Page 103 of Flirting with the CEO

I hadn't heard him sound so sharp in years. It was what I used to call hisoffice voice, which I'd only heard a few times.

No one was speaking. Not even Ben was fussing in Zoey’s arms.

"We all talked," Maddox said, pointing around the yard, "and figured that it's not a bad idea to buy out his remaining shares in Whitley Industries. And we wanted to hear your thoughts on that."

"We'll only do it if you agree,” I said.

"I don't care," Grandmother said. "I agree with whatever feels right to you boys."

"Does Whitley Industries even have enough cash?" Grandfather asked. Of course his mind went directly to the business.

"Yes," I said. "We ran the numbers. We can afford it."

He looked around us, focusing on Jake. "You all want to do this?"

Jake spoke next. "Yes. That will solve the problem and also make sure he's out of our lives for good.”

It wasn't as if we'd had anything to do with him since he left. He received money from his shares, but accounting took care of it. But this would be the end of our business dealings with him at all, plus any future contact with him. He could hang nothing over our heads. This would be final.

"Very well," Grandfather said. "If I'm honest, I think it's for the best too. This way you boys get control of everything. You're dividing the shares equally among yourselves?" His voice held an edge. I couldn't help but smile.

“Of course," Jake said.

"Colton is putting up most of the cash," Maddox stated, "so he should get the most shares."

"No," I said categorically. "Whitley Industries belongs to all of us, so we'll share it equally."

Grandmother smiled at me wholeheartedly. I knew how much this meant to her. But I wasn't only insisting on this because it would make our grandparents happy. Maddox, Leo, and Nick were Whitleys just as much as Gabe, Jake, Cade, Spencer, and I.

"That's why you boys brought us out here?" Grandmother asked and laughed.

"Well, notjustfor that. We've been figuring out a way to get you two out of the house," Maddox said.

“I agree with you boys,” Grandfather said. He nodded at all of us.

"Okay, then. I'll give the lawyers the green light," I said.

Whitley Industries had a legal team that was almost unparalleled in the corporate world, so we didn't need to externalize this. I took out my phone, moving back inside while emailing the head of the legal department. He answered right away, saying he’d have everything ready for us tomorrow morning.

Then I noticed an email from my lead scientist and immediately answered it.

***

Zoey

Today was absolutelyperfect. “Can you take a picture of me and Ben?" I asked Gabe because he was closest. We were sitting a bit away from the group, in the sun. It was too chilly anyway. Spencer had set up heaters in the yard, but we’d probably move inside soon.

“Sure.”

I wasn't going to give Ben away at all today. He was mine. I couldn't stop kissing him. He was such a cute baby.

Gabe snapped a picture of me, and I immediately sent it to my parents, my brothers, and Tom, who replied first.

Tom: Hey, you've been holding out on me. You didn't tell me you were a baby person.

Zoey: I didn't know that either.

Up until now, I hadn't had a chance to be around babies at all.

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