Mayhem & Mass

by Olivia Matthews

  Autumn chuckled. “No, Sister, I’m not comparing your beets and broiled fish to the vegetable lasagna and tossed salad I offered as an alternative.”

  Sister Marianna narrowed her stormy gaze. “I don’t need advice on planning the congregation’s retreat. This isn’t my first event.”

  “This isn’t my first event, either.” Autumn paused, running her long, pale fingers through her chestnut hair. “I’m offering you, at no extra charge, my event-planning expertise to help ensure that everyone has a great time at your retreat.”

  For all of Autumn’s patient reasoning, she was coming into contact with the immovable force that was Sister Marianna’s obstinacy.

  This was the congregation’s first experience with the Briar Coast Cabin Resort. Sister Marianna had opened the retreat to competitive bids for room, board, and meeting spaces, with the goal of reducing the event’s budget. She had reported to the congregation that the resort was much more affordable than the hotel Sister Lou had used in the past.

  But was this conflict worth the cost savings?

  Sister Lou jumped back into the fray. “There’s a simple solution to this impasse.”

  Autumn looked to Sister Lou. “I’m listening.”

  “What is it?” Sister Marianna stripped the monochromatic silk scarf from around her neck in an impatient gesture. It floated onto her lap.

  The handcrafted, one-of-a-kind silk scarves were made and sold by a group of congregation sisters, led by Sister Katharine “Kathy” Wen. All of the proceeds benefited an orphanage in Haiti. They were very popular with congregation members, associates, and supporters, who’d purchased several scarves each. Unfortunately, Sister Marianna couldn’t seem to keep one on for an entire day.

  Sister Lou sat forward. “We should put the menu to a vote by the congregation. We could send an online survey to get their ideas on several features of the retreat, including the meals.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea.” Autumn seemed relieved.

  “I’m in charge of the retreat.” Sister Marianna’s words overlapped Autumn’s.

  “And as your able assistant, I’d be happy to organize the survey for you.” Sister Lou offered a persuasive smile.

  “All right. You can coordinate the online survey.” Sister Marianna acquiesced grudgingly.

  Sister Marianna stood, indicating she was done with this meeting, and yanked the strap of her black bag farther up her narrow shoulder. Her movements were jerky. Her jaw was set. It would be a long drive back to the congregational offices.

  Sister Lou rescued a pile of silk from the wood floor as she rose. “Marianna, you’re forgetting your scarf.”

  Sister Marianna gave Sister Lou a startled look as she accepted the item. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll wait for you to contact me with the results.” Autumn escorted them down the hall to the lobby.

  Beneath a strained veneer of geniality, Sister Lou sensed the thin thread of impatience between Sister Marianna and Autumn. She did her best to ignore it.

  A couple waiting in the lobby greeted Autumn. The woman appeared to be close in age to Autumn. The man was older. The temperature around them dropped significantly when Autumn noticed the couple.

  Her smile was brittle. “Hello, Rita. I’m surprised to see you here before noon. And Mister Crane, you’re here so often perhaps you should rent a room.”

  “Montgomery just wants a few minutes of our time, Autumn.” The pretty blond woman appeared to be in her early forties. Her large brown eyes were defiant. “We’ll wait in your office.”

  Autumn stepped to block their way. “No, you won’t.” She locked eyes with the tall, attractive older gentleman who stood beside Rita. “I don’t have time for the eighty-ninth rendition of your sales pitch. I wasn’t persuaded the first eighty-eight times. I won’t be persuaded today.”

  Sister Lou had had enough drama this morning, as the students of the College of St. Hermione of Ephesus would say. “Autumn, we’ll get back together once we’ve reviewed the survey responses for the retreat.”

  “Since Autumn won’t introduce us, I’ll do the honors myself. I’m Rita Morris. I co-own the resort.” Rita offered her hand first to Sister Lou, then to Sister Marianna. Her figure-hugging, sage-green jersey dress, which she wore under a honey-brown lightweight coat, complemented her shoulder-length curls and peaches-and-cream complexion. Her brown eyes twinkled in her round face. “And this is our business associate, Montgomery Crane, of Crane Enterprises.”

  “I’m Sister Louise LaSalle.” Sister Lou released Rita’s soft, narrow palm to accept Montgomery’s large, callused hand.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” In his dark suit, Montgomery was a tall, slender form. His confident, almost regal bearing led Sister Lou to estimate his age to be in the sixties. But his smooth cocoa complexion made him appear much younger.

  “Sister Marianna Tuller.” Sister Marianna’s introduction was almost insulting in its brevity. “We have to go.”

  Sister Lou offered a parting smile, then took a fortifying breath for the journey ahead.

  Autumn watched the nuns leave. No, not nuns, sisters. Sister Marianna had made that very clear when she’d corrected Autumn earlier. Nuns were cloistered. Sisters were in the community.

  “Was there tension between you and your clients?” Rita sounded genuinely surprised.

  “Creative differences. We’ll get them sorted out.” Autumn crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I’m sure you will. You always find a way to keep our customers happy.”

  Our customers? She planned the marketing campaigns to attract potential customers, then drew up the contracts that locked them in. What was Rita’s contribution?

  What had possessed me to take on Rita Morris as a business partner?

  Autumn had asked herself that question several times a year for the past three years. She still didn’t have an answer.

