“I never lied to your father. I’m certainly not lying to you. Half of those men think they’re God’s gift to the world, but given the chance to do what they brag about, they’d shit their pants and go home crying to their wives who do a lot of the business negotiations for their husbands behind their back while doing downward dog in a hot yoga class.”
“I suggest you keep those thoughts to yourself, Mom. Their fragile egos won’t handle that much truth.”
“I’m sitting next to you, Mathilda,” I declared. She’d have my back.
We walked in together while twelve suited men stared at us as we took our seats.
I recognized Anderson Getty from the mayor’s ball. I didn’t expect a smiling face from him, but downright antagonistic was a surprise.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Lior started, standing. He had such a big presence with his tailored suit and groomed appearance. It made me feel a little hot under the collar. Whose idea had it been to wear a tie? I hadn’t even worn a tie to my own wedding.
“Thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to be here today. I know my recent wedding has come as a surprise to all of you, and as expected, there have been a few questions. Before I let Mr. Hoffman lead the meeting, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Noah Spencer.”
I stood up next to Lior. “Thank you. It’s a pleasure meeting you all.” I gave a brief professional introduction similar to what I’d done in Atlanta. It had been Lior’s suggestion. He thought they’d appreciate knowing I was a respected professional. He followed that by saying it was all bullshit, but unfortunately, we had to speak their language.
When I sat down, Lior took my hand. I didn’t miss a few glances in our direction, but this part was easy. Wanting his hand in mine, feeling it ground me, and looking at him like I was in love? Easy.
Mr. Hoffman stood to address everyone.
“Thank you all for the questions you’ve submitted since the announcement of Mr. Van Stern’s nuptials.”
Lior squeezed my hand a little. This was the part he was really nervous about.
“A few partners expressed a desire to buy Mr. Van Stern’s shares. The regulations around that have been emailed through by my team, so I trust they are clear. The bottom line is, until I finalize the completion of the will according to Mr. Van Stern’s wishes, there won’t be any negotiations regarding the shares.”
It was my turn to squeeze Lior’s hand. He relaxed a little, but we weren’t out of the woods yet.
“All partners submitted a request for my consideration.” Mr. Hoffman turned to us. “They expressed a concern that your marriage might be one of convenience. While it’s not my place to make a judgment on that, I agree that the request placed by the partners is reasonable.”
“What is that request?” Lior asked.
“You will need to remain married for the period of a year. During that time, you are expected to attend functions together and appear in relevant publications, just as Mr. and Mrs. Van Stern have done in the past.”
I felt Lior shift in his seat, but Mathilda stood up first.
“I have something I’d like to say.”
Everyone stared at her as if they’d just realized she had a voice.
“My husband and this company served you well. You’ve sent your children to private schools, and your wives are able to spend their time doing charity work instead of taking a paid job. Your wealth is intrinsically connected to the success of Van Stern Enterprises. As much as you are each responsible for the success of your areas, you cannot deny the company has stayed together and thrived with my husband at the helm. I am very aware that before my husband passed away there were doubts over Lior’s suitability to take over because he hasn’t been as involved in the company as you believe he should have been. Let me tell you something. You think anyone but Lior’s son should run this company? Be our guest, but remember he’s seen two generations of Van Sterns grow this company from nothing. No one else will care about the success and viability of this company as much as he does. I have seen my son and my son-in-law together, and trust me when I tell you, I know what it looks like when two people are in love. Lior has met his father’s condition. Heis married, and he did it within the stipulated time period. Any further requests may be reasonable, but they shouldn’t be what the final decision is based on. Ultimately, you need to choose who is going to be the person you believe will take this company into the future.”
I wanted to cheer at her speech but managed to hold it together. Lior didn’t move a muscle until everyone was out of the room, and then he stood and hugged his mom.
My throat closed a little, seeing them like that. In the fight for the company, it was easy to forget they’d just lost someone really important to them.
When they pulled apart, Lior’s eyes were red. I couldn’t hold my feelings in any longer. I narrowed the space between us, stood on my toes, and kissed him.
He wrapped his arms around me tight.
“Thank you,” he whispered against my lips.
“Your mom is a rock star.”
“Damn right I am,” she said, reminding us she was still in the room. Oops. Maybe I shouldn’t have kissed her son like that.
“And now we’re going from the fire into the frying pan.” He let out a tense chuckle.
“Actually, I thought we should stay in a hotel near the ferry port tonight and check into the vineyard hotel in the morning. It’s been a tough day, and I’d like to not see my family right now.”
