Read Online Wild and Wonderful by Janet Dailey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Janet Dailey
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strength I need."
Jett glanced over a report in his hand before leaning forward to set it on the table atop others. "You have explained that your credit has been overextended because of recent economic reversals in the industry. While your operation can't be classified as lucrative, it appears to be stable. Lending institutions have made loans on less strength than what you've shown me. Their reason for refusing you can't be based on your indebtedness or lack of collateral. What was it?" There was something very casual and indifferent about the way Jett shook out a cigarette from its pack and lighted it.
"As you know, a single-mine owner is in a precarious position. He virtually has a one-man operation. If something happens to that one man, there is no operation. On the other hand—" her father shrugged "—your company is made up of a team of men. If something happens to one of them, you replace him, but the loss of one man does not jeopardize your company's existence."
"True," Jett agreed and waited for him to continue.
As Glenna studied her father she noticed the tightening of his mouth. She was well aware of the effort it took for her father to finish his explanation.
"In the last three years I've had two heart attacks. A year from now I may not be here. That's why I can't get a loan," he explained. "If I'm gone, who would run the mine? Glenna certainly couldn't. Not because she's a woman. Her skills happen to be in another field. Without me there's no one to run the operation and make sure the debts are paid."
His statement prompted a question that Glenna unwittingly offered aloud. "What about Bruce?"
Tired gray eyes sent her a rueful look. "Bruce is a competent individual when he has someone to give him directions. He's a stopgap, capable of holding things together alone only over a short period of time," he explained to both her and Jett.
Her gaze was magnetically drawn to Jett. He was eyeing her with quiet contemplation, but she was struck by the emotionless set of his features. When his gaze broke contact with hers, it was to slide downward and linger on the soft outline of her lips. This betrayal of interest was the first he'd shown toward her. It was quickly gone as his attention reverted to her father.
"Without this merger I stand to lose a great deal," Orin said, which was an understatement. "But I'm not the only one who would suffer. The economy of our small community has barely recovered from the last shutdown. I don't know how many could survive if the mine is closed again for an extended period of time."
"I can appreciate what you are saying." Jett exhaled a stream of smoke and tapped his cigarette in an ashtray.
"Naturally I don't have to point out to you the tax advantages your company would enjoy by absorbing my operation. I wouldn't even make this proposition if there wasn't a way you could benefit from it," her father insisted, then paused as if suddenly realizing he had no more arguments to make. "I don't expect you to give me an answer right away. You need time to consider it."
"If I may, I'd like to take a copy of the reports you've shown me so I can go over them." He gestured toward the papers on the table.
"You can take those," her father offered.
"Between tonight and tomorrow I'll have a chance to study them." When Jett uncoiled his length to stand, it signaled an end to the meeting. Whatever followed was merely a formality. "I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon whether I think your proposal is something my company would wish to pursue."
"That sounds fair enough to me." Orin rose with difficulty to shake hands.
Glenna stood, too, as Jett picked up the stack of reports. Her gaze searched his face, but whatever opinion he had, he was keeping it strictly to himself. With a nodded farewell in her direction, he let her father escort him to the door.
When the door was closed behind him, her father turned back to the center of the room, glanced at Glenna, and sighed heavily. "We only have
Jett glanced over a report in his hand before leaning forward to set it on the table atop others. "You have explained that your credit has been overextended because of recent economic reversals in the industry. While your operation can't be classified as lucrative, it appears to be stable. Lending institutions have made loans on less strength than what you've shown me. Their reason for refusing you can't be based on your indebtedness or lack of collateral. What was it?" There was something very casual and indifferent about the way Jett shook out a cigarette from its pack and lighted it.
"As you know, a single-mine owner is in a precarious position. He virtually has a one-man operation. If something happens to that one man, there is no operation. On the other hand—" her father shrugged "—your company is made up of a team of men. If something happens to one of them, you replace him, but the loss of one man does not jeopardize your company's existence."
"True," Jett agreed and waited for him to continue.
As Glenna studied her father she noticed the tightening of his mouth. She was well aware of the effort it took for her father to finish his explanation.
"In the last three years I've had two heart attacks. A year from now I may not be here. That's why I can't get a loan," he explained. "If I'm gone, who would run the mine? Glenna certainly couldn't. Not because she's a woman. Her skills happen to be in another field. Without me there's no one to run the operation and make sure the debts are paid."
His statement prompted a question that Glenna unwittingly offered aloud. "What about Bruce?"
Tired gray eyes sent her a rueful look. "Bruce is a competent individual when he has someone to give him directions. He's a stopgap, capable of holding things together alone only over a short period of time," he explained to both her and Jett.
Her gaze was magnetically drawn to Jett. He was eyeing her with quiet contemplation, but she was struck by the emotionless set of his features. When his gaze broke contact with hers, it was to slide downward and linger on the soft outline of her lips. This betrayal of interest was the first he'd shown toward her. It was quickly gone as his attention reverted to her father.
"Without this merger I stand to lose a great deal," Orin said, which was an understatement. "But I'm not the only one who would suffer. The economy of our small community has barely recovered from the last shutdown. I don't know how many could survive if the mine is closed again for an extended period of time."
"I can appreciate what you are saying." Jett exhaled a stream of smoke and tapped his cigarette in an ashtray.
"Naturally I don't have to point out to you the tax advantages your company would enjoy by absorbing my operation. I wouldn't even make this proposition if there wasn't a way you could benefit from it," her father insisted, then paused as if suddenly realizing he had no more arguments to make. "I don't expect you to give me an answer right away. You need time to consider it."
"If I may, I'd like to take a copy of the reports you've shown me so I can go over them." He gestured toward the papers on the table.
"You can take those," her father offered.
"Between tonight and tomorrow I'll have a chance to study them." When Jett uncoiled his length to stand, it signaled an end to the meeting. Whatever followed was merely a formality. "I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon whether I think your proposal is something my company would wish to pursue."
"That sounds fair enough to me." Orin rose with difficulty to shake hands.
Glenna stood, too, as Jett picked up the stack of reports. Her gaze searched his face, but whatever opinion he had, he was keeping it strictly to himself. With a nodded farewell in her direction, he let her father escort him to the door.
When the door was closed behind him, her father turned back to the center of the room, glanced at Glenna, and sighed heavily. "We only have
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