‘You don’t need to defend anything. Not everything’s about you. I told you why I’m back and that’s it.’
‘So you’re not here for the business?’ There was still disbelief in his father’s voice.
For a moment Ryan considered playing with him, the same way his father had played with his mother for years. But really, what would that have gained him? As far as he was concerned he was just another shareholder. Nothing more than that. ‘I’m not interested in the business at all.’
‘In that case I have an offer for you. A very generous one. I’ll email your lawyer the details after our meeting, but I’m certain he’ll advise you to accept.’
‘What offer?’ For the first time, Ryan wanted to sigh. Swallowing down the impulse, he rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the tension there. His father gestured at one of his lawyers.
The man pushed his glasses up his nose, then lifted a pile of thick white paper. ‘Ry … Mr Sutherland, we’ve prepared a very generous offer for your shares. We’d like you to sell them back to the company.’
‘You want to buy me out?’ His voice was low. Clipped. But none of them took the warning.
‘We want to get rid of our liabilities,’ his father said. ‘And you’re the biggest one.’
‘Grandfather left me those shares for a reason,’ Ryan said. ‘He didn’t want the company to be in your hands, otherwise he’d have left them to you.’
‘I think we both know the old man had lost it by the end,’ his father said. ‘He didn’t know what he was doing. If you weren’t family I would have contested the will, but you’d put your mother through more than enough by then. You should look at the offer; it’s a good one. We’ll keep it open for a week. Pass it by your lawyer, and get back to us with any questions.’
The lawyer slid the documents into a large buff envelope, then pushed it across the table to Ryan. He ignored it, refusing to pick it up.
‘I don’t need to read it. The answer’s no.’ Without looking at the envelope, he used the tips of his fingers to push it back across the polished wooden surface. Though his stomach was churning, he kept his expression implacable. He knew from past experience that to show weakness to his father was tantamount to surrender. ‘I promised my grandfather I would never sell the shares,’ Ryan said. ‘Not to an outside buyer, and not to you.’ He flicked his eyes up, meeting his father’s gaze.
‘We’ll send the offer to your lawyer,’ his father said. ‘He’ll tell you it’s a good one. You have fi
ve days to accept it.’
‘Send it where you want.’ Ryan shrugged. ‘I won’t be accepting it anyway. You’re wasting your time and mine.’
‘Then I’d say this meeting is over.’
‘That’s the first sensible thing I’ve heard all morning.’ Leaving the envelope on the table, Ryan left the room, not bothering to say goodbye, not wanting to look back at his father. It was taking all of his effort just to keep himself from exploding. He was angry, but also really hurt. He should be used to it, he really should, but it didn’t stop him from wanting to break something on his way out of the building.
Almost fifteen years ago, he’d walked away from his parents and swore to himself he’d never let them hurt him again.
So why did it feel as if he’d just been stabbed in the back?
7
Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast
– Romeo and Juliet
‘Are you sure everything’s okay there?’ Juliet spoke into her phone.
‘It’s all good. I’ve opened up, sold a couple of bouquets. And the driver called to confirm the deliveries for later. Now stop talking to me and enjoy your day, okay?’ Lily reassured her. ‘I promise I’ve got it all covered.’
‘I really appreciate your help. Thanks for stepping in.’ Juliet still couldn’t help but worry. ‘I’ll call you tonight to make sure it all went well.’
‘You do that.’ Lily sounded amused. ‘But for now you’re a mom not an entrepreneur. So hang up and get on with it.’
Planning a day off from her own business had been hard work. She’d spent the whole weekend trying to get everything ready, so that Lily could run the shop alone. It had meant paying a courier service to deliver the flowers, pretty much wiping out any profit she had hoped to make, but really, what choice did she have? Poppy was desperate for Juliet to be one of the parent-helpers on the school trip, and the thought of disappointing her was too much.
Yet another joy of being a single, working parent; every choice left a casualty somewhere. All too often, the main casualty was Juliet’s sanity.
She glanced at her phone as she walked with Poppy into her classroom. No messages yet. Hopefully that was a good sign.
The classroom was buzzing with the children’s excitement. Though it was early October, they were all dressed in their Halloween clothes; as princesses and witches, ghosts and football players.