“Not my business?”
I flinch.
Owen sighs. “Noell, I informed you of my plans when I took over this company. You knew what I was planning to do. I gave you the option to leave with a considerable sum of money. You declined.”
“I didn’t realize that when you said you were going to weed out the clients that were less than savory, you were going to weed outevery single one.”
Owen shrugs. “Neither did I, but I won’t have this company representing anything but what the name suggests.”
Noell grabs a piece of paper, balls it up, and actually throws it at Owen’s head.
I stifle a laugh.
Owen has the nerve to smile at her. “I will give you the choice a second time, if you want it. You can leave with the same offer I gave you when my father handed me the company. If you decide to stay, all I ask is that you trust me. The company will lose a significant amount of money, but it won’t be permanent. I promise you that.”
Noell takes a deep breath. “Owen, I don’t know what you’re doing. No one does. You keep saying you’re turning the company around, making it a better place to work, making it live up to its name. However, I don’t see how you can do that withoutprofit. You cannot float the staff we have by losing this much money. You either have to let people go, or you need to cut some of your charities.”
“No,” Owen growls as he stands. “No one touches the charities, and no one loses their job.”
Noell shakes her head. “You have one year, Owen, before this company needs to file for bankruptcy. I certainly hope you have a plan.”
With that, she turns and stalks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
She doesn’t so much as look at me.
I stare at the door long after she’s gone.
Owen’s voice pulls me out of my stupor. “It’s 5 pm on a Friday, Miss Riley. Shouldn’t you be heading home?”
I glance at him, wondering if he’ll say anything about what happened, but when he only looks at me, I answer, “I’m almost done with gala prep, then I’ll head home.”
We haven’t mentioned the gala tomorrow. It is my unofficial last day, and I don’t think either of us has wanted to broach the subject. I still haven’t told Declan about it, hoping Gray or Noah or I would have found something by now. But as the days ticked by, the knot in my stomach grew. I’m no closer to finding the answers to any of it.
“You bringing a date?” Owen asks, the words suspiciously too calm, and I cannot help but smile.
“Yes,” I respond, pretending to type something on my computer.
Before I know it, he’s standing in front of my desk, peering down at me.
“Anyone I know?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m taking Jax.”
Owen visibly relaxes, and I almost laugh.
“Tell him to bring Evan, too. I’ll put him on the list.”
“You mean, you’ll havemeput him on the list?”
“Right.”
I roll my eyes and stand, still staring up into his green eyes. “And your date, Mr. Mills? It says ‘plus one’ here.”
Owen looks away and runs a hand through his black hair. “Evan can be my date.”
An unexpected laugh escapes me. “He’ll be thrilled when I tell him.”
This time, Owen rolls his eyes. “I like him. He’d be an excellent date.”
