discussing who’s going to be in charge. We’ll be hiring bankruptcy lawyers.”
    She stiffened. “Things aren’t that precarious. You’re trying to scare me into agreeing to give you full control.”
    â€œI’m not
asking
you for permission to take charge of Glow,” he said. “I’m telling you that I have already taken control of it.”
    â€œGlow has been a family-held business for nearly fifty years. You have no right to just walk in and take over.”
    â€œCorrection. Glow was not a family-held business. It was owned by one man, Rollie Chantry. The fact that he employed most of his relatives at one time or another, is beside the point. None of them own any shares in the company.”
    â€œCorrection,” she retorted smoothly. “I now own half of Glow.”
    â€œThe last time I checked my calculator, forty-nine percent did not equal half of anything.”
    â€œLet’s get something straight here, Mr. Sloan—”
    â€œGood idea.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. He linked his fingers loosely together and watched her very steadily. “You’re a businesswoman, Ms. Chantry. Try to step back and look at the situation logically.”
    â€œWhose logic do you propose we use? Yours or mine?”
    He sighed. “Look, you know as well as I do that in order to take advantage of the recent expansion, Glow will need experienced management and guidance from a CEO who has a long-term vision for the company and a knowledge of the marketplace in which it must compete.”
    She gave him a politely skeptical look. “You?”
    â€œMe.”
    She hesitated, obviously searching for another tactic. Jasper knew the instant she found it because a glint appeared in her eyes.
    â€œThere’s no reason that we can’t arrange to share the responsibilities of management,” she said crisply. “You might be very useful. After all, I am pretty busy with my responsibilities here at Light Fantastic …”
    â€œForget it. I don’t believe in consensus management. Only one of us can be in charge of the day-today operation of the firm. You already have a full-time job running your own company.”
    â€œWhile you, on the other hand, are conveniently free to take over Glow,” she retorted.
    â€œNot only am I free to assume the task of leading Glow, I’m better qualified than you are to do it. I’ve had more than ten years’ experience overseeing technology companies as they moved through periods of growth and expansion.”
    â€œI’ve had a great deal of experience in business, myself.”
    â€œIs that a fact?” He raised his brows. “Let’s take a look at your qualifications for running Glow, Inc. I’vedone some checking. Your sole business experience appears to be limited to owning and operating Light Fantastic.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo, your expertise is confined to running an event production company. Basically, Ms. Chantry, you put on very large parties.”
    Outrage had an interesting effect on the color of her eyes. They turned very green. He watched, intrigued, as she quickly regained her self-control.
    Very coolly she removed her glasses and set them on the desk. “There is a vast difference between putting on a party, as you term it, Mr. Sloan, and producing a major event for several hundred or several thousand people.”
    He gave her his best shot at an innocent expression. “Is there?”
    â€œThe logistics of dealing with everything from city permits and health regulations to crowd control