by Karen Booth
“Or we could eat in,” she said, with a very sexy and leading inflection.
“I love the way your mind works.”
Teresa laughed, but there was a commotion on the other line, the sound of voices. “I should go. I have a meeting with Aspen about catering for the retreat. It’s only a few weeks away.”
“You do what you need to do. I’ll call you later.”
Liam hung up and put his phone on mute, then took a moment to look out the window, the city flying by in a blur while raindrops battered the glass. Even with the scenery, he couldn’t keep visions of his dad out of his head. Most sons probably had memories of playing catch or being taught how to ride a bike, but the closest Liam came to that were the times his dad had taken him out on the family yacht. Otherwise, Liam’s remembrances were of his dad coming home well after dinner had been served, too tired to do much more than ruffle his son’s hair and maybe ask about school. Liam was duly thankful for the hard work his father had put into growing Christopher Corporation. He only wished the man had taken a moment or two to breathe. Which might have had something to with him collapsing. Liam guessed his dad was suffering from exhaustion. It would likely be his job to tell his father to slow down.
The driver pulled up in front of his father’s house, the one he bought after he’d divorced Liam’s mother. Dad had left the family home to Mom, which had seemed kind at the time, although his mother managed to put it in a bad light, insisting that he’d only done it to stick her with the bad memories of the things that had led to the deterioration of their marriage. Liam had only been to this house five or six times in the five years since the divorce. How sad was that? Liam needed to change that. Maybe his dad’s health scare was a wake-up call.
Liam took the stairs two at a time and ducked under cover from the rain. His dad’s housekeeper answered quickly.
“Liam. He’s waiting for you. He’s been asking about you.” She turned and led the way down the large central hall, up the right side of the circular staircase and down the corridor to the double doors of his father’s bedroom at the very end. With every step closer, the gravity of the situation seemed to bear down on him. This might be life or death. And since his father never remarried and Liam was an only child, he was left alone to deal with it.
The housekeeper opened the door and looked at Liam with entirely too much pity for his liking. “Be sure to speak softly. And don’t raise the shades. The light bothers his eyes.”
Liam was even more confused now. The day was as gray as could be. But he didn’t ask. He just wanted to see his dad.
Ahead, his formidable father looked tiny in the elegantly dressed king-size bed. A nurse was there, checking his pulse. She turned and saw Liam and smiled thinly, as if she couldn’t bear to share the bad news. As to what that was, Liam had no idea. He stepped closer and saw that his dad’s eyes were shut.
“Is he sleeping?” Liam whispered to the nurse.
She shook her head. “Resting. It hurts his eyes right now. I’ll be outside if you need me.”
“Wait, I’m sorry. I don’t understand. Collapsing hurt his eyes?”
“No.” His father’s voice was fragile. Like it might break. “Sit down, son. I’ll explain.”
Liam took the chair next to his bedside, reaching out for his hand. As soon as he touched him, his dad’s eyes began to open, but he closed them quickly. “Dad. Talk to me. Are you okay?”
A smile slowly spread across his father’s face. Liam had never seen him look so old or frail. This was not the strong man Liam knew. “I don’t want you to get angry with me, but I’ve had a health situation for the past few years that’s finally catching up with me.”
“What kind of situation?”
“Brain cancer.”
Liam suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe. “What? When did this happen? Is that why your eyes hurt?”
His father nodded. “It’s pressing on the optic nerve. That part started a few days ago. I’ve been taking painkillers, but they’ve stopped working.”
“Well, we need to get the best doctors in here right away to see you.”
“I’ve already seen the best doctors. I’ve been all over the world. Nobody can help me.”
Liam was stuck between shock and disbelief. None of this felt real. “Why in the world did you keep this from me? Dad, why didn’t you let me know this was going on?”
“I didn’t want you to worry, and no father wants to admit to his son that he’s not as strong as he’s always tried to be. Plus, I didn’t want anyone at the company to worry, either. There’s nothing like a sick CEO to make everyone panic.”
“But I’m your son. Didn’t I deserve to know?”
His father nodded and took another peek from under his eyelids. “I thought I could beat it. Nobody likes to feel weak like this. But I have to surrender to it now.”
The question was right on Liam’s lips but he was terrified to ask. “How long do you have?”
“Days, Liam. That’s why I sent for you right away. You’re the most important person in my life. I need you to know that I believe in you. You are going to do great things. When you receive your copy of the will, you will see that you will be named CEO. Just as we’ve always discussed. You can steer the ship. I know I gave you a hard time about the Sasha project, but you were right about it. I never should have doubted you.”
Liam squeezed his dad’s hand, desperate to hold on to him. “It’s okay. I like that we butted heads at work. It made things interesting.”
His dad smiled, crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. “I always admired that you weren’t one to back down.”
Liam sighed, his heart heavy. He could hardly believe this was happening. “Is there anything else I need to know about the succession plan or the company?”
