by Ellie Danes
My heart had started to hammer violently in my chest, thumping with heavy pumps inside my ribcage, and my whole body felt flushed. It was almost like a surge of panic. I couldn't even finish the question.
“Do I love her? Do I care about her? Do I even like her at all?” he asked, completing the question for me.
“I…yes, that's what I was trying to say.”
“No, no, and no. Those are the answers to your questions.”
I felt a small measure of relief at this, but the unpleasant feeling was still raging inside me. “And have you told your father how you feel?” I asked.
“As if that would do any good,” he said.
“Well, have you?”
He looked up at me with a wounded expression on his face. “Yes! Of course, I have. Give me some credit, all right? I've told him plenty of times that I don't want to get married – and that I especially don't want to get married to her.”
“And what does he have to say about this?”
Kyle shrugged sadly. “He just tells me to 'think of the company's image' and 'plan for the future' and 'be a man and make the kind of sacrifices I need to make' to get this company to the top. And he thinks that eventually our companies will be able to merge, so with me married to Tracy, the heir to Hendrikson, Inc., a union between her and I would be ideal for that.”
I nodded. “I see. Well, I think you should keep on working on him, you know, just keep reminding him that you're in charge now, and that on top of that you're in charge of your own life. He is your father, and he wants the best for you. Surely, he'll eventually see that pressuring you into a marriage with someone you don't actually want to be with is really not the best for your long-term future, right?”
Kyle shook his head. “That's what you would think, yeah. But when I say he's the most stubborn person I've ever met, it's no exaggeration. If you or, hell, anyone else on this planet got to know him as well as I know him, you'd likely come to the same conclusion.”
An idea had started to form in my mind, and the more I thought about it, the more I figured I needed to do it. “So, you're going now to meet with the woman you're gonna marry, huh?”
“Her and her mother, who has just as much of an interest in getting her to marry me as my dad does.”
“I think I can help you,” I said.
I wondered if I really could – it almost sounded as if everything had already been decided. Still, with these feelings I felt for Kyle – these feelings that I could no longer deny, these feelings that seemed to be growing stronger and stronger each day – I knew that I at least had to try. I had to do that much.
“You think you can help me with this?” he asked, very surprised.
“I think I can,” I replied with as much confidence as I could.
“How?”
I breathed in deeply before replying. “Let me come to this meeting with you now.”
Chapter 16
Kyle
I gaped at Meredith. She had never looked so strong, so in control. She was everything I was supposed to be, but instead I was letting my dad mess with my head.
“You want to come with me to this meeting?” I asked her. “Why?”
She shrugged, but I could see that there was some sort of scheme going on in her head.
“I just feel like I might be able to help you. Your father seems to think highly of me; maybe he would value my opinion.”
I shook my head, not feeling hopeful at all. “Did you miss the part where I told you that he's pretty much the most stubborn person I've ever met?”
“I have a gift. I can make stubborn people change their minds,” she replied with a wink.
I wasn't sure how much of what she said there was a joke, but I knew how immensely stubborn my father was, and gift or no gift, I doubted very much that she would get him to budge even an inch on his ideas. Nonetheless, I figured it would be good to have a little support with me.
“All right,” I said. “I'd appreciate that, actually. Don't get your hopes up about being able to change my dad's mind on anything though – I'm just telling you that because it's a fact.”
She smiled, and as she did I felt momentarily weak at the knees. She had an utterly gorgeous smile. “There's no harm in trying, right?”
“No, there isn't. And thank you for wanting to try in the first place.”
“No problem. When do we go?”
I checked the time. “Right about now, I guess.”
“Well, what are we waiting for then?” she asked. “Let's get moving.”
* * * * *
Half an hour later, I walked into the boardroom feeling a sense of mild trepidation. I wasn't intimidated by these people, but I didn't want to be here and I didn't want to discuss this issue. Still, I had been putting it off and dodging and evading it for a long time now, and I couldn't keep running away from it.
At least this time, Meredith would be at my side.
My father was sitting at the table, along with Marsha and Tracy. Tracy, looking very sexy in a tight, figure-hugging black dress, was obviously doing her best to impress me.
She was blond, blue-eyed, and long-legged, everything a model should be. But as physically attractive as she was, I felt nothing toward her. Our lack of a connection made her almost repulsive in my eyes. And besides, I found Meredith to be more physically attractive anyway; I had always preferred curvy girls over model types.
Marsha had the looks of a woman who had been very beautiful in her younger years but now that those looks had mostly faded, she was left with an angular, pinched kind of face that had seen too much plastic surgery. She looked at me, a tight-lipped smile on her face, and there was something suspicious in those blue eyes of hers, something that I instantly disliked and distrusted.
My father was looking jovial; he obviously expected everything to go smoothly here and didn't have any idea that his idea may be opposed.
None of them were expecting anyone else to come to this meeting, so surprise flashed across all their faces as Meredith entered the room just behind me. My father managed to recover his composure pretty quickly though, and he smiled at her.
