her. She had told her partners and everyone she knew with an e-mail blast.
“I have no idea where she was,” Phillip said honestly. And with that, she handed him a list of everything he was supposed to buy, sign up for, and do. It was quite a list. He felt like he had enlisted in the marines.
He opened a bottle of champagne for her then, because he felt guilty about his lunch with Taylor. Amanda didn’t know, but he did. He handed her a glass of champagne, and she looked pleased.
“Thank you, Phillip.” He toasted her, and tried to force Taylor from his head. The image of her refused to move.
“So where did you go last night?” she finally asked him. She didn’t apologize for her comments. All she wanted to know was where he went.
“I walked all the way down to the Village, had a burger, and took a cab back.” It was true. What he didn’t tell her was that he had met the most enchanting girl he’d ever seen.
“Sorry if I pissed you off,” Amanda conceded, “but it’s true. It would look a lot better for me, and my status, if your mother made you CEO. I’d like you to ask her to do that,” Amanda said simply. She saw no reason why Olivia wouldn’t step down in order to further her daughter-in-law’s career. She saw it less as an important step for Phillip than as an accessory for her, but of course it would benefit him too. It was a win-win for them, and Olivia was of retirement age after all.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” he said coolly. “I’m sure she’d be interested to hear your ideas.”
“I think the pressure should come from you. Maybe you should threaten to quit.”
“And then what? What if she lets me? We turn the whole company upside down so you can say you’re married to a CEO? What if she fires me? Then your husband would be unemployed. That might look worse.” He was only half-joking.
“She’s not going to let you quit, Phillip. You’re her son.”
“And my mother is not going to relinquish her seat as CEO, even for you. And I’ve told you, I don’t want her job. Mine is tough enough. Hers is a lot worse. I’m in no hurry to step into her shoes, even if you think that means I have no balls. She carries more responsibility than anyone I know, in any corporation, and she does it pretty damned well. I’m not sure I could do her job. In fact, I’m sure I can’t. So that’s a problem for you. If you stick with me, all you get is a CFO. I guess that’s bad news for you.” He was being a lot tougher than he had been with her before, and he knew it was time. She had been insulting enough.
“I didn’t realize you were giving me an option clause. ‘If I stick with you.’ Is that a message, Phillip?” Her eyes narrowed as she asked.
“You always have that choice,” he said clearly.
“Is that a threat?”
“No, but I’m not going to have my life, wardrobe, and career remodeled to suit you, because you just became a judge.”
“It’s a pretty big deal,” she reminded him with a surly tone.
“Yes, it is. And I’m proud of you. But I’m not going to pay for your induction with my balls, as you put it. They belong to me, not to you. They’re not part of the deal.”
“Then what is? Are you willing to use some of the Grayson money to make contributions for me, that would help my career? That’s the least you could do, if you’re not willing to ask your mother for a better job.”
“I don’t know how much ‘Grayson money’ I could commit. My mother makes those decisions, and the board. And if they don’t like the sound of it, they don’t do it. It’s not up to me.”
“That’s what I mean, Phillip. You have no clout there at all.” She looked disgusted by what she was hearing from him.
“I have some clout, but not much. I never said I did. One day, but not now. You’re a little premature. My mother is still very much in charge.” It occurred to him as he said it that he hardly knew Taylor, but he couldn’t imagine her asking him how much “Grayson money he was willing to commit.” Even twenty years down the road he couldn’t imagine Taylor having that kind of toughness. He