Not Strictly Business!: Prodigal Son / The Boss and Miss Baxter / The Baby Deal

“Of course not. But from everything I’ve heard, he wasn’t evil.”

“He doesn’t have to be evil to have broken the law. People do it all the time.” He shook his head. “I’m almost not surprised. He ran several departments himself. He couldn’t give up the control. Maybe this was just another way of holding on tight. The numbers weren’t what he wanted them to be, so he modified them. No wonder he wasn’t big on change—technology would have made it tough for him to hide the truth.”

“But he did,” she said.

“In spades. I wonder if David knows about this?”

“Are you going to ask him?”

“I’m going to ask everyone,” Jack said. “The only way to ward off a crisis is to have a plan in place to solve the problem and to find anyone who may have helped him.”

“You don’t think he acted alone?”

“Unlikely. But I know it was his idea.”

“You might want to talk to Helen,” Samantha said before she could stop herself. “She may know something.”

Jack glanced at her. “You think she was involved?”

“What? No! Helen wouldn’t do anything like this. But she might be able to tell you if George was acting stressed or if he suddenly seemed to change. She might have some suggestions.”

His mouth twisted. “I don’t need shopping advice.”

Samantha stiffened at the insult to her friend. “Is that what you think of her? That she’s a useless bimbo who only cares about clothes and jewelry?”

He shrugged. “I don’t really know the woman.”

“And why is that? She’s been a part of this family for a while now. Why weren’t you interested in even trying to get to know her?”

“I’m familiar with the type.”

“Helen isn’t a type. She’s a person and she’s not the person you imagine her to be. How interesting. You think your father got himself and the company in this position because he held on too tight to outdated ideas. It seems to me that you’re a lot like that, too.”

Samantha took notes as one of her team members wrapped up his presentation. “Great job, Phil,” she said. “I really like how you’re using colors to coordinate your section. It will make navigating the site really fun.”

“Younger kids respond to colors. They’re easier for them than instructions,” he said with a grin. “I was thinking we could use the same format for the sections for older kids, but with the colors getting darker. Light blue flowing into dark blue into navy. So clicking on anything blue will automatically pop up math-related questions.”

“Good idea,” she told him, then looked at Arnie. “So, does that make your job harder or easier?”

Arnie rubbed his hand on his khakis. “Once we get it programmed, it’s not a problem.”

“Good.” She found it helpful always to include the IT guys in on the planning stages of any Internet project. Better to get their cooperation and input while the work was still easily modified.

“You could, ah, use drop-down menus, too,” Arnie said. “After they click on the color. So it’s not just one question. It could be a series. And then based on how they answer, they can go to another place on the site. Like if they get the answer right, they get a mini game. You know, for motivation.”

Samantha glanced at her team, who all seemed pleased with the idea.

“Good thinking,” she said. “You have a big thumbs-up on that one, Arnie. Thanks.”

He shrugged and blushed. His gaze never left her face.

Samantha recognized the signs of a crush and wasn’t exactly sure what to do about it. Not only wasn’t she looking for love right now, Arnie wasn’t her type. He was a nice enough guy, but nothing about him caused her to tingle.

Just then the conference-room door opened and Jack stepped inside. He didn’t say anything and quietly took a seat in the back.

Instantly her body went on alert, just in case her brain hadn’t noticed his arrival. She hated that even though she was still angry with him, she reacted physically. She found herself wanting to sit up straighter and push out her chest. Of course the complete lack of significant breast-type curves made that gesture futile, but still, the urge to flaunt was there.

Go figure, she thought. Arnie was available and pleasant and smart and probably completely uncomplicated. Nothing about him pushed any of her emotional buttons. Jack might be available and sexy, but he was also her worst-case scenario, man-wise, and totally unreasonable. He made her crazy with his assumptions about Helen.

Which they would deal with another time, she thought as she turned her attention back to the meeting in progress.

