"I believe my appointment was with A.F. Jenkins, Mr. Stanton." Nathaniel smoothed his hands across the wooden tabletop.

"Jenkins was unavailable. I was asked to fill in. I believe you'll find I'm just as qualified, Mr. Harbor."

"I don't doubt that, but this is a difficult matter. Quite a personal matter in fact." His hands fiddled with the edge of the table, showing just how nervous he was. Nathaniel seemed to be bad at hiding his insecurities.

"To you maybe, but for Jenkins Enterprises it's really quite simple. Shall we get started?" Cole said.

A flicker of agitation flashed through Nathaniel's eyes. He knew the manner of business, and detested how simple they believed it was. It made him sick the type of people he was dealing with.

"Please proceed."

"You know why this meeting was set up, don't you."

"Mr. Jenkins would like to post his flag on my company. I believe that's something like it. Am I correct?"

Cole's lips twitched with a smile he worked to hide. Mr. Harbor hadn't done his research at all if he believed Annie was a man. When she said she'd kept out of the public eye, it hadn't been an exaggeration. Not many knew she had taken over the company instead of her brother. Most had assumed he'd step up. The one thing Annabelle hadn't liked regarding the position of owner of one of the largest companies in Runnell City, was the publicity that came with it, so she didn't mind if people thought that.

"Something like that, yes."

"Well I'm sure you know the company isn't for sale. We're doing quite well for ourselves and would like to keep separate from a giant like Jenkins." Nathaniel was flustered. He smoothed his tie.

"I'm sure some arrangement can be made. Name your price."

"I don't think you understand me, Mr. Stanton."

"I understand that you haven't seen the right number yet."

Cole slid a piece of paper across the table, face down. It contained what he thought to be a sufficient number of zeros to convince anyone to move out of the way, but Nathaniel didn't bat an eye.

He leaned across the table, crossing the halfway point. His eyes locked with Cole's. "If you're going to ream me, you should buy me dinner first, Mr. Stanton. Highlands is not for sale, least of all to the Jenkins Empire."

He stood from the table, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. He slipped it on and made his way to the door before turning back.

"You can tell Jenkins that if he'd like to waste his time further, the bastard can do it in person."

Nathaniel left, leaving Cole sitting alone at the table. He reached a hand across the table, sliding the paper back, and turned it over looking at the figure again.

"Maybe it wasn't large enough," he whispered.

He wasn't sure what he would tell Annie. She had to expect that it wouldn't work on the first try, but she most likely wasn't prepared for the actual answer.

She'd noticed a dip in the company recently. She'd been monitoring them closely the past year and a half, and she saw it as the opportunity to strike. Cole knew she wasn't the type of woman to take no for an answer, she would most definitely be going back to Mr. Harbor with another offer.

He folded the piece of paper and slid it into his pocket before making his way out to the car. He pressed the three in his speed dial, connecting him directly to Annie's office phone.

"Jenkins Enterprises."

"Annie, it's me," Cole said.

"Oh thank God," she sighed. "I thought I was actually going to have to take a business call, and I'm starving." The last words came from around a mouth full of food.

She always seemed careless around him. She let him see the mess that was her desk, not to mention the four walls beyond her office door, she let him see her exhausted, worn down to the ground, and listen to her at her most vulnerable, including while she was stuffing her face with what he assumed to be a cheese burger.

"I guess that lunch date with your mother didn't go so well?"

"If it had only been my mother, I may have been able to tough it out, but Alex was there too."

"Creative differences?" Cole asked with a slight chuckle.

"Haha. Nice choice of words. How did the meeting go with Highlands?"

"I hope you're sitting down, because it was big."

"Please don't be leading me on, hunny," Annie pleaded.

She wanted that company bad.

"No leading happening here. Are you ready?"

"Hit me."

"He told you to fuck off."

There was coughing on the other end, and for a second Cole wondered if maybe he'd killed her.

"I thought you said you weren't leading me on," she accused once she'd regained her composure.

"I wasn't. I said it was big, and it was. You should have felt the tension in the air."

"Two men battling over territory. Who would have guessed with all that testosterone floating around?"

"Funny you should mention that."

"What?" Another mouthful of food. She must have settled back down.

"Nathaniel Harbor believes you're a man."

"You're kidding. Please tell me you're not serious." Cole heard the frosty tone. That had touched a soft spot, one that he was guessing had already been rubbed raw by her mother not too long ago.

"Wish I were. It appears Mr. Harbor didn't do his research on the person who wants to buy him out."

"Probably because he assumes what everyone else assumes, that my brother stepped up."

"You're the one that never corrected the rumors."

"Well it's not like anyone else even bothered to do a Google search," Annie spat. "I mean Google, how hard is it? Anything you could possibly want to know, and even things you don't, right at your disposal."

With that, Cole knew that her mother had done more than rub her raw. She'd cut the wound open and left it to the air. There wasn't much anything could be done besides giving her time, but he thought it was worth a try anyway.

"You know you're capable of running a company. Being a man or a woman has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of women who run their own companies."

"Yeah, and how many of them were given to them only because the rightful person stepped down? I didn't earn this company. I got it on default."

