Mixed Signals

  Chapter 9

  “But, Dad! I should be there.”

  “This is my venture, Ryan, and I need you to take care of a few other things today.”

  Rachel pulled in her lips, trying not to smile. She felt a little evil for enjoying Junior’s angst.

  “Who?”

  George shrugged. “Just the Porter account. I promised the old man I’d play a round of tennis with him. You know, let him win. You certainly couldn’t do that and make it look legit, now could you?” George winked at Rachel. He seemed to do a lot of that when he was getting her into trouble. “Old man Porter almost made the Olympics,” he explained to her. “But he’s old and broken down like myself, and it wouldn’t really be fair to put him up against someone more than half his age.”

  “Oh, of course not,” Rachel said with exaggeration. “All in the line of duty.”

  “See? Rachel understands how business works.”

  Junior glared back and forth between the two before throwing his arms up in frustration. “Why do I feel like this is a conspiracy?”

  “No conspiracy, son. Just good business sense. Now, you get going over to the bank for me and take care of that little business deal we talked about last night.” George watched as Junior left the room, and then he turned to Rachel and put an arm around her shoulder. “You’ve got some work to do, too, and it doesn’t involve a notepad and pen.”

  “George. I don’t like the look in your eyes.”

  “In your room you’ll find a tennis outfit. It’s one of Elizabeth’s from when she was a teen, but I think it’ll fit you just fine.”

  “But, I haven’t played tennis since high school,” Rachel protested.

  “You’ve played? Wonderful!”

  “But, George! I hate lose – even to an old man.”

  George put a hand on each of her shoulders and bent down close to her ear. “You don’t have to lose,” he whispered. “You’re playing against his very athletic, handsome, wealthy son.”

  Rachel backed up. “Now, George. If you’re gonna use me as some kind of prize to snag a business deal, you can forget it.”

  “I certainly hope you don’t think that poorly of me! It’s not a business deal I’m trying to snag. It’s a daughter-in-law!”

  It only took Rachel a second to unravel what he was trying to tell her. “George, you’re a sneaky one. But isn’t that a little unfair?”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re old enough to have heard that all’s fair in love and war. Now, get up there and get changed. They’ll be here in about thirty minutes.”