“The reward games should be related to the topic,” Sandy said. “At least on some level. Like a blaster game based on times tables for the math color or something scientific for the science section.”

“The difficulty of the games could increase with each grade level,” Phil added.

“We’re going to be spending a lot of time on content,” Samantha said. “But it will be worth it. We’ll need to take these ideas to research and get them going on questions and answers. We can do timed and non-timed quizzes. Maybe coordinate some of the questions with what’s being studied in the textbooks. Are they standardized by region? Let’s find that out. If we can emphasize what they’re already studying, we’ll reinforce the teachers’ lessons.”

“I’m working on the time line,” Jeff said. “So a kid can type in a date and find out what’s happening all over the world at that time. We’re thinking anything date related will reference back to the time line. So if someone is working on a paper on Thomas Jefferson and they go online for information, the Web site will offer a time-line link. That way the student can see not only what was happening in this country, but everywhere. We can also cross-reference, so with the Jefferson paper, they could talk about what was happening in China and how it was the same but different.”

“Wish I’d had that when I was in school,” Samantha said.

“Me, too,” Jeff said. “I would have done better in history.”

The meeting continued. Ideas were offered and discussed. They had a limited amount of time to get the Web site up and running, so there would be a final of only the best. Still, she wanted as much to choose from as possible.

As people spoke and offered suggestions, Samantha was careful not to look at Jack. On the professional side, she knew it was important to put their argument behind them. As someone who cared about her friend, she was still really mad.

“That should take care of it for now,” she said. “Good work, people. I’m impressed. We’ll meet again on Friday.”

Her staff stood and headed for the door. Arnie glanced at Jack, who remained seated at the table. The smaller man hesitated, looked at her, then left. Samantha had no choice but to acknowledge her boss.

“We’re getting there,” she said as she collected her notes.

“Yes, you are,” he told her. “Your team works well together. I like where things are going.”

“Good.”

“You have an easy working style. You’re firmly in charge, but you don’t force your will on anyone.”

“What’s the point of that?” she asked. “I already know what I think. I’m looking for their ideas.”

“Not everyone thinks that way.”

She didn’t know what to say to that.

“You’re still mad at me,” he said, making it a statement not a question, so she had no reason to deny it.

“I don’t understand why you’re determined to think the worst of Helen. From what I can tell, you barely know the woman. If you’d spent time with her and she’d been horrible, I would understand your less-than-flattering opinion. But you’re basing it all on a few casual meetings and the mythology that stepmothers are inherently evil.”

One corner of his mouth twitched. “It’s not about her being my stepmother.”

“Then what is it?”

He hesitated. “She’s much younger than my father,” he began. “My father was not a kind man.”

Samantha stood. “Oh, I see. You’re saying she married him for his money? Is that it?” Anger filled her. “I’ve known Helen for years. In fact, she used to be my babysitter. We’ve stayed close. She’s like family to me. She loved your father. Maybe you and he didn’t get along so you’re having trouble with that concept, but it’s true. She considers him the love of her life. I can’t help defending her. It’s like you’re attacking my sister.”

Jack rose. “You seem very sincere.”

“I am.”

They stared at each other. His dark gaze never wavered. At last he shrugged. “Then you must be right.”

She nearly collapsed back in her chair. “What?”

“You’ve never lied to me, Samantha. I knew you pretty well back in grad school. You were never dishonest and you weren’t stupid about people. So I’ll respect your opinion on Helen.”

Okay, she heard the words, but they didn’t make sense to her. “What does that mean, exactly?”

“That you believe she’s a good person. You’re right, I haven’t spent much time with her. I don’t know the woman at all. Maybe she’s nothing I’ve imagined.”

Just like that? She studied him, looking for some hint that he was toying with her, but she couldn’t find it. And to use his own words, she’d known him pretty well back in grad school and he hadn’t been a liar, either. A little rigid maybe, but that was hardly a crime. Not that he’d done anything to admit he might be wrong in this case.

“Okay, then,” she said. “That’s good.”

