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same with the family quarters, and we give the guests dining privileges at The Regency. It’s only two blocks away.”
    No way in hell would Anne see Remy’s restaurant shut down. “That restaurant has been a premier dining experience in New Orleans for many years.”
    “We can blend the menu at The Regency and include Remy’s signature dishes. Guests will lose nothing and gain economies that will please them. Today’s traveler cares more about the bottom line, and we can cut room rates and still put that property back in the black.”
    “And what happens to Anne?” And me, he wanted to add.
    But he needed to proceed carefully. Judith was his child, and he loved her. Worried about her.
    “She’s retired, or nearly, after that heart attack. Two of her daughters are likely to leave town with their new husbands, and Melanie and Robert could certainly succeed with their own restaurant. Charlotte will be taken care of.” Her eyes were bright in a way he hadn’t seen in too long. “Glen thinks it’s brilliant. Oh, he’d prefer to slash even more—he actually said that it was a pity building permits in the Quarter are so hard to come by, otherwise we could just raze it and build a bigger hotel on that choice spot. But I understand a woman’s pride—” Her expression held a wisp of sorrow. “And I convinced him that we had to take that into consideration.”
    He was proud of her; with more experience, she could be formidable. She’d done her homework, uncovered information about Anne’s daughters even his sources hadn’t managed.
    But…sweet mother of mercy, he didn’t know where to start.
    One place, however, would be with a summons to Glen Schaefer.
    In the meantime, he couldn’t make two competing offers for the Hotel Marchand, even if there weren’t all the complications of explaining the existence of and reasoning behind the one already in motion—and the potential for disaster, should Anne ever hear about the one his daughter proposed.
    “Daddy?” Judith’s look said he’d been silent too long. “You don’t like it because of her, isn’t that right? Once you wouldn’t have flinched at my proposal. It’s a good one, and you know it.”
    Careful now . He took one step out on the tightrope, determined not to harm either of the women he cared about. “Honey, I understand that you loved your mother. I did, too. I would do nothing to diminish what she and I shared. But I have feelings for Anne Marchand.”
    She recoiled as if he’d struck her.
    She paused, then adopted a milder tone. “Look, Daddy, I know you’re lonely…”
    His own back went ramrod-straight. “So I’m merely a lonely widower whose judgment must now be considered suspect?”
    Something in his voice must have warned her that she was treading on dangerous ground. “I didn’t say that.”
    “Oh, you most certainly did.” He moved behind his desk in an effort to calm the temper they shared. “I’ll remind you that I am still CEO of this company which, I might add, I built without benefit of your advice and managed to make thrive for all these years.”
    Her face went white around a tightly-pursed mouth. “I know you’re in charge.” But there was mutiny in every syllable.
    “Whatever I feel or don’t feel for Anne Marchand, what I do about it is my decision. Not one bit of it is intended to hurt you or show disrespect to your mother’s memory, and I would appreciate it if you would give Anne a chance. As for the Hotel Marchand, how much of your plan is intended to cause me problems with her?”
    “Someone’s going to wind up with that hotel. It should be us.” Her chin jutted in a manner he knew he had seen in a mirror countless times in his life. Regardless of his banked fury, part of him wanted to applaud the return of her spirit.
    He had no desire to damage that recovery. He’d intended to clue her in about his offer at some point, should he need to exercise it, but not until absolutely necessary, for the