“I love your mom,” she murmured. “I know she gets uptight sometimes, but she’s terrific. My mother doesn’t cook, much less throw birthday parties.”
“Thanks.” Karin looked embarrassed. And pleased.
It was a really warm day for October, yet Melanie shivered and zipped her jacket up the front.
“Are you okay?” Karin asked.
“My chest is tight and hurts a little, but it’s probably just from coughing.”
Maybe she should have waited an extra day before going back to school, but she’d felt okay when she woke up. And it wasn’t even that she felt bad, mostly wobbly.
Karin stood up determinedly. “Come on. Let’s go see the school nurse. The worst they can do is have your brother come get you.”
That was the problem. Melanie didn’t want someone to call Aaron—it would be the same as saying he was right about her staying home longer.
* * *
AARON SAT IN the doctor’s office reception area, waiting as his sister was examined. The school nurse had said not to worry, that the cold going around Cooperton was causing a few mild secondary infections, but he wondered if he ought to call Eliza, anyway. Could he even reach her? She and her husband were in Zimbabwe, and he didn’t know if there were cell phone towers on a game preserve.
For the brief time Eliza had been his stepmother, she’d been nice enough—bright but flighty, like a number of his father’s ex-wives and girlfriends. Aaron figured she’d asked him to be Melanie’s godfather in an attempt to build family unity, except Eliza’s marriage to S. S. Hollister hadn’t lasted much beyond Melanie’s christening, so any attempts at unity were futile as usual.
Aaron had mostly gotten acquainted with his siblings as an adult, though some of them were easier to see than others. Jake and Matt were chronically difficult because they never stayed long in one place. Tamlyn and April lived back East and he’d visited them on business trips. Oona was in Italy, but she’d flown to Chicago periodically when he was based there. Pierre was in Paris, but his mother harbored so much resentment against her ex-husband, she didn’t welcome visits from the rest of his progeny.
Then there was Melanie.
A worried frown tightened Aaron’s mouth. He’d wanted to insist that she stay home another day, but had thought it was best to let her make the decision for herself.
“You can come in now, Mr. Hollister,” said the medical assistant finally.
He was led to an office and saw Melanie slumped morosely in one of the chairs. The doctor walked in and shook Aaron’s hand.
“It’s nothing serious,” the physician assured him. “Just a touch of bronchitis. A round of antibiotics should clear it quickly. Keep your sister at home, drinking lots of fluids, until her temperature is normal for a couple of days. After that she can return to class—I should say Monday or Tuesday.”
Melanie shot to her feet. “No. I’m going to a birthday picnic on Saturday. I can’t miss Karin’s party.”
“We have to follow the doctor’s orders,” Aaron said. He didn’t remind her that she didn’t have permission yet to attend the party. It was one thing to say she could go to the movies with Karin, another to let her go to a picnic with people he didn’t know anything about. Lord, he remembered the park where the party was being held—when he was a teenager it was where kids had gone to drink and make out.
“You just don’t want me seeing Karin.”
“We’ll discuss this later, Melanie.”
“I’m afraid Saturday is out of the question,” Dr. Jenkins advised. “Mr. Hollister, would you like us to call the prescription in to the pharmacy? Calder Drugs will deliver for an extra fee.”
“That would be great,” Aaron said. Melanie was going to be angry about the party, and the sooner he got her back to the house, the better. She could pout in peace and quiet—hopefully without making him crazy. He was going to drive himself crazy enough without any help, knowing he should have taken Melanie’s temperature that morning before letting her out the door.
After he’d gotten additional instructions and paid the bill, his sister stomped to the Mercedes ahead of him. “You don’t like anything in this town,” she accused as he fastened his seat belt. “What’s wrong with the Nibble Nook and Mrs. Gibson and Karin?”
“I’m not the one who said you couldn’t go to the party—it was Dr. Jenkins,” Aaron replied. Granted, he found the doctor’s orders convenient, but admitting it would just make things worse.
“You made him say that. I hate you.”
She hunched her shoulder away from him, and Aaron sighed. He knew she felt lousy and was saying things she normally wouldn’t, but life would be much easier if she wasn’t friends with Skylar Gibson’s daughter.
Skylar had changed—the question was, how much?
A picture went through Aaron’s mind of the vibrant, in-your-face teenager he’d once known. She’d hung out with the toughest, most foul-mouthed, joyriding kids in town, several of whom had ended up in prison. From the top of her flame-colored head to the tip of her brightly painted toenails, she’d exuded rebellion. He couldn’t think of a rule she hadn’t broken, or someone in authority she hadn’t flouted, but what was exciting to a seventeen-year-old boy was a huge problem to a big brother.
At the house Melanie went upstairs. He didn’t want to return to work while she was this upset, so he notified his office and settled down to read another one of the reports Skylar had given him. In normal circumstances he would have reviewed them as part of the planning process, but he’d been trying to work on his expansion proposal without anyone in the local community learning about it too early.
