“Phillip would you contact Preston Long’s office to see if I could get ten minutes of his time?” She rushed by him, as he followed her into the office. “Also, contact Lynn Sterling’s office. I’m going to need to make a large withdrawal from my personal account.”
“Why do you have to talk to Risk Management to make a withdrawal?”
“Risk Management reviews all large withdrawals from dormant accounts.” She thought for a moment. “I honestly cannot think of the last time I withdrew anything.”
“Why are you now?” Phillip asked as he took his seat in front of her desk.
AnnieMarie smiled as she sat down. “You will be the first to know, well outside of family. I’m buying a house.”
“What? Where?” He beamed.
“Dunning Estate.”
She laughed at his stunned expression. “You are buying the mansion?”
“Yes,” she beamed.
“Think of the parties you can host there. Congratulations.”
“I could jump your bones right now. But I am your boss so I will refrain from doing that.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Phillip laughed.
“Everyone else keeps telling me the place is too big for me to live in by myself.”
“Listen, if all goes well with the Cainan situation, I suspect you will not be there alone for long.”
“I have no idea how that situation is going to work out,” she sighed. “If he is able to testify, they find everyone charged guilty, Cainan may want to stay with his family. He may not want to come back here.”
Phillip stood. “Yeah, right,” He laughed. “I will get with Mr. Sterling and Mr. Long and let you know when they are both free. I will also find an interior decorator.”
“And a general contractor. I plan on doing a few renovations. Oh and…and….”
“There is more?” He laughed.
“Yes, I need you to find Gina Price. Myles and Christina set a wedding date for the end of next month. I really want to convince them the house will be ready for it.”
“You’re planning on having the wedding at the mansion?”
She beamed. “That’s the plan.”
“That will be an aggressive schedule. I better get on it.”
“Wait,” she stared up at him. “Yeah right what?”
“Excuse me?”
“Earlier you said yeah right when I talked about Cainan not coming back.”
He huffed. “This is friend to friend, not boss to subordinate. You’re a damn fool if you think Cainan is not coming back for your prissy ass. Okay, we’re back to boss, subordinate.”
“I’m not as sure as you are, but we’ll see.” She shrugged. “Get going. We have a wedding to put together.”
AnnieMarie watched as Phillip walked out of the office. In her heart she had to hold on to two simple facts; Cainan would prevail in this trial and he would come back to her.
“Mr. Sterling is on line one,” Phillip’s voice came through the intercom.
“Thank you.” She pushed thoughts of Cainan from her mind as she picked up the phone. “Lynn hi. Thank you for making time for me. I am about to buy a house. I’d like to pay cash for it, no mortgage. The cost is going to be significant, but the good news is the transfer is amongst family. Tell me how I should handle this.”
$ $ $
“Preston,” AnnieMarie knocked on his office door, then opened it and walked in. “I see you are about to move into your new office. Are you excited?”
“AnnieMarie, come on in,” Preston said as he glanced up. “Excited, nervous, there are a few more adjectives I could add.”
“Allow me, prepared,” She smiled. “You have been working your way through the bank for as long as I can remember. I remember when Grace announced the Director of PR position. Even though I knew I had the skills, knew the bank inside and out, I had doubts. Could I live up to the Family Integrity First and Foremost motto? Did I have what it took to represent the bank to the world the way the family needed me to? The questions went on for months.” She shrugged, “At times, like now, I still have doubts. But I know with family behind us, we are going make it.”
“Family,” Preston exhaled. “It is a lot to handle with everything that is happening with my mom. The thought of what she did,” he shook his head. “It’s all a little overwhelming.”
AnnieMarie nodded in understanding. “I can certainly relate to that,” she said as she took a seat. “The situation with you and your mom and me with Cainan can delay our growth with the bank if we let it. I choose not to. What about you?”
Preston leaned against his desk, crossing his legs at the ankles. “How do you do it?” Preston asked. “How do you always have a positive spin on all the crazy that is happening around here?”