“No. It’s all sewn up, exactly like I told you. I want you to take the helm the instant I’m gone. It’ll make for the smoothest transition if you’re strong with it. Take command. Don’t hesitate.”
“I will.”
“But there is something else. Something more personal I need to say.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Don’t live for your work. Will you promise me you’ll fall in love and get married and have a whole litter of Christopher children?”
Liam had never discussed such things with his father, not even when Liam was a teenager and first interested in girls. His mother had given him the sex talk, and like most things with her, it had come with a touch of melodrama. “I’ll do my best. I promise.”
“Is there a lady in your life, Liam?”
Liam nodded. “There is. It’s very new, but I like her a lot. It’s actually someone you know. Someone who wanted me to send her best. Teresa St. Claire.”
His father lifted his chin and an unusual look crossed his face. “Really? How wonderful. She’s a lovely girl. So much drive and determination.”
“I know. I get the distinct feeling I should stay out of her way.”
His father laughed quietly. “She was the smartest student I’ve ever had. She understood business on a level that was uncanny. It came naturally to her and all she wanted was to learn more.”
“And that’s why you took her under your wing?” Liam nearly stopped breathing, waiting for the answer.
“That and I saw something special in her. She was going places. You know, your mother was convinced I had an affair with her. That was the beginning of the end of our marriage. She would never believe me that nothing had ever happened.” His father’s voice held the same conviction that Teresa’s did when she spoke of this subject. Plus, his dad was opening himself up to Liam in a way he never had. He was putting it all on the line. There was no saving face today. There was no reason to lie. “Not that you want my opinion, but I approve of Teresa if she ends up being your wife.”
&nbs
p; Wife. Liam could only imagine such a thing in the vaguest sense of the word, like seeing a ghost or a mirage off in the distance. His parents had such a dysfunctional marriage. Seemingly loveless. Could he get it right? Or was he doomed to make the same mistakes? “That’s good to know, Dad. I appreciate it.”
The nurse stepped into the room. “Mr. Christopher, it’s time for your pain medication.”
His dad nodded. “Just one more minute with my son.”
Liam took his dad’s hand. “I’ll come and see you tomorrow, okay? In the morning? We can have breakfast and talk some more.” With his dad fading, Liam wanted to get everything he could out of these final days, especially with him being so open and honest. Liam had been waiting for that his entire life.
“I’d like that. Very much.”
Liam rose and leaned down to kiss his father on the forehead. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you, too, son.”
As he walked out of the room, Liam managed a smile at the nurse. Right before a tear rolled down his cheek.
Fourteen
Matt had been avoiding the office for an entire week, finding any excuse to meet people for lunch or coffee, any reason to hop in his car and drive to Portland or…anywhere other than Richmond Industries headquarters. It was simply too painful to walk past Nadia’s desk several times a day and see someone else sitting there. All he could think about was how much better Nadia made his day with her beauty, brains and generous ways. Braydon, the temporary assistant HR had sent over, was competent, and he’d probably work out once he got up to speed, but he was also a stark reminder of who was no longer sitting outside Matt’s office.
But he couldn’t stay away today. It was Monday morning, which meant the weekly meeting with key staff. He had to steer the ship or at least nudge it in the right direction. The retreat was less than two weeks away. There were a million things to do. He was stressed, too. Liam had called a few days ago to tell him that his father was gravely ill. This had come as a shock to Matt, but Liam had sounded as if he’d been hit by a truck. They’d been talking every day since then. Matt mostly just listened as Liam tried to process what was happening.
Matt’s phone rang and he was relieved to see it was Liam. “Hey, buddy. How are you doing? How’s your dad?”
“He’s gone, Matt. He died. Early this morning. I didn’t even get to talk to him again. He was too sick to see me yesterday. I showed up at his house and I just got turned away.”
Matt dropped his elbow onto his desk and kneaded his forehead. “Man, I am so sorry. Tell me where you are. I’ll come to see you. I don’t think you should be alone.”
“No. No. It’s fine. I’m at work and everyone is freaking out. People are crying. Hell, I had to send half of the accounting department home because they were so upset. I need to stay and keep things together. My dad was very clear about this. Everyone at the company needs to be reminded of the succession plan. They need to know that the transfer of power is instantaneous and seamless. They can’t see me be anything but calm and collected.”
Matt shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “Liam, your father just passed away. It’s okay for you to feel bad or show some emotion right now. Nobody is going to blame you.”
The other end of the line was quiet and that made it feel like Matt’s heart was being ripped out. “I can’t. I have to hold everything together.”
This was so true of Liam. His family, the business—he kept it all together. But who was going to keep Liam together? “That’s what you do, isn’t it? You keep everything together.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
Matt sighed, resigned to the fact that he would never convince Liam to take a break. Not today. Perhaps it was best for him to soldier through the next eight hours and leave his grieving for home, where he could be alone.
Braydon poked his head into Matt’s office. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Teresa St. Claire is on the line. She says it’s urgent.”