  “Give it a rest, Rita.” She considered her partner and Montgomery Crane, the business rival who wanted to take her company from her. Autumn could use some of Sister Lou’s diplomacy right now. Otherwise, there was a good chance she’d say something she’d regret, if not in this life, then in the afterlife.

  Montgomery Crane was a handsome and charming man. He was also intelligent and interesting. Under different circumstances, Autumn would want to be his friend. But as things stood between them now, she didn’t want him here, and Rita knew that.

  Autumn pinned her business partner with a cool stare. “We’re not having this conversation again.” She gave herself high marks for restraint as she spun on her black heels and marched back to her office.

  “Montgomery has increased his offer. Again.” Rita’s voice was far too loud and much too close.

  Hot temper seared Autumn. She whipped back toward Rita. “Keep your voice down.” She spoke in a low hiss. Her gaze darted around the reception area. “If our employees hear you, you’ll start a panic. I’m trying to run a business. Do you think I want to deal with mass hysteria—alone—while you’re out doing God knows what?”

  “Fine, then we’ll discuss it in your office.” Rita started around Autumn.

  Autumn once again moved to block the other woman. “There’s nothing to discuss. My answer is no, just as it’s been all of the other times you’ve asked me.”

  “Autumn.” Montgomery’s warm, deep voice was like a neck massage. “We’ve never actually discussed my offers. I suggested an amount. You declined it, and that was the end. I’d like to have a conversation with you this time.”

  He sounded so reasonable. To decline his request would be churlish. Without a word, she led them to her office and took a seat behind her desk. She watched her unwanted guests settle into the chairs in front of her.

  Autumn leaned into her desk and braced her folded arms on top of it. “I’m not selling my resort. I’ll never sell my resort, so, in fact, we have nothing to discuss. Any questions?”

  “Just one. Why not?” Montgomery relaxed in the scar
let cloth chair as though he had all the time in the world. His slate-gray suit, crisp white shirt, and crimson power tie probably cost as much as three nights at her resort.

  Autumn tried to imitate his casual confidence. It wasn’t easy. “First, tell me why you keep raising your offer. Have you discovered oil in my backyard?”

  “No, I haven’t.” Montgomery smiled. Had he caught her reference to the 1970s comedy, The Beverly Hillbillies? “Your resort has a great deal of potential. It’s in a prime location and offers high-demand features.”

  She struggled to mask her pleasure at his words. “I know that my property’s valuable. What makes you think I’d sell it?”

  “For the money.” Rita was the source of all the tension in the room. “Montgomery’s offer is too good to refuse.”

  Autumn leveled a look at her far-from-silent partner. “You’ve said that about every offer he’s made.”

  “This time, I mean it.” A sense of urgency permeated from Rita like cheap perfume.

  Autumn chose not to remind Rita that she’d also meant it on the previous occasions. What would be the point? “If you want out of the resort, I’ll buy your share. It’s not like you’re doing much to keep the business going anyway. I won’t even notice your absence.”

  Rita scowled. “That’s harsh, Autumn.”

  Autumn arched an eyebrow. “So is the fact that the only time you come into the office is to tell me when Montgomery has made another offer for the resort.”

  “You only offered me my share of the market value for this place.” Rita gestured toward Montgomery. “He’s offering us far more than what the resort is worth. That’s the money I want, not what you’re offering.”

  Autumn briefly squeezed her eyes shut. “Rita, our contract only requires that I offer you the fair market value for your share of the resort.”

  Montgomery’s smooth voice cut through their tense exchange. “Why are you opposed to selling your resort? I’ve made several generous offers.”

  Autumn shifted her attention to her business rival. “You purchase independent operations to add to your chain of hotels and resorts.”

  “That’s right.” Montgomery was using his reasonable voice again.

  Autumn drew a calming breath and found comfort in the familiar pine scent that filled her office. She shouldn’t have to have this conversation. Her “no” should have been enough.

  “Owning and operating this resort has been my goal ever since I was forced to accept the inevitability of my divorce.” Autumn spread her arms to encompass the resort as a whole. “I need to make this a success for myself. I don’t want to be someone’s employee. I don’t want to be part of a chain. This is my vision.”

  The question in Montgomery’s dark brown eyes resolved itself to understanding. He pushed himself to his feet and extended his right hand. “Autumn, thank you for taking the time to explain your position to me. Under the circumstances, I won’t bother you with my buyout offers anymore. Instead, I’ll wish you success and happiness with your vision.”

  Autumn rose to accept his gesture. His hand was rough in hers. A working man’s hand at odds with his powerbroker image.

  She gave him a warm smile. “Thank you, Montgomery. I wish you continued success with your empire.”

  Rita stood with them. Her startled pale brown gaze swung from Autumn and settled on Montgomery. “What about me?”

  Montgomery shrugged into his coat. “This was an all or nothing proposition, Rita. Autumn’s unwilling to sell her share of the business. I’m going to respect her wishes.”

  “The only way I’ll sell is over my dead body.” Autumn moved to escort Montgomery from her office. She paused at the expression in Rita’s normally bright brown eyes. Her fixated stare was dark with anger. “I’m willing to buy you out, Rita.”

  “It’s not enough.” The other woman’s voice was barely audible, but Autumn caught what she’d said—and what she’d left unsaid.

  A chill chased down her spine. In that moment, Autumn knew Rita wouldn’t be opposed to her dropping dead.