The Boss's Surprise Son / Doctoring the Single Dad. Marie Ferrarella
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else’s opinion of her work. His praise felt good, but at the same time it was hard being judged. She focused on the positive. “Someday I want to learn to facet, too.”
“Why don’t you take it one step at a time? Here, let me show you something.” He walked across his workroom and unlocked a drawer under the counter running the length of the wall. He pulled out a small, clear box and brought it over to her.
“Open it.” He placed the box in her hands.
Through the clear container she saw a brilliant green. Curious, she flipped the lid. Inside nestled a set of emerald earrings. Round cuts in an intricate swirl of yellow gold.
“This is my design!” Her gaze flew up to meet his.
He nodded. “You left your drawing on the counter last week.”
“You made my design into real jewelry?” she demanded, both surprised and proud.
“That is what we do here at Sullivans’ Jewels,” he reminded her with a smile.
“Yeah, but I’m an amateur.”
“Yes, it is, and yes, you are,” a deep voice said from the doorway. Rick wove his way around the worktables in the middle of the workshop to reach them. “You’re working with novices now?” he asked his brother in disbelief.
“We all start somewhere. But don’t worry. She’s good. See for yourself.” Rett handed Rick the earrings. Turning back to Savannah he assured her, “This is a great design, but you may want to wait to make a decision on which design you use until after we’ve had a few more lessons.”
“Good idea.” Chewing her bottom lip, she watched Rick as he inspected her work. Talk about being judged. Rett, at least, was an artist, but Rick was all business, he’d look at her work from an entirely different perspective. She told herself she respected his knowledge and his taste.
And still she held her breath.
“These are nice, very elegant. I’m impressed,” Rick said. He pinned Savannah with a pointed stare. “So this is what you two have been up to.”
Ignoring his comment, she focused on his approval: Rick’s words of praise made her feel like a diamond, valuable and brilliant.
“Why are you down here, Rick?” Rett asked, taking the earrings back.
“I received some news. The Emerson Group is pulling out of our international deal.”
“What the heck?” Rett exclaimed, his hands going to his hips in an automatic, challenging stance.
She understood his confusion. She’d heard how long and hard they’d worked on the international anniversary event and suddenly it was null and void?
“What happened?” Rett asked. “Jack Emerson seemed excited by 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