Page 14 of Landry
"What?" Fear quickened her heart and had her whirling around. "I'm half an hour early."
"They got here ten minutes ago and are seated in Conference Room B. I just came in myself; I brought you coffee."
"I have coffee." Kady lifted her go-cup and realized her hand was shaking. "Dammit! Why are they here so early? And who's they?"
"I have no idea. It's someone big because the girls in reception cannot stop gabbing about some blonde god," she said darkly. "You know how they are."
Distracted and not really paying attention, Kady went behind her desk. "I need ten minutes."
"You got it. I'll go see to the refreshments."
"Thanks." Taking a deep breath, Kady booted up her computer and started printing out some additional documents. She was going to need all the help she could get.
***
He barely listened to the conversation going on around him. He had brought his assistant along with him to take notes and make observations. Leonora was excellent at that. The woman was seated at the table with her iPad and notepads, as well as the folders she needed, and she was busy making notes. While the members of the board were indulging in nervous conversations, she was making her observations.
So was he. He was also looking out for her. He was seated strategically at the corner of the room, a position that gave him an unrestricted view of the entrance. His body tensed and went rigid at his first look at her. As much as he had told himself he was prepared for that first look, he had been kidding himself.
Kady-Ann Klein had been a beauty when she was a teenager, but that was nothing compared to the woman striding into the conference room. She was breathtaking, and she shimmered. It was the color she had chosen to wear, or there was a light shining from inside her, or it was just his damn imagination. But she took his breath away.
The conversation died a slow death the minute she walked into the room. She had not seen him yet.
"Gentlemen, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I see you've been provided with some sustenance." She turned to the man who was standing at the head of the table. "Phillip-"
"Before we commence, let me make the introductions. Kady-Ann, I think you've heard of Crenshaw Enterprises. Well, this is Landry Crenshaw. Mr. Crenshaw, this is Kady-Ann Klein, manager of this fine establishment," Phillip said.
He saw when it all registered and noted the expression of shock and then rage, and saw how she struggled to appear neutral.
"We've met. Hello, Kady-Ann," Landry said.
"Landry. This is... a surprise," she said.
"Ah, I see we're all friends here," Phillip chimed in nervously. Even as dense as he was, he could sense the tension vibrating around the room, nor could he ignore the fact that the couple were standing there staring at each other. Clearing his throat, he gestured to a seat at the head of the table. "Would you mind sitting?"
"What do you have in store for the airline?" she demanded, completely ignoring Phillip and the rest of the men, who had risen to their feet as soon as she entered the room.
"We were waiting for you to arrive to get to that. Would you mind taking a seat?" Landry felt the ache starting inside his heart and branching toward his stomach. He wanted to embrace her; the urge to just rush over and haul her into his arms was so great, he wondered how he was still standing where he was.
"I prefer to stand. Was this deliberate? Did you plan this to belittle and humiliate me? Haven't you done enough already?"
"Ms. Klein!" Phillip's eyes rounded in shock as he stared from her to the man who held the future of the airline in his hands.What the hell was she thinking? And what was he missing? "Mr. Crenshaw, I must apologize-"
"Everyone out. Give us the room," Landry ordered.
"I don't think-" Phillip stuttered to a stop when he was pinned with icy jade-green eyes. The sound of chairs scraping the floor was heard throughout the room as the men scrambled to leave.
"I have nothing to say to you," Kady told him furiously. Marching to the table, she poured some orange juice and took it with her to the front of the room, as far away from him as possible. "Why are you here?"
"We acquired the company," he said simply. He watched as she vibrated with fury and almost smiled at how magnificent she looked. She always had a temper, and now he was getting to see it in full gear.
"Why?"
"It was sinking. Crenshaw Enterprises specializes in companies that are badly managed but show potential." He lifted his hands at the dangerous light flashing in her eyes. "You're doing an excellent job, but within the year, the airline would have gone bankrupt."
She turned toward the window and blindly stared at the view. The gray clouds were hanging low, giving the morning a bleak and forlorn look. Fall was already in full swing. The weather matched her mood, she thought wearily. "Why did you return?"
"It was time."
