“He wants to shut down Moonbase,” Joanna said quietly. “He told me so.”

“You can’t let him do that!”

“Why not?” she asked.

“It’s the future of the company — of the nation, the whole goddamned human race!”

She sat on the edge of the conference table in silence for a moment, her eyes probing Paul. Then Joanna said, “The first order of business in today’s meeting will be to elect me to the board to fill Gregory’s seat.”

“And then they’ll elect young Greg president and CEO,” Paul said, surprised at how much bitterness showed in his voice.

“They’ll have to have nominations first”

“Brad’s going to nominate him.”

“Yes. But I intend to nominate you,” said Joanna.

He blinked with surprise. A flame of sudden hope flared through him. Then he realized, To show there’s no nepotism.”

Joanna shook her head. “I know my son better than you do, Paul. He’s not ready to head this corporation. He’d ruin it and himself, both.”

“You mean you really want me to be CEO?”

“I want it enough,” Joanna said, slipping off the table to stand before him, “that I want us to get married.”

Paul’s insides jolted. “Married?”

Joanna smiled again and twined her arms around Paul’s neck. “I like being the wife of the CEO. I just didn’t like the CEO very much. With you, it will be different, won’t it? Very different”

Paul’s mind was racing. CEO. Married. She doesn’t love me, not really, but if we’re married and I’m CEO we can keep Moonbase going until it starts making a profit but she’s probably only doing this so Greg can grow up some and then she’ll want to turn the corporation over to him sooner or later.

Joanna kissed him lightly on the lips. “Don’t you think marriage is a good idea? Like a corporate merger, only much more fun.”

“You’d marry me?” Paul asked.