slightly tussled. Her father being a fastidiously neat and orderly person, she wondered how he and Ben had kept such a close working relationship through the years. Maybe they had found in each other the perfect counter balance for themselves. In that case, she assumed they worked in complete harmony.
One thing was certain, her father would not have retained Ben Mathison if he weren't convinced he was the best man for the job.
"I wondered when you would call for this meeting, Sonny." Ben leaned back in his leather chair and folded his hands on top of the disheveled desk.
"Ben, this partnership is not working."
Sonny leaned forward, her clasped hands resting on the desk.
"Why is that?"
"This isn't my life. I have a job to get back to and a very nice roommate who is getting stuck with added expense in my absence."
"I can understand how this has been very difficult for you Sonny." Ben's round face was filled with benevolence and he placed a reassuring hand over hers.
"My father knew how much I liked my life in Paris. He wouldn't have done this to me Ben, unless…"
"Unless what, Sonny?"
"Michael must have influenced that decision.
How he did it, I don't know, but I intend to find out."
"As I told you, Sonny, J.B's reasons were not revealed to me. He made the conditions and I made them legal."
Ben leaned forward in his seat and looked at her squarely. "My advise is to see it through, no matter how distressed you feel."
"And, if I don't, what then?" Sonny asked.
"You lose everything."
Sonny let out the breath that she had been unconsciously holding. "So, we're back to square one again."
"If you feel that Michael is not fulfilling his obligations as half-owner, then I could address that problem." Ben raised one eyebrow as he spoke.
"No, he's working hard and still spending time with my training," Sonny shrugged resignedly. She had just said it herself, Michael was beyond reproach. He was doing everything her father had asked of him, leaving her no room to bring legal action.
"Then you see, there's nothing that can be done. Just stick it out, Sonny. You're J.B's daughter and a Mead has never walked away from a challenge yet."
Sonny turned the key in the front door, as she balanced the pile of mail in her other hand. It was nearing lunch time and she was sorry she had wasted the morning on her visit to Ben Mathison. As she walked through the entry and the past the large dining room, her heels clicked on the random plank flooring. Katy had left a fresh pot of coffee and a plate of blueberry muffins on the kitchen counter.
Sonny kicked off her shoes, hung her jacket on the back of the kitchen chair, and poured herself a cup of hot coffee. As she sank into the comfortable captain's chair, she began leafing through the mail.
Most of them contained invoices for feed, or bedding for the animals. One was from their veterinarian and the envelope that caught her eyes was from Crescent Stables in Kentucky.
Sonny's interest was piqued and she tore into the flap of the envelope. She didn't recall doing business with them, so what could it be? Her eyes scanned the figures on the printed form, and then her mouth flew open.
Holding the paper in front of her, Sonny quickly dialed the number in Kentucky. Her heart raced as she heard the staccato rhythm of the ringing at the other end of the line. Her breath quickened when a high-pitched voice answered.
"Is this George Crescent?" she asked politely.
"Yes ma'am, what can I do for you?"
"This is Sondra Mead of Pinebrook Farm in California."
"Nice to meet you Miss Mead."
Sonny tried to disguise her impatience. "Thank you. I'm calling about your invoice number 20893. It shows that you sold a horse to us for a sizable amount of money."
The voice at the other end sparked with sudden
recognition. "Yes. Bright Promise."
"Bright Promise?" Sonny questioned.
"A real buy. That filly can run."
"I'm sure he can Mr. Crescent. But tell me, did a young man talk with you about this
One thing was certain, her father would not have retained Ben Mathison if he weren't convinced he was the best man for the job.
"I wondered when you would call for this meeting, Sonny." Ben leaned back in his leather chair and folded his hands on top of the disheveled desk.
"Ben, this partnership is not working."
Sonny leaned forward, her clasped hands resting on the desk.
"Why is that?"
"This isn't my life. I have a job to get back to and a very nice roommate who is getting stuck with added expense in my absence."
"I can understand how this has been very difficult for you Sonny." Ben's round face was filled with benevolence and he placed a reassuring hand over hers.
"My father knew how much I liked my life in Paris. He wouldn't have done this to me Ben, unless…"
"Unless what, Sonny?"
"Michael must have influenced that decision.
How he did it, I don't know, but I intend to find out."
"As I told you, Sonny, J.B's reasons were not revealed to me. He made the conditions and I made them legal."
Ben leaned forward in his seat and looked at her squarely. "My advise is to see it through, no matter how distressed you feel."
"And, if I don't, what then?" Sonny asked.
"You lose everything."
Sonny let out the breath that she had been unconsciously holding. "So, we're back to square one again."
"If you feel that Michael is not fulfilling his obligations as half-owner, then I could address that problem." Ben raised one eyebrow as he spoke.
"No, he's working hard and still spending time with my training," Sonny shrugged resignedly. She had just said it herself, Michael was beyond reproach. He was doing everything her father had asked of him, leaving her no room to bring legal action.
"Then you see, there's nothing that can be done. Just stick it out, Sonny. You're J.B's daughter and a Mead has never walked away from a challenge yet."
Sonny turned the key in the front door, as she balanced the pile of mail in her other hand. It was nearing lunch time and she was sorry she had wasted the morning on her visit to Ben Mathison. As she walked through the entry and the past the large dining room, her heels clicked on the random plank flooring. Katy had left a fresh pot of coffee and a plate of blueberry muffins on the kitchen counter.
Sonny kicked off her shoes, hung her jacket on the back of the kitchen chair, and poured herself a cup of hot coffee. As she sank into the comfortable captain's chair, she began leafing through the mail.
Most of them contained invoices for feed, or bedding for the animals. One was from their veterinarian and the envelope that caught her eyes was from Crescent Stables in Kentucky.
Sonny's interest was piqued and she tore into the flap of the envelope. She didn't recall doing business with them, so what could it be? Her eyes scanned the figures on the printed form, and then her mouth flew open.
Holding the paper in front of her, Sonny quickly dialed the number in Kentucky. Her heart raced as she heard the staccato rhythm of the ringing at the other end of the line. Her breath quickened when a high-pitched voice answered.
"Is this George Crescent?" she asked politely.
"Yes ma'am, what can I do for you?"
"This is Sondra Mead of Pinebrook Farm in California."
"Nice to meet you Miss Mead."
Sonny tried to disguise her impatience. "Thank you. I'm calling about your invoice number 20893. It shows that you sold a horse to us for a sizable amount of money."
The voice at the other end sparked with sudden
recognition. "Yes. Bright Promise."
"Bright Promise?" Sonny questioned.
"A real buy. That filly can run."
"I'm sure he can Mr. Crescent. But tell me, did a young man talk with you about this
Similar Books
