Match Made In Paradise by Barbara Dunlop (black female authors TXT) 📕

the haul road into one of the most important transportation points in central Alaska.”

“Try to work in something fun,” Mia said, hoping Brodie might know how to be a little less business-focused . . . it wasn’t a really great hope.

They pulled into the parking lot to see Brodie doing a walkaround on a small plane. He was definitely a good-looking man, tall, strapping and confident. Mia could certainly see the appeal—so long as a woman wasn’t sensitive to his scowls.

“Have fun,” she called as Raven hopped out of the pickup truck.

“Do you think she knows?” Breena asked as Raven made her way toward Brodie.

“That Brodie’s into her?”

“Yeah, that. I think he’s been fighting it for a long time.”

“I don’t think she has a clue.”

Breena cranked the wheel to turn the truck around in the parking lot. “Nice move, by the way, making her over like that.”

“Yolanda and Bette did all the work.”

“You got her into the chair.”

Mia spread her fingers and held her nails out in front of herself. “It wasn’t entirely altruistic. I feel more like myself now.”

“You mind if I come to visit in LA some day? I’m guessing the spas there are off the charts.”

“Oh, anytime,” Mia said happily. “I know just the place.”

*   *   *

Mia’s latest radio lesson was finished, and Silas was busy taking a customer call in the WSA office when her cell phone rang in her pocket.

She saw Marnie’s name and quickly stepped outside, letting the door swing shut behind her. “Marnie, hi!” Her calls were infrequent enough these days that she was excited about getting one.

“How are you holding up?” Marnie asked.

“Good,” Mia said, realizing it was true. She was good these days.

Raven might be mostly busy working; her trip to Anchorage tonight was just the latest thing. But Mia was keeping busy too. She and Breena had taken the opportunity to come up with some good ideas for the matchmaking event.

They planned to host a walking tour of the town, an afternoon hike through the meadows to the river bend, followed by a cocktail mixer, then a big barbecue on the Bear and Bar patio. No pressure, no matchups, just good fun for everyone involved.

“How about down there?” Mia asked. “What’s the latest?”

“Well . . .” Marnie’s voice turned somber and trailed off.

Mia’s joy dipped a notch. “Uh-oh.”

It took Marnie a moment to start talking. “I tried to reason with the judge. I really did. But I can’t even get a meeting in chambers.”

A sinking feeling hit Mia’s stomach. “What happened? What did they do now?”

“It’s not the twins this time. It’s the management team.”

“Lafayette’s management team?”

“They cancelled Milan and London to attend São Paulo and Shanghai.”

Mia took a few paces across the gravel, not believing she could have heard right. “They can’t do that.”

“I told them the decision went way beyond caretaking. That it was fundamental to the strategic direction of the company.”

“It is.”

“I know.”

Mia turned so the sun wasn’t shining directly in her eyes and kept walking. “So, what did they say?”

“That the strategic vision was archaic.”

“That’s insane. Alastair was a brilliant visionary. He’s proven that year after year.”

“I agree, and so do the company’s balance sheets.”

“Are they trying to ruin us?” Mia waved away a buzzing mosquito and walked a little faster. “How can they ignore Alastair’s official plan?”

“Theresa’s secretly behind it, I’m positive of that. But she must have Henry and Hannah’s backing too.”

Mia paused, figuring out exactly what was happening here. “If they can’t have it, they’ll burn it down.”

“That could be it.”

“What else could it be?”

“That they believe in their own vision.”

“Those three don’t know the first thing about the fashion business.” The mosquitos started buzzing again, and one bit her on the back of the neck. Mia smacked it and started walking away from the forest, where the bugs were thick, and toward the open space of the runway access road.

“Agreed,” Marnie said.

“Where have they even been for the last decade?”

“In high school and college,” Marnie ventured.

“You’re cracking jokes?”

“Sorry. Not funny. I’ll keep trying with the judge.”

“Do you think I should come back?” Mia asked, wondering if she could somehow pressure them into doing the right thing.

She heard footsteps on the gravel behind her and turned to see Silas striding her way, looking puzzled.

“No, it’s safer if you stay there for now,” Marnie said. “You run the risk of ramping up the protests again. And you being here won’t help. You’re the last person they’ll listen to. I’ll keep trying with the judge.”

“We can’t let them get away with this,” Mia said as Silas grew closer.

“I’m on it. I’ll do everything I can.”

Mia wanted Marnie to be more reassuring—to say they would definitely stop the twins and the vice presidents, that they’d beat this, that the judge would have no choice but to see it their way. But Marnie wasn’t being reassuring right now, and that told Mia they were in real trouble.

“I’ll call you when I know something,” Marnie said into the silence.

“Okay. Thanks.” Feeling demoralized and defeated, Mia ended the call.

“What was that?” Silas asked, coming to a halt.

“Home. LA. My lawyer.”

Taking in her expression, he sobered. “Something wrong?”

Mia waved her phone in the air. “Why, why do they have so little faith in me?”

“Who?”

“Everyone. Seriously, everyone.”

“I have faith in you.”

“Don’t humor me.”

“I’m not humoring you.” He moved closer, his gaze intent. “You’re smart, hardworking, committed.”

She appreciated the effort, but it was too little too late. “You’re trying a bit too hard here, Silas.”

“I’m dead serious. You learned the phonetic alphabet in forty-eight hours.”

“That’s just memorization. I need to be analytical, strategic. I need to guess what people are going to do to thwart me and come up with a plan to fight back.”

He covered her shoulder with his palm. “Tell me what happened.”

“Henry and Hannah happened. The Lafayette vice presidents happened. Even the judge happened.”

“Hey.” He eased closer.

“They’ve tossed out Alastair’s strategic plan. They’re just making things up as they go along. Everyone is so convinced of my ineptitude that they’re not even pretending.”

“You’re going to