“So we’re not fighting anymore?” he asked.

“I guess not.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I have a lot of energy floating around inside of me,” she admitted. “I’m not sure how to burn it off.”

The second she said the words, his body stiffened. Tension filled the room and it had nothing to do with them not getting along. Every inch of her became aware of every inch of him and some of those inches were especially appealing.

Her mind screamed for her to run as far and as fast as she could. Her body begged her to stay and take advantage of the situation.

He broke the spell by glancing at his watch. “I have to prepare for the board meeting tomorrow.”

“Is everyone flying in for it?” she asked.

“Most. A couple will tap in by phone. It’s not going to be pretty.”

She couldn’t begin to imagine how that conversation would go. “I checked the papers this morning. There wasn’t a leak.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t expect there to be. As of eight last night, only you and I knew.”

“Oh.” She’d assumed there were more people in the loop. “I didn’t say anything to anyone.”

“I knew you wouldn’t.”

With that, he excused himself and left. Samantha sank back in her chair and waited for the ache inside to fade.

What was it about Jack that got to her? He was everything she didn’t like in a man—well-off, controlling, powerful. And yet he’d just said he was wrong about Helen. In all the years they’d been married, Vance had never once made a mistake—at least in his mind. Certainly not one he would admit to. So in that respect the two men were different.

But it wasn’t enough, she thought. And she couldn’t take a chance on making another mistake like the last one. If she did, the next one could kill her.

Three of the board members lived in the Chicago area. Two flew in and two would be on speakerphone. Mrs. Wycliff arranged for coffee and sandwiches, but Jack doubted anyone would be in the mood to eat. Not when the news was this bad.

He waited until exactly eleven-thirty, then walked into the boardroom. The five people standing there turned to look at him.

He knew a couple by sight, having met them at various functions. The other three introduced themselves, then introduced the two who hadn’t been able to make the meeting. The chairman, a craggy man in his late sixties named Baynes, motioned for everyone to take a seat. Jack found himself sitting at one end of the long conference table, while Baynes took the other. Jack had filled each of them in by phone so now they could get right to it.

“Sorry business,” the older man said. “How did it happen?”

Everyone looked at Jack. “I have no idea,” he said. “Until you asked me to step in for my late father, I’d been busy with my law practice.”

“He never talked about the business with you? Never mentioned how things were going?”

“No.” Jack didn’t see any point in explaining he and his father had never spoken much at all, about the company or anything. He set the second set of books on the conference table. “I found these when I was cleaning out his credenza. There was a false bottom on one of the shelves. He didn’t want anyone to find them.”

He pushed the books to the center of the table. No one seemed to want to be the first to touch them. Finally Baynes motioned for them and the lone woman on the board pushed them in his general direction.

“The chief financial officer has made copies of everything,” Jack said. “She’s already running the numbers to find out where we really are. We should have some accurate information by the end of the week.”

“The auditors are going to have hell to pay,” Baynes said absently.

Jack nodded. Every publicly traded company was required by law to be audited by an independent accounting firm. Somehow George’s double books had gotten past them.

But their problems were the least of Jack’s concerns. “I’ve prepared a statement,” he said. “We’ll issue it after the board meeting.”

Several of the board members looked at each other, but no one suggested not going public. Just as well, Jack thought. He didn’t want to have to remind them of their legal or fiduciary responsibilities.

“You asked me if I knew about this,” he said. “What about all of you?”

Baynes looked at him. “What are you suggesting?”

“That you were his board. Many of you had known my father for years. He would have talked to you.”

Baynes shook his head. “George didn’t confide in anyone. This was his company. He made that clear before he went public. Things would be done his way.”

“So you just let him run the company into the ground?”

The woman, Mrs. Keen, leaned forward. “George presented us with financial reports. We had no reason to doubt their validity or his. Your father wasn’t a bad man, Jack, but clearly he was in over his head.”

