Page 9 of Landry
“The blame lies with you.” She wanted to leap across her desk and grab the lapels of his very fashionable jacket. “If you'd paid attention to the running of the company, we would not have been in this position.”
“How dare you speak to me in this manner! I didn't have to take the time to come and tell you of the situation. I could have allowed you to be blindsided-”
“Why did you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Why did you take the time to come and tell me?” Her mahogany eyes glittered as she stared at him. “Oh, let me guess. The board demanded that you do the right thing, and that's the reason you're here.” The color staining his cheeks had her shaking her head. “You're not only spineless, but you're also a goddamned coward.”
His eyes bulged out in shock and his mouth dropped open. “How dare-”
“I speak to you like that. Yes, you said that before. Since you're no longer my boss, why don't you do us both a favor and get the hell out of my office?”
He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it as she glowered at him. Turning on his heels, he hurried out, slamming the door shut behind him.
Sinking down in the chair, Kady pressed her fingers to her temples and could practically feel the headache bursting through the flesh. She could not believe that in just a week, her life had gone from satisfying to complete upheaval. She hadspent the weekend trying to put work over her riotous thoughts and memories of the past but had not managed it.
Her brother had called to invite her over for dinner on Sunday, but she had declined, pleading exhaustion and laundry that needed tackling. She had a woman who came in three times a week, but she liked to handle her delicacies herself, and she loved to bake. It often amused Kyle and her best friend that she loved puttering in the kitchen, but it relaxed her.
Thank God, Lori was out of town! Her friend would not have been shoved aside as easily as she had managed to evade Kyle. She would have insisted on coming over and demanding to hear everything. Kady did not think she could bear talking about him.
And if that wasn't enough, now this. She should look around for something else. She had the qualifications, didn't she? It wouldn't be difficult to land herself another well-paid job.
But her heart sank at the very idea of leaving a company she had invested so much time and effort in. It was her baby, by God, and she was not about to let some nameless, faceless corporation step in and take over what she had nurtured over the years.
A battle light came into her eyes and had her straightening her shoulders. She was about to reach for the phone when there was a discreet knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Her assistant poked her head through the opening, a curious look on her plump face. Helen had been with her since she started out, and the woman was a jewel. Kady had no idea what she would do without her.
“I saw that idiot Phillip scuttling out of here when I stepped out of the elevator. He gave me a look that could only be described as baleful.” She grinned, showing dimples in her left cheek as she came further in. “What did you say to him?”
“Sit, please.”
Sensing that there was something afoot, Helen took the chair nearest to the door. “Uh oh. What is it?”
“Phillip was the bearer of some bad news.”
“Oh no!” Helen's hand flew to her mouth, brown eyes widening. “The rumors, they were true? The company is in trouble?”
“Someone bought it.”
“Oh my goodness!” Helen's generous bosom quivered as she took several deep breaths. “I'm fifty-five. I cannot... no one's going to hire me-”
“Calm down.” Kady took a deep breath to settle her nerves. “You're not going anywhere. According to that fickle moron, my job is safe, and if that's the case, then so is yours. You know I cannot do anything without you.”
Helen smiled at her gratefully, her heart settling.
“Do we know who the new owner is?”
Kady shook her head, still pissed that she was being left in the dark. “We will find out soon enough. They're convening a meeting on Wednesday. Oh, I could just murder Phillip!”
“I would be right behind you.” Helen sighed. “He's nothing like his old man. Mr. Atlas fought to keep the company in the family, and for what?” She shook her head. “Honey, do you need me to get you anything? Some painkillers?”
“No. I want my brain clear and sharp. I'm going to need the reports over the last six months. We made some changes to the structure of the airline that came into effect a few months ago.”
Helen nodded. “The grievance department, where customers could air their woes and we tried our best to fix them. I think that was an excellent idea, and you were the one who came up with it, among others. If it weren't for you, this place would have closed its doors ages ago.”
