Читать книгу Falling For The Millionaire - Merrillee Whren - Страница 11
ОглавлениеThe two-story cream-colored stucco house with the stone accents spread out across the piney woods landscape like a small hotel. Hudson surveyed the structure as he parked his car in the circular drive. Melody would probably consider the residence a place of excess. He’d seen her reaction when he’d shown up in a limo. But that had been his best option. He’d thought to spare her from trying to get in and out of his sports car in a dress or having to clamber over the junk in his SUV. And after he’d seen her gown, he knew he’d made the right decision.
Melody probably thought he lived a life of luxury and didn’t understand the plight of the people she helped every day. What would it take to convince her that having money was a good thing? Making money was something he was good at, and he intended to keep doing it. Did that make him a bad guy? He wanted to show her how his wealth could help her beyond her fund-raising.
But first he had to convince his dad that doing the construction for The Village was a valuable thing.
Loping toward the front porch, Hudson formulated the speech he hoped would convince his father. Hudson strode through the house until he reached the office at the far end of the first floor. Armed with Carter’s facts and figures, Hudson knocked on the dark oak-paneled door.
“Come in.” H. P. Conrick’s deep voiced boomed from the other side.
Hudson pushed open the door. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hello, son. What can I do for you today?”
“I’ve got a project to run by you.”
H.P. motioned toward the chair next to his cherry-inlaid mahogany desk. “Have a seat.”
As he made himself comfortable, Hudson studied his father and tried to gauge his mood. With his silver-gray hair and trim physique, H.P. was a commanding figure, even a little intimidating. Hudson took a deep breath and then started to explain the details of his bid on the women’s shelter project at The Village. His father appeared to be listening intently but with a skeptical attitude.
“Why is this so important to you? Does it have anything to do with a pretty blonde?”
Hudson knit his eyebrows together. “Why would you say that?”
H.P.’s laughter echoed through the room. “The Clarks mentioned seeing you with a lovely young lady in a red dress. They were quite impressed with her.”
Had this information reached his mother’s ears? She would be all over it—her matchmaking antennae at full strength. Hudson couldn’t deny an interest in Melody, but when it came to women, caution was his operative word. He wasn’t about to fall into the trap of women who used him for his wealth again, no matter how appealing Melody Hammond might be. He wanted to get to know her in his own time and see what kind of person lay behind her pretty face.
“Melody’s in charge of the women’s ministries at The Village, and this is a cause Conrick Industries can get behind—good PR for the company and a worthy cause, too.” Hudson squared his shoulders. “I want to be in charge of this endeavor.”
H.P. wrinkled his brow. “Ridiculous. You’ve not worked on the construction side of the business for years. Why would you think you’re qualified to be in charge?”
Doubts crowded Hudson’s mind, but he shoved them aside. “It’s true I haven’t been involved in that part of the business since before I was in the army, but it’s still my first love when it comes to Conrick Industries.”
“I’ve nearly decided to divest the construction portion of the business. It’s too volatile and hasn’t produced substantial income in recent years.” H.P. stood and pounded his desk, his voice raised. “And now you’re asking me to practically give away our services. I won’t do that no matter how good the publicity.”
Hudson hoped his dad wouldn’t blow up. “Do you have a prospective buyer?”
“No, but I’ll close it down if I can’t find one. Better than pouring money into a losing proposition.”
“What about the people who work there? They’ll lose their jobs.”
H.P. knit his shaggy eyebrows. “Hard business decisions must be made.”
“Let me take it off your hands.”
H.P. sat on the front of his desk and narrowed his gaze. “You want to take over a business that’s struggling to survive?”
The consequences of failure swirled through Hudson’s thoughts. What would he prove to his dad if he didn’t succeed? Hudson wanted to strike out on his own, and the perfect opportunity had just materialized. “I do. I’ll take it as my part of the inheritance. You can draw up the papers, and I won’t expect another thing from your will.”
His dad pushed himself away from the desk and began pacing back and forth across the black, gold and cream colored design in the Oriental rug. Finally, he stopped, disapproval radiating from his eyes. “It can’t happen. That’s not what I have planned for you.”
Hudson took a deep breath. “Dad, I’ve told you before. I don’t want to take over the family business—”
“You don’t have a choice.” H.P. glared at Hudson.
“Elizabeth wants the job. She’s worked at the company and is well qualified. She has an MBA to go along with her talent. Her kids are grown, and she could devote her time to the business. She’d be the perfect one to step into your shoes when you decide to retire.”
“No. Do you understand me? You’re going to do as I say and take over the company. Your sister’s not as well versed as you.”
