the alliance. I can’t believe he changed his mind.”
“Jack suffered a heart attack last week. That’s why we hadn’t received the final documents. His board of directors invoked the rescission clause,” Rick said heavily.
“Oh, my God.” Savannah had talked to Emerson a couple of times; she’d liked the older man, finding his bluntness and honesty refreshing. “Is he okay?”
“He had triple bypass surgery. He’s home and doing fine, but he has some recovery ahead of him.”
“Man, I’m sorry.” Rett shook his head, showing his support with a clap on Rick’s shoulder. “You’ve worked so hard on this deal.”
Savannah knew months had gone into Rick’s plans to lease international sites for Sullivans’ Jewels. In the last ten years, he’d taken the family-owned company national by opening stores in Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago and New York. To celebrate the company’s one-hundredth anniversary, he intended to take the company international. That plan might be in jeopardy now.
“Too hard to give up now,” Rick answered grimly. “I’ve gone through the notes on our alternative choices. I like Crosse International as a close second. Albert Crosse has agreed to meet with me next Tuesday. That gives us a week to regroup and put together a new plan. Savannah, I need you to pull the notes from our earlier negotiations. I want a list of our points of agreement and dispute.”
“Of course. Rick, you know I’ll work over the weekend if necessary to be ready for the meeting.”
“Thanks.” Even distracted he sent her a brief glance of appreciation. “But we’ll be traveling over the weekend. Our meeting with Crosse is in London. Since I had the trip planned, he’s offered us a suite at his London hotel. You’ll need to cancel the other reservations.”
“We?” she exclaimed.
“Yes, I’ll need you to go with me.”
“London.” Stunned, Savannah sank onto a nearby stool, pictures of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey flowing through her mind.
“Savannah?” Rick brought her back to the moment.
Everything was moving so quickly she had to stop and clarify. “You want me to come with you to England?”
“I’ll need you there, yes.” He leaned back against the work counter, his gaze running over her. Not that he saw her; his mind was clearly on business strategy.
“I can handle the change in reservations, but I’m not sure I can get on the same flight as you.” The thought of traveling with him gave Savannah mixed feelings. A trip to Europe thrilled her. Being alone with him really didn’t.
“Then change my flight.” Rick glanced at his watch. “Can you stay? I want you working on the Crosse deal full-time. If we’re going to meet our deadline of opening the first international store by November next year, this deal has to close by the end of December.” Leading the way out of the workshop, he outlined their timeline. “That gives us two weeks to finalize the negotiations and site the European stores.”
“I’ll get started right away,” she said.
Savannah couldn’t believe her luck. Being involved in these new negotiations really gave her a chance to prove herself in the job. And it would look really good on her résumé. Not to mention the exciting trip to England.
Okay so she’d be sharing a suite with Rick. But with so much on the line, surely she could control her hormones for a week?
Thursday night Rick sat brooding in his office. He’d had one ambition when he took over as CEO of Sullivans’ Jewels: to make the family business so strong it would never be vulnerable again.
As it had been under his father’s control.
The store almost went under after his parents’ death. Gram held it together with grit and sheer determination. Rick and his brothers had helped where they could. He and Rett had only been ten, but they’d gone into the store with her on weekends. And when they got older they put in more time. He’d helped Gram while Rett hung out in the design workshop.
And when Gram announced her retirement and handed the company over to him, he’d made the hard choice to put family first. He’d sacrificed his engagement in order to stay in San Diego and take over Sullivans’ Jewels.
Maybe when they celebrated the company’s one-hundredth anniversary in their first international store, he’d feel he’d finally succeeded where good old Dad had failed.
By rescinding their offer, Emerson had cost Rick six months toward the completion of his goal. Now, in order to meet his December deadline, he needed to hit the floor running.
Savannah had really come through for him these past few days. With her help he’d restructured the package for Crosse International, including acceptable concessions for being second choice. When they touched down in England, they’d take Crosse by siege.
A knock sounded at the open door as Savannah entered the room. He watched as she strolled toward him across the office floor.
“Here are the profit and loss statements for the past two years. Accounting is still working on the amended projections for this year. I set up an appointment with the CFO for tomorrow morning.” She handed him the files then sat and crossed her legs, waiting for a response.
With determined professionalism he looked away from the tempting sight of her navy skirt inching over her knees onto her thighs.
After reviewing the documents, he tossed the file on his desk. The action startled Savannah, catching her in the middle of a yawn. Sometime during the day she’d removed her jacket, but otherwise she looked as fresh and serene as when she’d walked through the door this morning.
He winced when a glance at the clock revealed that had been close to thirteen hours ago.
The overhead light cast fiery highlights in her dark red hair, drawing his attention. She wore the mahogany mass up on her head but this late in the day escaping tendrils cascaded over her neck and brow. Maybe not so fresh after all, but sexy.
Way too sexy. And touchable.
He definitely had no business wanting to touch her.
He needed to give the woman a dress code, he thought with an inward groan, one that included oversized jackets and buttoned-up shirts. Looking at all the toned, creamy-white skin revealed by the light gold, sleeveless, scoop-necked blouse, he knew he needed to change the course of his thoughts or risk embarrassing himself.
They’d been working together since before seven this morning and it was after eight at night now. A repeat of the past two days. What he needed, what they both needed, was a break.
As if on cue, Rett strolled through the door. “You guys still working? I thought you said you had the proposal pretty much wrapped.”
Rick leaned back in his chair.
“We do. The attorney has it. We’ll get his comments in the morning and go through it one last time. I was just going to suggest we call it a night and start out fresh tomorrow.” That was good, that should end the torment of the day.
Except