That seemed to be the consensus, he thought. “Shouldn’t you, as his board, have noticed that? Shouldn’t you have made sure the man running Hanson Media Group knew what he was doing?”

“Attacking us isn’t going to solve the problem,” Baynes said firmly.

Right. Because they were all more concerned about covering their collective asses, Jack thought grimly.

“We need to present a united front,” Mrs. Keen said. “Perhaps the board should issue a statement as well.”

“Do what you’d like,” Jack told her.

“Things would go better if we could announce that you would be taking on your father’s job permanently,” Baynes said.

Jack narrowed his gaze. “I agreed to three months and that’s all. I’m not changing my mind.”

“Be reasonable,” the older man said. “This is a crisis. The company is in real danger. We have employees, stockholders. We have a responsibility to them.”

“No, you have one.”

“You’re George Hanson’s oldest son,” Mrs. Keen said. “People will look to you for leadership.”

“I’m not his only son,” he pointed out. “I have two brothers.”

Baynes dismissed them with a wave of his hand. “Who are where? They don’t have the experience, the education or the temperament for this kind of work.”

Jack did his best not to lash out at them. Losing his temper would accomplish nothing. “Three months,” he said. “That’s all. In the meantime, I suggest you start looking for an interim president. Hire someone who knows what he or she is doing.”

“But—”

Jack stood. “There’s no point in having a conversation about me staying or going. I’m not changing my mind. Besides, we don’t even know who owns the majority of the company. My father’s shares are in limbo until the reading of the will. Who knows—maybe he’ll want them sold on the open market.”

The board members paled at the thought. While they were still taking that in, he made his escape. As he walked down the hall, he loosened his tie. But that wasn’t enough to wipe away the sense of being trapped.

“Come on, come on,” Samantha called as she stared at the basket and willed the ball to slide cleanly through the hoop. There was a moment of silence, followed by a swish of net.

“Woo hoo.” She held up her hand to Patti, one of her directors. “Two more for our team. We’re up by six.”

Patti gave her a high five, then went back into position. Perhaps playing basketball in the corridor right outside her office wasn’t standard corporate procedure, but Samantha found it really helped her people clear their heads after a long day of brainstorming.

“Lucky shot,” Phil said as he dribbled the ball. He jogged in to take his shot. Samantha moved in front of him. When he stretched up to shoot, she batted the ball away and it bounced off the wall before rolling down the hall.

The game went quiet as Jack rounded the corner and picked up the ball. Samantha could feel her staff looking at her. She knew Jack had endured the meeting from hell with the board and braced herself for him to take that out on her.

He raised his eyebrows. “Who’s winning?”

“My team,” she said quickly. “We’ve been brainstorming all day and we’re—”

“No need to explain,” he said, then bounced the ball. “Got room for one more?”

She glanced at Phil, who shrugged. “Sure,” she said.

Jack tossed the ball back, then took off his jacket. After pulling off his tie, he went to work on rolling up his sleeves.

“Who’s on the other team?” he asked.

“I am,” Phil said, then he quickly introduced everyone else. “Any good at this?”

Jack grinned. “Just get me the ball.”

Ten minutes later, Samantha knew they’d been had. Jack wasn’t just good—he was terrific. He could shoot from any angle and he rarely missed. His team pulled ahead and then beat hers by six points.

“You’re a ringer,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“I’ve had some practice.”

“Where’d you play?” Phil asked, after slapping him on the back.

“Law school. We all did, to unwind. Grad school, too, but not so much.”

Samantha remembered that Jack had attended law school before going to Wharton. She also vaguely recalled him hanging out with friends on the basketball courts, but she’d never paid much attention.

Now she knew she’d made the right decision. Being close to Jack while he ran, dodged, threw and scored bordered on dangerous. She liked the way his body moved and the energy he put in the game. She liked how he worked with his team and how, when his shirt came unbuttoned, she got a glimpse of some very impressive abs.

