Bachelor CEO (McDaniels #1)

Epilogue

“You know, I’m getting tired of these impromptu board meetings,”

Walter Peters grumbled as he took his seat on Tuesday afternoon. He turned to Leroy. “Do you know what this is about?”

“Nope. Chase hasn’t said a thing. Like I told you, he took off early Saturday morning and I haven’t seen him since.”

“I haven’t heard from Miranda since this weekend, either. Do you think they ran into each other and fought?”

“I have no idea,”

Leroy replied. He and Walter had been over this several times already.

Kathleen Kennedy came into the room and glared at the two men. “If you have any more tricks up your sleeves, I’m going to resign,”

she warned.

“I’m at a loss, too,”

Leroy announced. He took inventory. A few people hadn’t been able to drop everything and show, but the board had a majority present, which was all Chase needed. The agenda had been pretty vague, which wasn’t acceptable at all. If he were running things, it’d be different.

His grandson finally entered the room, Carla on his heels. They left the door open.

“Thanks for coming,”

Chase said. “I have some important items we need to vote on. I’ve filled our corporate vacancies.”

Leroy leaned back in his chair. His grandchildren still didn’t like him being here, but the doctor said he was doing well, and he couldn’t stand sitting at home. “We don’t need to vote on that,” he said.

“No, but you do need to vote on the restructuring of McDaniel Manufacturing.”

“Again?”

Kathleen asked. She scowled at Leroy. “Your family is giving me gray hair.”

It was Chase who answered. “Yes, again. Most companies have a chief executive officer and a company president, each playing a vital role. Since my return I’ve reanalyzed our five-year growth plan, and it’s in our best interests to make this change. We will maintain the vice president position and permanently fill it with Emily Feng.”

“Do you have someone in mind for the role of company president?”

Walter asked as Carla passed out folders containing detailed job descriptions and the new corporate structure.

“I do, but we need to approve the proposal first. The full specs are in front of you. Basically, the CEO is at the top, but the company president takes care of day-to-day operations and the CEO is in charge of long-range planning. Will someone make a motion?”

“Absolutely,”

Leroy said, and a minute later, the motion passed.

“Thank you,”

Chase said.

“So who is this person?”

Walter asked.

Leroy leaned forward in his chair. He was certain he knew, but he had to see this for himself. As Miranda walked through the door, he felt tears prick his eyelids, and he banged his fist on the table. “Finally, you got it right.”

“Oh, I did.”

Chase reached around and drew Miranda to him. “I also hope you can all make it to the lake next summer for our wedding. We’re hosting an engagement party next Saturday afternoon at Leroy’s. I hope you don’t mind. Your house is bigger.”

Carla began to pass out invitations.

“Best thing you’ve ever done,”

Leroy said, trying to blink away the tears.

THE DAY LEROY TURNED eighty-one, he walked Miranda down the aisle, which was a long white runner in the meadow behind the lodge. “You sure you want to do this?”

he teased.

“Absolutely,”

Miranda replied. The weather was perfect, and there, less than fifty feet away now, Chase stood waiting. He was so handsome in his tux, but the smile on his face and the light in his eyes were what drew her. Both showed how much he loved her.

A year ago, on her first trip to the lake, she hadn’t known she could ever find this much joy. She and Chase had managed to work together successfully, as equals. By tomorrow it would be official—two McDaniels would run the company.

As Leroy and she approached, Miranda saw Chris place his hand on his brother’s shoulder. While Chris would officiate, she and Chase had written their own vows.

She hoped she wouldn’t cry. Already her sister, the maid of honor, was dabbing at her eyes.

Leroy stopped as Chase stepped forward. “Thank you for making me so happy,”

the older man said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “You have it all.”

Miranda reached for Chase’s arm so he could walk her the rest of the way. Only two words fit at a time like this.

“I do.”

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