“Only because you resisted letting her learn the ropes.” Hudson stood and went to the window that looked out on the piney woods running up to the expanse of barely green lawn. What would it take to change his father’s mind? He turned, trying to keep his cool in the wake of his father’s displeasure. “You have a few years to teach her everything you know. She’s smart, and she’s good at what she does. It’s been her dream to step into your shoes since she was two.”
With a glower on his face, H.P. joined Hudson at the window. “What do you mean since she was two?”
Hudson strode over to the built-in bookcases that covered a whole wall and picked up a photo frame that contained a collage. He pointed to the photo in one corner. “See.”
A begrudging smile crept across his dad’s face as he studied the photo of his eldest daughter wearing his shoes when she was a toddler. Shaking his head, he narrowed his gaze as he looked at Hudson. “I don’t care what you say. A Conrick son takes over for the father. That’s the way it’s always been done, and that’s the way it’ll stay.”
“If something will work better doing it a different way, don’t you change instead of sticking with the old way?”
H.P. gave Hudson a begrudging nod. “I suppose.”
“Dad, bring the company into the twenty-first century. Let Elizabeth take over.”
“You’re wasting your breath if you think you can change my mind.” H.P. boomed his annoyance.
“For now, will you at least let me run the construction division?” Hudson held his breath, waiting for his dad’s reaction.
“If you do, I’ll expect you to make money. I won’t tolerate losses.”
“And there won’t be any.” Hudson wished he could be sure of that statement. Was he stepping out on a limb that wouldn’t hold him?
“Are you still involved in that skydiving stuff—a frivolous pursuit?”
“What’s a frivolous pursuit?” Hudson’s mother walked into the room.
“Susan, talk some sense into your son.” H.P. greeted his wife with a kiss on the cheek.
“My son? I thought he was your son, too.” Susan gave Hudson a hug.
“Well, right now I’m wondering about that.” H.P. looped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “He’s bucking the family tradition.”
“Do I need to act as referee between you two again?” Susan smiled up at her husband.
“No, just talk some sense into him.”
Susan looked over at Hudson. “Can you stay for lunch?”
Hudson wondered whether his mother could help his dad see the wisdom of granting Elizabeth her wish. Maybe his dad needed a woman’s point of view. “Yeah.”
“Excellent. We’re having some of Sarah’s chili. It’s simmering on the stove as we speak.” Susan slipped an arm through her husband’s and paraded him to the door.
Watching his parents, Hudson followed. They were a happy couple, with a very traditional marriage where his mother, unlike his sisters, worked inside the home. Still fit for her age and still young looking thanks to the hairdresser who made sure she stayed a brunette rather than a graying matriarch, his mom was a pampered Southern belle with a housekeeper, cook and gardener. She spent her time doing church charity functions or community service, besides playing tennis and golf weekly when the weather permitted. Her charity activities should bode well for his efforts to help The Village.
When they reached the kitchen, Sarah, his parents’ longtime cook, was busy at the stove. She turned to greet them. Her face lit up when she saw Hudson. She wiped her hands on a towel and hurried to greet him with a hug. “My favorite boy.”
Hudson chuckled. “Sarah, you’d think one of these days you’d realize I’m grown up.”
“Never.” She laughed as she returned to the stove.
“Mom tells me you’re serving us your famous chili.” Hudson remembered many a time when Sarah would sneak him cookies when he was a little boy.
“Absolutely, and the biggest serving is for you.” She handed him an oversize bowl, steaming with the delicious mixture.
“Thanks.” Hudson cradled it in his hands, the heat warming his heart. “Come join us.”
Sarah shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ve already eaten, and I need to get dinner ready.”
After Sarah served his parents, they found seats at the round oak table in the kitchen nook. H.P. gave thanks for the food, and they began eating in silence. Hudson wanted to bring up their earlier discussion but decided to wait for his father to start the conversation.
Setting down her spoon, Hudson’s mother broke the silence. “What were you two arguing about?”
H.P. gave his wife an annoyed look. “We were having a discussion.”
“True, but we’re on opposite sides of the issue.” Hudson nodded as he explained the situation.
“H.P., this time your son’s right.” Susan patted her husband’s arm. “You can’t push your kids into doing something they don’t want to do. Give Hudson some freedom. Let him fly.”
His father harrumphed. “What do you mean let him fly? He wants to skydive. What a waste of time.”
“Give him wings to do what he chooses. He jumped out of planes to serve his country. He deserves to use that skill however he wants.” Susan raised an eyebrow.
Hudson listened to his parents bicker back and forth about his future. He needed to stand up for himself rather than let his mother argue for him. “Dad, I’ve worked for you ever since I got out of the army. I’ve done your bidding. Now I’m going to chart my own path. I’d like your blessing to run the construction division, but if not, don’t plan on me taking over Conrick Industries. Elizabeth can do that far better than I can.”
