Page 34 of Trust Me

“Are you all right?” Charlotte asks. “Are you getting one of your migraines?”

“No.” I shake my head, trying to be reassuring even as I need to hold onto my office door for support. “I’m fine.”

“Who was—” Charlotte’s question breaks off when the door opens again.

I brace myself for another round with Dean Walsh, but it isn’t him. My mind scrambles when Adam Bachleda walks into my office.

“Riley,” he says, grinning. “I realize this is sudden, but I just discovered your office is actually on my way into the Townsend building.” He turns to the man standing behind him. “This is my assistant, Anthony Rogers.”

When Anthony extends his hand, I shake it.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he says.

“Mine as well.” I’m confused but do my best to shake off my emotions from my encounter with Dean Walsh.

“Adam, how are you? What are you doing here?” I ask the member of the Townsend Board of Directors.

“Well, my colleagues and I were intrigued by the talk you gave over dinner in Miami. We have a proposition for you.”

“A proposition?” I repeat to make sure I hear him correctly.

He nods. “Yes, can we speak in your office?”

CHAPTER10

Kyle

Today’s the day,I think to myself as I fix my tie in the mirror of my office’s private bathroom. Two weeks since returning from Miami, getting the acquisition papers signed by Sam Waterson, and in twenty minutes, I have a meeting with the board of directors.

Today I become appointed as the chief operating officer of Townsend Industries.

There’s no doubt who that title belongs to. No one in this company can deny me, not after the Waterson deal.

I smooth my hand over the tailored suit jacket and get ready to grab a few files from my desk to bring with me to the twenty-fifth-floor boardroom.

The phone on my desk buzzes.

“Yes, Mike,” I answer my assistant.

“Adam has finally arrived, and your father should be calling in five minutes. We’re all set.”

I nod even though he can’t see me. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

All of the board members will be in attendance for this meeting. Though my father is still away in Europe handling our foreign interests, he’ll be on a video call on the large screen in the boardroom.

I opt to take the three flights of stairs up to the twenty-fifth floor to go over my Waterson strategy in my head. I know the board will have questions on how I plan to handle this merger. It's bullshit. They know as well as I do I know what the hell I’m doing.

But they need to prove to themselves they’re doing their job.

I enter the boardroom and nod and shake hands with the nine board members. There are also a number of the VPs from various divisions of the company. I’m sure Uncle Joshua would be in attendance as well if he weren’t also out of town on business. As COO of Townsend, I’ll also have a great deal to oversee when it comes to the real estate operations of the company.

It’s a huge undertaking but one I was born and bred for. I’m ready.

“Kyle,” Adam Bachleda begins once we’re all seated. “Thank you for joining us.”

I steel my face because why the fuck is he thanking me? This is my job.

“Aaron should be with us any moment.”

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