His enjoyment of once again getting the drop on me only lasted until Dad’s head popped up above Paisley’s computer screen to glare at us.
“He knows about the four wheelers,” I whispered.
Parker sighed. “I was going to report it, obviously. It’s not like I didn’t know accounting would catch up with me about it eventually.”
“But you were hoping to sell them first?”
“Maybe.”
We went to sit back in Dad’s office, and he came back in, staring down each of us in turn. “Owners don’t buy things without consulting the other owners first. That’s the rule from now on.”
“Does that go for you, too?” Parker asked.
“Of course.”
“Every expense?”
“Don’t try to turn this around on me. Filling up for gas? No. Taking a client to lunch, no. Four-thousand in equipment? Absolutely. I should fire you. If you were anyone else, I would. So decide if you really want to be an owner. It’s a different mindset than owner’s son, and if you don’t understand the difference, we’re done here.”
Parker ducked his head. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
I bit my lip. Parker meant it. For all his faults, he didn’t make empty promises. Usually he didn’t make promises at all. Or apologies, for that matter.
Dad cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking about what Lauren said in our last meeting. I’d like to invite Clay to be an owner.”
I felt so many emotions all at once. Relief, excitement, worry, and fear. Bringing Clay in had felt like a much better idea when I could deny we had a relationship. We sure had one now, one we weren’t in any hurry to disclose.
Parker looked relaxed, but his hands were gripping the arms of his chair. He was working through his own mixed emotions about it. I could tell. “How would that work?”
“You, Lauren, Clay, and Mom would each get fifteen percent. I would keep forty percent until I’m ready to retire, and then just like we talked about, Mom and I would distribute our shares back to you. The three of you in this case.”
“And does Clay know yet?” Parker asked.
“No. I needed you two to agree to it first. After all, it’s sharing your cut. Lauren, is that still something you want?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to say more.
“What about you, Parker?”
He nodded as well. “Clay’s family. I can share my cut.”
Dad leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “Now, getting back to the question I asked Lauren. Owners cannot date employees of this company. I don’t want any favors, messy breakups, or possible liability.”
Parker held his hands up. “I already said I’d sign.”
Dad turned to me. “I know Clay will, too. Lauren, what’s holding you back?”
“Nothing.” I thought about the terms owner and employee. Nothing in it would say owners couldn’t date each other. It was a big logical leap, but it was the only one available to me, so I’d take it. “Fine. I’ll sign.”
Dad dismissed us, and I got back to work. Every time Clay looked at me, I felt hot and cold all over, and not just because of what the man did to my senses. I felt torn. I knew ownership was what Clay wanted deep down. But if I warned him it was coming, what would he say? I had a feeling he would turn it down. He wouldn’t see my logical leap as logical, but a trap we were setting for ourselves. But if the offer came from my dad? My dad would be a lot harder to say no to. Somehow, pulling myself out of telling him the news seemed like the right thing to do.
27
___________
Clay
“I want you to be an owner with Lauren and Parker.” The words registered over and over in my mind while I inwardly panicked over the timing. Trying to read John’s body language didn’t help. The man had always been unflappable. Unless he was yelling. Right now, I couldn’t tell if he was happy to share the news with me or just resigned to it.
