by Parker, Ali
Danny’s nostrils flared. “Let them be scared. What the fuck are they going to do about it?”
“That’s not how we treat our people, Daniel,” our father said firmly. He turned his eyes back to mine. “We’re going ahead with the expansion, which means cuts will have to be made. You and I have already had that out. But say I’m not willing to go ahead with Danny’s proposal right away, how do you suggest we proceed?”
If I knew my father, and I liked to think I did, he already knew exactly what we had to do. Asking me was a way of making me feel heard, but he was also gauging how I would proceed under the circumstances.
This was a prime learning moment, as he referred to it. I sighed, knowing that this was my chance to make my final stand in this battle. Once my father decided what he was going to do next, there would be no more swaying him.
“Hold back on announcing the cuts,” I said, then glared at Danny. “And don’t make any firm decisions about the promotion before the investigation is complete.”
“The California branch isn’t doing as well as most of the others, Blake. Their numbers are good, but not great. Danny might have focused on them because you were there, but your going there has shone the spotlight on them first, unfortunately.”
“They can do better,” I insisted. “Give them a grace period before any final decisions are made. There is some fat that can be trimmed company wide. Let me look into those numbers while we allow California to show what they’re made of.”
Dad scratched his chin with his fingertips, his gaze focused on the ocean. “A grace period, huh?”
“This is absurd, Dad,” Danny interjected forcefully. “Half an hour ago, you were ready to pull the trigger. Don’t let Blake and his bleeding heart change that.”
“My heart is only bleeding for your lack of business sense, brother,” I snapped.
Dad gave both of us a warning look. He’d come to a decision, I could see it in his eyes. “That’s enough from both of you. Let’s say I’m willing to give California time to turn it around, how long will it take you to look into that fat we can trim?”
I did a quick mental calculation of our branches and employees. Most of them, I’d visited this past year. My memory was fresh enough that I was convinced I could get it done quickly. “A couple of weeks at most.”
“Good,” Dad said. “I’ll expect those numbers by the end of the week. Have you submitted the names you want to be considered for the promotion?”
“I’ll have my list of candidates in your inbox by the morning.” I told him. My list stood at seven possible candidates. I only had to reread my notes to whittle it down to three. “I’ve reviewed every aspect of their performance. I will include a thorough justification statement for each candidate.”
Dad looked impressed, and he nodded slowly. “That sounds reasonable. Danny, I would like a justification statement from you for your friend as well. We can’t be promoting the man simply because you like him. It’s not good business.”
If I hadn’t been over my fit of immaturity, I would have fist pumped. Danny looked at me like he wanted to dismember me limb from limb with his bare hands, but he nodded. “I can justify his appointment. As I said, he’s the best candidate, and it’s not just because he’s my friend. I’m not an idiot.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” I muttered.
“Enough.” Dad’s eyes fired bolts of lightning at me. “All right. I’ve considered both sides. This is what we’re going to do.”
I filled my lungs with air, and it stayed there as I waited to hear the outcome of the battle I’d flown to Florida to fight in person. Please God, let it have been worth it.
“The California branch has two weeks to show improvement in their numbers. Blake, since you’ve advocated for them, I expect you to go back and stay there until their time is up. I’ll expect daily reports.”
“And the promotion?” Danny asked.
“We’ll hold off on that for two weeks as well,” Dad said. Danny snorted. I breathed out a sigh of relief. “But in two weeks, gentlemen, we’re announcing both the cuts and promotion. Get your ducks in a row, because after that there will be no more delays.”
Two weeks. It wasn’t long enough, but that was all the time there was. I glanced at Danny, issuing him a silent challenge. Let the games begin, brother.
Chapter 16
Aston
Lying in my bed last night, I decided to put Blake behind me. The chances were overwhelming that I would never see him again, despite him saying he would be back soon. In the months since I started at the McAllen Group, this was the first time he’d been in California. It could be months before his business brought him back.
As hard as it was, I was going to have to relegate him to the far recesses of my mind, and pull him out as a fond memory from time to time. No doubt I would be seeing him in my fantasies on the occasions I brought my vibrator out to play.
But I couldn’t spend my days thinking, wondering or wishing things were different. I had work to do. The furniture I had procured last week was arriving today and there were lots of special guests checking in, not the least of which was the elderly couple standing in front of me in the lobby.
The man was slightly hunched over, but he beamed at his wife like it was their wedding day. “It’s our sixtieth wedding anniversary this week, you know?”
I did know. Their daughter told us when she made the reservation for them, which was why I was waiting to greet them in the lobby. “In today’s world, that is a remarkable achievement.”
The woman, who looked exactly like the picture of a grandmother with her coiffed hair and big rimmed glassed, nodded her agreement. “That’s not to say there weren’t rough times. There were a few times I thought it was over, but we never stopped fighting for each other.”
She looked down at her husband with so much love, it made my knees feel slightly weak. There was nothing I loved more than love—I was a true romantic at heart. “But here you are now, sixty years later, and still going strong.”