Skylar had made a valid point concerning the new wastewater treatment plant. You never knew if there were going to be regulatory changes, and retrofitting could be expensive. On the other hand, he still preferred his original site.
Aaron sat back, having trouble concentrating. Skylar surprised him—she was more beautiful than ever, and though he’d expected her to give a cursory look at his PowerPoint program and reject his plan out of hand, she’d asked for more information and scheduled another meeting.
She was also an experienced mother of a teenager, and part of him wished he could get her opinion on the best way to handle Melanie. Pushing the ironic thought away, he took out his smartphone and calculated the time in Zimbabwe to be sure he wouldn’t be calling in the middle of the night. He dialed and waited before hearing a static-filled “hello.”
“Hi, Eliza, it’s Aaron.”
“Aaron, it’s so nice you called,” Eliza said, making it sound as if hearing from him was the most delightful thing that had ever happened to her. “Is everything all right with Melanie?”
“Yes, except she had a cold, and now has a mild case of bronchitis. It isn’t serious. I just wanted you to know.”
“She does? How odd.”
“Odd? I thought you were worried about her lungs.”
“Well...uh, yes. But you said it wasn’t serious.”
“The doctor isn’t concerned. She’ll be on antibiotics and can return to school when her temperature is normal.”
“It sounds as if everything is under control, but you’re a dear to call. We’re having a wonderful time, going about everywhere...places like South Africa and Tanzania—do you know that most people in Tanzania speak at least two languages? And Mount Kilimanjaro is simply gorgeous. I never want to leave.”
“Weren’t you just going to Madagascar and Zimbabwe?”
“We were, but it’s such a waste having those travel vaccinations and not seeing more of Africa, don’t you think? You really must— What’s that, dear?”
Aaron heard a low male voice murmur in the background, followed by one of Eliza’s charming laughs.
“Aaron?” she said after a moment. “My darling husband tells me that Madaga
scar isn’t in Africa, but it’s really quite close. We’re going to Kenya next.”
Aaron let out a breath. If he didn’t jump in, Eliza was capable of reciting an hour-long travel monologue. “That’s great, but don’t you want to speak with Melanie?”
“Let her rest. Tell her I love her and to call when she feels better, so we can have a nice chat. Bye-bye for now.”
* * *
SKYLAR RACED UP the city hall steps the following Tuesday. It was Aaron’s fault she was late, though he probably wouldn’t see it that way.
She found him leaning against the wall near the council offices, one eyebrow raised.
“Running behind?” he asked.
“Yes, thanks to you.” Skylar unlocked the door and gestured for him to go ahead. Aaron brushed past and she sucked in a breath at the sheer sexual awareness that went through her. It was an unwelcome reminder that her body was fully functional, even though her husband was gone.
He put his briefcase on the table. “What do I have to do with it?”
“Every farmer I buy from has something to say about you, that’s what. The news has gotten around that I’m making the decision on your expansion plans, so they all have an opinion about what I should or shouldn’t do.”
“For or against?”
“Do you really care?” Skylar muttered as she shut the door.
As usual, Aaron was wearing a suit and tie—the kind that probably cost a fortune. She, on the other hand, had come directly to city hall after picking up produce and dropping if off at the Nibble Nook. There hadn’t been time to change from jeans into something more professional.
“Of course I care. The support of the local community is always important.”
“You’re just spouting public relations rhetoric, but it should be important. You have so much potential at Cooper Industries to make a difference, even more than your grandfather, because you must have a more contemporary point of view.”
“What has that got to do with anything?”
“Well, how about an in-house child-care facility? And I’m sure you’ve heard of job sharing. It’s not practical for assembly-line work, I suppose, but there are other positions at Cooper Industries where it could be implemented.”
Aaron didn’t look excited by the idea. “I’ll put it on my list of things to consider, but I’ve always doubted it works well in practice. It’s the kind of situation where people just take advantage.”
Skylar gritted her teeth, yet it was the sort of cynical comment she should have expected from him; even as a teenager he’d thought the worst of people.
He pulled a chair out for her and she hesitated before sitting down. She didn’t want the small courtesies from Aaron, particularly if they put her in closer physical contact with him. It was painful to realize she could still respond as a woman, especially to a man like Aaron Hollister.
She opened the folder she’d brought with her and skimmed the notes she’d made.
“I told you I’d have a lot to ask.”
Aaron took out his copy of the plan. “Fire away.”
She began posing her questions, and as she carefully wrote down his replies, the surprise on his face grew.
“You’ve really given this some thought,” he said finally.
Skylar tried not to be insulted. Of course she’d given his proposal some thought. She had stayed up almost every night the past week comparing information on the local area and region to his plans, along with gathering every other piece of data she could get.
“Everybody knows Cooper Industries is important to the town,” she responded carefully. “The decisions you make will affect the whole area. For instance, there’s a rumor that you’ve decided to stop buying from local farmers.”
She’d hoped it was an unfounded story, but the expression on Aaron’s face told her it wasn’t.
“It’s better for Cooper Industries,” he explained. “Once our local contracts are satisfied at the end of the next growing season, we’ll only be purchasing from large producers. The ones we’re already dealing with are eager for us to diversify and increase our orders.”
