“Are you saying you can’t afford to buy SerenadeMe?” Had she come all this way to chase a lame duck?
“Icanafford to buy it.” He made a face and poured himself another glass of whisky champagne. “If the price dropped a bit. That’s where you coming to work for me would be a big help.”
She stood, the white leather fringe of her seat catching on her leg. “Unbelievable. I thought we were going to talk business and you’re trying to come up with a scheme.”
He stepped in front of her, blocking her exit. “Wearetalking business. Why are you so loyal to that company? I’ll double your salary. Don’t you want to bring that smug kid down a peg?”
“Craig? You’re doing this to hurt Craig?”
He snorted. “I’m doing this to get him out of the way. He’s a dimwit.”
“Craig is not a dimwit. He’s brilliant.”
“Brilliant? Brilliant as a chicken trying to fly with no wings.”
“Yeah right!He’s got amazing wings! And he’s ten times the man you are. He built his company from the ground up, and now he’s shooting past you and you can’t stand it. You’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous, I’m–”
“You are, you’re jealous. You want to drag him down. You think you can tear SerenadeMe apart? You think people will walk out on him? His employees love him, the board loves him–”
He cut her off. “And let me guess, you love him, too?” He spoke so forcefully that a blob of saliva spat from his mouth. He drew himself up, looking her up and down.
“Maybe I do love him!” she yelled. “Now get out of my way.”
He narrowed his eyes and leaned down to get closer to her face. “Or what? You’ll throw me overboard?”
“It wouldn’t be far enough,” she snarled.
Brett put his hands up and stepped aside. “Fine, but don’t ever expect an invitation on my boat again.”
“You couldn’t drag me back to this nightmare,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “This place is chintzier than an Atlantic City casino.”
She spun and plowed directly into Craig’s chest, knocking herself to the ground.
“I’m so sorry!” she said, looking up at him.
He knelt and took her by the hand. “No, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to get in your way.”
Rose could hardly believe what she was seeing. “Are you really here?”
“I think so?” He laughed. “Lillian told me where you were. I was coming to…I don’t know. Rescue you? It sounds like you don’t need to be rescued.”
“Here we go,” Brett called out, his voice taunting. “Prince Charming himself. Here to serenade me, Craig? Get me to say I’ll buy?”
“It sounds like you can’t afford it, Brett,” Craig said evenly. He touched a gentle hand to Rose’s leg. “Are you okay?”
Her knee was throbbing, but there was no blood. The bruise would come later, a reminder of her great failure. “I’m fine. Just mad I spent any time with this bum.”
“I can hear you, you know!” Brett yelled, his accent dropping. “I don’t know what you were doing, coming on my boat, trying to lead me on.”
“I wasn’t leading you on. I was trying to get you to close the sale, you numpty!” She shook her head and lowered her voice. “The nerve of some people.”
Craig took her by the hands and helped her up. “I never should’ve let him in the building. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She shook her head. “It’s my fault. I got desperate.”
He laughed. “I can see that.”
