Not Strictly Business!. Susan Mallery

president. Jack, I know you’re anxious to get back to your law practice, but we all have to make sacrifices. It’s time for you to make one. I’m asking you to accept the job.”

      Jack looked at the older man. “What sacrifices are being made aside from mine?” he asked calmly.

      “You know what I mean,” Baynes told him.

      “Actually, I don’t. I’m not interested in running Hanson Media Group any longer than the three months I’ve already agreed to.”

      Several of the board members started speaking at once.

      “This is a family company. Always has been. You owe it to your father.”

      Not an argument designed to get his vote, Jack thought grimly.

      “Think of the stockholders. What about them?”

      “You’re the best man for the job. The only man.”

      Baynes quieted them. “Jack, your family owns the largest percentage of stock, but we still have an obligation to the financial community.”

      “I find it hard to believe you can’t come up with a single qualified person to take over this company,” Jack said. “Have you even been looking?”

      “You’re the one we want.”

      “Has it occurred to any of you that forcing Jack to stay when he doesn’t want to is incredibly foolish?” Helen asked. “Someone unhappy in the position isn’t to anyone’s advantage. Now if he wanted to be here …”

      “I don’t,” Jack said flatly.

      Baynes narrowed his gaze. “I would think you, Helen, of all people would want a family member in charge of the company.”

      She leaned forward. “I agree that Jack is very qualified and I trust him implicitly. But I see no advantage in guilting him into staying on. It’s a short-term solution and I don’t want that. We’re doing fine for the moment. Let’s not make a change before we have to. Leave Jack alone to do his job. In the meantime, we can be looking for a suitable replacement. If there isn’t one, then Jack gets my vote.”

      “I don’t like it,” Baynes said.

      “Just so we’re all clear,” Helen continued, “until George’s will is read, I control his voting stock, which means I get the final say.” She looked at Jack. “I still believe you owe your father but I’m reluctant to put his legacy in the hands of someone who doesn’t respect his vision.”

      Not respecting his father’s vision was the least of it, Jack thought. But before he could protest, Baynes cut in.

      “What do you know about the will?” he asked Helen.

      “Nothing,” she said. “I’ll find out when everyone else does. That’s not my point. We have time to think this through and make the right decision for Hanson Media Group. As long as the company is moving in the right direction, then I say let it be.”

      Samantha paced the length of Jack’s office, then turned around and walked back the other way. He’d already been in with the board for nearly twenty minutes. What on earth did they have to talk about for that long?

      Finally he walked in. She hurried over to him.

      “All you all right? Did they pressure you to stay?” she asked.

      He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “You’re worried about me.”

      “Well, duh. What did you think? Now tell me everything. You didn’t accept the job permanently, did you?”

      “What makes you think they asked?”

      “It’s just a matter of time until they start pressuring you. You’re doing a great job. Why wouldn’t they want to keep you?”

      He led her over to the sofa, then pulled her down next to him. “You’re right. That’s what they wanted. Helen held them off, saying they should make sure they had the right candidate. While I’m not interested in staying, at least she bought me some time.” He took her hand. “She’s not on my side in this. She cares about the company.”

      She leaned back into the leather sofa and sighed. “You don’t know that.”

      “Actually, I do. I respect her position. If I were her, I’d do the same thing.”

      “But you’re not her. You still want to leave.”

      “I will leave.”

      She looked at him. “Were they all upset?”

      “They weren’t happy but until the will is read, Helen controls the majority of the stock. That puts her in power.” He pulled her close. “Don’t kid yourself, though. If she decides she needs me to stay, she’ll be the first one holding out the employment contract.”

      “I don’t want to argue about Helen,” she told him.

      “Me, either.” He stood and crossed to a glass cabinet by the window. After opening one of the doors, he held up an empty glass. “Want a drink?”

      “No, thanks.”

      He poured one for himself and took a sip. “I don’t know where everything went wrong with my dad and his sons.”

      “You probably never will. Sometimes families have trouble connecting.”

      “If Mom hadn’t died …” He shrugged and took another sip.

      She stood. There was something different about Jack. He was hurting and that pain made him vulnerable. She’d never seen him as anything but strong and powerful, so this side of him surprised her.

      She crossed to him and put her arms around him. “You did the best you could.”

      “Maybe. Can we change the subject?”

      “Sure.” She gazed up into his eyes. “You were right about making us practice. It made a big difference.”

      He smiled and put down his drink. “I’m right about a lot of things.”

      “Yes, you are.”

      He put his arms around her and drew closer. “I was right about you and the job.”

      She laughed. “So we’re going to make a list of all your perfections?”

      “I have the time.”

      She glanced at the closed door. “Or we could do something else.”

      He raised his eyebrows. “Ms. Edwards, it’s the middle of a workday.”

      “Yes, it is.”

      “Are you making advances at me?”

      “Actually, I was just sort of noticing how very big your desk is. I like a big desk.”