In the end, neither of them lost the challenge because her father called it a draw when he started talking and broke the spell. They both gave him their attention. Her mother was now standing at Kenneth’s side and he handed her a glass of champagne.
“My family—” Kenneth gestured toward Maddie and then toward her sisters. “Madeleine, Valene, Schuyler and Carlo. And Zach. Zach, I include you because you are like a son to Barbara and me—like family to all of us.”
Family? Maddie blanched. No. That would make him my brother.
Of course, Zach had been over to the Fortunado homestead. Since he didn’t have family in town, they’d invited him last Thanksgiving.
She’d never think of Zach as a brother. Not with the fantasies she had of him.
Those fantasies were anything but sisterly...
“Speaking of sons,” Kenneth continued. “I wish Everett, Connor and Gavin could be here today.” Kenneth’s gaze scanned the group of well-wishers. “Everett and Lila are away on their honeymoon. Those crazy kids eloped after they saw everything that’s involved in putting together a wedding. It’s not too late to follow suit, Carlo.” Everyone laughed. Schuyler held on tight to Carlo and shook her head as Kenneth continued. “Connor and Gavin couldn’t get away since they’re coming for Schuyler and Carlo’s wedding at the end of the month. But—”
Kenneth stopped and shook his head. A slow smile tipped up the corners of his mouth. “I am a lucky man to be surrounded by so much love.” He lifted his glass to Schuyler and Carlo. “To my lovely daughter and her husband-to-be and to all of you. Thank you so much for being here this afternoon. It was a last-minute invitation, but as I told you, it’s important to Barbara and me to share our news with you first. You are important to us and we wanted you to hear it first.”
Kenneth’s smile faded.
“When my mother passed away, it was a wake-up call. Those of you who knew Starlight know she was larger than life. She lived every day to the fullest. Her passing not only gave me pause, it made me stop and take inventory of my life. That inventory revealed that I have a lot of lost time to make up for.” He put his arm around Barbara. “Not only that, but our children are all grown. They’re getting married and leaving the nest. It’s made Barb and me realize we have a lot of living to do. It’s time for us. However, it’s difficult to make time for us when I’m working eighty-hour weeks.” He paused and smiled down at Barbara. “Thank you for being patient with me, love.”
Barbara kissed his cheek.
“With that in mind,” Kenneth said, “I am so pleased to announce that right after Schuyler and Carlo’s wedding, I will retire from Fortunado Real Estate.”
Even though they were exactly the words Maddie had been expecting, a gasp escaped her throat as she led the gathering in a round of applause, sloshing a little champagne as she clapped.
Barbara held up her hand to silence them. “And I am pleased to announce that right after the big wedding, Kenneth and I will take a second honeymoon. We will be leaving on a four-month cruise around the world. Forty-nine ports of call—thirty-two countries on six continents.”
More applause.
Maddie’s chest hurt and she realized she’d been holding her breath. She was thrilled for her parents, but she was waiting for the next part. The part of the announcement where her father said that he was promoting her, that she would be stepping up as his successor to lead Fortunado Real Estate into the next chapter.
“I booked the cruise and told him the ship would sail on June fourth—with or without him,” Barbara said. “I told him I’d be on that boat and I hoped he would be there, too. Because even with all this life inventory, we all know that’s the only way I’d ever get him to finally make the leap into retirement.”
Maddie inhaled sharply to quell her impatience.
“Now, now, my love,” Kenneth said.
Maddie blew out all the air from her lungs. Her heart thudded. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears. Her father put his arm around her mother and lovingly massaged her neck, which made Barbara squirm and swat him away. She’d never been one for public displays of affection.
“Kenneth, not in front of the kids,” Barbara said.
Yes, not in front of the kids, Dad. Yuck. Save it for the cruise and get to the rest of the announcement.
Kenneth and Barbara raised their glasses to the small crowd.
“Thank you for helping us celebrate our big decision.”
Everyone raised their glasses in return and offered cheers and good words like congratulations, hear! hear!, to your health and happiness and bon voyage.
But wait... What about the rest... What about the announcement of your successor?
Maddie battled the demons of disappointment as she watched her sisters rush to congratulate their parents with hugs and squeals. She blinked once, twice. Took one more slow, deep breath, doing her best to slay the monster inside.
Okay. So, he wasn’t going to announce her promotion now.
It was okay. Really, it was.
She blinked again and reframed. It wasn’t that big of a deal that her father hadn’t yet announced that she would be his successor.
Maddie let the words ruminate in her brain for a moment.
This afternoon was for her parents. It was a big, big deal for them. It was a huge step for them. Today was about them.
Not her.
Them.
Her cheeks burned as she knocked back the rest of her champagne, draining the half-full glass. She could let them have their day. She should let them have their day. Her dad probably wanted to talk to her privately before he made the announcement.
Of course. He wouldn’t just announce her promotion without preparing her first.
Today was a day to celebrate Kenneth and Barbara. In fact, she was proud of her dad for not making today all about business. It took a lot of restraint on his part, since he was always all business, all the time. Plus, something so important as her stepping into her father’s shoes needed to be discussed. Even though they had already discussed it—in broad terms. But now that his retirement had a fixed date, they would need to discuss her salary. They needed to talk about his expectations. She needed to make sure he understood she wanted complete control. His role would be as support system to her.
Or better yet, he’d stay out of Fortunado Real Estate altogether and enjoy his retirement as she implemented her vision for the company.
Her gaze found Zach again. Like her, he stood just outside of the knot of people clustered around her parents, wishing them well.
Once she took over, she would offer Zach a lovely promotion. It was the least she could do if she couldn’t offer him her body—Stop that. To date, she’d never offered him her body and now she never would. And that was not the way a boss should think about an employee. Even if said employee was drop-dead gorgeous and flirted outrageously with her. He flirted outrageously with all women. He had a different girl with him every time she saw him. And that’s why she needed to focus on what would come next: her promotion. It was a chance to give her all to something bigger than herself—something that would never let her down. That was the way to go.
She would always love Zach, but he would never know it.
That was the price she would pay to secure her future. A future so close she could taste it.
* * *
Zach McCarter was honored to be invited to hear his boss’s big announcement. From the first minute Zach