Annie's Rainbow (21 page)

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Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Annie's Rainbow
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Parker slid some bills across the table.
The ride home was uneventful. The first thing he did was check his answering machine. Nine calls from Kiki. None from Annie Clark. Had he really expected one? Hell yes, he had.
Now what am I supposed to do?
A voice inside his head responded sourly:
What did you do other nights for
all
those
years? You watched television, you read books, you went night fishing. Same old same old. Why isn't it good enough for you now? Because it isn't. If Annie Clark cancels her contract, I'm dead in the water. I'll end up .selling shells on the beach
. The phone in the kitchen shrilled to life. He almost killed himself in his wild scramble to get to the kitchen. “Hello!” he said cheerfully. No point in letting the caller know he was down in the dumps.
“Mr. Grayson?”
“Yes,” Parker said, not recognizing the voice. His shoulders slumped.
“This is Stella Kaminsky. You did give me your card. I just wanted to know if you located Annie.”
. “No. She hasn't called either.”
“Don't you have a phone book?”
“Of course I have a phone book.”
“Then use it. Sometimes you men are so dense. Call all the hotels on your island.”
Parker slapped his forehead. Shit! He should have thought of that himself. She was right: he was dense. Worse than dense. He was plain stupid. “I'll do that. I just got in a few minutes ago. I guess you haven't heard from her.”
“I didn't expect to hear from her. That's not the way we left it. She's too nice a person to be unhappy.”
Parker's heart soared. “How do you know she's unhappy?”
“A woman knows these things. Good night, Mr. Grayson.”
Parker let loose with a sigh that could be heard clear across the room when he saw the list of hotels and condominiums he had to call. By God, he'd do it even if it took him all night.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Annie flipped through the pages of her address book, looking for the number for the Grayson Coffee Company. When she found the number she placed the call through the hotel operator. She wasn't at all surprised to hear Kiki Aellia's voice even though it was only seven o'clock in the morning. “Miss Aellia, this is Annie Clark. I'd like to meet with you today if that's possible. I'm staying at the Aston Wailea. I can either meet you at the airport or wait here for you. That's provided you're still interested in doing business with the Daisy Shops. The airport's fine with me. We can get a bite to eat, and you can take the next flight back.”
Annie snapped her address book shut. Done. The biggest decision facing her now was what to wear. Business attire or casual? She finally opted for white linen shorts and a tangerine-colored blouse with matching sandals and visored cap. After all, she was a tourist. Why not look like one.
It was twenty minutes past eight when Annie walked into the airport.‘The first person she saw walking toward her was Stella Kaminsky and behind her, Kiki Aellia, dressed like a New York banker. “Stella! What are you doing here?”
“Joe wanted to see this island before we leave tomorrow. Boy, is it good to see you. Is everything okay?” Stella said, giving Annie a squeezing bear hug.
Annie laughed. “Sure. Just hang on a minute. I'm meeting someone.”
“Miss Aellia, it's nice to see you again. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Stella Kaminsky. Stella, where's your husband?”
“Men's room. Here he comes. He's all mine.” Stella laughed, as she linked her arm with her husband's. Everyone shook hands.
In a million years Annie would never have matched the grinning Joe to Stella. He was a full head shorter, chubby where she was lanky. And it was obvious he was very much in love with his wife who was beaming from head to toe.
Her eyes on Kiki Aellia, Annie said, “This will only take about thirty minutes. If you wait for me, we can explore together. You didn't rent a car yet; did you?”
“We were just going to do that. We'll wait for you,” Joe said.
“Jeez, this is great. What a memory, huh, hon?”
“The best.” Joe grinned. He removed his baseball cap to reveal a shiny bald head. He mopped his head and slapped the cap back on. Annie winked at him.
“We won't be long,” Annie said over her shoulder, as Kiki guided her to the nearest restaurant.
Seated, the two women stared at one another. “That's a lovely dress,” Annie said.