“Honestly, I shut out the noise. Some may say I live in my own reality. They are not wrong. I plan what I want to accomplish in the morning then set out to get it done. If situations come up, I handle them then continue with my plan.”
“How do you shut out the noise?”
“Create my own.” AnnieMarie smiled. “Have you ever noticed the way I dress?”
Preston laughed out loud. “You walk around here every day dressed like a 1950’s movie star, with your four inch heels, A-line dresses and elbow length gloves.”
“That’s my noise,” AnnieMarie smiled. “When I walk into a room of people who don’t know me, the noise becomes about me. To be honest, I don’t do it for the attention. I happen to love the style of the 50’s. For women, the clothes were so feminine. They designed clothes to show off a woman’s natural figure and I love that.”
“Not into the women’s movement?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I want all the rights and more. But there is no reason I can’t get that and look good too.”
Preston laughed. “You definitely do that. You and Gina have a way of wearing clothes that brings out your best assets, that’s for sure.”
“Really.” AnnieMarie sat forward. “Gina?” She raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Uh… it’s not like that,” Preston said as he walked back around his desk. “Listen, Phillip mentioned you needed to ask me about something personal.”
“Well, I just did and you shut me down,” AnnieMarie said as she waved off the topic. “I will not ask anything more about Gina, but I do need your help with a touchy issue.”
“What is it?”
“My mother mentioned that she noticed some family art pieces in your mother’s house when she was there.” She watched his reaction to determine how to proceed.
“My mother has quite a few art pieces,” he replied. “But I had no idea any of them are family pieces.”
“From what I’ve been told, Uncle Walker moved the pieces into your mother’s home.”
“Did he give them to her?”
“I don’t know.” AnnieMarie shrugged. “If he did, they belong to her.”
“I can ask her about them.”
“No, your mother is dealing with enough. Do you think you could take me to her house to see if there is any of the art from the family estate? I know this seems terribly insensitive, but I’m buying the estate and would like to put it back together as I remember it.”
“You bought the estate?”
“Well, I’m in the process of buying it,” She giggled. “I’m really excited about it.”
“Congratulations. It’s good that it will be staying in the family.”
“There are some updates that I will have to do, but I plan to make it my forever home.”
“You and Cainan?”
AnnieMarie sighed. “I don’t know. He has the situation up north to handle.”
Preston stood then walked back around the desk to where she stood. “Whatever is happening, I believe you two will work things out. Don’t let petty things stop you from happiness.”
“Can I offer you the same advice. I’m not saying your mother’s situation is petty, far from it. Be there for her, but please, please don’t let it stop you from living your life. Preston you are a young handsome, debonair man. I never met your mother. But I know she loves you. I’m sure she wants to see you happy.”
“I’m dealing with a lot, but I’m okay.”
AnnieMarie glared at him. “Are you getting any?”
“Excuse me?” Preston stood.
“We’re cousins, right? So that means I can get into your business now.”
“No, it does not mean that,” he walked back around his desk.
“So the desk is your barrier, huh.” She smiled. “Every time I say something that makes you uncomfortable you go behind your desk. Like you are putting up a barrier between you and me.” She almost laughed at his expression. “So are you getting any?”
“Yes….no….None of your business.” He smirked.
“You know you have a large family now. You are a part of the Dunning clan. Get ready for the family functions, holidays and all of us getting into your business.” She walked towards the door. “We’ll give you time to adjust, but don’t think for a moment that we are going to leave you alone. It’s not in the Dunning’s DNA.” She opened the door. “When can we get together to check out the pictures?”
Preston opened the door for her to leave. “Tomorrow afternoon works for me.”
Gina walked up just as he completed the statement.
“I will appreciate it.” AnnieMarie stated then turned to Gina. “Good morning, Gina, have you spoken to Chrystina this morning?”
“Not yet,” Gina replied as she glanced from Preston to AnnieMarie.
“Well, when you do drop by to see me so we can chat,” AnnieMarie smiled as she walked away. “Thanks for the chat, Preston.”
