The Boardroom
by
Misha and Mary
Chapter One ( by Misha)
Cambias Industries had only been in Ryan Lavery's hands for seven months but the damage to the company's stock reflected a slide that seemed beyond repair. Values had dipped to an all-time low and the company was in danger of being booted off the Exchange. Despite having a soft spot for Ryan, Bianca knew she needed to take action if she was to salvage the company and secure her daughter's financial future. Without hesitation, she decided to turn to the person she'd come to depend on above all others—her beloved Uncle Jack. Bianca knew it would be an uphill battle convincing him to take over the reins of such a far-reaching company. His work experience was largely confined to the public sector; unfortunately, the corporate world never held much appeal to the independently minded attorney.
"Desperate times, desperate measures" Bianca recited to Miranda, who was nestled comfortably in her stroller. "That's what the world expects from a Kane woman, right little one?" Bianca chortled. On cue, the baby gurgled, batting her thick dark lashes. "Okay, keys, diaper bag and financial statements. I think we're ready to hit the road." Bianca pushed the stroller out the door of her recently purchased bungalow and made her way to the car.
———
Jack grabbed hold of the coffeepot for dear life. He had been up late the night before comforting Erica after another bad dream, and had only managed a few hours sleep. When he awoke around eight to the familiar noises of Reggie getting ready for school, he figured he'd just turn over and grab another hour or two of rest. He hadn't counted on having to sign a couple of test papers before his son headed out the door. Reggie's schoolwork had slipped over the last several months but after much arguing, a couple of lengthy groundings and a lot of hands-on tutoring, his son was beginning to turn the corner. It was still a little too soon, though, to let up the pressure. This year's grades would be a big factor in determining what college Reggie headed to in the fall. And, dammit, that kid was going to college.
After a couple of large gulps, Jack flopped onto the corner of his couch. Braced for the morning's news, he flicked open The Bulletin. On the front page was a story about the continuing rise in gas prices, an update on Philadelphia's "Clean Streets" program and a fluff piece on the Eagles' new fight song. "Better still, find a lineman that can block" Jack mumbled to himself. Few things were more painful than being a sports fan in Philadelphia. Disgusted, he propped his feet up on the ottoman and turned his attention to the Op-Ed section. Since leaving the D.A.'s office, Jack had toyed with the idea of running for office but decided that his family was still too frail to withstand the public scrutiny that went with it. Maybe next year . . .
A knock on the door roused him out of his quietude. Grudgingly he got to his feet, pulled his robe closed and opened the door to find his niece and godchild standing before him, their cheeks rosy from the cool morning air.
"Bianca, sweetheart, what brings you out here so early in the morning?" Jack said, leaning in to give his niece a kiss. "Please, come in."
"I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Disturbing me? Don't be silly. There's no better way to start my day than with a visit from two of my favorite women. Now, come on in, make yourself comfortable and tell me what's on your mind."
After making sure Miranda was safely situated, Bianca sat down on the couch and turned her attention to her uncle. "You look tired, Uncle Jack. Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine." Bianca looked at him questioningly. "Nothing for you to worry about–"
"It's Mom, isn't it? She's still having nightmares about Las Vegas, isn't she?"
"It's just taking her a little longer than she thought to get past everything that happened. But she will. Let's face it–there's no one stronger on this Earth than your mother."
"I know. It just seems that this family can never catch a break. We just go from crisis to crisis."
"Well, that's about to change. Things are settling down and trust me; they're going to stay that way. I promise you. There's no way I'm going to let any more harm come to this family."
"Do you really think you can keep that promise?"
"Don't tell me you're beginning to doubt your old Uncle Jack?"
"Never. As a matter of fact—"
"What?" Bianca hesitated. "Sweetheart, I can tell you have something on your mind."
"You're right, I do. I have a favor to ask you."
"Name it, it's done."
"It's a big one, Uncle Jack. You might want to hear me out before you say yes."
"Are you kidding me? There's not a thing I wouldn't do for you or for my sweet little godchild."
