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71
Desiree Holt
who s aiming it at you.
Now there s a comforting thought.
She would have said more but he ushered her into a suite of offices with a legend
on the door that said simply Arroyo Corporation.
Josiah wasn t much for putting his name on doors, he explained. He figured if
whoever came through them didn t know who he was, they had no business being
there.
A striking woman with wavy black hair and bright, dark eyes, about Taylor s
height, was waiting for them at her desk. She held out her hand, a welcoming smile on
her face. I m Carmen Obradors, Miss Scott. It s an honor to meet you.
Thank you. I ve looked forward to meeting you too.
I haven t touched anything in here, she said quickly, leading the way to Josiah s
private office. You said to leave everything as it was, Mr. Cantrell and I did. She bit
her lip, then blurted out, Mr. Hunter wanted to go through the files but I told him he d
have to clear it with you and Miss Scott.
Good for you. Noah nodded his agreement. I haven t even gone through them
myself.
Perhaps the three of us could go through them together, Taylor suggested.
Noah nodded, his face implacable. After the staff meeting.
Orders? she asked quietly.
Recommendations. His voice was just as quiet and a grin flirted with the straight
lines of his mouth.
Taylor swallowed her own smile and looked around at her surroundings. This
office, like the den at the ranch, carried the imprint of Josiah Gaines. Heavy oak
furniture and soft leather and another dazzling array of electronics. On the walls
artwork that Taylor recognized as the work of Texas artists. Bookshelves with volumes
on Texana, oil and glass and international business.
But it was the single framed photo on his desk that made her gasp. The woman was
much younger, the picture obviously years old but Taylor recognized her right away.
Her mother. Laura Scott. She looked at Noah, eyebrows raised.
He must have had it all these years. After he found out you were really his, he
took it out, framed it and kept it there.
It gave him sadness, Carmen interjected, the unhappiness touching her own face.
Sadness?
Yes. The only thing that ever made him depressed. She twisted her hands. I
think he loved her very much.
As she loved him. Taylor shook her head. My grandparents ruined everything
for them both. And for me. She sighed and turned back to Noah. Somehow
occupying this chair feels strange, as if Josiah s still in it.
72
Where Danger Hides
This is the office of Arroyo s CEO. His voice was uninflected but firm. Right
now that s you. So this is where you sit.
A folder sat on the desk with her name written on it. Taylor opened it to find a list
of the executive staff and division heads on one sheet, a list of the board of directors on
another and several newspaper stories clipped together.
I thought you might like to read all the stories about Mr. Gaines& your father&
Carmen looked at Taylor with a helpless expression.
Calling him Josiah is fine. I ve only known he was my father for a month so I can t
even get used to calling him that myself. And thank you for getting these things
together for me.
Carmen nodded and handed her a set of keys. These are for both office doors as
well as the desk drawers and the cupboards in the wall. Mr. Gaines kept everything
well secured.
Taylor put them in her briefcase. Mr. Cantrell can help me check them over later.
Noah moved next to her. Carmen, is everyone here?
She flashed a grin at him. They sure are. Buffed and polished, you might say.
Good. Thank you. He took Taylor s arm again. Best to get this over with first.
The executive staff. Hope their knives are sheathed.
Carved wooden doors opened to expose the largest conference room Taylor had
ever seen. At their entrance everyone in the room turned and stared blatantly at Taylor.
The expression on their faces was very clear. Who is this interloper? What the hell is she
doing here?
Let s see some of that fire, little girl Noah whispered, bending to her ear.
The name galvanized her as she was sure he knew it would. Taylor moved forward
to the empty seat at the head of the table, placing her briefcase next to the chair.
Noah stood beside her. I think we re ready to begin.
No one was smiling. Taylor thought she d never faced a more hostile collection of
faces that somehow reminded her of her grandparents. The expressions were curious,
defensive, even antagonistic but none of them the least bit welcoming. She was the
interloper, the stranger who held their fortunes in her unfamiliar hands. And for at least
two of them, the possibility of an uncertain future. They wanted to take her measure
and decide whether she was in control or they were.
This was not going to be fun. Noah had suggested introducing her but she wanted
them to know she was in charge from the get-go. Despite his alpha pride, she had to
establish that he was the fallback, not the primary. My, how things had changed in a
little more than a month.
She swept her eyes over the table, her client smile firm on her lips. Thank you all
for coming today. I know I must be a shock to all of you. The recent turn of events has
been a surprise to me, also. She drew in a steadying breath, let it out. I was not
fortunate enough to know my father, Josiah Gaines, in life but he has placed a great deal
73
Desiree Holt
of trust in me in his death and I don t intend to disappoint him.
Taylor didn t think the silence in the room could get any thicker but it did. Then
someone began to clap politely and the others joined in, although with a noted lack of
enthusiasm. She cleared her throat and plunged ahead. I want you to know this is as
much of a shock to me as it is to you. I m only sorry that my father and I were not able
to establish a relationship before his death.
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