Her Unexpected Affair (The Robinsons) (17 page)

“Any idea what this meeting is about?”

Both men followed in Birdie’s wake.

“Not a bloody idea. Old man hasn’t even hinted. Just said we all needed to be here for dinner.” Drew shrugged and let Oswald clear the door first before following and sliding the screen shut.

They sauntered over to the table where Randi waited as his dad set down a platter of cheeseburgers that didn’t look burned. The man was improving at cooking over open flame. Bottles of wine and beer were already in place, as were a multitude of condiments and what looked like potato and macaroni salad left over from the party the day before.

“Looks great,” Oswald said as he took a chair opposite from Birdie.

“Help yourself, everyone,” Randi said and passed a basket of buns to Drew.

Dinner was filled with small talk, a rehashing of the previous day, and vague plans for a trip to Napa Valley and other wine regions. Drew held up his part, but mostly let it flow over and around him. Tonight he’d go back to the Palo Alto apartment with his sister and tomorrow begin his immersion program. The little experience he’d had at the mercy of Jack made him a bit nervous. And the fact that Meilin sometimes taught there, and knew the instructor, had him wondering if he’d see her there. According to the course paperwork, he’d have damn little time for seeking her out. Although, he did have her phone number…

“What do you think, Drew?”

He looked at his father. “Excuse me, sir. I missed the discussion.”

His dad chuckled. “We were wondering if you might be able to get away for a day next weekend and join us.”

“Not really sure. The class outline looks quite ambitious. I might get a free night every now and again, but I gather Sundays will be pretty much as intense as the rest of the week. It’s been designated homework day. A chance to catch up on anything we don’t pick up during the week.”

“Ah.” His dad picked up a glass of deep red wine. “I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.”

A glance at the table showed Drew they’d pretty much decimated the food. An inelegant belch confirmed it. “Pardon me. Good meal, Mum.” The grin he gave her was as cheeky as he could make it.

Randi had an expression of half resignation, half affection on her face. “If that belch was any indication, then I guess so. Want to wait a bit on dessert?”

Oswald let out a small groan beside him while Birdie was more dramatic about hers. “I’m set, Mrs. Robinson. Great meal.”

Drew held back his laugh when Birdie wrinkled her nose at Oswald. Although she didn’t say it out loud, Drew knew exactly what she was thinking—brown-noser. Since he knew far more about Oswald than she did, he kept his comments to himself. Come to think of it, he was pretty sure he didn’t know the whole of Oswald’s background. Just that he was a good bloke to have around.

“Oswald,” Randi said in a low voice. Almost a growl. “What’s it going to take to get you to call me by my name? A man your age calling me Mrs. Robinson… Well, it just doesn’t feel right.”

Oswald set one of his rare grins free. “Since you’re the wife of my boss, a man I call Mr. Robinson in the office, I guess there’s not much you can do to change my mind.”

Across the table, Birdie’s mouth dropped open. Evidently she’d never seen Oswald’s full megawatt smile. And judging by Randi’s slight flush, neither had she.

“Oh bloody hell,” Drew’s dad muttered. “Stow it, Attenborough. That killer grin of yours has put more women than I can count in a state of vapors. I like you better when you’re scowling.”

At that Drew laughed, long, loud, and held his stomach. It was true. Oswald rarely smiled, mostly because when he did he found a line of women a city block long drooling after him. It was attention the very private man hated. Come to think of it, part of the reason Oswald was good at self defense was that very smile had earned him unwanted attention at school too.

Drew made an effort to catch his breath while Randi and Birdie stood to begin clearing the table, both women a little flustered, both stealing little glimpses of Oswald, who’d lost the smile.

Dad merely shook his head and stood to help with the clearing. But he had one last word for Oswald. “Better do as she says and call her Randi. Otherwise the words Mrs. Robinson coming out of your pretty face will put bad ideas in her head.”

Oswald choked out a barely audible, and wholly horrified, “Yes, sir.”

Drew took pity on his friend as his dad walked away. “We’d better grab the rest, then go pin the old man down as to this super secret meeting. Wonder if we’ll need our decoder rings.”

