His hand hovered above the keyboard. It was still weird to use something other than a typewriter, but he was getting used to it. He’d learned some shortcuts to avoid the mouse, a gadget he found even more unnatural to utilize. Once he read the document and gave Bennett the go-ahead, he’d finish cleaning up his office. He was being forced to do it now, and he was trying to decide how much of Buford’s andThe Times’s history he needed to preserve. The task had kept him busy, along with the complete overhaul of his house. His days of disorganization and inattention to his surroundings were gone. Something positive that had come out of Jade’s duplicity. If he’d been more careful with the ledger, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take it.
That didn’t mean she wouldn’t have taken something else.
He shook her from his thoughts. Once he soldThe Times, he was going on a long break. He’d spend some time at the cabin, but he was looking to get farther away for a while. He’d always thought about traveling out west. Or to a foreign country. He needed a complete change of scenery and plenty of activity to get Jade Smith completely out of his head and heart. Her betrayal should have been enough.
He hated that it wasn’t.
A knock sounded at the door and Evelyn Margot came in. She’d stopped putting his portrait outside the door and had treated him with kid gloves. She’d also tried convincing him not to sell, but he was resolute. Thankfully she hadn’t brought up Jade. Evelyn didn’t know what had happened, and he wasn’t going to tell her or anyone else. He didn’t need to look any more imbecilic than he already felt.
“Hey, bro.” She walked toward him. “Time for our staff meeting.”
He frowned. “What staff meeting?”
“The one we’re having in”—she glanced at her watch—“two minutes.”
“I didn’t call a meeting.”
“I know. I did.” She grinned. “Now chop-chop, you don’t want to be late. Bad form for the boss to be tardy.”
“I’m busy,” he said, looking at the screen again. “You called the meeting, you hold it.”
“I am. That’s why I’m telling you that you have to be there.”
Seb rolled his eyes. “Fine. If it will get you out of my office.” He pushed back from his desk as she beamed.
“Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this.”
He doubted that. He hadn’t held a full staff meeting since Flora’s retirement party. But he was intrigued. What was his sister up to?
When he walked into the conference room, Flora, Cletus, Paul, and Tyler were at the table. Their confused expressions told him this meeting was a complete surprise to them too. Plain red folders were on the table in front of them, and another one was by an empty chair.
“Have a seat,” Evelyn said to him.
He sat down and reached for the folder.
“Not yet.” She stood at the head of the table, more businesslike than he’d ever seen her. “You’re all probably wondering why I called you here today.”
“Yes,” they all said in unison.
She blinked. “It’s no secretThe Timesis struggling.”
Seb scowled. “Evelyn Margot—”
“Before you get in a snit, Sebastian Perc—”
“Don’t you dare.”
She nodded. “Is there anyone here who’s surprised by that news?”
“I’m sure not,” Flora said.
“Me neither,” Cletus added while Paul nodded.
“It’s been pretty obvious,” Tyler mumbled.
Great. Flora obviously knew, but to see his staff so aware of his failure was humiliating. He glared at Evelyn. Why was she doing this?
“And would everyone agree that we should do anything possible to save it?”
