“Do you think she’s serious?” Carter asked. “This company is her life. What is she going to do with her free time?”
“She’ll probably spend it on the beach with her new hunky surfer boyfriend,” Andi said as she walked out the door.
We all looked at each other gaping.
“She’s joking, right?” Hunter asked.
I didn’t know, but I didn’t have time to discuss it. I had a call to make and something to prove. This company was as important to me as it was to my grandmother. Like her, I planned to dedicate my life to nurturing it and watching it grow.
2
Kellie
I frowned as the minutes ticked away and my boss still wasn’t back in his office. I’d left for a moment to refill my coffee and when I got back, he was gone. And he was still gone when in just a few minutes he was scheduled for a video call with a European Distributor. It wasn’t like him to be late or do things last minute. Ryan Strong was focused and meticulous in his work. So, what had pulled him away from his office especially right before such an important meeting?
Andi, the assistant to the matriarch and head of Strong Incorporated, Margaret Strong, entered my work area.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“We have an important call in a few minutes and my boss is AWOL. He really needs to close this deal today,” I said, checking my files for the umpteenth time so when he did arrive, I’d be ready to join him. “Have you seen him?”
“Margaret called a last-minute meeting so he’s in the conference room with his brothers. At least the brothers that work.” She rolled her eyes and I knew she was thinking of Noah, the one brother who didn’t seem to care about the business. “She’s getting ready to retire and wanted to tell them her plans and expectations.”
“Will Ryan be CEO?” As far as I was concerned, he was the best suited to the role. While Hunter and Carter were great assets, to my mind Ryan was better able to keep his eye on the big picture, and command respect and attention from others within the company and outside it.
“COO. She doesn’t want a CEO. They have to manage it equally together.”
The brothers seemed to get along alright, but it still felt like there should be someone in charge.
“By the way,” she added, perching her hip on the corner of my desk. “I told them she was retiring to spend more time with her surfer boyfriend.”
I laughed. “They couldn’t have possibly bought that.”
She shrugged. “They didn’t dismiss it.”
Ryan rushed towards his office, jerking his head towards it as he passed me.
“You’ve been beckoned,” Andi said.
I gathered the files. “This is an important call.”
“Do you suppose he ever relaxes? I have a theory that he needs to get laid.” Andi stood to get out of my way.
“You think everyone needs to get laid,” I said, grabbing my pen.
“True. But Ryan in particular. He’s a handsome guy. Rich. Smart. He should have a woman-du-jour, but instead he works like a madman. When you do suppose was the last time he got laid?”
“I don’t know. And don’t put ideas like that in my head. I don’t need to walk in there and be thinking about my boss in bed.”
She smirked. “I don’t know, that could be a nice image.”
I walked around my desk heading for Ryan’s office. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yep.” Andi started towards her office.
I entered Ryan’s office and went to his desk. He already had his notes and files ready. I set mine beside his, ready to offer assistance in providing the data or information he needed.
“Are we set up for the call?” he asked as he glanced at the files that I put in front of him.