about time you started working on a family, old girl.” Her father patted her shoulder. “You’re not getting any younger.”
Kayla’s mouth upturned. “Thanks a lot, Dad.” She knew she was getting up there in years. At thirty-four years old, she was no spring chicken in the female reproductive world. Until now, she’d never really thought about having a child. She’d always been so focused on her career. Sure, there had been a number of men with whom she’d had casual affairs, but none of them had held a candle to her first crush, Ethan Graham.
She knew it was silly that she compared the men she’d dated to Ethan, but compare she had. Ever since he’d returned from boarding school at the ripe age of fifteen and picked her up when she’d fallen off her pony at nine years old and kissed her knee, she’d been infatuated. And as she got older, it only grew stronger. How could she forget those six-pack abs in swim shorts and those muscular arms as they swum in her family’s pool? Ayden Turner, her ex-boyfriend, had tried but failed to live up to Ethan’s dark good looks and rippled physique.
She’d seen Ethan in the years since and had effectively kept him at a distance. She’d had to. She’d made a fool of herself when she’d come on to him when she was seventeen and he’d turned her down flat. And since then, he’d dated a string of beauties and wealthy socialites, so even if she would have approached him again, he was too full of himself to even notice. So she focused on her career.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounded.” Her father spoke at her silence. “You know you have always been the light of my life, Kayla, and I only want what’s best for you.”
“I know that, Daddy. And maybe one day your wish will come true.”
“I’ve put together a great list of potential investors,” Michael said when he called another meeting of the executive committee of Adams Cosmetics on Thursday morning, “and quietly started putting the word out that we’re looking for capital.”
Kayla perused the names on the list and was startled to see Ethan Graham’s name. “Ethan Graham,” she said aloud, shocked. That’s the last name she’d expected to see. Hadn’t she just been thinking about him this morning?
“Of course,” Shane said. “I gave Michael his name. Ethan is a former family friend and he might be willing to lend a hand.”
“You know Daddy’s not going to like this idea,” Kayla responded. Actually, she knew how she felt. She hated the idea. She didn’t want arrogant Ethan Graham to have any part of the family business.
Shane’s brow furrowed. “Well, Dad isn’t running this company, you are. Whatever beef he had with Ethan’s father should never have translated outside of business. Ethan used to be practically one of the family.”
“Well, he’s not now.” The moment the words were out of her mouth, Kayla realized how juvenile she must have sounded. Shane and Courtney were both looking at her strangely.
“What do you have against Ethan?” Shane asked. “He’s a brilliant businessman.”
“Oh, leave her alone,” Courtney said, seeing how flushed Kayla’s mahogany skin was becoming. She may have been a few years younger, but even she had seen the monumental crush Kayla had had on Ethan back in the day. Trust her brother, being a man, not to notice.
“Have you thought about how many shares you’re all going to put on the market?” Michael inquired, breaking into the sibling conversation.
“What do you mean you all?” Kayla inquired. “I imagined the shares would be minimal.” She wanted to keep as many as possible.
“The shares have to be significant in order to get an investor interested. I spoke with your father this morning and he and your mother, Shane and Courtney will sell 12.5 shares each and you would retain 25 percent as president.”
Why hadn’t her father told her about this decision at breakfast? “What about you two?” Kayla looked at Shane. “This hardly seems fair.”
“We know how much Adams Cosmetics means to you,” Shane responded. “And we’re fine with the arrangement.”
Kayla pondered Shane’s words. “Okay, I can accept that, but that would potentially give a single investor 37.5 percent interest of Adams Cosmetics.”
“True, but think of the reward,” Michael responded. “Or the shares could be divided among several investors.”
“Money isn’t everything,” Kayla returned.
“Since when?” Courtney asked. She’d seen the financials. Now was not the time to play it safe.
“Fine.” Kayla’s mouth went into a grim line. She hated this, but she didn’t have much choice; she was in the minority.
“How are you coming with raising funds?” Ethan asked Daniel later that afternoon.
“Slowly,” Daniel replied. “Because Adams Cosmetics is a private company, their financial statements aren’t public record, so the bank is hesitant to lend funds.”
“Continue to work on it. If necessary, I’ll place a call to the head of finance. If they want to keep Graham International as a customer, they will back this venture.”
“Sure thing,” Daniel said on his way out.
It left Ethan time alone to peruse a dossier on the Adams family. Over the past several years Graham International had expanded into several overseas markets, which had taken Ethan out of the country. He needed to catch up on what the Adamses were up to.
The youngest, Courtney Adams, was spokeswoman for the Adams Cosmetics line. But she was also a force to be reckoned with. She had a degree in marketing and finance. Yet there was an impetuous streak in her. When she’d run off with her boyfriend to Vegas for a quickie marriage when she was eighteen, Byron had reined in his hotheaded daughter and had the marriage annulled.
Shane Adams might be the middle child, but he was by no means overshadowed by the eldest or youngest. Shane was a brilliant chemist—he had been classically trained in Paris and was now vice president. He’d revolutionized Adams Cosmetics with the development of the skincare line when he was only twenty-five. Ethan was sure that with proper funding, the new fragrance line he was developing would be a success.
And finally there was Kayla Adams, CEO. Gone was the awkward young girl with long gangly legs. The Kayla he saw in the photo was breathtakingly beautiful. Kayla had matured into a cool, sophisticated businesswoman.
He turned the page and focused on her accomplishments. Poised and driven to succeed at all costs, Kayla had started working at Adams Cosmetics when she was fifteen and never left. She became CEO of Adams Cosmetics at twenty-nine when Byron stepped down. Her decision-making skills were said to be exemplary, which would be both an asset and a curse.
Kayla wasn’t going to give up control of Adams Cosmetics easily. That’s why Ethan had to be ruthless and insist they sign over additional shares. Right now they were only offering 37.5 percent to investors, but that was not going to do. Graham International must have controlling interest in Adams Cosmetics. It was the only way.
Chapter 2
“Are we attending the
