Texas fury (71 page)

A dream. Built with his blood and sweat. Built out of love.

"I'll make you proud, Amelia. Count on it."

On the first day of summer, a Japanese delegation of seven walked into Cole Tanner's offices at Coleman Aviation. His first thought was that something had happened to Sumi. Then he realized it wouldn't take seven sober-faced men to tell him that.

All the men carried identical briefcases. Even their suits appeared to be made from the same cloth, crafted by the same

tailor.

Bewildered, he led the men to the long oval table in the conference room, motioning them to be seated. Damn. Sumi hadn't indicated there would be a problem with their marriage. The only thing she'd said was they'd have to postpone it for a

year.

The spokesman for the delegation spoke flawless English. "Mr. Tanner, we represent Hasegawa Enterprises in its entirety." The spokesman's briefcase snapped open at the same moment the others snapped open. Synchronization to the last sync, Cole thought ruefully. Sumi's dowry, or something to do with his own net worth? Shit. When they got a load of his bank account, they'd never let Sumi marry him.

"Mr. Hasegawa asked me to deliver this to you personally. v I am to wait while you read it before I continue."

Cole's heart pounded when he reached for the letter. His hands were trembling so badly he could barely hold the paper.

Dear Coleman san,

This letter, my last to you, reaches you from beyond my grave. I am writing this many, many months before my expected demise. I mention this to you so you will know I am lucid and have all my faculties at my disposal. The men who are with you now will attest to this fact.

To you, Coleman Tanner, I bequeath Hasegawa En-

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terprises in its entirety, with only one condition.

Every man must have a dream, and other men must help bring that dream to fruition. Now you will write. Nothing stands in the way of that dream now. Do it, Coleman san. For yourself, for Sumi, and for all the children she will bear for you with love.

I make no apologies nor explanations. Accept this which I give you with a free, open heart.

Shadaharu Hasegawa

"You have finished, Mr. Tanner?"

"Yes, but.. . Now, wait, this has to be a mistake. Riley is his grandson. I think it's Riley you want. Perhaps he made a mistake. Sometimes Mr. Hasegawa didn't think clearly. ..."

The second man spoke. "I am Mr. Hasegawa's personal physician. He said you would say exactly what you just said. There are his medical reports. On the date he wrote the letter to you and drafted his will, he was as sane as you and I are at this very moment."

"I can't accept all of this, even if what you say is true. I've heard about the Hasegawa empire from the time I was a kid. It's worth at least a billion dollars. They wrote checks and let other people fill in the amounts," Cole said inanely.

The third man spoke. "Your estimate of the Hasegawa empire is short of the mark. I am the head of the legal firm that handles Hasegawa Enterprises. At the close of business yesterday, we were worth over ninety billion dollars. This is the report."

'That's. . . Only the government has that much," Cole blustered.

"The government deals on paper. You have liquidity. Ninety billion dollars of liquidity."

"I don't believe this. This is all a dream," Cole said desperately.

The fourth man laid a sheaf of papers in front of Cole. "Mr. Hasegawa owned all these companies?"

"He used the names of family members for the companies. Every electronic item you own is manufactured by Hasegawa Enterprises."

"And I thought Sony and Mitsubishi.. ."

The men smiled. Cole felt faint.

The fifth man spoke softly. "There is one condition."

"I knew it. Thank God. Whatever it is, I can't do it. You can all leave now. Tell whoever it is that I thank them, but—"

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The fifth man went on talking as though Cole hadn't spoken. 'You are to live in Mr. Hasegawa s bouse and take care of his fami/

"That's it 1 Live in his noose and care for his family ?~ Cole ran his hands through his hair.

"It is a tremendous responsibility. You must look after his family as well as your own. The children must be educated. As I said, a tremendous responsibility. One. 1 might add. that Mr. Hasegawa said you were up to

Cole never did figure out who the sixth and seventh men were. The carriers oi the contracts, he supposed.

Once his desk was heaped, the men stood back in a precision line. They bowed formally and said in unison. "Good-bye, Mr Tanner "

The first man turned at the door and spoke. ~One month from today you are expected to take Mr. Hasegawa s seat. The meeting is scheduled for ten a.m. Japanese time. You understand, you must come to Japan."