"Yeah, well don't say I didn't warn you."
"Duly noted. Now, tell me what it is."
Taking a deep breath, Bianca blurted out her request. "I want you to take over Cambias Industries."
"You what?" Jack said, flabbergasted.
"You heard me. I want you to run Cambias Industries for me."
"What about Ryan?"
"Ryan's great. Really. He has been terrific this whole last year, helping out during the trial, standing by Kendall during her endless bouts of insecurity. I don't think we'd be where we are today if it wasn't for all that Ryan's done."
"But?"
"But, he's just not cut out to run such a huge corporation. Don't get me wrong. He has worked his butt off trying to keep this company going. Kendall, Greenlee and Ryan have all poured their hearts and souls into the business. But for whatever reason, it's just not working."
"And you think I can help?"
"I do."
"Honey, I appreciate your confidence in me, really I do but I'm just not sure I'm the right guy for this particular job. My experience in the corporate world is limited at best."
"I know that."
"Well, then . . ."
"It's not exactly business experience I'm after, Uncle Jack."
"Then what?"
"Look at this list" Bianca said, handing Jack a sheet of paper. "Cambias Industries is an enormous company with businesses on three continents. It employs more than 13,000 people in divisions ranging from electronics to textiles, to pharmaceuticals to . . . well, the list goes on." Facing her uncle again, Bianca went on to explain that she'd be hard-pressed to find someone experienced in all facets of those industries. "What Miranda and I need" Bianca continued, glancing down at the baby for just a moment, "is someone to take charge, someone who can focus on the smallest detail without losing sight of the big picture, someone who is comfortable trusting their instincts and following through. That's you, Uncle Jack."
"I'm flattered, honey, that you think so, but I'm still not convinced that I bring what you need to the table. Cambias Industries is a corporate giant which means decisions need to be made by someone with real business acumen."
"Are you turning me down? Uncle Jack? That's what you're trying to say, isn't it?"
"What I'm saying is that I'm going to have to think about it—seriously—before I can give you an answer."
"As long as you're not saying no. Things are going from bad to worse and if I don't do something soon . . ." Bianca trailed off.
"Sweetheart, how soon do you need an answer?"
"Actually, I was hoping to make an announcement this week. There's a board meeting on Thursday."
"Thursday? That's three days from now. Bianca, honey, I don't know if I can make a decision that big that quickly."
"I'm sorry Uncle Jack. I know this isn't fair to you or to anyone else. What with buying the house and settling Miranda in, the date just sneaked up on me. I'd put it off until next month's meeting but the way things are going, I really don't want to wait that long to make a change."
"Things are that bad?"
"It's not just Miranda's future I'm worried about. So many people depend on this company for work . . ."
"It's a huge decision, Bianca. There's not just me to consider but also Reggie, Lily, your mom, not to mention Kendall and Greenlee. Have you given any thought how they'll react to this news?"
"They're not going to be too happy about it that's for sure. In fact, they're going to be pretty angry about the whole thing. Believe me, Uncle Jack, the last thing I want to do is cause more friction in this family."
"Oh, it will cause friction. Of that, you can be certain."
"I know this isn't going to go over big with any of them–Ryan or Kendall. . . or Greenlee. And I really don't want to risk losing them. The company needs them. Kendall and Greenlee are both incredibly creative. And Ryan is amazing with our customer base. They're just so busy coming up with new ideas and new business strategies they sometimes lose sight of a lot of the detail that goes along with them. Meanwhile some of our older companies are struggling."
"How do you know all this?"
"When this one's fussing and can't get to sleep" Bianca said, pointing to Miranda "I have a lot of time to read. I just figured that as Miranda's mom I have a responsibility to know what's going on with her inheritance. So, a few months ago I had quarterly reports sent over to the house and got some books out of the library. You'll never believe this but I actually got a subscription to the Wall Street Journal."
"I'm impressed. And, I must say, you certainly sound like you know what you're talking about. So, why not just take control of the company yourself?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"I'm dead serious. I think you're more than up to the task."