“Miss Benson,” he said. “It's good to see you.”
He then turned to speak to me, a somewhat quizzical expression on his face. “Why is our marketing director attending this meeting?”
“She's helped me make a few key decisions recently,” I answered, “and seeing as we're discussing some pretty important stuff with regard to the company's future, I figured she might be able to give me some valuable input.”
Marsha glared with open hostility at Meredith. Tracy, however, stared at her with a mixture of anger and bewilderment. She was threatened by Meredith but was doing her best to hide it.
“Everyone,” I said, “this is Meredith Benson, our new marketing manager. Meredith, this is Marsha Hendrikson of Hendrikson, Inc., and her daughter Tracy Hendrikson.”
“Hi,” said Meredith politely, wearing a smile of calm confidence. “It's great to meet you.”
“Yes,” said Marsha in a cold voice, still wearing that tight-lipped smile. “Welcome.”
Tracy, however, said nothing. She just rolled her eyes and looked away.
“Miss Benson, please have a seat,” said my father, smiling warmly.
I pulled out a chair for Meredith and she sat down, and then I took a seat next to her.
“Why don't we get started?” suggested my father.
All the while, Marsha was staring with an icy gaze at Meredith. “You are aware, Miss Benson,” she said coolly, “that we are discussing issues that do not solely concern our companies, are you not? Issues that have nothing to do with outsiders.”
Meredith kept her cool, despite the blatant provocation. “I'm aware of that, yes. And I feel that even though these issues have nothing to do with me personally, I might be able to provide Kyle with some valuable advice.”
“Hmph,” scoffed Marsha with a barely-concealed snarl.
“Now, Marsha,” ca
utioned my father, trying to remain diplomatic, “she may be able to provide some insight.”
I could see, however, that despite what he was saying, he was skeptical about whether she could, and he was pretty annoyed about her presence here.
“Thank you, Mr. Williams,” Meredith said with a pleasant smile.
He simply nodded to acknowledge this. Then he turned and looked at me.
“So, you and I have spoken at length about this situation,” he said, “and I think that we can both agree that it would be most advantageous for you to consider what has been proposed between you and Tracy here. After all, things did go well on the date you two had the other night, didn't they?”
As he said this, a look of surprise crossed Meredith's face, while a flush of guilt heated my cheeks. I hadn't told her about the date...and now I was thinking that I really should have.
“Things went, uh, well...” I stammered.
“Things went amazingly,” interjected Tracy, her voice honey-sweet as she did her best to impress both me and my father. “We just talked all night and had such a wonderful time.”
Meredith shot me an angry glance but I looked away from her and turned my attention to my father instead.
“That's not exactly the case,” I said, speaking to him but directing my sentiments at everyone there.
“What?” exclaimed Tracy in a wounded tone.
“You spent a lot of time talking about yourself,” I said, shooting her an accusatory glance. “I hardly had the opportunity to get more than two or three words in during our so-called date.”
I was trying to bait her into an argument; if she snapped now, my father would see that she had a short temper and would perhaps soften his line on me having to marry her. I wasn't lying though; the date really had been like that. She had just talked and talked and talked. I had been bored to death.
I had to wonder, though, whether Marsha had prepared her for something like this. It seemed that she had, because I could tell that Tracy was doing her utmost to keep her temper under control. She suddenly laughed lightly, as if brushing off what I was saying.
“You're so funny, Kyle,” she said.
I could hear it was forced – but could anyone else?
“I don't recall being able to fit in any jokes that night,” I countered.
“Nonsense! You had me in stitches all night. I don't think I've ever met anyone who can make me laugh so much!”
She laughed again, and it sounded painfully forced. My father, however, didn't seem to be able to pick up on this, and he nodded approvingly.
“My boy always has had a fantastic sense of humor,” he remarked. “It seems like things went well! I like where this is heading.”
“And you two would look so good together,” said Marsha. “Why, with the combination of these genes, your children would be the best-looking kids in the country! They would be the perfect heirs to inherit the company. And by the company, I mean the mega company that will emerge after Hendrikson, Inc. merges with your company. Those children would grow up to be some of the most powerful people in the United States. And we'd be their grandparents,” she said, shooting a conspiratorial glance across at my father, who nodded and smiled.
“It would be a match made in heaven,” he said. “An alliance that would benefit everyone involved.”
My blood was starting to boil now. My future was being decided for me right here in this room, and it was if nothing I felt about it mattered at all.
“Go stand next to Tracy,” instructed my father. “I want to see in the flesh how good you two look together.”
“Dad,” I growled, shaking my head.
“Come on, Kyle.” He would not entertain any rebelliousness here. “Go on, just humor me. I just want to see how you two look together.”
Tracy stood up eagerly, smiling flirtatiously at me and batting her eyelashes. I glanced at Meredith, who was looking upset, but she swallowed whatever emotions were bothering her and nodded subtly. I sighed, got up, and walked over to Tracy. As I stood next to her, she tried to slide her hand into mine but I pulled it away before she could.
