Page 224 of The Sweetest Return

Then he left.

I sat there with tea, pound cake, and a decision that felt a little less like a threat.

The next morning, I called everybody in.

At eight, the people responsible for each of my companies sat around the Jones Motor Group conference table looking like the meeting invitation had carried a warning.

Chuck and Deja represented the dealerships. Lena and Omar came from North & Vine. Yvette and Darren represented Jones Outdoor. Pops occupied the chair at the far end despite telling me twice he didn't need to be there.

He had lied.

Nobody except him knew why I called the meeting.

Chuck looked around. “You selling something?”

“No.”

“Buying something?”

“No.”

Omar leaned back. “Then why am I here before lunch?”

“You work before lunch.”

“I cook before lunch. Meetings are different.”

Lena looked toward him. “Can we begin before he gets worse?”

“He arrived this way,” I said.

Pops pointed toward me. “You invited the circus. Talk.”

I looked around the table.

“The Forge offered me their running backs coach position.”

The room changed.

Yvette spoke first. “Next season?”

“Now. They want me involved immediately.”

Omar whistled.

Chuck leaned forward. “You taking it?”

“I’m considering it.”

“Which means he wants it,” Deja said.

I looked toward her.

She met my eyes calmly.

My employees were getting entirely too comfortable.

Lena crossed her arms. “What does it mean for us?”