Page 36 of Where We Bloom

“I know. I love you, too. Oh, and by the way, the rest of the family will be here in about thirty minutes. I can’t hold them back anymore.”

“Shocker.”

Chapter Six

CONNOR

“Why am I in bloody fecking Dublin?” My board of directors shifts uncomfortably in their seats, looking at each other and out the window. Basically everywhere except at me.

Because they know they’ve fecked up.

Fiona, our real estate lawyer, clears her throat. “We called you in because the new property in Stockholm is exceeding budget forecasts. Environmentalists are upset about water rights, and building the structure close to the lake is causing an issue with ground stabilization.”

“It would be best if you could make a trip over there,” Ronan, my chief of marketing, bravely adds. “You have the magic touch with people, Connor.”

I stare at them both and feel the others in the room shift in their seats again.

“I explained to you all that I’m in Montana for the next two years.” I stand and walk to the windows, looking out over the city of Dublin, then turn back tothe room. Nine faces stare back at me. These are the people who I work side by side with to keep Gallagher Hotels running. They represent everything from legal, marketing, and hospitality to regional market knowledge and construction. I’m the head of financials, but I have more people for that, too.

We run an empire, and since my father retired three years ago, I’m the head of that empire.

And right now, I’d like to fire all of them for calling me here the day after I dropped my bumble bee off at her house after being drugged by that piece of shite.

“I’m not the only one on this board capable of doing site visits,” I add.

“No, but you’re the one whohasdone the majority of the site visits for the past decade,” Fiona reminds me. “More than that, actually. The people in our hotels know and respect you.”

“They’ll learn to know and respect the others on this team,” I counter. “Because I’m not going to bend on this. The Bitterroot Valley and Big Sky properties are my focus for the next couple of years, with quarterly trips back to Dublin for meetings with all of you. I’m not flying to the Maldives, or London, or bloody Stockholm to smooth over ruffled feathers.”

“You’re expected at a site visit in Maui next month,” Sean, my head of contracting says. “We just bought the property, and you need to approve the plans so we can start construction.”

I just stare at the man I’ve worked with for ten years.

“He’s gonna blow,” Ronan mutters, looking at Fiona, and she stands to address the rest of the room.

“Please give us a few moments with Mr. Gallagher,” she says. “We’ll reconvene in thirty minutes.”

The rest of the table stands and exits the room, leaving me with Fiona and Ronan.

“What in the bloody hell has gotten into you?” Fiona asks, scowling at me. “You’re a grumpy bastard, but you don’t usually speak to your board that way.”

I pace next to the long table, then walk back to the windows and stare outside.

This isn’t the view I want to be looking at.

“What’s up with the site visits?” Ronan asks.

He’s been my best mate since we were at university together. We played rugby together, and because he’s the best in the fucking world at what he does, it was a non-issue to bring him into Gallagher Hotels.

When I came to the head of the board, I brought Ronan with me.

He even married my ex-wife. The woman sitting directly across from him.

“Now he’s not speaking to us.” Fiona sighs.

“I’m fecking pissed,” I reply and turn back to them. “I didn’t need to be brought in here for this. It could have been handled with a Zoom call, and you know it.”

“Stockholm is an issue,” Fiona presses. “They’re threatening lawsuits, Connor.”

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