She was the first to pull away. “Parker, I’m never going to leave at this rate. And I have a business to run.”
I slowly put her back onto the ground and pecked her on the lips. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” she said. Her smile reached her eyes, and it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
After Sienna left for work, I showered and headed downtown for my meeting with Gary and his associates. Since I worked mostly from home, I didn’t bother with an office. I’d agreed to meet at a restaurant of their choosing. There were so many great local places to eat, but they ended up choosing the restaurant in the hotel they were staying at. I knew this was all business to them, but if it were me, I would have wanted to explore the area, even if I was only there for the day.
That was the difference between them and me. At least I knew my technology would be g
oing to a company that would take care of it, even if that meant the employees didn’t make time to have fun.
When I arrived at the hotel, I was directed to the restaurant on the tenth floor. In my time living in Key Largo, I never had the need to visit the bigger hotel chains. I had to admit this one was quite luxurious. The dining room of the restaurant looked out at the beach on two sides. The windows gave a panoramic view of the blue sky and the ocean that stretched out as far as the eye could see.
“May I help you?” the young hostess asked.
“Yes, I’m here to see Gary Ingram. He’s expecting me.”
“Of course,” she said. “Right this way.”
She led me into a back room, far away from the spectacular views of the ocean. I was a little disappointed but also realized that I wasn’t here for the view. I wondered if Sienna would like this place. I made a mental note to take her here for lunch one day. I was sure she’d love the ambiance.
The hostess moved to the side and indicated the door for the private room. “You have a private waitress who will assist you with drinks.”
“Thank you,” I said and nodded to her.
When I opened the door, three sets of eyes looked up at me from the table.
“Parker!” a loud, boisterous man said. He struggled to get up from his chair. While I didn’t recognize him, I knew that voice. I’d spoken to him a few times since the initial offer came in.
“It’s nice to meet you in person, Gary,” I said. I strode over and shook his hand.
He was older than I thought, with more skin than hair on his head. But he had a kind smile, even though a few particles of food were stuck in his teeth. I saw they had started eating before I arrived.
“This is Michael and Jonathan,” Gary said, indicating the other two men.
I shook their hands then sat down.
“I want to start off by saying, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” I said, thinking of Kenneth. I wondered if Harriet had come into the diner today. I’d ask Sienna how she was doing later on at dinner.
“I take it you read through the agreement?” Gary asked.
“I did.”’
“Do you have any questions?”
Gary had laid out a very detailed contract for me. Another reason I felt confident about handing over the company to him. “Actually, no. I am ready and prepared to sign the contracts as is.”
Gary clapped his hands together and let out a chortling laugh. “That’s my boy! I knew you were a smart man from the moment I first spoke with you.”
He called for the waitress and ordered a bottle of prosecco for the table. Two other waiters came through a back door with trays of food.
“I took the liberty of ordering a sampling of the menu,” Gary said. “The food down here is so fresh. I can’t get enough.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time on your trip. When do you return home?”
“This afternoon, unfortunately,” he said. “But since we’d already scheduled our trip for yesterday, we had some time to sightsee.”