Chapter 7

"I can't believe it," Gloria said once the papers were signed.

"What dear?" Charles asks.

"I thought it would be difficult to let go but it surprisingly isn't," she states sending Rafe and I a glowing smile.

"That would be because these two have given us total comfort as to the future of Lemans," he replies shaking Rafe's hand as we get up to leave the restaurant. He adds a kiss to my cheek as Gloria moves in for hugs, an absolutely horrid prospect if Rafe's face is to be taken seriously.

"Lemans will certainly be in good hands," I assure them both.

"Darling anything in that man's hands would be good," Gloria states nailing down the way I feel when I'm in his arms. I can't stop the light laugh that tickles my throat and the day suddenly feels perfect.

I did it. Okay…we did it. Rafe and I. Wow that sounds good, Rafe and I.

Stop it Amelia, there's only so much you can give into in one day and you absolutely have met your quota .

"If I weren't a happily married man, I'd be concerned that my wife would try and steal you," Charles says sending Rafe what I assume is supposed to be a joking warning.

"Honestly dear," Gloria says her feathers a bit ruffled, "it's quite obvious that the only thing Rafe has eyes for is Amelia…and Lemans."

Suddenly the room becomes entirely too hot, and I wish the floor would open up and swallow me whole. Why do older people think they can get away commenting about two almost complete strangers' love life or interests? I mean really, is it that interesting or is it the whole growing up watching soap operas thing that did it to them?

"You can't blame me Mrs. Farris, can you?" Rafe asks, appearing to be perfectly content now that he has the contracts signed and their shares now belong to him.

"Not at all," she agrees. "Amelia was always sunshine at Lemans and it's very heartwarming to know that she's still going to be a part of it. We hope you will stay in touch."

"Of course," I say with a smile, and it'll probably be true. In small doses, I can handle them and their eccentric ways.

"Well then do you feel like visiting the factory and see what's now yours?" Charles asks.

"Not mine yet, I still have the tiny little matter of the two hundred thousand dollars to settle," Rafe reminds them.

"Oh phooey," Gloria says, "you own the place and Diamonds can't do a thing about it. Whoever owns those shares owns the company."

"What do you say Ame?" he asks me.

When did he start using my nickname? Oh who cares, it sounds amazing coming from his lips.

"I'd love to," I answer and we're soon in the car on our way. He turns to get onto the interstate, and it hits me…we'll be tied up in traffic forever and that will be too much for my still frazzled nerves.

"Actually why don't you go straight," I suggest, and he gives me one of his questioning looks. "Trust me; I'll get us there in less than thirty minutes."

"Want to place a bet on it?" he says five minutes later as we're sitting trying to turn left without a protected arrow.

"What kind of bet?" I ask knowing better than to agree without hearing the terms.

"If we don't make it there in the thirty minutes you owe me…a night of private waitressing," he says and my mouth twitches as I suppress a grin.

"And if I win?"

"Hmm…" he says as the traffic dies and he's able to turn.

"If I win, you have to take me to Sam's tonight for pizza," I tell him, the idea sounding better in my head before I added in the thought of twenty plus near naked women parading around the place.

"That's what you want if you win?" he asks his face showing his surprise.

"Just think how uncomfortable you'll feel sitting with me in the back booth while there are tons of women on the floor wearing next to nothing."

"Okay, it's a deal," he says as we stop for another light.

∞∞∞

"Seriously?" he says twenty-two minutes later as we pull into the parking lot at Lemans. "How did you manage that?"

"I'm sure you know a back way or two around New York," I tease with a smile, pulling out my phone and sending Tony a message about my appearance that evening.

"Who are talking to?" he asks nodding at the phone.

"Tony," I say with a shrug. "He's the bartender and pizza ‘chef' at Sam's. I was warning him that I expect my normal tonight and to keep it on the down low so it's a surprise for Sam."

"And do I get to meet this Sam person? I'd like to know the guy who convinced you to waitress."

"Sam's a woman," I explain, and his face is the best combination of surprise, relief, and suddenly absent jealousy that I've ever seen, and it puts a bright smile on my face as Charles and Gloria pull into the parking lot.

