STAY THE NIGHT (The Phillips Family Book 1) (11 page)

   
“
No, Angelica, it strikes me as love at first sight.  What surprises me is your lack of hesitation to admit this to yourself, let alone publicly.
”

    She smiled and said,
“
You know me so well.  Never step into the unknown without all the facts researched, checked, double checked and double sourced.  Yes, indeed, it's a departure for me and I'm taking the leap with perfect confidence I'm doing the right thing.
”

   
“
In that case, I wish you great happiness.  Can he provide well for you?
”

    She threw her head back and laughed her throaty laugh and noticed Cray glance in her direction and smile. 
“
He can afford to drape me in diamonds, but that's not what I want.  I want his complete and faithful devotion to me as I'll give him in return.
”
  She checked her wristwatch and said,
“
Oh, my, I convinced him to come here with me and promised we'd stay no more than an hour and we've been here over two.
”

   
“
Judging by his stance and demeanor, he seems to be enjoying himself.
”

   
“
Yes, I agree.  I dragged him to a faculty tea this afternoon and that bored him.  Excuse me, I promised him some alone time tonight and I'm anxious to fulfill my promise.
”

    She sauntered to the group Cray talked to and sidled next to him.  His arm went around her and he smiled at her.  She said,
“
Darling, have you checked the time?  It's after nine.
”

   
“
Are you tired, Angel?
”

   
“
It's been a busy day.
”

    Cray turned to face the men and women in the group. 
“
Ladies, gentlemen, it's been a pleasure chatting with you this evening, but milady is ready to retire.  Early in the new year I'm hoping you will do us the honor of joining us for dinner some evening at our place.  Angelica, do you have their contact numbers?
”
  She smiled and nodded. 
“
We'll be in touch soon.  Merry Christmas.  Good night.
”

    As they rode the elevator to street level, she said,
“
Do you want to entertain them for dinner?
”

   
“
Yes, did I misspeak, honey?  Don't you like them?
”

   
“
Of course I like them and I'm anxious to invite them.  It surprises me that you do.
”

   
“
They're intelligent and urbane with good senses of humor.  I'd like to get to know them better.
”

   
“
Should we invite some of the faculty members you met today?
”
she said with a straight face.

   
“
That wouldn't be my choice, but I'll endure if that's what you want.
”

    She laughed hard and the lyrical notes reverberated in the elevator. 
“
I'm kidding.  They bore me to tears.
”

    In the limo on the way home, Cray said,
“
Did that fellow you were talking to tell you a dirty joke?  I heard you laugh the way you did Friday night when it caught my attention.
”

    She giggled and said, 
“
He asked me my intentions toward you and yours toward me.  I told him how much I care.  He asked then if you can provide for me and that's when I lost it.  I told him you'd drape me in diamonds if that's what I wanted, but it's not.  He's happy for me, for us, I guess, but at one time he wanted to date me.  I never succumbed.  He's a dear friend and that's all.
”

    He cupped her face and kissed her. 
“
Are we going home and there will be no more disturbances for the rest of the night?
”

   
“
Hey, I wanted to leave at eight like we discussed.  You're the one who couldn't tear yourself away from my countrymen and ladies.
”

   
“
Guilty as charged.  I didn't realize how late it had gotten.  You're not going to punish me by going right to sleep are you?
”

    She faked a yawn and said,
“
It won't be intentional if it happens, darling.
”

   
“
I am going to make love to you and I'd prefer you be awake while it's happening.
”

    She laughed. 
“
That depends on how exciting you make it for me, darling.
”

    He chuckled and said,
“
You're making me nervous and when I get nervous I cry.
”

Chapter 6

   Five minutes later they stepped off the private elevator to the penthouse foyer.  Cray embraced her in a kiss that had them both panting until someone cleared their throat from the living room.  They broke apart.

    Cray stared at his sister sitting on the sofa and said,
“
What the hell, Mona?
”

   
“
Don't fuck with me, Cray.  If you'd answer your damn phone, I wouldn't have to traipse over here to see if you're dead or dying.  I'm doing my sisterly duty.
”
  She smiled, stood, walked toward Angelica and said,
“
You must be Angelica.  I'm this cretin's sister. He told me you like dirty jokes.  I have a slew of them.  Want to hear some of them now?
”
  They shook hands and grinned at each other.