“Anytime,” he replied then motioned Gina into the room. “Good morning, Gina. You are looking lovely as always.”
“Yes I am. You have plans with AnnieMarie tomorrow? Aren’t you two cousins or something?”
“Yes, we are. I’m still getting used to that knowledge,” he pointed to a chair in front of his desk. “Tell me something, Gina. What are your plans here at Dunning?”
“At the moment my plan is to determine why you are going out with your cousin?”
Preston sat back. “She wants to see some art work that is at my mother’s house.”
“Why?”
Preston cleared his throat, still felling somewhat self-conscious about the fact that his mother not only deceived him all his life, but actually killed Hepburn Dunning. Yes, he knew she was under the devious influence of Walker Dunning but it did not change the facts to him. “It seems, that night my mother was arrested, Mrs. Dunning noticed some of the art work that belonged to the family estate.”
“How did it get to your mother’s house?”
“That is the question,” he sat forward ready to change the topic. “About working here.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Preston looked up at her. There were times when he had no idea how he would have dealt with all the drama and kept his sanity if it had not been for Gina. She may come off as flighty, self-centered and somewhat unintelligent, but none of those described the woman. He had come to learn that Gina Price, was very insightful, resourceful and full of life. The woman knew how to enjoy life. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Because you need me. Like it or not, Preston Long, I am going to be at your side holding you up until you can stand firmly on your own.”
“What makes you think I am unable to do that now?”
Gina laughed. “Maybe it’s the color red your skin goes every time the mention of your mother comes up. You have to stop acting like you are guilty of something. I saw you the day your mother told you who your father was. I know you were devastated by the information. And you see it as deception by your mother. But it was neither.”
“How can you say that?” Preston snapped. “She lied about who my father was and then she took a man’s life. Not just any man, but the one who gave me a chance without question. Gina, I was twenty-one, straight out of college when I interviewed with Hepburn in person. No in-between, no one from Human Resources, directly with the Founder and CEO of the bank. The man hired me on the spot. Then he set me up to work with his children, Gary and AnnieMarie. We basically learned the ropes together. How can you not call that deception?”
“Your mother did what she believed to be the best for you.” Gina spoke in a calming voice. “She gave you a stable home life, secure and loving. When you were old enough, she sat you down with the man she knew could guide you through the life she wanted for you. I mean man, look around,” she threw her hands up. “You are one of the main forces behind Dunning Bank & Trust. It was your mother who put you here. And you know what else. It would not surprise me to find out Hepburn Dunning knew you were his nephew and opened the door for you to have the same life as his children, because he knew your father would not. She may not have gone about it in the traditional way, but hell, look at where you are today, because of your mother.” Gina stood then walked over to the door. “Come by my desk when you are ready to ride. Man, I tell you, some of you have the life and don’t even realize it.”
“Wait, Gina, I apologize if I made you angry,” Preston stood.
“I’m not angry. I’m just doing my job as your friend,” She closed the door behind her.
Preston stood there staring at the closed door. She was right, he had nothing to feel guilty about. He’d had no idea what his mother was up to and definitely did not know Walker Jr. was his biological father. And when did he become self-conscious about work? He quickly walked over to the door and opened it searching for Gina. He had to chuckle. She was standing there waiting.
“What took you so long?” She pushed by him and walked back into the office. “Before we got into all the craziness about your mother, you were about to ask me to be your assistant. I am willing to make the move if you understand, my children and my degree take priority. I will only be here for two years and then I’m out of here. Deal?”
Preston was still standing at the door. Being around Gina was like a constant whirlwind of activity that he was beginning to enjoy. “Do you always have conversations by yourself?”
She smiled. “That’s a good one, Preston. So, do we have a deal?”
“Let me talk with Jonathan when he gets in today. If his project is at a point where he can let you go, then yes, we have a deal.” He frowned at her. “How did you know I was looking for an assistant?”
“You will come to learn that I know all.”