The Merger

Chapter 6

Lucas Handler

Damn. That's good. I set down the half-eaten Doritos burrito and wipe my mouth with a paper thin napkin that disintegrates in my palm.

I need to get back to the office but I also need to eat some lunch after that dizzying conversation. The most confusing part about it was...dare I say, fun? A smile tugs at my lips as I recall the little huffs of annoyance Talia made.

After the run-in at the golf course, that was the longest conversation we've had in years. I forgot just how fun it is to get a rise out of her. Yet, one thing I didn't anticipate was the discussion about us showering together. I chuckle thinking about how I acted like a thirteen-year-old kid who stumbled across a racy photo.

I quickly shake the thought from my mind. Okay, so what if I find her physically attractive? Big deal. Any man with a pair of eyes can see how beautiful she is. Yet I know the truth. That woman is out for blood and my name is at the top of her list.

I wipe my mouth again with what's left of the napkin after finishing off the burrito. I wave the server down for the check before thinking through my next move. So, Talia wants us to stay out of each other's ways? That's just fine by me. I'm more than happy to take charge and start leading both companies through this merger. She basically gave her blessing and who am I to deny a beautiful woman of anything?

As I start thinking through the logistics of how I'm going to get this merger to go as smoothly as possible, a buzz in my pocket interrupts my thoughts. I glance down and smile as soon as I see who the text is from. Speaking of beautiful women...

Tiffany: Hey! Are we still on for Wednesday night?

I quickly text back an affirmative and tuck my phone back into my pocket.

After settling the bill, I make my way out of the restaurant. I need to be ready for tomorrow's meeting with the newly combined board. War is on the horizon and Talia isn't the only one that's out for blood.

The new board members are mingling in the unfamiliar conference room. There are a few faces I recognize from my own board and a few faces I don't. The man my dad is talking to is probably McAvoy's CEO, Bill. We're all meeting in a conference room booked at The Hilton, aka neutral ground, aka Sweden in this war.

Talia stands out in the sea of old and white. Her auburn hair is slicked back into a high ponytail and her tanned skin looks as if it's been moisturized recently. Most likely with children's tears. My gaze shifts from her tall heels, aka her combat boots, up over her form-fitting red dress, aka her uniform, up to her red lips and light eyeshadow, aka war paint.

She clears her throat and my gaze darts up to focus on her chestnut irises. "Lucas, it's so good to see you, my dear friend," she says loud enough for chatting board members to hear.