“I think I’ve always known that in the back of my mind, and it just hurts to say the words aloud, you know?”
“Yup, and it sucks when the people we care about don’t live up to what we want them to be. On the other hand, look how far you’ve come with him in just the past three months? It’s a good thing, Ben. Just take it one day at a time.”
While I took a shower, Hallie e-mailed Leah to let her know we arrived safely. I stayed under the hot sprays for a while, trying to relax and get ready for dinner. Hallie knocked on the door a couple of times, and I told her I would be out in a minute. I finished shaving, and then I looked in the mirror to give myself a pep talk.
“Okay, mate, stop being an arsehole and just eat dinner with your family. It’s not a problem until it becomes one, and right now it’s just dinner.”
I left Hallie with my mom as they chatted and took the opportunity to talk with my father. We went into his office to discuss my plans and what I decided to do with Innovate Now. I took a seat in front of his desk as he handed me a file to look over.
He said, “As you can see, it’s a business plan for the company, and I think you will find everything in order to get started. Do you have any questions?”
I flipped through some pages, and on paper it looked perfect, but now I had to decide if I wanted to actually run it. “I’m sure I will once I finish reading the file. Thank you for this.”
“It’s my pleasure, son. Please let me know if you have any questions. You also have Peter on hand to help you with anything you need.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it,” I said and then got up to leave his office before he called me back.
“Ben, I know you have reservations about the company and probably are still harboring some ill will toward me for interfering, but I promise you, all I’m trying to do is help my son.”
“Father, I’m no longer angry, and I know you are trying. It’s just going to take me a little time to get to a point where I’m comfortable with all these changes. It’s fucking weird, if you want the honest truth,” I said, throwing my hands up in the air.
“Finally!” my father said.
“Come again?”
“I said, finally. Stop walking on eggshells around me and your mother. Just be Ben, and if I do something to piss you off, then own it and bloody fight with me, okay? Because I’m telling you, this…” he gestured between us, “will not work if we pretend to be something we are not. I know I can be a daft prick a lot of the times, but I’m just asking for a chance.”
“You’ve been given one, not only by me, but Hallie too! I’m here, father, and this is all I’m capable of right now. I will make a decision about the company once I’m ready to do so. I have to help Hallie get used to the idea of living here in London, and so far away from the only life she has ever known. It can’t be rushed, and I would appreciate you not pressuring me. If you can do that, I will do all I can to get there.”
“Thank you, Ben. You’ve been more than generous. Yes, I will wait to hear about your decision. In the meantime, your flat is ready anytime you and Hallie wish to move in. I had it arranged to your specifications, and I believe Hallie will be very happy living there. The school tour has also been arranged, and I left all the paperwork in the flat for Hallie to read over. She has plenty of time, since she has already been registered and classes have been chosen. I guess that’s it for now. Get some rest, and I’ll see you at breakfast before you head out?”
“Sounds great. I’ll see you in the morning,” I answered and closed the door without sparing my father another look.
When I returned to my room, Hallie was sitting up in bed reading. As soon as she saw me, she smiled and patted the empty space beside her.
I stripped out of my clothes and climbed into bed, pulling her close. “I love you, babe.”
“Good to know, because I love you too,” she said. “Are you okay? You were with your father for a long time.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I still don’t trust him all that much, but the jury is still out, and things can change.”
“Ben, if he wants something real with you, then he has to put in the work. He has a year to do it, and if he fucks it up, then it is on him.”
“I love when you say swear words, but let me handle Oliver. All I want you to do is enjoy your year abroad here in London. It’s an amazing city, and you’ve already fallen in love with it, so go chase your dreams at school and be happy.”
“I love you more, and I can go to ten colleges all around the world and nothing will ever come close to how I feel about you. No matter what happens, we are in this together.”
“You bet your sweet arse we are.” Lucky for me, Hallie was in the barest of clothing, and it only took me a second to remove her panties and her camisole sleep top. I had her under me right where I loved her most, and I sank into her aroused heat. “You feel amazing, Hallie. Move your hips up to meet mine,” I whispered in the crook of her neck.
Her long legs wrapped around my hips, and as I moved, she moved in perfect synchronization. “I’m so close, Ben. You feel so good.”
“You feel better. Wait for me, and hold on for a few more seconds.” I gnashed my molars together and felt my jaw tick as she tightened around my dick and rode out her orgasm. I came so hard that it spilled out of her, and the sight of my cum on the insides of her thighs was the sexiest thing I have ever seen. “Mine. My girl forever.”
I kissed Hallie all over as my body was still connected with hers. “Come, let’s shower, and then I’m going to hold you all night, and when you open your eyes, you’ll see my eyes looking back at you as I make love to you.”
41
An American girl in London
Hallie…
“Thank you for breakfast, and the scone was good too,” I winked and leaned up on my tip toes to kiss Ben.”
“Oh, my funny girl, how are you this morning?”