Well. I... Now. listen .. . This is just.. "

"One month from today. Mr. Tannz

.e sat in his office all afternoon reading the letter from Riley's grandfather over and over. Soon he knew it by bean. H:> naebvy came into his office and <**"ianA*H to know what it was that was piled on his desk and why she hadn't been called to file it.

"Go home. Nancy, and don't fret. I'm not sure what r. A dream. I think."

"Looks like a nightmare lo me. If you're sure. Mr. Tanner, then I'll say good night "

"When you get here in the morning. Nancy, don't touch these papers till I figure out what they are.*"

"I thought you said they were a dream." Nancy said testily.

~Go home. Nanc

He wanted to call even one in the world, but he didn't.

It seemed to Riley that he'd waited all his life for this moment—the moment when Coleman Enterprises wc turned over to him in its entirety He stood before the mirror

Was he ready 1 Could he handle all the sponsibiiir> ? He felt he was capable, and obviousl> the rest of the family felt so. too The> i taken a family vote and agreed to turn it all over to him. no strings attached. This

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today was to formally hand over the reins to him. They'd all be there. His family.

Sawyer had flown over, to spend a week with her two favorite men—Adam was joining her at Sunbridge for a long weekend. She had appointed herself in charge of the luncheon and entertainment, something she said she did well. Riley's heart had fluttered a little when he heard the word entertainment, but Sawyer wouldn't ... or would she? Sawyer could be a real jokester when she wanted to. Her way of paying him back for all the jokes he'd played on her over the years. And right now she was in a real giddy mood—about to give up her work in Japan and settle down to married life.

Nothing was going to dampen his spirits today, not even Sawyer. Whatever she had planned for him, he would smile and behave the way she expected. He wouldn't ruin her fun. His heart swelled with love for his family. Heart and soul, he now believed he was one of them.

Riley peered into the mirror. As happy as he was, he knew there was something missing in his countenance. Eyes, they said, were the mirror of one's soul. Instead of mirroring his happiness, his eyes were mirroring his sadness and sorrow. He hadn't grieved yet for his grandfather. Perhaps he would never truly grieve, but one morning he would wake and realize the depth of his loss. The old one had made him promise not to grieve but to go on with life. He had to do his best to honor his promise.

He'd planned it all out the past few days. Tomorrow he was flying to Japan. He wanted to walk up to the cherry blossom hill. He wanted to light the joss sticks. He wanted to walk back down the hill. He needed the memory of the cherry blossom hill. There would be other pilgrimages to the fragrant hill, but none as important as this one. He would lay to rest all his ghosts and start clean and fresh as head of Coleman Enterprises.

Riley's hand slicked a stray lock of hair into place. He could have come out of this an emotional cripple, but thanks to his grandfather's love and wisdom, he was now stronger than he'd ever been. He peered again at his reflection. The sadness and sorrow were still there, and would remain until he returned from his grandfather's favorite spot on earth.

Riley winked at his reflection. He was on track.

The Colemans gathered in one of the larger meeting rooms at Assante Towers. Sawyer was in charge, bustling here and there

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with little cue cards for what she called Riley's entertainment. She cast a critical eye around the room. The tables were perfect, the centerpieces rich with color. Balloons wafted upward in gay bunches tied with gold ribbon. She'd hired a deejay to play what she called triumphant music and to read from the cue cards she'd typed up. The family was sequestered in the small service room off the meeting room, waiting to be called by the deejay. Only Sawyer would be in the meeting room when Riley arrived. She hated the thought that Riley would have a few moments of discomfort when he walked into an empty room with only herself to greet him, but she consoled herself with the thought that the end justified the means.

"Okay, is everybody ready? You all know what to do and say, right?" There was a chorus of yeas. "I think I hear him. Shhhh."

Riley's expression was comical at best. Sawyer felt a pang of regret for what she was doing. Riley didn't deserve even a second of anxiety. "I guess everyone's a little late. They did say they'd be here. Sit down. Relax, cousin. Can I get you a glass of wine? I insist. Sit right there and don't move. I'm going to wait on you hand and foot." She was back in seconds with two glasses of bubbly wine. "Let's not make a toast; that's too corny. This is purely business." She raised her glass to her lips, the signal for the deejay to activate the sound system.