“Probably one of us will need body armor if Courtney doesn’t like what she hears.”

“Oh? You have an idea of what’s coming?”

“Not a bloody clue, but something tells me I won’t like it.”

In the kitchen they set everything on the island. Randi handed them each a damp rag. “Please wipe everything down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Drew gave her a cheeky grin, then danced out of the way of her swat.

When they came back, the food was put away and Randi was putting the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. “Anyone want coffee?” she asked.

“If you’re making some, I’ll have a cup,” Drew said. “But if no one else is having any, don’t bother.”

“Now shoo. Into the family room, everyone. I’ll be along in a minute.”

Dad was already in the sturdy rocking chair, Birdie curled up in her corner at the far end of the long, curved sofa. Almost feeling like a kid called into the Headmaster’s office, Drew settled himself a cushion width from his sister. Oswald sat beyond the curve, as far from Birdie as he could get. Was the man truly afraid of Bird? A question to ponder another time as Randi wandered in, rubbing lotion into her hands. Dad waved her over and pulled her down on his lap.

“I suppose you’re all wondering why we called you here,” Dad started.

“You could say that.” Drew folded his arms across his chest. Otherwise he’d be tempted to tweak Birdie’s toes and then the serious mood would be upset. Dad wouldn’t appreciate it.

“Well, Randi and I have been talking, and now all the weddings are over, we want to make some plans.”

“What sort of plans?” Birdie asked. Drew could certainly appreciate the suspicion in her tone.

“Well, I was about Drew’s age when his grandfathers started seriously grooming me to run the company. Now he’s headed off to China for at least a couple years. Maybe longer depending on how things go there. We’ve talked about this extensively. We need him there to personally oversee things and make sure all is according to the company interests. I’m not entirely sure our staff over there is one hundred percent loyal to us. Not even sure they’re fifty percent.”

Drew nodded. The plan they’d begun implementing soon after his mother’s death. Acceleration through school, breaks spent in the London office working in various departments from the ground up. In fact, he’d started in the mail room. Much like he expected Birdie would, although she had her mind set on starting in the executive offices. She had a lot to learn. The last few years while he’d completed the courses required for the Stanford International Law program, he’d spent plenty of time in the legal offices and had passed the British Bar. One more session of school and he’d be more than ready to enter the company fully.

“With that in mind, it’s time for me to make a tour of all our foreign offices and spend time with the staffs there, ensuring things remain on track.”

“But what about the London office?” Birdie asked, a deep frown drawing her delicate brows together.

Drew cast a glance at Oswald and saw his lips flatten into a straight line. The man was fighting to keep a blank face, but for what reason. Did that mean…?

“Oswald’s had several years working his way up the ladder in London. He’s done some traveling to liaise with the satellite offices, but I’ve spent far too much time in London and far too little in the field, so to speak.”

“You’re turning London over to Ozzie?” Birdie asked in disbelief.

“At this time he’s the most qualified,” Dad confirmed. “Although the board of directors has indicated in the short term, Randi could probably run the company if I got run over by a bus.”

“But-but…” Birdie spluttered.

“Randi?” Drew tossed in his own question. Certainly she had a business background from an accounting view, but to run the company?

“Sure,” Dad said and nodded at Drew. “In fact, it was your grandfather Catchpole who suggested it.”

Drew’s mouth dropped open. “You’re off your trolley. How’d that come about?”

Randi sat up and preened as she said, “He loves my turkey dinner with all the fixings.”

“What?” Drew and Birdie spoke at the same time, then shared a look of disbelief.

Randi shrugged with a grin on her face. “Your dad wants a full turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, so your grandmother insisted we do a trial run so I could teach Cook how to do it right. Of course it’s a big meal, so she invited the vicar and the Catchpoles to help eat it. While they still don’t approve of me, we have a tentative truce.” She and Dad shared a grin.

“And in his mind that qualifies you to run the company?” This wasn’t making any sense to Drew. Bea’s parents hated Randi and Birdie.

“Conversation at dinner included a review of Randi’s resume. A grudging respect has been slowly growing,” Dad said. “We’ll take what we can get. However, the fact remains, Oswald is currently the most qualified to fill in, in the case of disaster,” Dad said firmly. “Next year, Birdie, you’ll join the London office as I’ve promised.”

