No Matter What (The Billionaires of Sawgrass #4) - Delaney Cameron Page 0,45
reminds me of college,” Clayton said, surrendering his seat to Aunt Leigh. “My friends and I used to crash wedding receptions. Among so many guests, no one noticed a few extra people at the buffet.”
Addison rolled her eyes. “That’s something you should’ve kept to yourself. It’s not just tacky; it’s dishonest.”
“I know that now. When I was nineteen, the line between right and wrong wasn’t so clearly defined.”
“I hear ya,” Reece said. “Some of the things I did were downright stupid. I look back and wonder why it took me so long to wise up.”
“They’re not called growing pains for nothing,” Aunt Leigh said. “How’s work on the baby’s room coming along, Addison?”
“Everything’s on schedule. The painter finished Thursday. I went with an accent wall in misty green. The other three walls are light gray. The artist I hired to do the mural starts next week. For the furniture, I contacted the carpenter in Ocala who did our dining room set. He actually remembered me from four years ago. He’s going to make a sleigh-style crib, changing table, dresser, and corner bookcase out of cherry wood. I’m still trying to decide on an area rug.”
“What about a rocking chair?”
“I was hoping to borrow the one Mom used for me and Reece.”
“That’s a lovely idea!” Aunt Leigh said. “I’ll get it out of storage this week.”
Only half of Reece’s attention was tuned into the conversation. The other half was searching for Robin among a sea of strangers. It didn’t matter that being around her was as much a torment as it was a pleasure. He wanted to see her. Such is the nature of love.
“Don’t you agree, Reece?”
Addison’s question jerked him back to the present. He summoned an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I was daydreaming.”
“I know what you’re thinking about,” she said, wagging a finger at him. “Your new charter business in Miami. I assume it’s a done deal.”
Reece’s glance flicked to Aunt Leigh. Her smile said she had a good idea who he’d been thinking about. “Pretty much. There are still a few loose ends to tie up.”
Clayton slapped Reece on the back. “I’ll have to start referring to you as the charter tycoon.”
“That would be tame to what the press are calling me. It’s being reported that I passed on earlier opportunities to buy Eagle Air for the sole purpose of driving down the price. What they don’t know or don’t want to say is that the owner rejected my previous offers. He wanted double what the business is worth. Even now, I’m not getting a bargain. Eagle Air has an aging fleet of poorly-maintained planes, numerous FAA violations, and a reputation for poor customer service. It’ll take time and money to fix those problems.”
“Does that mean you’ll be doing a lot of commuting between Jax and Miami?” Addison asked.
“Initially, yes. I plan to meet with each of the employees individually. The woman in charge of flight operations is a former Air Force pilot. It only took a few minutes of conversation to realize that her hands have been tied by poor decisions made by the owner. You can’t run a successful charter service on a shoestring budget while squeezing out every ounce of profit for yourself.”
“Will you change the name to Diamond Jet?”
“I have to. Eagle Air’s reputation has taken a beating. The name change will be a first step in the right direction.”
“Excuse the interruption,” Aunt Leigh said. “They’re bringing out the cake. At least they had sense enough not to put fifty candles on it.”
“They couldn’t,” Clayton said with a smirk. “That would have been a fire hazard.”
Addison’s groan was drowned out by the opening chords of ‘Happy Birthday’ courtesy of the band. Everyone stopped what they were doing and joined in. With Reece’s father by her side, a beaming Maxine thanked her guests for coming and joked about being a half century young.
After the cake was served, a few people started dancing. It didn’t take long for the idea to catch on. Soon the veranda and patio were full of swaying couples. Addison and Clayton decided to join them.
Aunt Leigh watched them go with a smile. “You were her first partner.”
“I remember it well,” Reece mused. “Six months of ballroom dancing lessons. Six months of being teased at school.”
“Don’t forget the dirt bike you got out of that deal.” She linked her arm through his as they walked in the direction of the water. “Is it just me, or have Wade and Robin suddenly become