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One of the sheets of paper fluttered to the floor “Oh wait I’m sorry” I heard hi my notes and pushed back into my seat

“Are you prepared or not?”

“I am” I flattened out the sheet My notes seemed frivolous now that I was about to read the” It sounded as if I was about to perfor I barely re was familiar There was a knot in my stomach and the inescapable pressure to perform perfectly On command

My father’s attention was sharp and focused The words I chose mattered Each one representedefforts since he had redistributed half the co to take another year to make the full shift, but that was part of my recommendation for the fourth quarter

“I think it would be a good idea to keep a quarter of the shipping in the northeast I know you intended to be a hundred percent invested here, but I think the last quarter shows that the northeast is still strong, and you can keep diversifying It’s safer and the profits are too dependable to shut that down and move it”

He folded his hands together in his lap “What about the hotels? The boutique one Vieux Carre I’m sure you know by now the Corbans don’t want me to buy it They don’t think I’ve paid my dues here”

I knew ht first mentioned it

“Dad, I think you should go for it” I smiled “That hotel will symbolize your position in this city You can’t let the Corbans push you aside because you’re new blood There’s nothing wrong with new blood I think New Orleans could use a little bit of it”

His eyes widened “Those arewhat you would say” He grinned It wasn’t often I witnessed ertips twitch, as if he was considering reaching out to patat the conclusion he saw fro his business strategies

I didn’t either

12

Knight

I surveyed the roo with a fe faces The bank opened a second rooather around two sets of oblong tables I kneould be crowded I knew the auction would attract a high level of clients But I also knew I had spent the last feeeksto be the owner of the Vieux Carre There shouldn’t be any threats of real competition This show of force was for the bank clients who didn’t realize who they were up against The bank expected us I assumed ould be out of here in thirty minutes

Then she walked in

I spotted Kimble first He was easily a head taller than everyone else He cleared the area before Kennedy walked in ho I presumed was her father’s attorney