“Our old housekeeper made it for me. She doesn't sew anymore. Guess I'll have to go to Hilo Hattie's from now on. I'll just have coffee and toast,” she said to the waiter.
“I'll have the same.”
“The coffee here is terrible,” Kiki said.
She's nervous,
Annie thought. “Are you uncomfortable with me, Miss Aellia?”
“You
are
the eight-hundred-pound gorilla,” Kiki said quietly.
“Is that how you view me?” Annie asked.
“In a manner of speaking. I don't mean ...”
“I know what you mean. Here's the deal. It's the same one I offered you the other day with one exception. The contract is only for six months. It's still a take-it-or-leave-it offer. Price cut of two dollars. You still roast the coffee. And, your company owes me twelve thousand pounds of coffee. You can fax the contract to our offices. For now a handshake will do it.”
Kiki Aellia extended her hand across the table. “You drive a hard bargain. Do you mind me asking why the short-term contract?”
“I don't mind at all. The answer is simple. It's what I want. Perhaps it is a hard bargain. However, it's fair. Business aside, do you agree?”
“Yes. I don't know what my brother will think. We've never done short-term contracts.”
“I don't know what my brother will think, either. Guess what? I don't care.”
“I have to care. Parker isn't going to like the deal. His bottom line was a dollar and a half. I cannot guarantee the short-term contract. I think your brother agreed to the original deal.”
Annie shrugged. “Would your brother risk losing the account altogether?”
“Would you have walked?”
“In a heartbeat,” Annie said.
Kiki smiled. “I knew that. Parker didn't believe it. He still doesn't believe it. My intuition tells me he won't go with the six months. He's been trying to locate you.”
Annie could feel her heart rate speed up. “Really,” she drawled.
Kiki smiled. “Yes, really. Are you being evasive, elusive, or are you just playing hard to get? Woman to woman.”
“All of the above.”
Kiki leaned across the table. “Do you know what really makes Parker nuts?”
“Not a clue.” She grinned. “Not a clue. Share.”
“He hates it when a woman is right. He's come a long way, but he hasn't come all the way yet. I want to thank you on behalf of all my sisters and myself. I didn't know you were the one responsible for Parker's turnaround until Mattie told me. He chopped down the banyan tree by the front of the house. It was symbolic. He's not seeing anyone. Are you? Seeing anyone? Am I being too forward?”
“No and no. He never called or wrote. Twelve years is a long time,” Annie said wistfully.
“Sometimes it takes a man forever to make a decision where the heart is concerned. They can make billion-dollar decisions in the blink of an eye, though. Parker was never the same after you left. Again, I got all this from Mattie. I probably shouldn't even be telling you this.”
“I'm glad you did. I apologize for the other day.”
“You must also accept my apology. My day didn't start out all that well. Then I saw you in that stunning outfit with your Chanel handbag, and something snapped in me. I always wanted to own my own company. I wanted to be a corporate giant. I guess I wanted to be like you. For a lot of years my little family had to count pennies. When I saw that Chanel bag something just happened. I think I was just tired of seeing how women had to stand behind men and take second place. Maybe I was ahead of my time. Parker's been real good about it. I made a lot of mistakes that cost the company money. All things considered, he's tolerant. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back.”
Annie stood up. She looked down at the table. Neither one of them had touched the toast or coffee. She laid some bills on the table.
“You want to know something? I gave that purse to Stella. I saw the look in your eyes when you saw it the other day. Here,” she said shyly. “I bought this from a vendor outside the airport.” She looped the fragrant lei around Kiki's neck. Saw the glistening tears in her eyes. “Tell your brother you're the only one in the Grayson Coffee Company that I will do business with.”
“Are you sure you want me to say that?”
Annie smiled. “I'm sure. You want to know something else? Being a corporate giant isn't all that it's cracked up to be. At this moment in time, you have it all, a husband, a family, and you just clinched a deal your brother wasn't able to make. I should know, I'm a corporate giant.” Both women burst out laughing.
“Do me a favor, slow down a little so my brother can catch you.”