“They’re all outside the area.”
“Yes, none of the large corporate farms are nearby. But even taking the increased transport costs into account, it will make our operations smoother. They can be relied upon to provide as much as we want, when we want it, or pay a penalty.”
Aaron sounded sincere, yet the tip of Skylar’s pen dug into her notebook. She’d gotten an earful from the farmers lately. It would hurt them to lose their contracts, but they also had valid reasons to think the advantages of working with them were outweighed by the disadvantages.
“And it may reduce quality,” she said carefully. “The local farms harvest and deliver their produce to the factory at the peak processing point. Corporate farms will harvest earlier to take shipping delays into account. Some of it could sit in cold storage for days or longer.”
Aaron waved his hand, dismissing the concern. “I’m sure the difference will be negligible. And this way we can process larger quantities than before and increase our sales. You must understand that sales are the key to our survival and growth.”
“Oh, I understand. But while I don’t have a degree in business administration like you, I know repeat sales are key to your growth. Mine, too. Do you think anyone who gets a lousy burger at the Nibble Nook will ever come back?”
Frustrated, Skylar pulled out two individual serving fruit snack-pack cups she bought in case they were needed—one was from Cooper Industries and one was from another convenience food manufacturer. She peeled the plastic top from both and handed Aaron a spoon. “See if you think the difference is negligible.”
“This is ridiculous,” he protested.
“Think of it as market research.”
Clearly seeing it as a waste of his time, Aaron ate a bite from the first fruit cup, followed by a spoonful from the one processed by Cooper Industries. His eyes widened.
“Yeah,” she said when he remained silent. “The one from Cooper is much better. They fly off the grocery shelves, even though the price is higher than what other companies charge. If nothing else, you should continue to manufacture these using local fruit and label it a ‘special reserve’ product.”
Aaron still wasn’t saying anything, and she figured he was probably annoyed that she was talking about things that had less to do with expansion, and more with how he did business.
“For that matter,” she continued, determined to say her piece, “I can speak with the farmers and suggest they form an agricultural cooperative. That way you could deal with the cooperative rather than each of them individually.”
* * *
AARON STARED AT the plastic containers in front of him, shocked that he’d left quality out of his equations. All he’d seen was the issue of reducing costs and increasing output.
Yet he was equally shocked that it was Skylar who’d seen the flaw in his plans.
“I know it’s just convenience food, but this is what parents are feeding their children when they’re too busy to cook,” she continued. “People are proud that Cooper Industries manufactures products that are tastier and healthier than a lot of stuff on the market. Take away that pride, and you’re going to have bigger personnel problems than the ones you have now.”
“I don’t have personnel problems,” he said quickly, though it wasn’t true.
There were problems, which he was resolving. He’d implemented policies to ensure employees would take their lunch breaks within appropriate time frames. He’d also stopped the flow of Cooper Industry products he had seen going into employee car trunks, along with several other behavioral issues. Surely, once the employees adjusted, morale and absenteeism would improve, though he doubted he’d ever be popular.
“That’s a ma
tter of opinion. Maybe if you didn’t distrust your workers, things might get better. The families you employ have been loyal to Cooper Industries for generations, and you have no idea how big a difference you can make in someone’s life by treating them with respect.”
Aaron fixed Skylar with a sharp gaze. “I realize my employees are upset with me, but it’s because they’re getting used to the new rules. Why do you think I’ve discouraged Melanie going to the Nibble Nook? Most of your customers work for Cooper Industries, and I don’t want her around people with a chip on their shoulder.”
“That’s only one of the reasons you don’t want Melanie at the Nibble Nook, but that isn’t what we’re here to discuss.”
Getting up, she went to a credenza and took out two bottles of water. She handed him one and sat down again.
“About your plans, I’d really like you to rethink part of it, especially the location. Building on the land to the south will have less environmental impact.”
“Except it’s closer to...” His voice trailed when Skylar glared.
“Closer to the ‘poor’ part of town?” she demanded. “Heaven forbid the factory should be closer to some of the people it employs.”
“That isn’t what I meant. But crime is probably higher in that part of Cooperton.”
“Not really. Besides, what is anyone going to steal from you? Fruits and vegetables and a forklift?”
“Vandalism is also an issue.”
“Have you driven through that section of Cooperton lately?” Skylar asked. “The people who live there are hardworking and keep their homes very nicely. I don’t think the police have gotten a single drunk and disorderly call since my... That is, they probably haven’t gotten one for years. We really don’t have a bad part of town any longer. Talk to the police department and find out for yourself.”
Aaron wondered what she’d started to say, then realized she must have been referring to her parents.
“I’ll take your comments into consideration.”
“Fine. And here’s something else to consider—what about incorporating an organic division for certain products? It’s hard to find things like organic potato snacks or veggie chips. I think it’s an underdeveloped niche market and could be very profitable with the growing concern for eating pesticide-free.”
Winning Over Skylar Page 8