“I’m great, more than great, so stop worrying about me. The flat is gorgeous, as we expected it would be. Your father really came through for us, which again, we knew he would.”
“Yeah, that’s what gives me pause. Anyway, I promised to keep an open mind. You have your map, backpack, snacks, and two bottles of water. Have an amazing first day.” He kissed my forehead and directed me toward my first class. I looked over my shoulder, knowing Ben was watching me.
“I love you, now get out of here,” I called out. God! I loved that Brit, but he needs to relax and follow all the great advice he has given me. I’ve never seen him so stressed, and even back home when he was stressed about his father, it was never this bad. I’ll think about what to do later, but for now, I have a class.
“Hey, little sister, how’s your first day going?” asked Leah. I was on a break, and it was the perfect time to check in with her.
“It’s going, and not much to report,” I sighed and picked at the sandwich Ben packed for me.
“Are you kidding? You’re in London and attending a bucket list school. What’s the professor like? Have you met any friends yet?”
“Leah, it’s my first day, and I’ve had two classes. Playgroup doesn’t begin until the third class.”
“Very funny, smart ass. I guess I just thought you would have sounded happier.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I am happy. I’m just worried about Ben.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“He doesn’t trust his father and is second-guessing every decision he makes. Did I make a mistake encouraging him to come back here?”
“No, what you did was make the best decision at the time for you and for Ben. He needs to be there right now, because if he was anywhere else, he wouldn’t be happy, and that wouldn’t be good for you and your relationship. You’ve said and done everything possible to put his mind at ease. Now you have to just wait and see where the chips may fall. It wasn’t easy for me to let you go. You’re my sister, and as much as I want you here, when I saw the look in your eyes when you told me about London, I knew
your heart was already there.”
“I do love it, and you’re right, this is an amazing opportunity for me,” I said, feeling a whole lot better after talking to Leah.
I finished up the day, and Ben was right where he promised he would be. I practically sprinted right into his arms. I squealed when he twirled me around and planted a hard kiss down on my mouth.
“Oh, you feel amazing with your perfect breasts pressed against me. How about a shag in the car before we go home?”
“Um, no, I really don’t feel like getting arrested for public car sex.” I took his face in my hands and kissed him back. He looked so much better than when he dropped me off this morning. I wanted to ask him about it but decided to follow Leah’s advice and let the chips fall where they may.
We stopped for take-out and brought dinner back to our place. Sure, we had food there, but this was easy, and Ben wanted to take every minute with me, wanting to hear about my day. We tapped our forks together and ate out of the Chinese food boxes.
“This is delightful,” I said, enjoying the lo-mein.”
“I say, you’re beginning to sound like a native, but I do love you being a Yankee,” he teased and fed me a bite of an eggroll. “So, tell me, how was your first day?”
“It was the bee’s knees,” another British term I knew he would love.
“You are too adorable, and I’m happy to hear that it was awesome. And before you ask, mine was good too. I saw my mom, she says hi. She’s doing so amazing and has come really far with her therapy on both fronts. So far, the shunt is doing what it supposed to, and the NPH is under control for now.”
“I am so happy to hear that. You must feel so much lighter knowing she’s doing so well.”
“Yes, I couldn’t be more pleased with her progress. Her doctors are hopeful.”
“And did you do anything else?” He knew what I was leading to.
“I read the business plan for Innovate Now, and it’s promising. Hallie, I’m fresh out of college, and this is not what I envisioned when Van first brought me on. I was so excited to join their team and work alongside them, creating new apps that could possibly change people’s lives. It was their passion that made me believe in their company and what they wanted to do for future technology.”
“And how do you feel about it now?”
“I know I’m not ready to be anyone’s CEO, not when I have so much to learn from the ground up. I mean, this is classic Oliver, throwing me to the wolves and silently watching if I can make it out alive. So, I called Van today and asked him to fly here and take a meeting with me.”
“Wow! And did he agree?”
“He did and will be here the day after tomorrow. Hallie, it can’t be just about the money, and until I talk to him again, I’m not going to be able to make a decision about the company. The Van I knew would have never just sold his company without another thought, and I just need to know.”
“What about the other partners?”
“They’re out. They took their share and probably are halfway to Silicon Valley by now. Van was in New York when I got a hold of him, and he will take a flight from there to come to London. I also made a call to Oz and Drucker.”
“Oh yeah? How are they?”
“They’re not doing what they want, but the bills are getting paid.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Okay, I have a feeling this is leading to something.”
“It is. After I spoke to Van, I called my mates and offered them a job at Innovate. They are incredibly talented, and I have no doubt that they would be valuable assets to the company. I have a plan, one that I know I can live with, because it’s mine.”
“And not your father’s, right?”
“Exactly, you’re catching on.”
“I’m on your side, no matter what happens with the company. Ben, I love you.”
