She’d kept this from him for a month.
“You’ve been busy with Smythe Industries,” her father continued. “I don’t see why you’re so annoyed. We’re keeping a valuable employee.”
And Sebastian had lost the ability to pursue a personal relationship with her.
The temptation to ask his father to back off held Sebastian mute. He’d never felt less like a leader in his life. Leaders were the ones with all the answers. The ones in control. He was neither.
“Missy will make a terrific communications director,” his father said. “You’ll see.”
Sebastian offered his father a tight smile. “I don’t doubt that for a second.”
“Then this isn’t about me interfering?”
“Do you want to be CEO again?” Sebastian wasn’t sure where the question came from. He only knew he was ready to walk away from the job he was born to do. Maybe he’d go work for a Fortune 500 corporation. Or start his own company. Do something that wouldn’t involve family. “Say the word and I’m gone.”
From the surprise on his father’s face, Sebastian could see he was finally getting through.
“I don’t want to run the company. Retirement…”
“Is boring as hell. I get it. Mom wanted me to convince you to stay retired. She’s enjoying having you around. Heaven knows why when all you do is golf.” Sebastian set his hands on his hips. “I think she’s scared if you go back to work it will aggravate your heart problems. But maybe she’s wrong to keep you from something you love so much.”
“Sebastian?” His mother entered the room. How much had she heard? “Can you stay for dinner?”
“No. I’m heading back to the office. Without Missy’s help these past few weeks, I’m behind.” He shot his father one last look. “You were right to want her to stay with the company. I just hope you did it for the right reasons.”
Sebastian eased his car toward the curb in front of the downtown Houston hotel. As he put it into Park, a valet stepped up to the passenger door. Missy smoothed her hands down the front of her cornflower-blue cocktail dress. The gown’s silky material grazed her curves with elegant style. The cool color contrasted wonderfully with her red hair.
“I don’t see why you needed me to come here with you,” she complained, questioning his motives for about the tenth time. Her tension was palpable in the confined space. She’d been clenching her evening bag hard the entire drive from her house.
“Because you’re our director of communications and there are a lot of people attending that you should meet.” For the past two weeks, he’d been keeping discreet tabs on her. She stepped into a position without anyone to show her the ropes. That couldn’t have been easy. Sebastian knew no one who could have handled the transition as well as Missy had. “Relax.” He took her hand, compelled by a strong need to reassure her.
“Easy for you to say—you do this all the time.”
“There’s nothing to it.” He stepped out of the car and circled the vehicle. “Just picture them all in their underwear.”
For a second his suggestion flustered her. She stared at him in astonishment before a wry grin curved her lips. “I thought that only worked for public speaking,” she said, tucking her purse into the crook of her arm and letting him guide her into the elegant lobby.
“It works anytime you need it.”
The organizers of the fundraising event—which was geared toward supporting a local food shelf—had decided a casino night was a fun and profitable way to raise funds. Sebastian experienced a moment of déjà vu as they entered the ballroom.
Missy rubbed her hands together gleefully, her earlier nerves forgotten. “Time to take a little cash home.”
“This is a charity event,” Sebastian murmured, amused by the frankness of her avarice. “I think the idea is to leave your cash on the table.”
“How about I try not to win as much as you lose?”
Sebastian gripped her elbow and steered her toward the roulette table. “What makes you think you’re going to win?”
“You’re my good luck charm, aren’t you?” A flirtatious glance slipped from beneath her eyelashes.
“Is that all I am to you?”
Before she could answer, a man stepped into their path. With a drink in his left hand and an ingratiating smile plastered on his face, he swung his palm toward Sebastian. An executive in name only at one of Houston’s larger banks, Bob Stokes attend
ed these functions because his wealthy wife liked being seen with her attractive younger husband as much as she enjoyed flaunting her family’s money.
“Good to see you again, Sebastian.”