"Even if I thought that was true, which I don't, there's no way I'm spending my days locked up in a boardroom while Miranda is raised by nannies. Not after all I went through to get her."
"She is gorgeous."
"She looks more like Mom every day" Bianca beamed.
"Oh, I don't know about that. I think she has her mother's beautiful eyes and that dimple definitely came from the Montgomery side of the family."
"I'm sure it did" Bianca said smiling. "Here—"
"What's this?" Jack replied, taking the overstuffed manila envelope from Bianca's hands.
"They're our financial statements for the last three quarters. Read them and you'll see what I mean." Miranda let out a wail. "I think someone's hungry, aren't you, little one?" Bianca said, soothingly. "Uncle Jack, please. Give this idea some real thought. We both really need you. I promise—you say yes and I'll do anything you want!"
"Anything, huh?" Jack said, teasing his niece.
"Within reason, of course."
"Of course. Well, how about you start by giving your mother a call every once in a while. She really misses hearing from you."
"Uncle Jack—"
"I know, I know. Things are still pretty strained between the two of you. Sweetheart, the only way to make things better is for you two to start talking again."
"Why is it that I always have to be the one to give in?"
"No one's asking you to give in. All I'm asking is that you pick up the phone and give your mom a call. She needs to hear from you. And unless I completely miss my guess, you need to hear from her too. Don't let too much time go by Bianca. You'll never be able to get it back. And don't be such a stranger around here either. I miss my goddaughter and my niece."
"I'll try."
"Promise?"
"Yes, I promise."
"And I promise to give your proposal some serious consideration. Now, get this baby home and give her something to eat."
"I love you" Bianca said, hugging her uncle.
"I love you too, honey" Jack replied, holding his niece tight.
———
Closing the door behind him, Jackson heard a stir. Startled, he turned and saw Erica, clothed only in the blue shirt he had worn the night before. Though her hair was tousled and she had only the faintest remnants of last night's makeup, Jack was convinced he had never seen her look more beautiful.
"Hello, sleepy head" he said languidly and kissed her gently on her forehead. "I hope I didn't wake you."
"Who was that at the door?"
"It was Bianca and the baby. I was going to wake you but you were sleeping so soundly I didn't have the heart."
"Or did Bianca specifically ask that you not get me?" Erica inquired defensively.
"I promise you. Bianca never said any such thing."
"But she didn't ask to see me either, did she?"
"No honey, she didn't. But I wouldn't read too much into that. Bianca came here to discuss business with me, that's all."
"Business? With you?"
"Why do you seem so surprised?"
"I'm not" Erica shrugged. "I guess it just never occurred to me that she would come to you with a business matter. I mean, that's hardly your area of expertise."
Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, really; is that so?"
"That's not what I mean. It's just that Bianca used to come to me when she had a problem and I'm just afraid those days are gone forever." Shaking her head, Erica continued. "I've lost my daughter, Jack, forever."
"That's not possible. You could never lose Bianca."
"Once I used to believe that but ever since I got home, Bianca's been so distant. I know I hurt her, Jack, honestly, I do. She has every reason to be angry with me. I just don't know if she'll ever find a way to trust me again. And, frankly, I don't know that I can blame her. I walked out on her when she needed me most. How can I ever possibly expect her to forgive me?"
"Time, Erica, that's all Bianca needs. She could no more live without you in her life than you could without her."
"I don't know Jack—"
"Trust me, Erica, please. Trust that I know she'll come back to you. If you can't believe it for yourself, believe in me when I say things will get better between you two, that you'll find a way back to each other, that soon you'll be mother and daughter again."
"Oh, Jackson, I want that so much, more than anything. I just pray that you're right."
"I am, sweetheart, I am." Jack pulled Erica to him, kissing her deeply and slowly her fears melted away.