“I love you too, Hallie. None of this would be possible without you in my life. You keep me grounded and have brought so much purpose to my life, I can’t even begin how to thank you for that. You know parents are supposed to want their children to grow and make the best out of their lives? To fall in love, to build a life with another person, and from that life comes kids, jobs, and maybe a dog or two? I’m not sure my father ever had those dreams for me, but it’s not even important anymore. I know what I want for us, and I can see it, Hallie, right in front of me, playing out exactly how I dreamed it. It begins and ends always with you.”
42
Shell game
Ben…
Hallie wasn’t comfortable driving around the city, so I arranged for her to have a driver to get her back and forth to school. The first few months into her program were challenging and a lot to get acclimated with, but once she did, my girl took off like a rocket. I knew she would and always assured her that she didn’t have anything to worry about. Hallie was incredibly smart and focused when it comes to her studies, which were great, but I also wanted her to be nineteen and not center her entire life on me.
I know how I sound because it’s exactly what she’s done since uprooting her entire life to join me here in London. Eventually, I convinced her to spend time with a few girls she had gotten friendly with at school. Once I met them in person, I knew they would be fast friends and become close. So while Hallie concentrated on school, I was working in the new and improved Innovate Now along with Van Alexander, who was in charge of operations in America.
The first order of business was to buy out the lease on the property that housed the warehouse building. Once everything changed hands and ownership was transferred to me, I also acquired the empty lot next to our building. It was a good investment, and the possibilities were endless for what it could be. I remember Van telling me that it would take ten years to see the success that my father offered him in one day. Well, I don’t believe that at all, and I’m going to prove that we too can also achieve success doing things our way instead of getting sucked into a huge corporation that sees you only as another asset acquired.
When Van first arrived in London, he didn’t know what to expect. I kept it on the down low, not giving him any idea as to why I wanted to speak with him. I was so discreet that I arranged to have him meet me in Shere, Surrey, which is outside of London. My family has owned a country house there for years. It was the perfect location for our conversation, and what’s more, it’s private and off my father’s radar.
For the past few months, I pacified my father with feigned interest in working together some day and entertaining ideas he approached me with. My father was a very busy man and still traveled all over the world to conduct business. The last few trips he had taken, my mother joined him. She had been doing so well, and to my surprise when he invited her to accompany him, she agreed without hesitation.
When Van arrived, he took a day on his own and then met me in Surrey. He was guarded and unsure of what to expect since the last time we had spoken, we did not end on a positive note.
“Have a seat, Van. Would you like a drink before we begin?” I offered, but he politely declined.
“No, I’m fine. Why am I here?” he questioned, getting right to the point.
“You’re here on my invitation because I have a business proposition for you, one that I believe you will want to consider taking.”
“And what might that be? If you recall, you were pretty angry with me the last time we had a conversation and said some pretty harsh things to me.”
“I remember, and at the time, they were all true. I didn’t bring you all the way here so I could apologize to you. You’re here to interview for a job.”
“A job? And what could you possibly offer me?” he asked curtly.
“Innovate Now is what I can offer you.”
“The company has been sold and broken up for spare parts, or have you forgotten it was your father’s company who bought it?”
“Oh, I remember, Van, but what you don’t know is that Innovate Now belongs to me. I own it completely without any investors to back me
up. I already have work in production and a team in Raleigh has been put in place. All I need now is a Chief Operating Officer to oversee operations in North Carolina while I run my part here in the U.K.”
“I think I might need that drink if you don’t mind.”
“The bar is stocked. What will you have?” I asked.
“Gin and tonic, Hendricks if you have it.”
I made up his drink and one for myself before taking a seat in front of him. Van appeared to be completely stunned by my offer and practically gulped down his drink refusing another one to keep a clear head.
“How is this possible? I thought Innovate Now would just be merged with CGI?” he asked.
“It was a lie packed onto a larger pile of lies to get you to sell, and it worked out quite well for my father. The only thing is, he didn’t merge it, which was the original plan. You see, Oliver only bought it to get me to London, but for reasons that are not relevant to this conversation, I came here on another matter. It’s very rare, but he had a change of heart and signed over the company to me. A gift I could accept and make my own, or you can refuse and see your dream become nothing when merged with CGI, making my father all the more richer.”
“Sonofabitch!” he said through gritted teeth. “You were right, Ben. I just didn’t see it until now. He made promises to me and the rest of the team, but I’m the only one who stayed, because I thought I would be a part of something bigger and better.”
“Van, you still can be. The only difference now is that I’m the boss and you will be working for me. That’s if…you want the job.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. Ben, after what I did, you have no good reason to trust me. Why would you do this?”
“It’s quite simple. I believe in the vision you sold me when you took me on to join your team. Was that just bullshit back then? Or do you have something real you can bring to the table?”
“Something real,” he answered. “Ben, I deeply regret what happened. I should have given you the courtesy of a private conversation before I dropped everything on you. I blindsided you, and you were completely in the right to call me out on it. I’m sorry.”
Before We Knew Page 28