Nash took a closer look at the handouts while Kenzi talked to the nanny. Though the numbers had declined, they hadn’t lowered into the critical phase. Hazel’s Dairy Delights was still in the black. And if the market comparisons were up-to-date, then they still had a firm hold in the market. He skipped over to review the latest focus group results related to packaging.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
Nash’s head snapped up at the same time Kenzi hung up the desk phone. “Are you going somewhere?”
“Home. There’s an emergency.” She turned to Liz. “Please call my driver and have him out front ASAP.”
Liz hurried from the room.
No. No. No. This was not good. Kenzi was going to ask the executive committee to vote for her to run the company. If she didn’t show up to this meeting, she would look like a flake, and no one wanted a flaky CEO.
Nash stepped in front of Kenzi’s desk, where she was making a bigger mess than she’d cleaned. “You can’t miss this meeting.” He followed her as she crossed the room to where her purse hung on an iron hook on the wall. “I cannot impress upon you the importance of your presence when the vote is explained.”
Kenzi’s face crumpled as if she was in pain. “It’s a matter of priorities.” She slung her purse over her shoulder and headed for the exit.
“Youmarriedme because this company is your top priority, and now you’re going to walk out of here at the most critical juncture?” he stage-whispered, in an effort to keep Ben, the receptionist, from overhearing their conversation in the foyer.
Her eyes trailed up his torso, glanced over his chin, and dove right into his gaze, looking right through him. He shifted, uncomfortable with her closeness to the deepest parts of him.
She placed her hand on his chest. “You do it.”
He glanced at Ben, who was doing his best to appear like he wasn’t listening in on every word. “Do what?”
“You lead the meeting. You were there when Harrison explained everything.” She tapped the information packet in his left hand. “You have everything I was going to cover.”
“It’s not about the information, Kenzi. It’s about acting like the CEO.”
She dropped her arm and headed for the door. “You can do that too. I’ve seen your résumé; you’ve handled tougher crowds than this. I have to go, Nash.”
He charged after her, ready to grab her by the shoulders, spin her around, and shake some sense into her. “Is this worth throwing away everything you’ve worked for?”
She paused mid-stride. “Yes.”
Nash fell back a step as she walked away. He didn’t have a second to gather his thoughts before Raquel was by his side.
“Where’s Kenzi going?”
“Something came up.” His voice was wooden.
Raquel rubbed her palms together. “This should make for an interesting meeting.” She turned her pointed-toe shoes towards the conference room.
Nash stared at the door. Kenzi had left. She walked out on all that she was working for, all that she’d made him believe in. The shock was a precursor to a feeling of betrayal, and he steeled his heart against the feeling of being used.
Ben cleared his throat and jerked his head towards the room. “Kenzi is counting on you. You’d better get in there before Raquel railroads this thing.”
Nash ran his hand down his tie. It wasn’t just Kenzi who was counting on him. Charlie, the taste master, had been here for over fifteen years. He worked his taste buds off to make every flavor the best it could be. And Sarah in packaging, whom he’d met on the tour, had a special needs son and needed the health insurance. And there were many more who had expressed their appreciation for a company that provided for their employees’ needs while creating a product they could be proud of. They were all counting on Kenzi to keep the company, and their jobs, safe—and she’d bailed.
It was up to him now.
Nash jumped into action, wanting to be the hero of the day, while resenting Kenzi for putting him in this position in the first place. She should be the face of calm in the middle of the brewing storm.
His entrance into the conference room turned every eye his direction, and he came up short. Their stares hit him like those of a firing squad. They weren’t exactly unfriendly as much as they were suspicious.
Raquel gestured magnanimously for him to take the head of the table. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Nash …” She paused for effect. “Westport, was it?”
She knew his name and was playing a game. He decided to let her play the fool and simply nodded.
“He’s going to give us a state of the company address and then discuss my father’s final wishes for Hazel’s.”