“I can’t believe it.” The man’s light blue eyes misted over. “I didn’t think I stood a chance with her when we met.”
My heart melted. “Why wouldn’t you stand a chance? Look at you. There’s not a man in this world who could love her like you do.”
The woman dabbed at a tear in the corner of her eye with a handkerchief her husband had handed to her without having to be asked. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was. “Or another woman who could love him the way I do. But you know, I just didn’t know if love would be enough in those early days.”
“What do you mean? You’re perfect for each other.” I knew I was gushing, but these two were just too cute. I couldn’t help myself. How could either of them have doubted that they were the perfect match?
The man gazed at his wife adoringly. “I never thought I would be enough for her. She was this gorgeous young woman with suitors lined up around the block. Any man would’ve been lucky to have her, I still don’t understand why she chose me.”
“Nonsense.” The woman swatted him lightly on the shoulder. “If anyone thought they weren’t enough, it was me. You should’ve seen him. I’ll have to find a picture for you while we’re here. He was just the most handsome man, and he was successful. He had that rare confidence not paired with arrogance. He was extraordinary.”
Her words hit me like a punch in the gut. I wasn’t supposed to be thinking about Blake anymore, but what she said described him to a tee. I shouldn’t have let him just walk away. I should’ve said something more to him before he left, and gotten his number at the very least.
I could get it from the hotel’s database, but that would put me in the stalker category again. Trying to push him out of my mind, I focused on my guests again. They were still talking about how they felt about each other when they first met.
“I never thought he would be mine,” the woman said. “It was like a dream come true on our wedding day, and he’s been making my dreams come
true ever since.”
Tears jumped to my eyes. They were too precious, these two. “That’s a wonderful story. You must be anxious to get checked in so you can start celebrating. Let me get you your room key.”
“Thank you, darling.” The man said. “We’d appreciate that.”
I walked with them to the front desk, where Tiffany was waiting with a sappy smile. She must have overheard everything we said. Rounding the desk, I whispered, “Upgrade them to a suite, they deserve it.”
She nodded and immediately changed the room selection on the system. With a few strokes of her fingers, they were checked in and ready to be escorted to their room. I was about to walk them up myself when movement at the door caught my eye.
My jaw nearly dropped when I saw who it was. Blake.
Tiffany saw him too. Her eyes widened with surprise. “Go. I’ll find someone to walk with them.”
I hastily said goodbye to the couple, and told them to let me know if they needed anything. I made a mental note to send them something special. Once I was done, I strode over to meet Blake halfway across the lobby.
“You’re back.” It was a stupid comment to make, but I honestly hadn’t believed he would be. He looked tired, and agitated, but he smiled.
“I told you I was only needed at my office for a couple of days,” he said, reaching over to give my hand the briefest squeeze. My skin zapped and zinged where he touched it, sending a shiver up my spine.
“I know, I just—” I trailed off. “I didn’t know if you’d be back.”
“I don’t blame you after the way I left,” he told me. “Please don’t hold it against me. I promise you it was really important business I had to attend to. I would never have left like that otherwise.”
“I believe you.” And I really did. Maybe it made me an idiot, but I wanted to believe he was telling me the truth. I believed he wouldn’t have left so abruptly if he didn’t absolutely have to. He’d given me no reason to doubt him, especially now that he was back.
“Good.” Relief seeped into his expression. He stood his wheelie bag up beside him, resting on its handle. “Does that mean I’m forgiven?”
“There was nothing to forgive.” I meant it. He was a businessman. It made sense that business would drag him away. He said goodbye, told me he would be back, and here he was. “How long can you stay this time?”
A thundercloud passed over his features, settling as a strange fire in his eyes. “Two weeks at least, but they’re going to be busy. Speaking of which, we need to talk.”
What? Fear took root in my stomach. Something about the way he said it alerted my ‘spidey senses’ which was troublesome. We weren’t dating, so ‘we need to talk’ couldn’t mean he wanted to break up with me. But I knew enough about men and relationships to know those words never meant anything good.
“We are talking.” Why was my voice so damn squeaky?
Blake gave me an understanding smile, edging a few inches closer to me. Just like that night under the stars, it was like he was trying to be there for me. Like he understood when I needed someone to hang onto and wanted to be that person.
Just like the old man understood when his wife was going to get all teary and handed her the hankie in advance. I pushed the thought away fast. That couple had been married a decade longer than half a damn century. Whatever unspoken understanding there was between me and Blake, it was nothing like theirs.
It couldn’t be. Could it?
“It’s not about us, Aston.” He spoke reassuringly. Maybe he did know exactly what I needed to hear.
The knots in my shoulders relaxed. “Of course not. That would imply there is an ‘us.’ So talk then, I’m listening.”
“Not here,” he said, then narrowed his gaze to lock it with mine. “Apparently there’s something else we need to talk about too, but let’s talk about everything tomorrow. Can we talk tomorrow?”
