The Billionaire's Convenient Bride: A BWWM Billionaire Love Story by Cj Howard Read Free Book Online Page A

needed! What we need is a resolution to your stubborn attitude! We can’t move forward until you agree with me! I don’t think cookies and tea are going to fix that!” He raised his voice and Tristan winked at Emmaline and turned to Peter.
         “Sweet tea might sweeten your disposition and your short-sightedness. Can I offer you a glass of it?” His voice was deep and calm, and his tone was polite.
         Emmaline wandered over to the table and looked down at the plans. A cursory glance gave her a fair idea of what they were looking at.
         “Tea is not going to fix this!” Peter snapped.
         Emmaline looked up at them both, and they were both watching her. “What seems to be the hold up?” she asked.
         Tristan walked over to the table and stood near her. “I’m sorry I didn’t get your name before,” he said with a smile.
         “I’m Emmaline,” she replied and he bowed his head slightly to her.
         “Well, Emmaline, we are working on these plans to refurbish a section of the French Quarter and some of the Uptown area and the city here and here as well. Part of our work includes the merger of two businesses, and the challenge seems to be that we are experiencing some legal constraints due to…” he glanced at Peter and then back at Emmaline, “some red tape at the Governor’s office that we can’t seem to get through. Not all of the legal channels we need to use are open to us because some of the people working on the project aren’t, let’s just say, favored. So that’s holding us up, and while we are working through that, our timelines are being delayed which is holding back the progress of combining the companies. The employees are very concerned about their jobs and future of the businesses and the merger and some of them are talking about leaving for more solid employment. We don’t want to lose the talent we have, and legally, we have to keep both companies active until the legal channels are cleared for the merger, so we are stuck about what to do with it with the employees. We’ll get through the red tape eventually, but we can’t lose our staff.”
         Emmaline looked at the documents spread across the table and her eyes fell on a map of the Quarter. “Well, actually, it seems like you already have a really simple solution to the whole problem,” she said with a smile at Tristan.
         Peter stalked over to the table and flung his hands up in the air at her. “There’s nothing simple about it! Nothing at all! What do you know anyway? You’re just a waitress!”
         Emmaline’s heart felt like it stopped in her chest and her eyes stung with tears as she stared at Peter’s angry face. Tristan placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and looked directly at her.
         “What is it that you thought might work for this? I’d love to know. Fresh eyes can usually see things that tired eyes can’t.” He gave her an encouraging smile and she took a deep breath to steady herself, then she looked at Tristan alone and placed her hand on one of the squares of property.
         “This building right here is already refurbished. It’s been repaired. Everything in it works. I know the man who owns this building. He rents it out on weekends to local artists for them to show their work in, but it’s empty during the week. You could reinforce the confidence in your employees if you move the people from both companies into this one building so that they can work together and move toward combining the businesses. Leave both of the individual businesses operational for the time being so that you meet the legal requirements you have before the merger is done, but just move the staff to this location. They can work together until you get the merger complete, and then you can move them into the building you have for the new company.” She looked pointedly at Peter. “Sort of a temporary marriage until the deal is done and then they can go