Bad idea, she reminded herself. Lusting after the boss could only lead to trouble. Okay, so she wasn’t ready for a real relationship—maybe it was time to find rebound guy.

“Thanks for letting me play,” Jack told Phil.

“Any time.”

“There’s that pub on the corner,” Jack continued. “Why don’t I buy you all drinks.” He glanced at his watch. “Say half an hour?”

“Great.” Phil grinned. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Samantha waited until everyone else had disappeared into their respective offices. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Buy them drinks?” He shrugged. “I wanted to. They let me play. I needed the break.”

“The board meeting?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged into his jacket. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

She shouldn’t. It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t a lot of things. “Sure. I’ll be there.”

“Good.”

He smiled and her toes curled. She walked into her office. Rebound guy—absolutely. She would have to get right on that.

Jack didn’t just order drinks, he ordered platters of appetizers, then proceeded to talk to each member of her team individually. Samantha watched him work the crowd and did her best not to react when he smiled at one of her female staffers.

Finally he settled in the stool next to hers. “You’ve done well,” he said in a low voice. “You have good people working for you.”

“Thanks.”

Despite the easy conversation around them, she was aware of being watched. Some of her team were mildly interested while a few—the single women—were trying to figure out the score.

“How did it go?” she asked.

“About as expected. They’re more interested in protecting themselves than what really happened. We’re making an announcement first thing in the morning. I have two phone calls scheduled with investors. The first is to tell them what happened, the second will come later when I announce our specific plan to rectify the situation.”

“Do you have a plan?”

He sipped his drink. “Not yet, but I’m hopeful.” He glanced around. “They’re all working their butts off. I want to make sure it’s not for nothing.”

“It won’t be. There will be some bad press, but we’ll get through it.”

“Until the next crisis.”

“The company is in transition,” she said. “There are always adjustments.”

“I know. What I don’t understand is why my father never had a successor picked out. He had to know he wasn’t going to live forever.”

“Maybe he was waiting for one of his sons to get interested in the company.”

Jack took another drink. “Probably. I don’t see Evan and Andrew making a beeline to Chicago and, honestly, I can’t see either of them being willing to take things over.”

She touched his arm. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“I’m aware I can walk away at any point.”

But he wouldn’t. Jack had a sense of responsibility. She respected that about him.

Once again her body reminded her that he was nothing like Vance, but her head wasn’t so sure. On the surface her ex had been a great guy, too. Successful, a caring father. He’d said and done all the right things—right up until the wedding. Then overnight he’d changed.

Her father had done the same thing. In a matter of weeks, he’d gone from a loving, supportive man to someone who’d walked out and had done his best not to have to support his only child.

Powerful men often hid dark, guilty secrets. As much as she was attracted to Jack, she was determined to keep their relationship strictly professional. She couldn’t afford to take another emotional hit right now.

“I should go,” she said, collecting her purse.

“I’m heading out, too,” he told her. “Want a ride home?”

Ah, the close confines of a car. So tempting and so dangerous.

“No, thanks. I have a few errands to run on my way home. I’ll walk.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”

She smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be fine on my own.”

She’d learned it was the only safe way to be.

Chapter Five

Roger Arnet was a tall, thin blond man in his mid-fifties. He shook Jack’s hand, then sat in the visitor’s chair on the other side of the desk.

“How are you settling in?” Roger asked pleasantly. “Your father was a great man. A great man. You won’t find filling his shoes easy.”

Jack didn’t know how to answer the question. News of the second set of books had been released to the public. The response in the press had been relatively mild since Hanson Media Group wasn’t a major player in the city, but there had been plenty of uproar in the office. He wondered if Roger had any way of reconciling his insistence that George had been a great man with the reality of a company president who lied to his entire staff.

“I’m finding my way,” he said, going for a neutral response.

“Good. Good.” Roger smiled. “I understand you’re a lawyer.”

“Yes. I attended law school, then went on to business school. It was my deal with my father. I would study both and then pick.”

“You chose the law. George was very disappointed.”