———
For the second time that morning, Jack held Erica until she drifted off to sleep. The ordeal in Las Vegas had taken its toll but with each passing day he saw a little more life reflected in Erica's eyes. He made a promise to himself that this time, he would not let go of Erica until he had coaxed her all the way back, until she was again filled with the fire and determination he had first fallen in love with all those years ago.
As he gazed down at her petite form buried beneath a layer of chenille, Jack was struck with an idea so powerful it left him breathless. Restoring Erica's self-confidence would take a lot more than holding her close and reassuring her of his love and commitment. The rest of the healing would have to come from within. She needed to break out of the cocoon he had created for her and return to the world of the living. Where better than by his side, helping him revive Cambias Industries? And maybe, just maybe it would heal the rift that had grown between Erica and her daughter.
———
Bianca had just settled Miranda down for her afternoon nap when the phone rang. It was her Uncle Jack.
"Sweetheart, I've made a decision—"
Bianca was more than a little surprised when she heard the condition Jack placed on accepting the job as Cambias Industries' CEO. Her mother was to be named President of Marketing and Development, essentially serving as Jack's right hand. As badly as Bianca thought Ryan, Kendall and Greenlee were going to take the news about Jack's new title, she knew it would pale in comparison to their reaction toward her mother joining the fold. And, to be honest, she wasn't too thrilled with the idea herself. It wasn't so long ago that her mother's behavior could only be described as erratic. Sure, her mother built Enchantment from the ground up. And, yes, Erica had a reputation as a keen businesswoman, but still . . . did she really want her mother to wield so much control over her life? But her uncle made it pretty clear: it was all or nothing. What choice did she really have? And so, reluctantly, she agreed.
———
When Jack hung up the phone, he sighed with relief. One Kane woman down, one to go he thought to himself. Of course, compared to Erica, Bianca was a pushover. How was he going to convince the love of his life that working together at Cambias Industries was a smart business move, not a desperate attempt on his part to help Erica get back on her feet? The last thing she'd want is anyone's pity. After mulling it over, he decided the best tact was to be completely candid—that, or appeal to her ego. Jack glanced at his watch; it was 3:30—Erica would be back from her manicure any minute. He quickly scattered the financial statements Bianca had left for him that morning around the sofa and coffee table, tossing a few to the floor for effect. Okay, now look busy he thought to himself. Dammit, my glasses—I can't read a thing without them these days. He grabbed them off the kitchen counter and made himself comfortable on the couch, waiting for Erica to return. No sooner did he settle into the cushion than she walked through the door.
"Hi, sweetheart. Back so soon?"
"I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Brooke was there and I couldn't stand listening to her interminable chatter for another minute. Honestly, Jack, she can go on for hours and say absolutely nothing of interest."
"We're in a good mood, aren't we?"
"I'm in a fine mood—at least I was until I ran into her. You'd think that magazine would keep her off the streets and out of my hair."
"Yes, well, even Publishers need to get their nails done from time to time—especially with all that typing they must do . . ."
"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"Just a little. Listen, why don't you sit down and talk to me for a little bit. I could use a break."
Erica took a good look at the room. It was neat as a pin when she left earlier in the day but now it was in a shambles. "Did a bomb explode while I was gone? What on Earth are all of these papers, anyway?"
Jack made a feeble attempt at explaining away the mess. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with—it's just that information Bianca dropped off for me this morning" Jack replied, casually placing the papers he was holding directly in Erica's line of vision. "So my love, what's on your agenda for the rest of the afternoon? Are you still working on that book you were reading yesterday?"
Erica's eyes lingered on the reports. "Hmmm, I'm sorry; what did you say?"
Jack suppressed a smile. "The novel, Erica—are you still reading it or is it time for another trip to the book store. I really think it's good that you're keeping yourself so busy."
"Jack, what's this note you scribbled over there about stock devaluations?"
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. You have enough on your mind already."
"Really? Like what—who Jessica's going to sleep with; Kenneth or Jeffrey? Honestly, Jack, you're treating me like I'm some fragile piece of glass. Believe it or not, I do still have a few working brain cells—not that they're doing anyone any good."
