Simon

Along with Peyton was Tom, George, and a man I hadn’t met before who I assumed was Jeff, the payroll director.

George was the first to speak as Peyton and I simply stood stunned, staring at one another across the conference room table.

“Good morning, Simon, Emma. I’d like you to meet the woman who keeps the wheels on the bus here at Maddox Consulting. This is Peyton Waters. Also, my Director of Payroll, Jeff Faison—”

He was finishing the introductions, but I couldn’t hear him. Instead, blood was roaring in my ears. Meanwhile, I saw her face drain of color. Our eyes remained locked until I heard Emma clear her throat, cuing me to say something. “Nice to meet you both.”

Peyton spoke quietly as if still in shock. “You, too.”

How the hell was it she was the director of accounting of the company we were about to acquire? I wasn’t sure what to do. Luckily, after we all took seats at the conference room table, George took the lead. Peyton focused on him as he started speaking.

Emma kicked me, not so gently, under the table. When I turned her way, her raised brow asked, ‘Is this who I think it is?’

My tight grimace in return told her, ‘Yes.’

Her face expressed what we were both thinking.

Fuck.

George thought to ease his directors into the purpose of the meeting. But it wasn’t going to work on Peyton because she had to know exactly what my presence here meant.

“We’re planning to conduct an audit. Simon, Tom and Emma here will be leading the effort.”

“What type of audit?” she boldly asked.

“I figured it’s a good idea to get some outside auditing. We’re not a public company, but it’ll be a good way to get some advice on things,” George tried to explain. He was obviously a man who didn’t lie often or well.

Peyton didn’t miss a beat. “Because you’re planning to sell the company.”

Only Jeff looked shocked and immediately spoke up. “No way. I mean who wants a local consulting company coming off not-the-greatest quarter?”

George gave him a scowl before answering. “Hopefully, yes, I am looking to sell the company. But I need you, Peyton, and your team to help the Stone Group with the evaluation these next couple of weeks. None of our staff can know about the sale until it goes through. Which means I have to trust you’ll keep it confidential. For now, make sure both of your teams are only aware we’re being audited. I’m sorry. But this company has outgrown being a one-man show. It needs a board and an investment of time and energy I unfortunately don’t have any longer. Carol, she just beat cancer. And we want to travel the world, enjoy our grandbabies, and fully retire.”

The older gentleman reached out his hand, and Peyton took it. She was offering empathy to George despite the fact he’d just turned her life upside down. Normally, such a scene wouldn’t have affected me. But this was Peyton. This time it did affect me. And I hated the foreign emotion, feeling all sorts of vulnerable in a place I’d always worn impenetrable armor.

I noticed he didn’t offer the same apology to Jeff, who still appeared stunned. He did have enough composure, though, to inquire, “What about the CFO job? Did you make a decision?”

George answered, “We have not made a determination. I’ve asked Simon and his team to do the interviews since the CFO position is integral to the future of the company.”

“Who all applied?”

“You and Peyton, along with some external candidates.”

Bloody hell. This kept getting worse. Of course, this had to be the promotion she’d talked about during dinner. That meant I would be interviewing her.

“And what happens to the staff? If the purchase goes through?” Peyton posed the question.

Tom spoke up, and I hated his tone immediately. “Lucky for them, they’ll be interviewed for jobs in the new company. It’s up to them to display the right attitude in order to stay.”

Peyton focused her amber eyes on Tom. They were full of a temper I never could’ve imagined erupting from her. “Did you actually say lucky for them? Lucky, that some employees who’ve worked here for thirty years will have to reapply and re-interview for their jobs?”

I was both proud of her for standing up and cringing on the inside. It wasn’t helping her chances at CFO to piss off Tom as he did have some influence with his uncle.

Tom opened his mouth to reply, but I cut him off. “It was a poor choice of words. What Mr. Sanders should have said is if we go through with the purchase, we will evaluate each employee, using interviews, past performance evaluations, and of course, asking for input from management. Some of the more tenured employees may not want to go through with the change. In that case, they will be offered either early retirement or a generous severance package, depending on their circumstances. But the overall goal will be to retain as many employees as possible. George can attest to that.”

My voice, although steady, was not it’s normal ice man quality. I was letting emotion get the best of me. She looked beautiful. And the fact I’d just been flirting with her via text thinking of the kiss we’d shared shortly before this meeting wasn’t helping. I clenched my fist, willing myself to regain control of the situation.

Jeff shrugged. “Hey, I’m a team player. Whatever helps the bottom line. You let me know, and I’ll do it.”

I knew this was the man Peyton had been talking about at dinner, so I might have had some prejudice, but I felt it fair to say the man was a suck up.

For a moment, my mind entertained the idea she might have known all along about the acquisition. She could then have set up my opinion regarding Jeff on our date. But when I remembered her shock on first seeing me here, I tended to believe this entire thing was simply a bizarre coincidence. Or maybe that’s what I wanted.

“Yes, well, good to hear one of you is a team player.” Tom simply couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

George turned a glare on Tom and then Jeff. “Being loyal to your team is a quality to admire.”

We were way off topic. “I wouldn’t argue that point. Now, then, we have a number of items necessary for the audit.”

Emma passed out a hard copy of a spreadsheet with over one hundred fifty tasks on it.

“I’ll make sure you both are emailed soft copies, too. Let me repeat what George already said. The potential sale of this company is confidential. I expect you to keep it that way until the audit is complete, and a purchase decision is made.”

Peyton glanced over the spreadsheet, probably realizing eighty-five percent of the items were for her.

“If there isn’t anything else, I think this meeting is adjourned,” George declared, obviously ready to be done.

He wasn’t the only one. I’d reached my breaking point when it came to trying unsuccessfully not to stare at Peyton across the table.

The room cleared, with the exception of Emma and I. She whispered, “I really like your girlfriend.”