There was the vulnerability, the part of her that no one else saw. It was Annie Jenkins, the girl he met when their fathers were busy at work.

"And yet, with only two years, it's bigger than it was before. You've already proved you can handle it."

There was silence on the other end. Cole wasn't sure if he'd managed to get through to her or not, but he'd tried at least.

"Let me know when you're back. Take your time." It was Cole's dismissal, and he didn't argue.

"Will do." He pressed the end button and continued on his way. He wouldn't mind getting some food as well after listening to her chow down.

~~~~

Annie was glad it was Friday. With the migraine edging in, she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle much more.

The familiar chime of her cell phone went off. A picture of a blonde haired girl in large sunglasses appeared, and she swiped the glass.

"Tessa."

"Hey Ann, I know you're not a fan of non work related calls during the day, but I just wanted to make sure you were still coming out tonight," her best friend's voice pleaded on the other end.

She knew the hidden meaning. She was begging Annie not to leave her alone with the others.

"Yes. We're all meeting at my place. Just after seven. You can come earlier if you'd like."

"Thank goodness! Not that I don't like them, but...you know."

"I'm well aware of the situation," Annie grinned.

"Do you think I can borrow something to wear? I hate to ask, but where we're going..."

"Say no more," Annie cut off. "Come over early and I'll get you set up before the others get there."

"You, my darling, are a life saver. Have I told you how much I love you?"

"I think you have, and I believe I've returned the sentiments. I'll see you in a few hours."

Annie supposed she should do something that resembled work. It wasn't like the company would run itself. Well, it sort of would, but she wasn't going to take the chance.

If Nathaniel Harbor wanted to do things the hard way, then she would. Annie was too exhausted to give the man too many chances, especially if he couldn't be bothered to even look up whom he was dealing with.

That alone hurt more than the rejection of his company. He hadn't seen her as worth his time. That made her angry. She was done with the niceties. She'd send Cole in one more time on her behalf, after that, it would be her turn. If he still refused to sell, there were ways around that. Ways Harbor wouldn't be fond of. If he knew what was good for him and his company, he would sell Highlands to her, or she'd buy it up from underneath him.

Sorting through the papers on her desk, Annie looked over the projects Jenkins Publishing had in the works. There were multiple books that were getting ready for release, a couple she was genuinely interested in herself. She made notes next to the ones she'd like to read in the future, given the time.

Going over the current and future plans of the publishing company frustrated her though. All she could think about was Nathaniel Harbor and his complete disinterest. Annie hoped she wouldn't be seeing red for long.

Consecutive texts flowed in on Annie's phone from Alicia and Ianna. Both were confirming the plans for that evening. Annie tossed her phone to the side. She was too flustered to respond, and they should know she was busy during the day.

"Mrs. Jenkins, Cole wanted me to tell you he's on his way up."

"Thank you."

Cole was back. She hoped that he had something good for her. She really needed something to clean out the foul mood Nathaniel Harbor had put her in. She hadn't even been there and he'd still managed to grind her gears.

By the time Cole entered her office, Annie had managed to fully compose herself again. She couldn't let Cole see just how much she was bothered.

"Please tell me you have something good." Annie leaned against her desk. She could tell Cole was taking in her length and power pose. She always believed he wondered how someone could look so in control when in reality she was drowning in this business.

"Not much else besides what I've already told you." Cole crossed his arms defensively. "He said if you wish to discuss further then you can do it in person."

"Like hell I'll do anything with him in person. If he can't bother to look me up, then I'm not going to bother talking face to face."

"I figured you'd say as much."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Are you going to make me your middle man for the duration of this business exchange?"

"Do you have something against that?" Annie raised her eyebrows. Cole hadn't expressed concern before, and it seemed odd he would when she hadn't yet brought him a contract to assume his new role within the company.

"Of course not. I'm just not sure if I'll be comfortable trapped in this particular crossfire."

"He's an ignorant fool. What are you so concerned about?"

Cole shook his head. "You two have boiling tempers to match. I'd rather not be the one who ends up burned."

Annie relaxed slightly. Apparently she'd been transparent, too transparent. Not that Cole didn't already know she could get as worked up as the next person, but she was letting it show, and all because of some ignorant fool.

"You won't get burned. If you could please just wrap up this deal with him though, I would be eternally grateful."

"I'm sure I've already got you for eternity with all these favors over the past two years."

"This is the last time, I promise." Annie walked back around her desk, sitting in her chair and bringing the computer back to life.

"No you don't, and I don't want you to. Don't make a promise you can't keep, Annabelle."

Annie finished putting in the last few numbers on the report she needed to take in the next morning to the electronics sect and shut the computer down.

"I think I'm going to go home early today."

"Big glass of wine calling your name?"

"More like two. You're free to go whenever you'd like. I assume everything else you has scheduled is done?"

"Yes. You have a good evening, Annie. Don't do anything you might regret."

Annie rolled her eyes and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Cole."

Annie quickly left. She couldn't escape that place a moment too soon. She usually liked the office and everything she had to do, but some days, she felt like she was suffocating. With her mother and Nathaniel Harbor, it was just one of those days.

The evening couldn't come soon enough. Annie figured she might have to do a little pre-partying on her own before the others got there.