“We were supposed to be businesspartners, and you went behind my back and tried to seduce my girl.”
“Ah yes, but Al, you were the one shewanted. She chose you.”
“Damn right she did.”Al?I don’tthink these two just did business. I think they were once friends.
“Sometimes the heart wants what the heartwants. I walked away gracefully.”
“That’s not the point.” Alan’s hand comesdown on the desk. Guess he doesn’t need a cane to make me jump. “The point waswe were friends and business partners. After you left, taking all your moneywith you, leaving my poor company to starve, I vowed never to let you get thebetter of me, ever again.”
“You still have a hot head, I see. Yes, Iwanted your company to wither and die, a consequence of getting what I wantedso badly.”
“Well, you’ll see that my family doesn’tlet people walk all over us. We fight back, and more importantly, we fightfair. What your family did is inexcusable.”
The smile on the older Mezzo disappears.“You are right Al, and I take full responsibility. Melvin reports directly tomy son, Louis, and well, Louis never did know how to play by the rules. Iapologize.”
Alan points a finger at me. “It’s Kateyou need to apologize to. And you’re lucky, because of all of us here, she hasthe biggest heart and the most forgiving nature.”
I give him a weak smile.
“Rafael, give the Prescott-Holt companyour offer.” Rafe slides a folder across the table, but no one makes a move forit, and we sit there in an uncomfortable silence. Well, since no one is goingto jump up for it, I will. I pull the folder to me, opening it up.
“Um—I’m a novice with business, so you’regoing to have to tell me what this says.”
“Tell her,” Vincenzo gestures to Rafe.“It’s a contract to do business with Lawton shipping for the next twenty years.The first ten will be at a rate you set, and the second will be at a negotiatedrate, based on current shipping rates.”
“Oh, okay.” I shove the file in front ofCole. He gives me a strained look, but then picks up the folder. When he’sfinished, he passes it to Race, and so it goes until everyone has looked at thefolder. Alan is the last one to read the contents,
“Christ almighty, Vince,” he mutters.
“Do we have a deal?” Rafe asks. What?This sucks. I don’t even know what the damn deal is. I put my hand on Cole’sthigh and he looks at me. “You need to explain.” I whisper in his ear.
“They will pay fifteen percent more thanthe current shipping rate for the next ten years, and they will ship everythingthat comes from the Pacific with Lawton.”
“Fifteen percent. Is that a lot?” I ask,forgetting to whisper.
“Yes, Katie girl,” Alan says. “That is anawful lot. No one would willingly pay fifteen percent more than they had to.”
“Give me an instance?” I ask Alan, stillnot sure I understand.
“The kind that could put you out ofbusiness quickly if things changed too fast.”
“Oh,” I say, taken aback. “Why would youdo that?” I look up at the senior Mezzo.
“I have much to atone for with yourfamily. Perhaps if I pay penance and survive, it will mend the bridge of an oldfriendship and provide new opportunities for the future.”
I’m not sure what to say to that.Vincenzo Mezzo is willing to put his business, a business that he’s spent alifetime building, on the line to make up for what he did to Alan, and for whathis son has done to the rest of us.
“Would you like some time to think itover? I will be in town until next week,” Vincenzo asks. Under the table, Ientwine my fingers with Cole. No, I don’t want to wait until next week. Nextweek, we are supposed to go on our long awaited honeymoon. I’m tired ofwaiting. I’m tired of the business. If we have to come back to Las Vegas againafter the ring ceremony in Idaho, I may officially lose it. I may lose it now.Cole squeezes my hand. He can tell this is getting to be too much for me. “Idon’t think we need that long. If you wouldn’t mind waiting or coming backlater today or tomorrow, we will have an answer for you.”
“We will wait,” Vincenzo speaks. Thethree men stand and take their leave.
I try to exhale slowly so no one sees howmuch this is affecting me. I’d like to lay my head on the table. The cool glasslooks inviting. The room remains silent. Cole stands, reaching over the table,pouring a glass of water and then hands it to me. “Thank you.” I say, taking asip. The water is cool but doesn’t really help.
“Let’s vote,” Cole states matter offactually.
“Wait.” I grasp Cole’s wrist. “Amend theoffer.”
“No, the offer stands as they made it.”Cole’s voice has that icy edge to it. He’s angry, and he has every right to be.Why shouldn’t the Mezzo’s gamble their business? To Cole, they gambled withsomething far more precious to him. My life. I let my hand drop to my lap. Ihate when Cole is angry. As much as I should let this go, and vote the way Iwant, it feels wrong. I clasp my hands together, trying hard to keep the tearsat bay, but they just come. I tuck my chin down. I try not to let anyone knowI’m crying, so I let the silent tears drip into my hand.