A muscle worked in H.P.’s jaw. The silence in the room shouted louder than anything his father could have said. Hudson feared he could never convince his father that his sister deserved a chance to prove herself.
“Mr. C., you should listen to your son. Ms. Elizabeth is one smart lady.” Sarah turned back to the stove.
A frown knitting his brow, H.P. glanced at her. Hudson held his breath, waiting for his father to boom out his disapproval. Instead, he set down his spoon and eyed Hudson. “You can’t use these women to persuade me to turn things over to Elizabeth. You’re a Conrick son, and you will run the company when I retire. However, I’ll let you see what you can do with the construction division, but I’ll reevaluate things in six months.”
“Thanks, Dad. You won’t be disappointed.” Frustrated that he couldn’t change his father’s mind, Hudson had to make do with whatever opportunity he was offered for now.
* * *
“The bid from Conrick Construction wins my vote.”
Melody’s heart sank as Bob Franklin, chairman of the board for The Village, voiced his opinion. After their detailed discussion of each bid, how could she disagree with the three men who sat around the table with her?
“What do you think, Melody?” Ian raised his eyebrows as he looked her way.
Melody sighed. “I concur. They’ve given us the best bid.”
“It’s a good choice.” Adam nodded. “I was impressed when Mr. Conrick and Mr. Duncan came out to view the building. I believe we’ll be happy with this choice.”
A murmur of agreement went around the table as Melody resigned herself to working with Hudson. She’d prayed that God would lead the group to make the wisest decision, even if it meant hiring Hudson’s company. She hoped he would honor her wishes and not push for another date, especially now that they would be associates on this project. As the head of Conrick Construction, how much would Hudson be involved with the day-to-day activities? She could hope not much, but something told her the chances were slim.
“Looks as though you have a phone call to make, Melody.” Adam stood and pushed in his chair.
She grabbed her satchel from the floor. “After we have a signed contract bond, I’ll send an email to everyone with a full report.”
“Good job today.” Bob Franklin shook hands with everyone, then accompanied Melody to the door and opened it for her. “I’ll be looking for that report. Thanks.”
She nodded and slipped down the hall to her office. Once inside, she leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. Now she had to call Hudson. With a heavy sigh, she made her way across the room and plopped onto her chair as she put her satchel on the desk. She extracted her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she came to his name.
She stared at the screen, willing herself to dial the number, but she couldn’t do it yet. Instead, she bowed her head. She needed strength in order to make this call and not come across in a negative manner. This project was important to a lot of women who needed a safe place, and she couldn’t let personal feelings jeopardize it in any way. Lord, please give me wisdom where Hudson Conrick is concerned. Please provide me peace for this situation. Let me have a loving heart for all concerned.
Taking a deep breath, Melody tapped the screen. The phone began to ring while her heart raced.
“Hudson Conrick.”
His deep voice made Melody’s heart beat even faster. “Hello, Mr. Conrick. This is Melody Hammond from The Village. I’m calling to let you know that we’ve decided to award Conrick Construction the contract for the women’s shelter.”
“That’s great news! I’m looking forward to working with you on this very worthy project.”
Melody wished she could say, “me, too,” but it would be a lie. “Ian has prepared a contract bond for you or a representative from the company to sign.”
“When would be a good time for me to meet with you?”
“Contact Ian. He’s in charge of contracts.”
“I will.”
“When do you plan to start the work?” Melody wanted to prepare herself for Hudson’s presence on campus.
“I hope to sign the contract today, and we’ll get started as soon as the permits are in place.”
“Good. So we’ll talk after everything’s ready.” Melody ended the call, already eager for him to finish, so she wouldn’t have to deal with him. But this was her project and she would see it through. She’d already spent a sleepless night thinking about today’s decision. Now it was done.
She walked to the window and stared out at the quad. The sun glinted off the water cascading in the fountain. Bare-branched trees lifted their limbs into the blue sky. The mild winter weather reminded her of the night she’d gone out with Hudson. She couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed the evening. It would be so easy to accept another date with him, but she couldn’t let herself get tangled up with a man who liked to take chances, or a wealthy man who used his money and influence to get what he wanted.
Hudson was every bit that person.
But she knew she wasn’t being fair to him. She couldn’t go into the project with a negative attitude. Prayer. That was what she needed again. It had helped her through the phone conversation. It would help her again while she worked with him.
Lord, help me to see Hudson through Your eyes and not my own. Help us to have a good working relationship so this project can move forward in a way that is pleasing to You.
When she raised her head, she tried to analyze why she was on pins and needles. The answer wasn’t hard to find. Hudson represented a temptation she wasn’t sure she could resist, despite her fears. She would be strong and determined. She wouldn’t succumb to his appeals no matter how attractive. Now she had things to do and didn’t have time to worry about Hudson’s presence on campus.
