talk about it then.”
Maddie glanced at her watch. It was edging on 11:00. Even if Rae hadn’t specifically mentioned lunch when she’d called about the meeting, she’d said clear your schedule.
“I’m not sure, Val. You know how Dad is. He may just want to meet, but he may want to go to lunch afterward.”
To celebrate.
Her stomach did a triple gainer at the thought.
Finally.
She would insist they get a bottle of champagne. The very best vintage in the cellar. And when he reminded her it was the middle of the day, that they had work to do, she would put her hand on his arm and tell him that he had earned this champagne. It was as much to celebrate his life-changing decision as to celebrate her promotion.
She’d pick up the tab. It would be symbolic of his passing the mantle.
“I don’t have anything scheduled this afternoon,” Val said. “Let me know when you’re free. I’d really like to get back to the McKinneys before the end of the day.”
“Of course. Of course.” Maddie smiled her most benevolent smile. “I’ll see you as soon as I’m free.”
After all, Val was Maddie’s protégé. Just as their father had trained her, it was up to her to pay it forward and teach Valene everything she knew about the Houston real estate market. Since they were so close in age, it was unlikely that Val would ever head up Fortunado. After all, the company only had room for one president. But Maddie would make sure that Val’s hard work was rewarded.
Once Val got more experience, maybe Maddie could make her a vice president? Or CFO?
Val nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks, Maddie. Good luck.” She mouthed the words and congratulations.
As Maddie turned, she smiled at Rae and walked toward her father’s office. All the hard work she’d poured into her job was about to pay off. All the long days and weekends dedicated to business rather than dating and having fun. No, scratch that. Work was fun. It was a sure thing, a solid investment. The harder she worked, the more she proved herself.
She didn’t mind chasing after a business deal. In fact, she was in her glory when she was hunting down a deal. She’d latch onto it and stay the fight until she won. But she never chased men. Men were untrustworthy. They were too unpredictable. Giving her all to business was the closest thing to a sure thing she’d ever find.
Work was a solid investment of her time. Unlike the uncertainty of the dating world. Would she like to get married and have a family? Sure. Someday. But right now, Fortunado Real Estate claimed her full attention. The more she proved herself, the more comfortable her father seemed to be about retiring and turning Fortunado Real Estate over to her.
The sound of male voices coming from her father’s office snapped her out of her reverie before she gave a staccato rap on his office door.
“Enter,” Kenneth said.
When she opened the door, she smiled askance when she saw Zach McCarter sitting in one of the two cordovan leather club chairs across from her father’s mahogany desk.
Her father and Zach stood up when they saw her.
“I’m sorry.” Maddie glanced at her watch to make sure she had the time right. It was 11:01. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. Rae said you were ready to meet with me. I can wait outside while you two finish up.”
“No,” her father said. “Come in. Come in. Zach is part of this meeting, too. Now that we’re all here we can begin.”
Maddie’s stomach dropped as the men lowered themselves into their seats. Why was Zach part of this meeting? This meeting had nothing to do with Zach.
“Sit down, Maddie.” Kenneth Fortunado gestured to the matching leather chair next to Zach.
Her mind raced as she smoothed her black pencil skirt before sitting down.
Maybe today isn’t the day. And that’s okay. It’s fine.
Actually, it wasn’t okay, but what other option did she have?
She’d talk to her dad after the meeting and assure him she knew it was hard to relinquish control. After all, if anyone knew that, she did. She’d inherited the tendency to micromanage from the man himself. He probably just needed a little reassurance that Fortunado Real Estate would be fine in her hands. It would be more than fine. It would thrive.
He just needed to bite the bullet and make the decision already.
She tamped down her disappointment by letting her gaze do a quick sweep of Zach in his dress khakis and white button-down, which was open at the collar. As always, he looked effortlessly professional. And gorgeous. Neither too casual nor overly preened. Leave it to him and his broad shoulders and perfect butt to make simple white and beige look like a work of art.
Yes, she’d noticed.
She studied the angle of his cheekbones, the slant of his aquiline nose, the waves of his blond hair and the gleam of his blue, blue bedroom eyes. It was hard not to notice Zach McCarter and all his masculine perfection.
In fact, just last night she’d indulged in a late-night fantasy about Zach’s masculine perfection—those perfect shoulders and butt. And those dimples. Oh, those dimples.
He was gorgeous. And she was human. And he was totally and completely off-limits, which made him the perfect secret crush. And, well, a guy like Zach never looked at a woman like Maddie, which was fine with her. In fact, it was just the way she liked it. If she was going to be his boss, he could never know about the thoughts that ran through her head.
It wasn’t as if he was a mind reader. So, she had nothing to worry about.
Except she was worrying about his presence at this meeting. What was he doing here?
Maddie thought her father would’ve talked to her separately.
A sinking feeling lodged itself in the pit of her stomach.
Last year, Zach had barely edged out Maddie as Fortunado’s top sales producer. This year they were running neck and neck. But it was only May and she fully intended to reclaim the throne. That victory would be the final jewel in the crown after she took over for her father. Of course, she’d been focusing on administrative tasks other than sales—mentoring Valene, learning the advertising and promo end of the business, researching client-building methods, and such. There were only so many hours in the day. She was doing all the extras and almost matching Zach as the top sales producer. It went without saying that if all she did was focus on sales, like Zach did, she’d be running circles around McCarter.
“Thank you for making time to meet with me this morning,” her father said, as if either of them would’ve opted out. “I’ve been eyeing retirement for a while now. It’s taken me a long time to wrap my head around the concept, but with a little help from Barbara, I’ve finally decided to take the plunge.”
He paused for what seemed an eternity and Maddie held perfectly still, resisting the urge to shift in her seat, redistributing her impatience.
Now that sinking feeling was gripping her stomach and attempting to turn it inside out.
“Congratulations, Kenneth,” Zach said. “I know it wasn’t an easy decision.”
“Thank you, Zach. It’s been one of the most difficult decisions of my life. This business represents the sum of my life’s work. I’ve invested a lot of sweat equity in this place, building it from the ground up. So, you can imagine that I want to leave the business in the best hands once I step back.”
Maddie sensed what was about to happen before her father spelled it out. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t want Zach McCarter to glimpse any weakness or uncertainty in her. This was her future. Her legacy. This wasn’t happening—
“I