A few bars of music bounced off the walls. The deejay cleared his throat, as though he were testing his equipment. "Riley Coleman, this is your life!" Sawyer burst out laughing at Riley's shocked look. When he recovered, he doubled over with laughter.

"I'll get you for this!"

"You'll never top this; besides, Adam won't let you. I'm getting married, remember. Sit back and enjoy... your life. It's just the highlights," Sawyer added hastily. "Nothing long and drawn out."

Behind the makeshift stage, Sumi's voice rang out loud and clear. "I can't personally attest to this, because I was a mere toddler at the time, but my sisters tell me you came into this world feet first, screaming your head off, with your hair standing on end. They said you were rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed, and.. . very, very plump. They also said you turned into a male chauvinist at the age of four. You were the apple of our family's eye ... and you're still the apple of my eye ... after Cole. I love you, Riley." Riley stood with his arms outstretched as Sumi ran

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to him. Riley could feel his eyes smart as he hugged his cousin.

"On with your life, Riley." Sawyer grinned.

Thad's booming baritone came over the sound system. "I take full credit for seeing you first, before any of the Colemans did. You were a rambunctious young fellow. . . outside the walls of your home. You were kind, respectful, and definitely not a male chauvinist. We took long walks, you and I, and I told you stories about your new family by the hour. You always wanted more and more. When I write my memories, you will be included because you are part of my life." Riley was halfway across the room when Thad came out from behind the curtain. They hugged and then slapped each other on the back.

"C'mon, let's not get maudlin; we have a ways to go yet," Sawyer chided.

Billie's sweet voice sounded next. "The minute I laid eyes on you, I loved you, Riley. I thought my heart would burst with happiness. Knowing I had a grandson made my life complete. The day you came to the States to stay with us was one of the happiest days of my life. I will treasure all our times and talks, and I hope you feel the same. I love you, Riley, with all my heart." Once again Riley was off the chair and sprinting across the room. He hugged his grandmother till she squealed for Thad. Tears streamed down Riley's cheeks. He shook his head at Thad's offer of a handkerchief.

"Enough already!" Sawyer shouted. "Next!"

Rand's voice boomed. "I decided I wanted to know you better the night you and I sobered up your cousin Cole. I saw something in your eyes then, compassion, love, integrity, and a spirit that has never let any of us down. I feel privileged to know you, Riley." Maggie's voice came directly after her husband's. "You were the shyest, sweetest young man, after my own son, of course, that I ever met. I remember the time I made grits for you, and rather than tell me you didn't like them, you forced them down. Later Cole told me you said it was like eating warm snot." Maggie laughed, a delighted sound that made Riley smile from ear to ear. "I cannot imagine what our lives would have been without you. You made our family complete, Riley."

They were hugging and kissing him, laughing and crying. Riley didn't care. A guy could do anything when his family was behind him.

"Now it's my turn," Sawyer said in a serious tone. "Adam joins me here because we're almost married. Riley, if it hadn't

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been for you and Cole pushing and prodding me, I never would have gone for my operation. How do I ever thank you for giving me my life? If you ever need me . .. for anything . . . I'll be here for you." Sawyer's voice ended on a choked sob.

Adam's voice was subdued when he spoke. "You've been a hell of a friend, Riley, the kind of friend a guy wants to keep for the whole of his life. If I had a brother, I'd want him to be just like you. You're okay, Riley."

Sawyer's eyes were flooded with tears as she embraced her cousin. "I love you almost as much as I love Adam." Riley grinned, not trusting his voice.

Cary's voice sounded gruff, but it was filled with love and emotion. "Riley, you're a hell of a guy, and if the chips were down and they were counting time, I'd want you on my side. We have a wonderful family here. If ... if your Aunt Amelia were here, she'd know exactly what to say and how to say it. She used to tell me not to be afraid to show what I feel. Guys like us think we're macho and tough and all that crap. I know now I'm none of those things; I'm a human being with feelings, and my feeling right now is one of love for you and our family."