Page 25 of Always Salty

I grinned. “I’m guessing that bike on the back of my 4-Runner is yours.”

His eyes moved from me to where my SUV was parked. “That’s likely true.”

“Let’s go.”

The first stop was a diner about a block down the road where Copper ate everything under the sun.

Hamburger, french fries covered with bacon and cheese, baked potato soup, a salad, and followed up with eighteen Dr Peppers.

He ordered pie to go, and stuffed it into his saddlebags when we got back outside.

“Are you going home? Or do you want to go to a board meeting with me?” I asked.

“Board meeting sounds fun.” He grinned.

A gleam entered my eyes. “How do you feel about going to them permanently?”

He tilted his head. “I’ve spent the last seventeen years learning everything I could about running that empire. You know that I’m ready for it.”

I smiled. That’d been my intention all along.

Keep humping along until Copper was ready to take it over.

“I’ll get the shares transferred over tomorrow,” I offered.

“No need,” he said. “You’ll remain with the shares that you have. I’ll get my shares another way.”

My brows rose. “I feel like you aren’t telling me everything.”

He winked. “Let’s go to the meeting.”

Imagine if we’re on the roof looking at the stars and I push you off.

—Keely’s intrusive thoughts

KEELY

The meeting was rescheduled for four, and we arrived at four oh two.

I knew that was going to piss off the board, because they were very prompt, and wanted the meeting to end on time so they could get out of the office.

That was why I always pushed to have it late in the afternoon. One, even if we only took an hour, by the time that we were done, five o’clock rush-hour traffic would be upon us, and all of them would have to drive home in the middle of chaos. Having to reschedule this meeting just made me happy.

I was petty.

What could I say?

“Oh, Ms. Clayborne,” my assistant that literally ran everything for me—the one that I paid more than anyone else in the company to do it—rushed up to me. “I have your meeting notes right here and…” she trailed off when she saw Copper.

Her mouth fell slightly open, eyes widening comically.

“What the hell?” she breathed.

I grinned and turned my head so my assistant, Millie, couldn’t see it.

Millie was a great assistant.

I didn’t think she had any idea what she was signing on for when I’d hired her, but now she ran the place like one well-oiled machine.

---