“Well, now, look at that,” said my dad, nodding approvingly. “You two look amazing. Like a Hollywood couple.”
“We could have a fairytale wedding,” said Tracy, gushing. She kept edging closer to me, and I could feel my temper rising.
“I'd be happy to arrange that,” said Marsha, a strange and almost cruel glint sparking in her eyes as she looked at me. “Yes, very happy to arrange that. It would be the wedding of the century, it really would.”
“Oh, we could hire out...” said Tracy excitedly but in my head her words were blurring into a muted roar, and I couldn't make out what she was saying. All I could hear was my own voice inside my head, screaming no. I didn't want this. I didn't want any of this. My life was going to be in my hands, my own hands, and nobody else's.
“No,” I said softly.
Tracy, however, didn't seem to hear me. She just kept on talking.
“And I think the right car to use for our wedding would be—” she was saying excitedly.
“No,” I said, more forcefully this time.
“And the chauffeur could wear—”
“No!” I roared, clenching my fists.
Everyone stopped and stared at me.
“No what?” asked Marsha, looking annoyed.
“No to everything! No to these plans, no to this wedding, and no to Tracy! I don't want to marry someone I'm not in love with, someone who I don't—”
“Love will come in time,” my father said calmly. “Affection will grow as you two get to know each other better. And I don't see any problem with the physical attraction aspect either. Tracy is a model and she's gorgeous, and you're a handsome young man.”
“I don't care,” I snapped. “She's not the person I want to marry. I don't even want to go on another date with her.”
“How can you say that?” sobbed Tracy suddenly, bursting into tears. “You're so cold, so cruel!”
“I don't like you,” I said calmly. “You're spoiled, selfish and—”
Now her tears of pain turned to tears of rage.
“Oh, and you think you're so great?! Do you know how many guys would kill, and I mean kill, to be with someone like me? I'm a famous model! Every guy wants me! Every guy except you, it seems. What's wrong with you? You'll never have the chance to be with someone as beautiful as me again, never! You're throwing away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What's wrong with you? Are you even a man? Or maybe, maybe it's not girls you like...is that it? Is that why you're being such a stupid jerk about this?”
“No,” I said. “It's because...it's because...”
“Because what?” sneered Marsha.
“Because, because...”
“Because you're the one who's a spoiled brat,” Marsha snapped. “A spoiled brat with no concept of the long-term future, with no idea how to appreciate the genius of this plan that your father and I have been working on, a fool who—”
“Because there's someone else,” I said.
That shut everyone up.
“What the hell do you mean there's someone else?” my dad asked. “What are you talking about?”
I looked across at Meredith, who was looking totally shocked, and shot her a glance that told her exactly what I was about to say. Her look of shock remained but now it became a totally different kind of shock. She now knew what I was going to say, and she was totally unprepared for it. Nonetheless, I had started on this course, and there was no way I was going to deviate from it. I had reached the point at which I no longer gave a damn. I was about to take control of my life once and for all, and there was nothing that my dad or Marsha could do to stop me.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” demanded Marsha, her face purple with wrath. “Tell us!”
I turned and looked at Meredith and smiled – and to my surprise, she smiled back at me.
“Her,” I said simply.
My father a
lmost fell off his chair. Marsha's beady eyes almost popped out of their sockets. And Tracy, it seemed, reacted with just as much surprise; she stumbled back and almost tripped over her own feet.
“Her?” she gasped, utterly incredulous. “But she's just a total... she's a nobody! She's nothing compared to me.”
“Classy, real classy,” Marsha said. “You might as well be getting it on with a secretary.”
I could see that these horrible comments were hurting Meredith, and that made me furious.
“If you two don't shut up with your comments, you'll regret it, and I mean seriously regret it,” I growled. “I don't care who you are; nobody, and I mean nobody, disrespects my woman.”
“When did this start?” gasped my father, finally speaking after he had been shocked into silence. “How long has this been going on? And why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?!”
“We've been together for a few weeks now,” I said.
I wasn't sure what else to say; obviously, it wouldn't be a great idea to talk about the one-night stand at this point. I looked across to Meredith, and she could see that I was struggling here. She gave me a subtle nod, and then started to speak.
“We felt a spark the first time we saw each other,” she said smoothly and calmly, taking all of this in her stride.
She, too, realized that we couldn't mention how it was that we had first met. And she was actually telling the truth, because we had both felt a powerful spark that night. The alcohol had amplified it, but it hadn't created it. Even if I had been sober at the time, I would still have fallen head over heels for her. I knew that now with utter certainty.
“And neither of you thought to tell me about this until now?” demanded my father.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Williams,” said Meredith, now starting to look a little flustered. “It's just that, you know, I was just starting out at the company, and there has been so much pressure and stress, and neither of us has had any free time, and...”
I could see that she was struggling now, and I decided that I needed to step in and help her.
“It's okay, Meredith,” I said gently. “Let me tell him.”
“Tell me what?” he snapped. “What other secrets have you been hiding from me?”