"Well," he says and it's obvious that there's nothing else he can add to it that wouldn't make him sound like an ass and he shuts his mouth as we walk to the doors with the other couple.

Inside the factory, it's evident that there have been both rumors of takeovers, closures and cutbacks, several employees did double takes when they saw me standing beside the tall man who Charles introduced as the new owner, and there were plenty of sighs of relief that accompanied those double takes.

Four hours later the tour was finished, the check delivered to Diamonds' office in New York courtesy of Stan, and his rage could be heard clearly when he approached us inside the main office.

"What the hell are you doing at my factory?" he demanded.

"Actually Diamonds," Charles says with a bright smile, "it's his factory now."

"We sold our shares to him at eleven this morning," Gloria adds. "The paperwork is already signed."

"I'll take you to court before giving you this place," Diamonds sneers at Rafe.

"Actually Mr. Diamonds, according to the contract that you and the Farris' signed there are no legal remedies you can take to keep the company," his attorney said taking a step back when the man turned on him.

"You're supposed to find the loophole Wallace, not tighten their case."

"I'm sorry Mr. Diamonds but whoever put the contract together made sure it was airtight. Any judge would uphold it despite the age of it," Wallace stated growing a backbone, apparently he's confident in his skills as an attorney and isn't a meek stooge with a degree.

"Thank you," Brice Veltrop, the Farris' attorney who'd drawn up the contract, says. "The only thing that a lawsuit would accomplish would be to empty your pockets further."

"Don't think this is the end of it Gordon," Diamonds stated turning on his heel and walking out the door.

"Well, that was fun," Gloria said joyfully. "I never did like that man."

"I am mighty glad you two came along when you did," Charles states patting Rafe on the back.

"I just hope he's not too big of a pain for you though," Gloria adds.

"Don't worry about Diamonds," Rafe says giving me a conspiratorial wink. We've already set the wheel in motion to bring Diamonds down fully, Rafe heeding my advice to expand his holdings while it was…easily manageable.

"Well, well, well," Joshua, the business manager who worked for Lemans and not Diamonds management team, said. "If I'd known you were a regular blood-thirsty I would have tried harder to keep you here."

"I think Amelia made a wise decision to move to New York," Rafe admitted and another tiny wave of pleasure shoots through me. "If she hadn't, I wouldn't have managed to find her and convince her to help us liberate Lemans."

"What do you mean?" one of the workers, Chuck or Chase I think, asked him.

"I'm sure all of you can see the differences in the company in the past six months," I answer, "I know I can. Diamonds is currently struggling more than they wish to express and many of their holdings have had to cut staff…Granter's included, which is how I came to work for Harper Inc."

"And Harper owning us will make a difference?" Gilly, the girl who worked as the secretary in the finance department, asked.

"It will because as I've explained to both Gloria and Charles and you all will soon see implemented the factory will be divided. We will continue to produce products as we do now, but we will also be adding a new division that will use the products to create and advance the technology of Harper's other holdings," Rafe explains. "I will be bringing out some of my best managers from other companies to help us get everything worked out and anyone who wants to apply for positions within the new division will be able to put their names in for consideration."

"You're going into product development?" Lance, the nerdy engineer who knew the machines backwards and forwards, asks.

"We are," Rafe states, "and it will increase the workforce for the company as we will also be expanding the factory space. Over the next few months you will see Amelia and I around and we plan to have meetings with everyone on staff, as well as those who have been laid off recently due to Diamonds downturn."

"You're going to rehire Smitty?" Gilly asked.

"Who's Smitty?" Rafe asks turning to me.

"Smitty was the janitor slash handyman," I explain. "He's been with the company for twenty years. He has a learning disability, but he can fix just about anything you need him to fix."

"I see no reason not to if he'd like to come back," Rafe ensures them.

"Really?" Gilly says with a worshipful smile in Rafe's direction. "He hasn't found anything, and our door handle has been broken for five months."

"If you want, I can give him a call," I tell Rafe who nods and Gilly beams further. "I'd watch out for Gilly. She's a bit dense when it comes to hints so you'll need to be direct with her," I add in a hushed whisper that only he can hear.

