Grand Passion

said. “She's got what it takes. My advice is don't fight her.”
    “I'll fight anyone who tries to take over my company. I've waited all these years to take command, and I'm going to do it. I want you in my corner. Let's cut the bullshit, Fortune. Name your price.”
    “For what?” Max asked.
    “For coming back to Curzon as my personal troubleshooter.” Dennison narrowed his eyes. “I'll give you the same deal my brother did plus a ten percent increase in salary and bonuses. In return I want your guarantee that you report to me and to me alone.”
    “I've already got a job,” Max said.
    “All right.” Dennison's expression was taut. “If you come back, I'll consider giving you that seat on the board that Jason wanted you to have.”
    “No, thanks. I seem to have developed an aptitude for plumbing and home repairs,” Max said.
    “You heard him,” Cleo said. “He doesn't want to work for you. Mr. Curzon, I think you had better leave. Max has had a very rough night, and he needs his rest.” She turned to Max. “Don't you need your rest?”
    “I need my rest,” Max said equably.
    “He needs his rest,” Sylvia said.
    Andromeda and Daystar nodded in agreement.
    O'Reilly looked as though he was going to explode with laughter at any second.
    Dennison rounded on Cleo. “Don't you dare try to kick me out of here, young lady. Max Fortune belongs to me.”
    “He most certainly does not.” Cleo released Max's hand and took a step toward Dennison. “He belongs to me. And to the rest of us.” She looked around at the others. “Isn't that right?”
    “Oh, yes,” Andromeda murmured. “No question about it.”
    “He's one of the family,” Sammy said loudly. “You can't have him.”
    Daystar glowered at Dennison. “I'm afraid you're wasting your time and ours with all this nonsense, Mr. Curzon. Why don't you leave?”
    “Nonsense? You call this nonsense?” Dennison turned on her with an air of appalled outrage. “Are you out of your mind, lady? Curzon is a multinational corporation. Do you have any idea how much Fortune can earn in a year working for me?”
    “No,” Daystar said honestly. “But I don't see that it matters.”
    “Believe me, it matters,” Dennison snarled. “Curzon has made Fortune a wealthy man. He can become even wealthier if he comes back to work for me.”
    “Piffle,” Andromeda said. “Max already has a perfectly good job at Robbins' Nest Inn. Isn't that right, Max?”
    “Right,” said Max.
    Dennison looked at him. “This is a joke, isn't it?”
    O'Reilly grinned. “Face it, Curzon, it's not a joke. You can't match the benefits that Max has found in his new job.”
    “Can't match them?” Dennison glared at O'Reilly. “I can pay Fortune enough in one year to enable him to buy that damned inn.”
    “The man hasn't got a clue,” O'Reilly said cheerfully.
    Sammy clung very tightly to Lucky Ducky as he gazed up at Dennison. “Go away.”
    “Yes,” Cleo said. “Go away.”
    “Drive carefully,” Andromeda said brightly.
    “You're becoming a pest, Mr. Curzon,” Daystar said. “I do wish you would take yourself off.”
    Dennison looked at Max with disbelief and desperation. “Think about this, Fortune. There's a good chance I can talk Kimberly into leaving Winston. I don't think she's been all that happy with him lately. You and my daughter would make a hell of a combination.”
    “You didn't think so three years ago,” Max said. “And you know something? You were right. I owe you for talking Kimberly out of the engagement. In exchange, I'm going to give you some good advice. Don't get in her way now. She'll be the best thing that's ever happened to Curzon International.”
    “She's taking over, don't you understand?”
    “I understand,” Max said. “And you're all going to get even richer with her at the helm. If you behave yourself, maybe she'll give you some grandkids.”
    “That sounds lovely.” Andromeda smiled kindly at Dennison. “Wouldn't you love some grandchildren?”
    Dennison stared at her and then looked at Max with a baffled expression. “You're serious about this, aren't you? You aren't just playing a game in order to jack up your price?”
    “I'm serious, all right,” Max said. “You couldn't meet my price in a million years. Go away, Dennison.”
    Cleo scowled at him. “You are becoming extremely offensive, Mr. Curzon. Only family is supposed to be in this room until the regular visiting hours. Please leave, or I will summon