   
“
Hell, no, she doesn't want to listen to filthy jokes now,
”
Cray said.

    Angelica said,
“
I might, but the cretin has other things on his mind right now.
”

   
“
Cool your jets, cretin Cray,
”
Mona said,
“
and get us a beer.
”

   
“
Mona, I want you out of here and I'm not giving you a beer.  One won't be enough and you'll stay for hours.
”

   
“
Tell me why you didn't call me or answer your phone.
”

    He sighed. 
“
We were at a reception at the Norwegian Consulate General.  I had my phone on vibrate.  I checked it, saw it was you and figured I didn't need to engage in an inane conversation with you.
”

   
“
Inane?
”
she said in a loud voice. 
“
I happen to have an important message for you, but since I only engage in inane conversations with you, forget it.
”

   
“
Now, now children,
”
Angelica said and grinned.

   
“
Yes, inane,
”
Cray said. 
“
You called me yesterday morning and this morning to discuss nothing of importance.
”

   
“
The CEO and owner of Grayson Mills called an emergency meeting of the board this afternoon and they nixed our buyout offer,
”
Mona said.

   
“
Why didn't you tell me this?
”

   
“
What in the fuck do you think I've been trying to do?
”

   
“
Watch your language, Mona.
”

   
“
Stuff it, Cray.  You drop the F bomb every other word when you're upset at work.
”

   
“
This isn't work.  Do they want more money?
”

   
“
So much for this isn't work,
”
Mona said. 
“
I got a FAX:  Offer to buy rejected.  That's all it said.  Did you want me to call Grayson?
”

    Cray walked to the kitchen, retrieved three beers and handed Mona and Angelica each one and slumped down on the sofa.  Mona winked at Angelica and she grinned.  Cray said,
“
They're fools  They can either pay their suppliers or their employees for one more month and then it falls apart like a house of cards.  They're broke, finished and there goes another textile mill down the tube.  How can they be so blind?  We promised to keep the employees on for a guarantee of one year minimum and that includes their incompetent accounting staff, although we'll whip them in shape.  Mona, I don't get it.  Give me your thoughts.
”

      
“
Cray the business goes back five or six generations.  Southern pride?  Heads in the sand?  I don't know.  When we left there a week ago tomorrow, I thought it was a done deal.
”

   
“
Do you think they have another offer?
”

   
“
You offered them seventy-five cents on the dollar.  It's not worth forty cents on the dollar.  I doubt there's another offer in the pipeline.
”

   
“
We can afford it and we can turn it around to be profitable in less than a year.  Why kick a guy when he's down?
”

    Angelica listened and fell more in love with Cray.

   
“
What do you want to do?
”
Mona asked.

    Cray stood and paced. 
“
I'm so damn sick and tired of America's textile mills closing and those jobs going overseas.  It's been happening for decades now. Whole towns are suffering here because of it.  Call a meeting for nine tomorrow morning with the managers and I want the bean counters there.  I want a complete accounting of where we stand regarding this company.  Mona, you sit in and figure out a way we can make this a win-win for Grayson and us.
”

   
“
That means upping the ante.  I understand you're not the type to want to win at any costs so what's the motive?
”

   
“
This country needs to be more than a service industry and that's what we've become.  We need to include manufacturing and heavy industrial plants to grow back to the country we once were.  We used to produce the world's steel, now we import the majority we use.  It sickens me.
”

   
“
Labor got greedy,
”
Mona said.

   
“
Yeah and management didn't help and unemployment grew.  People's thinking is so skewed.
”

   
“
Cray, make the meeting for one tomorrow.  Give our people a chance to get their ducks in a row, or it'll be a waste of time.  I'll blast an email to them tonight so they see it first thing tomorrow and can prepare.
”

   
“
Okay.  Thanks, Mona.  I'm sorry I ignored your calls and I enjoy our inane conversations.
”

    Mona said,
“
Angelica, I'm sorry to interrupt your evening.  Are you joining us for Christmas?
”

   
“
Yes, I am and I'm looking forward to it.
”

    Mona faced Cray and said, 
“
Am I to assume I'm losing a roommate before I even get one?
”

   
“
You assume correctly.  Now please leave.
”

    When Mona left, Angelica said,
“
You and Mona are good together.
”

   
“
Yes.  Let's see how good we are together, honey.
”

   
“
Cray, will you give me a few minutes alone in the bedroom?
”