“But I’m to train as your assistant,” Birdie said with barely a quiver in her voice.

“And you will,” he assured her. “You’ll learn your way up the corporate structure first, exactly the way Drew and Oswald have.”

Birdie’s mouth dropped open. “You’re going to start me in the mail room?”

“Only fair, Bird,” Drew jumped in. “Although I’m guessing your climb will be a little faster than mine. I spent an entire summer in the mail room.”

Dad nodded. “The plan is a month, two at the most in each department on the way up the structure. You need to know people throughout the entire organization. No better way to do it than to jump into each department with a cheerful, helpful attitude. Spread a little honey, listen, learn everything you can from the people who will eventually be under you.”

Birdie’s mouth snapped shut. Well, Drew thought, she hadn’t expected that. Better to tell her now rather than on her first day in the office with her shiny new degree. She’d have a year to get used to the idea.

“Oswald?” Dad asked the third person concerned in the room. “Ready to start assuming more duties?”

The stern man nodded silently, his expression blank as a slate.

“Excellent. Randi and I will return to London in another week or two, and then we’ll start transitioning you into the temporary lead position. We’ll see how that goes; then about the time Drew returns from China and Birdie is running the executive suites, he’ll take a turn, allowing Oswald to travel the field and implement the changes I’ll recommend. Or if Drew is happy out in the field, then you’ll have your turn at the helm, Birdie. By then I’m sure you’ll have the London offices eating out of your hand.” Dad sent her a grin, but she only answered with barely a grimace.

“Sure thing, Dad.”

Drew could see it wasn’t the response his parents had hoped for, but contrary to Oswald’s prediction, at least she wasn’t throwing things.

And if the board was unbending enough to consider Randi a candidate to step in should Dad not be able to carry on, then maybe there was a way to convince Meilin to join him in China. Could they create a position that would dovetail with her design business?

A tad early to consider that thought, but it did bring up interesting questions.

He slid his gaze from Birdie to Oswald and back again. The two were currently engaged in a silent battle of some sort. Now that could make life more interesting in the offices.

From the moment she stepped into the office Monday morning, Meilin knew, just knew, the week wasn’t going to go her way.

“Mercury is in retrograde,” her assistant Susan said, handing over a stack of messages.

“I never understood that,” Meilin murmured as she sorted through the slips. Contractor delays, delivery issues, and clients with fickle taste all filled the dozen notes.

True hell started the moment she had to call Shan on Wednesday afternoon to tell him she couldn’t make dinner that night.

“I explained how important tonight is, Meilin.” His voice was tight, like he was trying not to yell, or not be overheard.

“And I can’t plan for my contractor’s son breaking his arm. Things happen, Shan, and with the furniture delivery tomorrow, I can’t get another painter on such short notice. Unless you want to reschedule your dinner and come help me?” His scoffing noise came through loud and clear. “That’s what I’ll be doing tonight until the job is done. It’s called stepping up and being a responsible business owner.”

“A business you no longer need.”

“Well, at least you finally came out and said it instead of dancing around the issue with placating words.” She bit out the words as sharply as he had.

On the other end of the phone he let out a sigh. When he spoke again his voice was much softer. “Meilin, I want to work this out. It’s just, well, timing sucks.”

She softened her tone as well. “I get that. But when the school called and said his son had a compound fracture, what else could Paul do? He couldn’t let the kid sit there scared and in pain. It’s what parents do. They take care of their kids, and sometimes that means dropping the work mid-job. He’ll make it up to me down the road, but right now I have a deadline that can’t wait, and that’s not his problem. It’s mine.”

A hint of impatience returned to Shan’s voice. “And I have a problem in that I promised a very important client he’d meet my fiancée tonight. It’s certainly more important than whether some walls get painted or not.”

Meilin’s back stiffened once more. “I can’t help you tonight. I must meet my commitments or my reputation is worth nothing. Please extend my deepest apologies and explain my situation. Clearly, if they’re any kind of business person, they’ll understand my need to take care of my client. You should understand that.”