This is going to be easier than I thought. "Sweetheart, I never meant to imply that you didn't. It's just that you've been through so much, you should really just take it easy. I don't think it's a good idea to burden you with anything else."
"Burden me? I'm sorry. Since when is it a burden to ask a few simple questions about business, business that concerns Bianca and my grandchild?"
"I just thought—"
"I'll tell you what you thought! You thought that Bianca and her company would be better off without my interference, that's what you thought. Please forgive me for overstepping my bounds!" Erica leaped off the couch, about to make a quick getaway when Jackson grabbed hold of her arm.
"Let go of me."
"Erica, I'm sorry. Let me explain."
"What's to explain? You've made it perfectly clear how you feel—"
"No, I haven't. In fact, I've been doing everything but that."
"Excuse me?"
"Forget it. Look, I was purposely egging you on, trying to trick you into doing exactly what you want to do all along."
"You do realize that I have absolutely no idea what you're going on about."
"Yeah, you've made that pretty clear. Look, forget about everything that just happened here; obviously my approach was all wrong."
"Your approach?"
"Never mind. I want you to do something for me."
"Such as?
"Such as. . . .such as. . . . Come here."
Erica stood immobile, poised for battle, with a beautiful scowl neatly in place. "Come here" Jack softly repeated and pulled her into his arms. "I owe you an apology," he said, kissing her deeply. "That's for trying to trick you. And this," he huskily whispered, "this is for underestimating you." Erica softened in his arms, putting her anger temporarily on hold. "Mmmm, and this, this is just because I can't ever get enough of you." They stood rooted to the floor, their arms intertwined, devouring one another, feasting on each other, savoring every moment. Their lungs burned as they lost themselves in each other's arms, forgetting for the moment they had a human need to breathe.
When they finally came up for air, Erica slugged Jackson, throwing him off balance.
"What was that for?" Jack asked, rubbing his chin.
"Why don't you tell me? I believe you said something about tricking me—"
"I did, didn't I?" Jack moved toward Erica seductively, trying to pick up where a moment ago, they so rudely left off.
"Oh, no you don't. Not until you tell me exactly what's going on."
"Fine. Have it your way. You always do." Jack sat back down on the couch, motioning Erica to join him. "It's about Cambias Industries" he began.
———
"You want me to do what?"
"I want you to work with me, side-by-side, to get Cambias Industries back on its feet."
"Side-by-side?"
"Only if that's the closest you can get" Jack said, trying unsuccessfully to pull Erica into an embrace.
"Except that you're the CEO and I'm the . . .?"
"President of Marketing and Development—unless, of course, you prefer another title. I really don't care as long as it means that we do this together."
"With you in charge?"
"That's how Bianca wants it. And, frankly, you haven't been doing too good a job on your own these days. Wouldn't it be nice to lean on someone for a change, especially if that someone is me."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"I wouldn't dream of it" Jack said, smiling. "I'll let you do that for me. . . Come on, you know it's a terrific idea. Spending all day together in the office, spending all night together in bed. It's something we dreamed of for so long. Why not just go for it and let it happen?"
"And you're sure that Bianca's okay with this?"
"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't already have her okay."
"And Greenlee and Kendall?"
"Bianca's wants to make an announcement at the stockholders' meeting this Thursday. Personally, I think we should break the news to the family first but that's her decision. Any way you look at it, it's going to come as a huge blow. In the blink of an eye, Greenlee, Kendall and Ryan are going to find themselves with a new boss—actually two new bosses. I think it's a pretty safe assumption they're not going to be too pleased. But we'll deal with it. Together. After all, together is what we do best. Speaking of which, how about we focus on just you and me for the rest of the night? We could start with dinner, then some dancing and then . . . then we
could . . ."
Whatever it was that Jack whispered in Erica's ear, it elicited a soft laugh, followed by a low moan. "Consider it my first executive decision." Jack lifted Erica off the couch and made his way to their bedroom.