Forces of Nature Read Online Free PDF Page B

to be news cameras at Welco, she was going to be there with picket signs and the very delinquents Douglas wanted to make judgments about. Can you say “round three”?
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    â€œTotally unacceptable,” said Clive Oldsman. “Why would you say something like this to a reporter? What in the hell were you thinking about? This makes you and Welco look just like the assholes Crystal Hughes says you are.”
    Douglas leapt to his feet as Clive tossed the newspaper in his face. “Look, this is going to blow over. Every time we develop land around here, someone complains. Do you want to scrap our plans and scout another site because of one newspaper article? I’m sure Ms. Hughes has made her point and we shouldn’t hear anything more from her. Now, you all have taken up enough of my time today. Good day, gentlemen.” Opening the door, Douglas waited for the six members of the board to leave. Everyone exited except Clive, who closed the door behind them.
    â€œYou’d better make this go away. Our stock is already taking a beating and this can only make it worse,” he hissed.
    â€œI know that,” Douglas said. “But even with the so-called beating that you say our stock is taking, we’re still raking in profits. So, what’s your damned problem?”
    Narrowing his eyes at Douglas, Clive sighed. “You’re nothing like your father. He must be turning in his grave as he watches you run this corporation into the ground.”
    â€œWhy don’t you get out of here before I say or do something I might not regret,” Douglas replied.
    â€œWhat I regret is the board appointing you president when you obviously can’t handle it.”
    Unable to control his anger, Douglas grabbed Clive by the collar. “You pompous son of a bitch! My family built this company and you’re not taking it away from me. The business park will get built, the stock will rebound, and you will resign from this board.”
    Jerking away from Douglas, Clive straightened his shirt and shook his head. “You’ll be out of this company before I will. You can bet the bottom line on that.” He stormed out of the conference room.
    Douglas closed his eyes, counted to ten, and prayed for a quiet rest of the day. But as he walked into the lobby, he knew his prayers wouldn’t be answered. A camera crew rushed toward him. “Mr. Wellington, Mr. Wellington,” the reporter called out. “Do you really plan to level Hughes Farm? Do you stand by your comments in the Reeseville Gazette ?”
    Throwing his hands up, he said, “I have no comment. Now get off my property.”
    A few board members who were lingering by the door turned around and followed Douglas into his office. Fred Jones, Dorian Harper and Willis Reed stood in the doorway of Douglas’s office. Fred spoke first. “This is ugly.”
    â€œVery,” said Dorian.
    Douglas, who’d taken a seat behind his desk, folded his arms across his chest. “We’ve dealt with worse. Do you remember what happened when we brought Welco-Mart to north Duval County? People said our store would kill all of the mom and pop local businesses. But when those same people saw we used local businesses to build the shopping center and the salaries that Welco-Mart paid, things died down.” Reaching in his desk drawer, Douglas retrieved a bottle of aspirin. Flipping the cap off, he dumped two pills down his throat and swallowed hard.
    Willis nodded. “When we built Welco-Mart, we controlled the press. Seems as if Ms. Hughes has the media eating out of her hand. Douglas, I believe you will take care of this, but this Crystal Hughes woman is going to be a problem.”
    A sexy problem. Why does she have to be so fine and so difficult? Why does she have to haunt my thoughts? Douglas stood and ushered the three men out of his office. When they walked into the lobby, they saw Crystal, an older woman