Chapter 5

Jacqui tore off another piece of the mutilated napkin in her hands and wadded it up into a tiny ball. When she compressed it as she could get it, she plopped it down into the small pile of wadded up balls in front of her. She instantly ripped off another piece.

Reaching across the table, Brent Wellington placed his hand on top of the napkin and gently pushed it and her hands to the table. “Relax. It’s just lunch. You eat lunch all the time.”

“And it’s usually at my desk or in situations where I have control. This feels like an ambush.” She wadded the rest of the napkin up, tossing it to the center of the table. She reached for her water glass, needing something to do with her hands.

“This is far from an ambush,” her financial consultant said. “It’s just a business meeting to introduce you to someone who might be able to help you with your next project. You’re the boss. You can say yes or no.”

She shook her head. “They want me to hire them and so do you. That’s three against one. It’s an ambush.”

“Hardly. Have a breadstick,” he said as he pointed to a basket of long garlic breadsticks on the table. “It’ll give you something to tear up with your hands besides your napkin.”

His offer tempted her, but she didn’t need garlic butter all over her fingers when Neal Rutherford arrived. That wasn’t the first impression she desired to give. As it turned out, it was a wise choice because as she set her water glass back down, Neal arrived accompanied by another—younger—man. Neal was in his early fifties if she read Lily’s file correctly, but he was fit enough to be in his thirties. His dark hair was barely gray at the temples, and while his skin was a deep tan from being outdoors, it did not have the leathery look to it that sometimes came with age.

The other man stood about an inch taller than Neal, with a thicker build and wavy, light brown hair. He also had a cocky swagger to his gait whereas Neal was just confident in his stride. She stood with Brent to greet them, but she already had Neal’s partner figured out as a player just by his walk. That was one strike against him. I’m not that easily charmed, Mr. Rutherford. I hope this friend of yours isn’t your selling strategy.

“Neal, Morgan, glad you could make it,” Brent said as he shook each man’s hand. He then introduced them to Jacqui, using their full names this time, before making her introduction. “Allow me to introduce Jacqui Karston, CEO of The Karston Foundation and the Maggie Karston Community Center, or as I like to call her, the Boss.”

Jacqui smiled as a little blush heated her cheeks at Brent’s words. “He only says that because I sign his checks, not because he really listens to me.” She smiled, trying to put a little laugh to her jest.

Brent held his hands out to his side as if she just caught him at something and chuckled with her. Luckily for her, Neal and Morgan joined in the laughter. “I’m sure that’s not true at all,” Neal said as he gave Jacqui’s hand a firm shake. “I’ve known Brent for a while. He never puts his saddle on a horse he doesn’t have complete confidence in. He has spoken quite highly of you, Mrs. Karston, which is part of the reason we’re here. I admire what you’re trying to do, and I want to be a part of it.”

“Even though you just compared me to a horse, you may call me Jacqui.” She gave him a strained smile as they all took their seats again.

“You are far from a horse,” Morgan said as he waved for the waitress. “Neal sometimes uses clichés before he realizes how they may come out.”

“I promise, I meant no offense,” Neal said, his face a little paler than it was before he arrived.

“None taken, but lunch is on you.” Jacqui slipped her napkin over her lap. She didn’t want this meeting in the first place. She had no intention of making it easy on any of them.

“As it should be. We did ask for the meeting, after all.”

Jacqui just smiled. Brent was already sweating under the collar. Good. He deserved to sweat for putting her in this position. There were plenty of great contractors right here in Biloxi she had hired before and with whom she had a great working relationship. She didn’t need to give someone from the outside a foothold into her area. Her goal was to put people to work who had a vested interest in the community. Neal Rutherford was an outsider with no interest other than his bank account.