Margaret Allison: Mistletoe Maneuvers

She nodded as she gave him the papers. “She said that no matter what happens to you, I don’t have anything to worry about. Do you know what she was talking about?”

“I’ve just been fired,” he said casually, thumbing through the documents.

“What?” she exclaimed, the surprise registering on her lined features. “That can’t be.”

“Alessandra has decided that she’s ready to take over Lawrence Enterprises.”

“That’s ridiculous. She’s too young.”

“She’s the same age her father was when he started the company.”

“But you are the company. If it wasn’t for you, the stock would be worthless.”

“I don’t think she realizes that. She feels that this is her rightful place. It was her father’s company, therefore it’s owed to her.”

Betty sank into a chair, stunned. He used the momentary silence to his advantage, quickly scanning the document. It was a list of all the companies that had purchased Lawrence Enterprises stock in the past two weeks. Alessandra’s mismanagement had weakened the company and the stock value considerably. Gossip surrounding the tension in his relationship with the chairman of the board of Lawrence Enterprises had been circulating for months. Industry insiders knew that Rick’s departure would make the company a prime target for a takeover. And, from the evidence before him, several ambitious corporate vultures were already hungrily gobbling up stock.

As he glanced over the names of the buyers, several in particular stood out. They were all companies owned by a woman he’d once dated, Sabrina Vickers. Sabrina owned many different companies, each under a different name. And there was only one reason she would be buying so much stock under all those different names: She didn’t want anyone to know what she was up to. Sabrina, it appeared, was planning a hostile takeover of Lawrence Enterprises.

He had no doubt that Alessandra had scoured over this very same data, looking for signs of exactly this. But there’s no way she could’ve figured it out yet.

In a small voice, Betty said, “I assume I’ll be next?”

“I thought she just told you not to worry,” he said.

“Don’t worry? I’ve got two kids in college. I’ve worked here for the past thirty years. I can’t imagine finding another job.” She breathed in deeply and said, “Two weeks before Christmas and she’s firing people. It’s not right. You’re going to fight her on this, aren’t you, Rick?”

“Alessandra Lawrence is not gunning for anyone else. Believe me, she could barely fire me.” He was an expert at reading his opponents. He had heard the hesitation in her voice and seen the anxiety in her eyes. At least, he thought, she had enough common sense to be frightened.

“Rick,” she said, leaning on his desk, “what are you going to do?”

He glanced up, meeting her eyes directly. “Absolutely nothing. If Miss Lawrence wants this company, she’s going to get it.”

“But I thought you said I didn’t have anything to worry about? We all know what’s going to happen with her in charge. The stock’s been plummeting ever since she became chairman of the board.”

“I assume Alessandra thinks that it will all blow over once she proves herself.”

“By the time she figures out what she’s doing, there won’t be any company left.” Betty shook her head. “To think I knew her when she was just a girl. I remember her father bringing her to work. He was so proud of her. She was a big tennis player, remember?”

“Not really.”

“She won the NCAA and a bunch of other competitions. Her matches were even on TV a couple times. We all thought she was going to turn pro. She was a nice girl, always so quiet and polite. She had such a crush on you back then. She used to hang around that drinking fountain right outside your office. You have to remember that, don’t you?”

“I think you’re mistaken, Betty.” His memory of Howard Lawrence’s daughter back from those days was foggy at best. The Alessandra Lawrence of today was a beautiful woman, with long, curly red hair and sparkling green eyes. He remembered when he’d first laid eyes on her after not seeing her for years. He’d had no idea who she was and couldn’t help but feel an immediate attraction. She’d been dressed conservatively in a fitted green suit that outlined her lithe figure. His attraction for her had dimmed when he’d discovered that the office visitor was none other than Alessandra Lawrence. Even if she weren’t the most insufferable woman he had ever met, he would never get involved with her. He had no intention of having an affair with the largest shareholder.

“Who would think that she would come back and destroy us all?” Betty shook her head.

“Let’s not get carried away. The fight is hardly over. In fact, it’s just beginning.” He grinned. “Now go grab your briefcase. We’re going to move operations to my apartment for a while.”

After Betty left, Rick began packing files. He had expected this moment for quite a while. Although he had hoped that, for her sake, Alessandra would change her mind, he was not surprised. She had made it clear she was out for revenge from the first moment she had come into her stock. At the time, he had paid little attention. He knew she was attempting to get on the board, but he couldn’t imagine the board would vote her on, much less hand her the chairmanship on a silver platter.

After all, what were her qualifications? A fancy degree and a couple of years experience at a rival firm. But the board had been sympathetic to her cause. She wanted to run the company her deceased parents had begun.

Unfortunately, everyone was overlooking the fact that it had not been Howard Lawrence’s company for a very long time. It was Rick’s blood and sweat that had made the company into what it was today. When he’d first started working at Lawrence, it had been a small firm, desperately in need of change. The woman he loved and planned to marry had just died, and Lawrence Enterprises offered him a chance to travel the world. For the first few months he functioned on automatic, working to escape his pain. And every time he returned to New York, he couldn’t wait to escape once more. He worked twenty hours a day. One month he’d be in South America, the next in Asia.

But his newfound peace was short-lived. Howard Lawrence soon took the company public and the new board was concerned that he was not capable of taking it to the next level. When they first approached Rick about taking it over, he was hesitant. He knew how much the company meant to his boss. But, as they reminded him, they had already made their decision. Howard Lawrence was out. Rick had assumed the presidency and all the trials and tribulations that came with it. He had paid a steep price, devoting one hundred percent of his time and energy to making it a success.

Not that he minded. He had not met anyone since Karen who had inspired him to miss a meeting in Singapore or a hotel opening in Rio. His family had grown used to him missing birthdays and holidays. But if Alessandra had her way, that would all change very soon.

It was not anger he felt, however, but pity. He was not about to be cast aside by a woman who had anointed herself heir apparent. He had no choice but to teach her a lesson she’d never learned in all of her graduate programs.

He was going to destroy her, Rick Parker style.

If Lessa had expected an easy transition to CEO of Lawrence Enterprises, she would’ve been greatly disappointed. But she had been a competitive athlete, a top junior player with a big serve and an even bigger return of serve. And although she was used to charging out to a big lead, not every match went that way. She knew that no matter how many hours she spent on the court practicing, there were times when her serve would be off, or her return would be shaky, and her opponent would be the one in command. Then she’d have to play from behind. It wasn’t her first choice, but in a way, it had been good for her. It proved to people she wasn’t getting by on talent alone, that she could gut out a match with the best of them. Since she’d started at Lawrence Enterprises, she’d likened her struggle to a rough match. She might be in a hole, but she knew she’d dig herself out. Somehow.