“I’m working, but I can meet you after?” Not for the first time with Blake, I wished I could blow everything off but him. “I can try to get off earlier.”
He shook his head. “No, don’t do that. Do what you need to do. I’ll meet you down here at seven again?”
“Seven it is,” I agreed. I was dying to know what he wanted to talk to me about. He looked so serious that I doubted whatever it was would be good, but it couldn’t be that bad. If it wasn’t about ‘us,’ there was nothing truly bad he could say. Nothing I could think of, anyway.
Blake nodded, tipping his bag on its wheels. “I better get up to my room. Work calls my name loud and clear.”
I frowned. “Up to your room? You never checked out?”
His eyebrows pushed together, questions in his eyes. “No. Why would I? I told you I would be back soon. I was only ever leaving for as long as I had to. My work here is far from done.”
“Oh.” There was nothing else I could say. He never even checked out. Tiffany and I probably should’ve checked that before I decided I would never see him again. “Do you still have your key card and everything?”
It was a lame question, but the best I could muster. I was so relieved to see him again, so surprised that it turned out he’d been totally honest and upfront; and so optimistic after hearing the old couple’s story, I felt like I would faint from the mix of emotions.
Blake’s lips curled into a smile that made me want to throw my arms around him and bury myself in his chest. Perhaps let him bury other parts of his anatomy in me in an act signifying love instead of lust.
But I was only thinking that way because of the story told by the sappy couple. They had my mind all mushy with their love story. What Blake and I had was a budding friendship, barely a solid ‘like,’ nothing even remotely resembling love. Though there was a whole lot of chemistry, and lust, from my side at least.
“I have my key card, thanks,” he said, drawing me out of my ridiculous thoughts. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Aston.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I told him. Not only was I super curious to know what he wanted to talk to me about, but I was also excited at the prospect of spending more time with him. I knew he was back for business and not for me, but it felt like maybe just a small part of him wanted to be here because I was. And that was enough for now. I knew he would have to leave again eventually, but I didn’t care. He came back for me once, kind of, maybe he would do it again.
Chapter 17
Blake
Aston wasn’t in the lobby when I got there. Fuck.
I scanned the room again. There was an elderly couple holding hands on a bench near the front doors. The man kept glancing at the doors like he was waiting for something, then looked back at his wife. Well, presumably she was his wife. Both of them wore plain gold wedding bands and the way they looked at each other was sickeningly sweet. She had to be the wife.
There were a few other people milling around, but none of them was Aston. She said she forgave me for leaving so suddenly, but maybe she hadn’t. Damn.
I really needed to talk to her. We were already a day into the two weeks we had, there wasn’t any time to waste. I was also anxious to see her. Being away from her these past two days had me on edge, for some fucking reason.
So, I had to see her, then somehow find a way to talk to her about what needed to be done. Preferably without telling her who I was, because I couldn’t afford to have her losing trust in me or needing a few days to adapt to the knowledge that I was actually one of her bosses.
At the same time, I had to tell her we only had so much time to raise the numbers for the branch while not lying to her. And I had to do it all with Danny breathing down my fucking neck. I reached for my tie, pulling it and my collar away from my throat. The damn thing was choking me again.
I couldn’t just stand here waiting. I had to go find her. I turned toward the door behind the front desk. She was working today, so the first place to look for her would be her office.
Just as I started for the door, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Spinning around,
I found Aston standing behind me. She was wearing an apologetic smile and another black dress that made my pulse race. “Sorry I’m late. I got caught up with some stuff I needed to have done for tomorrow.”
I grinned, hoping I didn’t look as relieved as I felt. “No problem. I just got here myself. Are you ready to go?”
“Where are we going? Do you have another hidden gem up your sleeve?”
Shaking my head, I motioned to the elevator. If all went according to plan, the night would end in my room. And not in the fun way. I had the numbers ready so I could show her while we talked. I thought about taking my laptop and the two binders full of information along to dinner, but I was afraid that might be taking things too far.
I had to approach this carefully and tactfully, but quickly. We had a lot of work to do and not nearly enough time to do it in. “Sadly, I don’t. I thought we could have dinner here in the hotel. How does the deck sound?”
“Sounds good. The chef makes a killer steak salad,” she said, falling into step beside me as we headed to the elevator. “How was your trip?”
“Infuriating, but productive.” If only she knew how damn infuriating. If I was going to stay sane over the next two weeks, I had to stop thinking about it though. “How are things here?”
“Busy,” she said, smiling. “As always. Our star guests this week are a couple spending their sixtieth wedding anniversary here. I chatted with them yesterday, they’re adorable. I upgraded them to a suite, they were so excited when they saw it.”
Adorable or not, I was going to have to talk to her about upgrading people who couldn’t pay very, very soon. It was a personal touch I wished we could provide to all couples or people celebrating special occasions, but the California branch couldn’t afford to do it. Not now.