* * *
Brice swept into the office building he kept in town and nodded to the receptionist. She smiled and waved, then continued talking on her headset. He moved down the hall and into his own office, taking a seat behind his desk and thumbing through the pile of mail that had collected there. It had already been sorted once by his employees, so only the more interesting or important pieces were left. While examining the draft of a contract to purchase a failing coffee chain, he heard a knock at the door.
"Come in," Brice said, smiling at his assistant as he made his way into the office and took a seat in one of the leather armchairs facing his desk. Tony Beckham was as impeccably dressed as ever, today in a white dress shirt covered with a black vest accompanied by a skinny black tie. His goatee and handlebar mustache were carefully styled, as was his chestnut hair, which meant it looked purposefully unruly.
"What do you think of the Coffee City contract? I always thought Dawson was expanding too rapidly, and now that the economy's in the toilet, I'm not surprised that he can't keep his stores afloat."
"Yes," Brice said with a sigh. "It's too bad, really. The chain was going well until the collapse."
"So are you going to step in?"
"Thinking about it," Brice said, dropping the contract onto his desk and eyeing his assistant. "Although I won't have time to hold Dawson's hand during the changeover. I doubt he will see our help as anything but interference. We'll need someone to convince him to stay on as a junior partner since he's the only one who really knows the business. After the recovery, we'll be able to sell it back to him at a profit, and everyone will be happy."
Brice noticed that his assistant had paled while he'd been talking. "You don't think everyone will be happy?" he asked, confused by Tony's reaction.
"Doubtful." Tony frowned. "I know Dawson. He's not one to relinquish control willingly. Even if it is in his best interest."
"Then it sounds like you're the man for the hand-holding job." Brice was amazed when his friend's frown turned into a grimace, and his eyes dropped to the ground.
"Let me think about it."
Brice nodded, not wanting to push what was obviously a sensitive subject. "Fine. Now, if we can turn our attention to that little distraction I told you about."
Tony's smile finally returned. "Ah yes. We have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I'm excited to see exactly who's peaked your interest after so long."
"She's something special," Brice mumbled, feeling shy all of a sudden. "I want to you give her whatever she wants. You've read the rules, right?"
Tony nearly giggled, and the strangled sound of his laugh made Brice smile. "Yes, I read them."
"Well, ignore them if you need to. Whatever she wants, she gets." Brice's smile faded as he saw a wary look enter his assistant's eye. "What is it?" Tony had worked for Brice for almost a decade, and his instincts were good. He wondered what had him worried.
"It's just, are you sure? You haven't opened up to anyone like this since...well, since Evetta. Now you're saying to give this girl essentially what amounts to a blank check. Aren't you worried that she might--"
"No." Brice's response was rapid and unequivocal. He could see that his assistant didn't share his certainty. "Trust me, when you meet her, you'll see."
"Okay," Tony agreed at last. "But I'm going to keep my eye on her. Run a background check before I meet her. I don't want to see a repeat of five years ago. You weren't a very nice guy for about a year or so after that."
"I know," Brice grumbled, wishing they could change the subject. "Do what you have to do. Just make sure to give her what she wants."
"And what about you? When do you want your six hours of my undivided attention?"
Brice laughed at his assistant's put-upon tone. "Don't worry about that, either. I'm going to win this one on my own."
Tony grinned. "She has no idea what's she's in for, does she?"
"Mess with the bull, you get the horns," Brice said with a chuckle. "I only need one thing from you."
"Anything."
"Find out what her favorite charity is. She promised to make me donate my time, no doubt mucking out stalls or digging ditches or some other manner of humiliating work, and I'd like to find out exactly where she'd choose."
"Can do," Tony said with a smile, but then he leaned forward as if remembering something, and his face turned serious. "Brice, before I go, I have some news. Your cousin Chester came snooping around again yesterday. He told Brenda in reception that he had an appointment with you, and when she was on the phone he ran into your office and began rifling through your desk."
Brice frowned. His cousin's behavior had become increasingly erratic since Brice had assisted in building a federal case against Chester's father, Uncle Wesley. Wesley Masterson had attempted to illegally mine state land; the land Brice had donated to build his parents' memorial park. Thanks to Caleb and Dani, they'd been able to apprehend his uncle's crew before the damage was too severe, but Wesley's contacts in local government had kept him out of jail. It was only through the efforts of Brice and the people he hired that Wesley was charged in a federal court with crimes ranging from bribery to racketeering.
Last month, Uncle Wesley had been sentenced to fifteen years in a federal penitentiary. Cousin Chester, his alcoholic son, was predictably upset.
"Did he take anything?"
Tony shook his head. "No, security responded before he could cause any real trouble. But he did make some threats against you as he was being escorted out of the building. I believe he said he would 'make you pay for your arrogance.' We didn't report his threats because he's your family, but I figured you ought to know he was making them."
Brice sighed, running his long fingers through his hair in frustration. "I understand. I'll make some calls, see if I can convince someone to talk to him. Maybe get him in rehab, at my expense, of course."
Tony nodded, and with his business finished, he stood up and straightened his tie. "Now, I realize it's been nearly an hour since you walked in the door and you must be getting itchy feet. We've got things under control here. Why don't you skedaddle on and get this bet-winning date operation off the ground."
Brice stood and walked around his desk, patting his assistant on the back as they headed toward the door. "My thoughts exactly. I knew there was a reason I paid you so well."
Tony laughed. "And I thought it was for my good looks."