Annie laughed again. “If I went any slower, I'd be at a dead stop. Come on, I'll walk you to your gate. No hard feelings.”
“None. I'm glad you gave me another chance. A man wouldn't have.”
“I know that.” Annie smiled. “See you around.”
“Maybe sooner than you think. I'm taking my daughter to Boston in the fall. She starts college. My oldest son is finishing his first year of law school there, too. Maybe I'll stop and see you.”
“Please do.”
Annie stood on the tarmac and waited until the small plane took off. She waved until the plane was out of sight.
Now she was going to spend an enjoyable day with Stella and Joe Kaminsky, her new friends.
Parker felt like he was coming off a two-day drunk when he entered the Aston Wailea Resort. He strode up to the desk like a man on a mission. “I'm trying to locate a client of mine. I understand she's staying here. Anna Daisy Clark is her name. Could you ring her room, please?”
“I'm sorry, sir. Miss Clark left early this morning.”
“You mean she checked out?” Parker looked at his index finger. It was red and puffy from all the dialing he'd done during the night.
“No, sir. She called down for her car and left a little before eight.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“Not to me, sir. You could try the valet.”
Parker knew his eyes were wild when he searched out the valet who had brought Annie's car to the entrance. “Did she say where she was going or ask for directions?”
“No, sir, she didn't. There was a map on the front seat. Does that help?”
“Not one bit. Did she have baggage?”
“No, sir. She was dressed in shorts and wearing a baseball cap. Quite fashionable. I felt the urge to whistle, as did some of the other employees.”
“What time do you go off duty?”
“Five o'clock.”
“If you're on duty when Miss Clark returns, will you give her this card?”
Parker handed over a twenty-dollar bill and his business card. “Ask her to call me no matter what time she gets in. Here's another twenty. Give it to the person who takes over when you go off duty. Will you do that for me?”
“Sure.”
Now what the hell was he supposed to do? Annie could be anywhere on the island. For all he knew she could be spending the night someplace else and not returning until tomorrow. He could either sit here and cool his heels or he could go home and go to bed. The latter appealed to him, but first he had to call Kiki.
As Parker maneuvered his way through the airport parking lot, his thumb was jabbing out the office phone number. “Is anything going on, Kiki? What do you mean you just got in! It's eleven o'clock! You've been to Maui and back! Do I dare ask why? You met Annie Clark! You clinched the deal. I thought we agreed on a buck and a half. She wouldn't have walked. I
don't
know that for a fact. No one to my knowledge would pull an account that size for fifty cents. She really said Tom has no say in her decision. Don't try reading my mind, Kiki. I wasn't going to call Tom. Of course I trust you. I'm not dancing with joy. If you multiply fifty cents times a half million pounds of coffee, it adds up. No, I'm not questioning your abilities. I would have fought a little harder is what I'm trying to say. I realize I wasn't looking into her eyes. Sometimes, Kiki, you have to bluff a little. All right! Did she sign the contract? You shook hands! No, no, no, we do not do six-month contracts. You know better than to agree to something like that. You're going to fax the contract! That's pretty half-assed if you want my opinion. Men shaking hands is different.”
Parker stared at the pinging phone in his hand. Kiki had hung up on him. Outrage swept through him. He punched out the numbers a second time. Kiki picked up on the third ring. Before Parker had a chance to say anything, Kiki said, “I quit! You can take this job along with my interest in the company and shove it up your royal Hawaiian ass. You louse, you didn't change at all. Shove it, Parker. I'm sending a fax to Miss Clark advising her of this latest development. You and her precious brother Tom can work it out. I'm telling you right now, you just lost yourself a customer. Don't say one more damn word. Not one, Parker. It's none of your damn business where I'm going, but since you're so insistent on knowing my business, I'm going out to buy a Chanel handbag using the company credit card. I told you not to say anything, Parker. Furthermore, Parker, I'm calling my sisters the minute I get home. I think we just might vote you out of this company.”

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