An hour later, completely absorbed in her paperwork, Melody jumped when a knock sounded on the door. “Come in.”
Ian poked his head around the door. “I need a witness while Hudson signs the papers.”
“Sure.” Melody moved with deliberate slowness as she prepared to meet Hudson. When she walked into Ian’s office, her calm preparation fled. Hudson’s handsome face and lazy smile made her pulse thunder just like the night of their date.
“Hello, Melody.”
She took a deep breath. “You got here quickly.”
“Would I be in trouble if I told you I was in a hurry to see you?”
“You would probably be better off if you told me you were in a hurry to sign the contract bond.”
His smile spread into a grin. “That, too.”
Not daring to look at Ian, Melody headed toward her desk and wondered what he thought of Hudson’s comments. “Okay. I’m ready to witness.”
Hudson looked so at ease, and she was tied in knots for no reason at all—at least, any reason that made sense. Why was she letting him make her so nervous?
In a matter of minutes he’d put his signature on the front page and initialed the remaining ones. She signed, and Ian put his notary seal on the document.
“We’re official.” Ian shook hands with Hudson. “Congratulations again.”
Ian pulled his cell phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “It’s almost time for lunch. Join me, and we can discuss the Valentine banquet.”
“Sounds good.” Hudson glanced in her direction. “You’ll be coming, too, won’t you?”
Melody let the invitation roll through her mind. She would look bad if she declined. She couldn’t avoid interacting with Hudson in the days to come, so she might as well get used to having him around. Thankfully today Ian would act as a buffer. “Certainly. Let me get my purse and jacket in my office.”
As Melody met the two men in the hallway, she said another prayer for peace of mind. When she looked up, Hudson was smiling at her as if he knew this lunch meeting wasn’t to her liking. Or was that her imagination? The future was going to be filled with a lot of prayer if today was any indication. “I’m ready.”
Hudson fell into step beside her as she headed for the door. “Are you a runner?”
“No. Why do you ask?” She scooted through the door he held open.
“You’re always in a hurry.” He gave her a wry smile.
“I’m usually racing from one part of the campus to another. So I tend to walk fast.”
“Yeah, I can hardly keep up with her.” Ian chuckled. “Lovie’s nicknamed her the Roadrunner.”
“Do you like hiking?” Hudson asked.
“I’ve never hiked.”
“You should try it.”
“No time. We’ve got a women’s shelter to build.” Melody wondered whether Hudson was trying to draw her into some group activity that she couldn’t bow out of gracefully. She kept hearing his words. I won’t press you anymore tonight, but you haven’t heard the last of me, Ms. Hammond. He was true to his word. Could she be true to hers? Hudson pointed toward the fountain as they walked by it. “What’s the deal with the green water and balloons?”
“We have a sponsor for the fountain today.” Melody stopped and looked up at the purple balloons waving in the breeze.
“What does that mean?” Hudson asked.
“Last year when The Village was in financial distress, we decided to offer people the opportunity to make a donation in order to decorate the fountain for a special occasion.” Melody started walking again. “Today’s sponsor is Brady Hewitt. You met him at the fund-raiser. He’s engaged to Adam’s daughter, Kirsten.”
Hudson nodded. “I remember them.”
“It’s his grandmother’s birthday. She’s a resident in the assisted living facility, and she loves green and lavender.”
Opening the door to the senior center, Ian eyed Hudson. “You should get to know Brady. You two have a few things in common. He was in the army and is a big car buff.”
“Yeah, good to know another army guy. I could arrange a guys’ night out—maybe a Hawks game.”
Ian nodded. “I could go for that.”
Melody took in the men’s conversation with interest. Ian treated Hudson like any other guy he knew—not like someone who came from wealth and privilege. She ought to take a lesson from her friend and remember that God looked at the heart, not on the outward appearance or one’s bank account.
“So I could sponsor this fountain if I wanted to?” Hudson looked her way, a twinkle in his eyes, as they made their way to the registration desk.
“Sure. Make a donation and one of the maintenance staff will decorate the fountain per your instructions.” Melody refused to speculate about Hudson’s thoughts. “You have something in mind?”
“I might. I’ll think about it.”
After the threesome signed in, they made their way through the cafeteria line, the two guys talking about cars and sports. When they reached the table, Hudson set his tray down, then pulled out a chair for her and helped her out of her jacket. Was he working to impress her? No. She already knew the answer.
He was a gentleman. She’d seen the evidence during their date. He didn’t have to impress anyone. When he walked into a room, people took notice. The cafeteria ladies couldn’t wait to serve him. Even the senior ladies smiled at him as he went by. Well, he could bask in the admiration of those other women. He didn’t need hers.