"I'll keep that in mind," he says, and my smile tells him that I'm not joking; Gilly really doesn't get the subtler hints.

I don't bother looking for Smitty's number, it's been the same for twenty odd years and he answers on the third ring.

"Smitty," I say once he answers. "This is Amelia Thorpe."

"Amelia?" he says shock ringing through his voice. "What are you calling me for?"

"I'm calling on behalf of Lemans. I know you were let go five months ago but as of today Lemans is under new ownership and my boss Rafe Gordon would love to have you back if you're…"

"I can be there in ten minutes," he says cutting me off.

"Smitty it's nearly five now. Why don't you take the rest of the day and enjoy the sun, tomorrow morning will be fine," I tell him, my humor ringing through the phone line.

"Of course Miss Amelia, thank you…thank…thank you," he just keeps repeating.

"Thank you Smitty, you always knew exactly how to fix whatever it was we needed fixed, and I know there's a certain door handle calling your name. No don't worry about it today. We'll see you in the morning," I reassure him before hanging up.

My nod to Rafe is all he needs to know that Smitty is now re-employed with Lemans and his ownership is off to a blissful beginning.

As five o'clock rolled around some employees disappeared, off to pick up kids from daycare, but a large group stayed behind hoping to speak with the new owner. It amazes me to see how many of the women, married and not, swooned over Rafe or blatantly showed their interest in him.

Finally, it seems, he's managed to pull himself away from the crowd surrounding him and he heads in my direction. His gaze shaded and it hits me, he's jealous, and that completely bemuses me because I'm surrounded by men who I've worked with and never felt anything for in the slightest and he's worried that I'm going to like them better than him. Has he forgotten the ring that's still sitting on my finger?

You should take it off , a voice inside my head says and I push it backwards. I'll take it off when I know for sure it's safe to do so. Most of the guys here believed that I'm involved, and if Rafe doesn't get that look off his face they'll assume he's the one I've been involved with all this time.

"Ready to go?" he asks me, putting his hand on my arm, warmth filling his eyes as they rest on my face before turning stony again when they survey the crowd that I'm with and the looks of the men towards me.

"Of course," I say, I mean really what else could I say? No I love being the center of attention and these guys are doing nicely? Yeah right.

The temperature felt like it dropped a hundred degrees as we left and all I could think was I am so screwed. Again language, I know, but give a girl a break already. I was just subjected to a not so subtle extraction, which is giving the very real impression that I'm totally sleeping with Rafe. This is not the way I wanted this day to go, and we still have the club to look forward to tonight.

Our drive back to the hotel was strange, there was no talking and even fewer moments that felt comfortable. Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life?

"Amelia…I'm sorry," he says as he turns the car off.

I feel like giving him a retort but really, what can I say other than ‘you should be'?

"I shouldn't have been so rude while…I shouldn't have…"

"You shouldn't have acted like a jealous fool when I was talking with people that I worked with for two years?" I offer figuring if I'm going to put my foot in it I might as well do it right.

"Pretty much," he agrees effectively shutting down my annoyance regarding the situation. "We said we'd take it slow and now…"

"Basically half the people think we're sleeping together, and the other half thinks you're the one I wear this ring for?"

"Something like that. I shouldn't have acted like a jealous lover since I'm not one and I don't have a right to be. I honestly have never been that type."

"First time for everything right?" I say giving him my forgiving smile because I honestly can't stay mad at him, and the one he gave me in return was enough to make my heart skip a few beats.

Damn the man is simply too put together. He's gorgeous, smart, can admit when he's wrong, doesn't frequent strip clubs, and he's rich. Not that I care about being rich…I don't. I like having a cushion but that's not what Rafe has. He has a multibillion-dollar company and houses in at least four countries not to mention his yacht.

What the hell does he see in me?

"I suppose there is, including me going to a strip club with a woman on my arm. You still want to go even though I was an ass, right?" he asks, and I can see the intrigue resting behind his gaze. He wants to see what I'm capable of apparently; well, I hope he has a strong constitution.