“Not this time, Granddad. She’s right. Meridian’s entire strategy depends on convincing shareholders that current management is ineffective. But if you were back on the board, if you were actively involved in our defense strategy, it would send a powerful message about stability and continuity.”
Patrick stood and walked to the window. Three years ago, he would have been on the first flight to New York City. The thrill of corporate warfare, the challenge of outmanoeuvring predators like Meridian Capital had been his life for so long that stepping away had felt like losing part of himself.
But now? Now he had commitments here. Kathleen was depending on him to finish her foundation repairs. The arts and crafts center needed his expertise to meet their completion deadline. And Pastor John had three more building projects lined up, each one serving families who couldn’t afford to hire outside contractors.
And there was Kathleen herself. Their friendship had become something precious, something worth protecting. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about the hidden room, the trust she’d placed in him when she’d shared her fears about the renovation costs—he couldn’t simply abandon all of that.
“Noah, I’m over seventy years old,” Patrick said finally. “I retired from the board for good reasons.”
“Those reasons don’t matter now. The company needs you. I need you.” Noah’s voice cracked slightly. “I can’t lose what we’ve built, Granddad. Wilson Enterprises means everything to me.”
Patrick felt the familiar weight of family responsibility settling on his shoulders. Noah never asked for much, and he’d always pushed himself to prove he was worthy of the Devlin name.
“How long do we have?” Patrick asked.
“Meridian’s called for a special shareholders’ meeting in two weeks. That’s when they’ll make their formal bid for board control. If we’re going to fight this, we need to start immediately.”
Two weeks. Patrick’s mind automatically began calculating timelines. The foundation work at Kathleen’s house would take at least ten days. The arts center had to be completed within the next week. Neither project could be delayed without causing significant problems.
“I need to think about this,” Patrick said.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Noah insisted. “Every day we delay gives Meridian more opportunity to solidify its position. The board of Wilson Enterprises is meeting tomorrow afternoon. We need you there.”
Patrick rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache building behind his eyes. Something of this magnitude couldn’t be fixed in a day. He’d be gone for a week at least, maybe longer. “Tomorrow’s Monday.”
“I know you have commitments in Montana, but this could change the future of our company.”
Patrick thought about Kathleen. She was counting on him to help her. “Give me until tonight to figure out how I can reschedule what I have to do here,” he told Noah.
“I’m leaving from Polson at six-thirty in the morning. I’ll book you a seat on the same flight.”
Patrick sighed. “Meridian must have been planning this for months.”
“And we have two weeks to stop them,” Noah said firmly. “I don’t care how long it takes or what we have to do. Meridian won’t destroy everything I’ve created.”
Patrick understood how important this was to Noah, but other things in life were even more valuable. “Wilson Enterprises survived the pandemic and two recessions. It’s stronger than one hostile takeover attempt.”
“But it might not survive if Meridian replaces everyone on the board.”
The words hung in the air long after they’d finished speaking. Patrick opened the front door and stood on the veranda. He thought about the fear in Noah’s voice, about the board members who’d known him for decades, about the employees whose livelihoods depended on Wilson Enterprises remaining independent.
Then he thought about Kathleen’s gentle smile when she’d thanked him for taking on her foundation repairs, about Pastor John’s faith in his ability to complete the building projects, about the promise he’d made to himself to build a different kind of life in Sapphire Bay.
The phone buzzed with a text message from Noah: I need you, Granddad.
Patrick stared at the message, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. Part of him wanted to dive back into the world of board meetings, strategic planning, and corporate warfare. It would be so easy to tell himself that Noah needed him more than anyone in Sapphire Bay.
But as he looked out at the peaceful morning scene, at the community he’d grown to love, Patrick realized that the hardest choices weren’t always between right and wrong. Sometimes they were between two different versions of right, two different ways of being the man he wanted to be.
He slipped the phone into his jacket pocket without responding to Noah’s text. Isabel’s wedding wouldn’t wait, and neither would the conversation he needed to have with Kathleen. She deserved to know about the decision he’d have to make, even if it was tearing him apart.
Walking back inside, Patrick picked up the small gift he’d bought for Kathleen. Whatever happened with Wilson Enterprises, today was about celebrating love, friendship, and new beginnings.
Chapter 12
Kathleen stood beside Isabel in the gardens of The Lakeside Inn, her hands clasped around a bouquet of wildflowers that Susan had arranged that morning. The rose-colored dress she’d chosen in Bozeman felt perfect. It was elegant but not overdone, and exactly right for a wedding on the shore of Flathead Lake.
From her position beside Isabel, Kathleen had a perfect view of the close family and friends who’d been invited to the wedding. Everyone was sitting on white wooden chairs that were arranged in a small semicircle on the lawn. Behind them, the crystal-clear waters of the lake stretched toward the distant mountains, creating a breathtaking backdrop for this precious moment.
