Page 30 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

Well, of course he was. Tabby and John might have headed out early, but there was still reason to be cautious. Tristan could have bumped into anybody in the hall. People loved to gossip.

One last hurdle remained before she could get Tristan out of her mind. Tabby and John had arranged for anyone still in residence to have brunch before heading home. Other than the bride and groom, only a couple of the wedding party had checked out.

Daley showered and packed her bags. Looking around the luxurious room gave her a wistful pang. She’d had no idea at all when she checked into the hotel on Friday that she would end up in bed with her nemesis. Turns out, he wasn’t half bad.

She made it to the dining room as most of the group had already arrived.

Harold Dunn spotted her and waved her over to a table for four. Tristan was already seated, looking a little the worse for wear. His expression was guarded.

Daley had been introduced to Harold at the wedding, but they hadn’t really chatted.

He stood, held her chair and smiled. “Perfect timing.”

There was no buffet today. A young waitress took Daley’s order. The two men had just been served huge plates of pancakes, eggs and bacon.

Daley waved her hand, not quite able to look at Tristan. “Don’t wait on me. You two eat before your food gets cold.”

They did as she asked, but her meal arrived shortly. It was a lot. Her stomach felt queasy. If she’d had her way, she would have gone straight to her car and left. But with Tabby gone, Daley was the de facto hostess.

Light conversation carried them through the meal. When they were done, Harold sat back in his seat and stared at her with a genial smile. “I was hoping we’d have this chance, Ms. Martin. John has told me so much about you.”

Daley frowned. “Call me Daley, please. He has?”

“Oh, yes. I’m impressed that someone your age has already managed to establish a viable ad agency. Starting a small business isn’t easy.”

“Thank you,” she said. This was awkward. She didn’t want to hear another explanation about why some clients wanted traditional and not trendy.

Harold reached into the inside pocket of his sport coat and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. He tapped the edge of the table with it, his expression determined. “I’ve been thinking about you for weeks,” he said. “And I’ve researched your bottom line. Which leads me to a very logical conclusion.”

Daley frowned, confused. “Oh?”

The older man beamed. “I’d like to buy your company and bring you under the umbrella of Lieberman and Dunn.”

A split second of silence hovered around the table.

“I don’t understand.” When she glanced at Tristan, he looked as shocked as she was, and not happy about the situation, though his expression smoothed immediately.

Harold continued, “It would be a win-win for both of us, my dear. I’m an old fart, but even I know my company needs to lean into the twenty-first century. And I could provide you with a much wider crop of potential clients.”

Daley stuttered, trying not to offend. “I don’t think—”

He held up his hand. “I know we’ll have to meet and hash out details. It goes without saying that I’ll bring your staff along, also. One plus for them will be a more comprehensive package of employee benefits—insurance, pensions, etcetera. You’ve built a marvelous thing, Daley. Together, we can take it to the next level.”

She chewed her lip. “Shouldn’t you discuss this plan with other interested parties?” She was painfully aware of Tristan’s stoic quietness.

Harold looked at his CEO. “Well, Tristan. What do you think?”

There was a heartbeat of silence. Tristan’s expression was inscrutable. “It’s your company, Harold,” he said flatly. “You’re still at the helm. Whatever you want.”

“Well, there you go.” Harold’s smile was jovial. “It makes perfect sense, Daley. John is my godson. Now Tabby is one of us. You’re Tabby’s sister. Bringing you into the family business completes the circle.” He tapped the folded paper again. “This isn’t a legal document, but I’ll stand behind these numbers. Come to my office one afternoon this week, and we’ll hammer out an official offer.”

Daley tried to swallow the nervous lump in her throat. Her voice still came out croaky. “I don’t really know what to say.”

He handed her the paper. “You don’t have to look at this now. It’s been a long emotional weekend, I’m sure. Go home. Think about what I’ve said. Take your time. I’ve put a phone contact for my administrative assistant at the bottom. Call her and set up a time that works for you. I’m excited about this partnership. I hope you will be, too.”

Two of the wedding party stopped by the table to say goodbye to Daley. While she was speaking with them, Tristan stood, excused himself and disappeared. Perhaps he hadn’t packed yet. It was almost checkout time.

When it was just Harold and Daley, she grimaced. “I’m very flattered, Mr. Dunn. But surely you could see that Tristan doesn’t think this is a good idea.”

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