Page 19 of Trouble Walked In

He made a mental note to send his assistant a bag of nails for Christmas. “Can we just focus on the issue at hand, please? Step one, get me back in that house.”

Morgan’s laughter died down into a fit of giggles that finally drifted away. “Okay, I have an idea. She’d rent a room to someone, just not to you. So don’t be you. I’ll make a reservation under some other name. We can use one of your dad’s side businesses. I’ll get you a room for tomorrow and Wednesday.”

Renic perked up at that. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea.”

“You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

He waved that old complaint aside. "Make it for the weekend too.”

“Don’t tell me you need more than a couple of days to charm a lady who already likes you. You really are losing your touch.”

He ignored her comment and pressed on. “She mentioned something about plumbing issues, and a wedding. They don’t just do rooms. They do events.” An idea popped up and hit him in the forehead. “We should plan an event.”

“You want to plan your wedding already? You haven’t even apologized.” Morgan sounded dubious.

“No, you pain in my ass. Not a wedding. Something else. Something that would last a few days, like maybe, I don’tknow. Something.” He couldn’t think of what other event could possibly exist.

“Have you considered a psychiatric convention? That way you could get some mental help.”

“Just give me a second. Let me think this through.”

“Oh, that ship has sailed, don’t you think?” Morgan said.

“It doesn’t have to be anything that big. It could be a party or something like that.”

“You sure you want to go that direction? I mean, Della did just bolt from a party. It might not put her in a receptive frame of mind.”

She had a point there. “Okay, not a party. Something business.”

“Business. You mean you want to plan an event that will be useful as well as manipulative.”

“Yes, that’s it exactly.” Renic tapped a beat out on the steering wheel. A thought circled through about his recent talk with Nate. There was something he could use in that, somewhere.

“I was kidding,” Morgan said.

“I’m not.” The thought solidified. “Invite Nate, his crew, and the lawyers. Tell him I’m reconsidering his offer, and they should all come up here to hash out the details.”

Morgan made a choking sound. “Are you saying you’ll give up part of the business to get Della back?”

He felt a surge of the old optimism as the plan worked its way into reality in his mind. “No. I’m saying I’ll show Della some real-world consequences of her actions.”

“Boss, this might not be the right—” Morgan started to say.

“It might not be the right thing, but it’s the only thing. If Della doesn’t go on tour, I’llhaveto sell part of the business to make up the loss. Get them up here. Call it some sort ofplanning session or something. Use Dad’s investment firm to book it. Pay whatever she asks.”

Morgan sputtered and coughed. “Whatever she asks? Who are you and what have you done with my boss?”

“I’m serious. She needs the money.” Now that he thought about what he’d seen, he was positive he was on the right track. “She said something about plumbing, and the place definitely looks like it could use a little sprucing up. Give her a big deposit. Make it enough she can’t say no.”

“Um, okay. If you think this is the best play,” Morgan said in a way that made it clear she didnotthink this was in any way a smart move. “Not sure Nate will love being used as a tool in your reindeer games, but whatever.”

“Do it now. I’m going to get a room and try not to look too hard at the sheets.”

“Gross,” Morgan said. “I’ll see what I can do. But, boss?”

“Yeah?”

“When you see her again, start with the magic words. Trust me.”

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