Page 135 of Bad Love

Silence falls over thetable.

Monty clears his throat. "All right, then. Perhaps given the nature of this relatively new material, we should table it for the next meeting and give the board time to review.” I nod. I won’t be here, but at least they’ll have all the information they need to move ahead. If they want to shoot themselves in the foot, it’s on them. “Next order of business: the transition of shares. Mrs. Hunter, you have anannouncement."

My grandmother shifts forward, folding her hands. "Yes, I do. My grandson, Logan Hunter, will be taking over majority ownership of the company. I will be transitioning my fifty-one percent ownership to him over a period of twelvemonths."

My ears ring, and I shake my head because I'm not hearing right. "Wait. Sincewhen?"

"I need someone creative. Who can get out of problems. I also want someone who'll admit to them. Besides, you’ve provided so many ideas. Now we need someone to implement them. Unless you're not up to thetask?"

I rub my hands on my slacks under the table as I turn the words over in my head. Majority ownership would mean that even if I lose the bet and my current twenty percent goes to Nellie, I’ll still call theshots.

I've got lots of ideas. And over the past month of pinch-hitting, I've been learning more about how the businessruns.

"I’m not doing it alone,” I say at last. “Monty would need to commit to continuing as chief executive. Any issues we can resolvetogether.”

My best friend nods tightly. “Fine byme.”

There’re a few minutes of discussion I try to focus on despite the ringing in my ears. We take a vote, and somehow I end up getting my grandmother's share of thecompany.

After the meeting wraps up, I approach Monty. "Did you know aboutthis?”

He packs up his laptop computer. “I had afeeling.”

“And you’re okay with it.” I stare him down. “I haven’t made the best decisions in the past. With the business. Hell, even withyou.”

My best friend frowns. “What the actual fuck are you talkingabout?”

I shove a hand through my hair, nodding to the others as they leave the room. “That dive in school, forone.”

“Christ, tell me you’re not still hung up on that.” His eyes close. “Things happen we can’t control. All we can do is try to get ahead of them. And when we can’t, we react as best we can. I’ve never regretted calling you my best friend. Notonce.”

I let out a half laugh that feels at odds with the tightness in mychest.

"Now that you’re responsible for Hunter’s Cross, you're going to have to be at the office before ten," Montyquips.

"Let's not gocrazy."

I pack up my things, and a slip of folded paper slides out of my padfolio onto thetable.

“What isthat?”

I reach for the pink flower, thinking about the night Kendall gave it to me. “Agift.”

Monty shakes his head. “La fleur que tu m'avais jetée, dans ma prison m'étaitrestée.”

Carmen.

The flower that you tossed to me, in my prison stayed withme.

“You would quote Bizet at the end of a boardmeeting.”

He folds his arms. “What I’m saying is you haven’t givenup.”

I turn the flower in my fingertips. “Nah. Not givenup.”

I can’t give up on Kendall. And now that I’ve done my best for Hunter’s Cross, I’m turning every part of my attention to winning herback.

I don’t care if she’s not ready to talk. I’ll make her see she’s the only one I want. That I’d give anything I have to make her happy. That I’m the only man whocan.

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