Matt nodded and held up a finger to let Braydon know he needed a minute. “Hey, Liam. Teresa is on the other line. I think she’s out at The Opulence, so I should probably take her call. It’s probably about the retreat.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Tell her I say hi.”
How things had changed in a few short weeks. “How are things between you two?”
“Good. Fine.”
“Is there a love connection there?”
“Love? No. We’re friends.”
Matt didn’t want to press Liam any further. That could wait until later. Plus, Teresa was on the line. “Okay. I’ll call you later to check on you.” Matt ended the call on his cell and picked up his office line. “Teresa. How can I help you?”
“Can you tell me what your relationship is like with your brother?”
Matt nearly laughed, especially thinking about the horrible things that had transpired at his parents’ house. “You have a few hundred hours for me to explain? Let’s just say that it’s adversarial at best. Why do you ask?”
“He was here at The Opulence over the weekend. He made a bit of an impression on the staff. Drinking too much in the bar and, honestly, talking trash about you a fair amount. One of the bartenders said he bragged last night that he was behind the TBG stories.”
Matt wasn’t entirely surprised. Zach took any chance he could to embarrass Matt or make him look bad. Of course, he’d chosen one of Richmond Industries’ most exclusive properties to smear his name. “Thank you for sharing, but I already knew about it. He threatened me with it the night I thought I was bringing Nadia to meet my parents. My brother basically broke Nadia and I up because of it.”
“Well, that’s not all your brother said. He was railing on Shayla, calling her a snake and saying that she’d forced him to do it. Something about blackmail and forcing Nadia out.”
Matt froze in his seat. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. “Do you trust this bartender?”
“I do. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get to know the staff. And it wasn’t just the bartender who overheard. Aspen heard him say something, and so did Isabel Withers, the concierge. I wouldn’t call you if I wasn’t certain there was something to the story.”
Matt was struggling to put this all together. “Why in the world would Shayla do that? She’s one of my most trusted employees.”
“I don’t know, Matt. You’ll have to ask her yourself. And then I think you need to speak to Nadia.”
Oh, God. Nadia. She might kill Shayla with her small but capable hands if it turned out that she was behind the tabloid stories. “Thanks for this info. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. Have you heard from Liam?”
“I have. He told me about his dad.”
“It’s so sad. He called me early this morning, right after it happened. He’s so upset. I’m trying to convince him to come relax for a few days out at The Opulence, but he’s all wrapped up in the succession plan and the lawyers and the will.” So there was a love connection between Liam and Teresa. “I’m hoping to see him tomorrow.”
“Great. I’m sure he could use the company. And thank you for calling. I really appreciate it.” Matt said goodbye to Teresa and called out to Braydon. “Can you get Shayla in here right away?”
Braydon nodded and picked up his phone, then sprang over to Matt’s door. “She’s on her way.”
Matt got up from his desk and began pacing his office, going over the events of the last few weeks. It all made sense now, except that it didn’t. He couldn’t imagine what her motive would be. Why would she want to hurt the company she worked for? What could she possibly be blackmailing Zach with?
He didn’t need to ask himself these questions for long, though. Shayla turned up in his doorway. “Braydon said you needed me.”
Matt just looked at her, shaking his head in disbelief. “I need to ask you someth
ing and I need complete honesty.”
“Of course. You always get the truth from me.”
Matt was starting to think that might not be the case. “Are you behind the TBG stories? Are you blackmailing my brother?”
He waited for her to defend herself or blurt out that he was wrong, but she did nothing of the sort. Instead, she wandered over to one of the chairs opposite his desk and sat down. “I guess I’m not completely surprised that you found out, but I was hoping that I’d gotten away with it. Nadia’s been gone for an entire week and the office is already a better place.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?”
Shayla turned to him. “You weren’t yourself when she was here. She was a distraction.”
“That is not true. And who put you in charge? It’s not your place to pull these kinds of strings behind the scenes.”
She shook her head and looked down at her lap. “It’s your fault, you know. It’s not like I didn’t try. Every day, Matt. Working hard. Dressing impeccably. Being at your beck and call. If you’d just noticed me, this never would have happened.”
“Noticed you? I notice you all the time. You’re a complete pain in my ass, but you’re a great employee. What exactly were you wanting from me?”
She turned back to him then slowly rose out of the chair. “You. I wanted you, Matt. All that time I was with Zach, it was just to get closer to you. Why do you think I’ve stayed all these years?” She approached him like a tiger hiding in the tall grass, stalking her prey. “I’ve had a million job offers. I’ve had other companies throw money at me. But no, I stayed, because I kept hoping that you would wake up one day and see me as the woman who loves you.”
Matt felt his eyes go wide with surprise. He had not seen this coming. “You told Zach that I was bringing Nadia to have dinner with our parents.”
She kept approaching and Matt started backing up, wanting to stay away. “I had to do something. I heard that pathetic confession you made to Nadia at Gideon’s party. I couldn’t let you throw everything away like that. Zach had been calling me for weeks, trying to see if I could help him convince you to bring him back on board with the company. I decided to turn the tables on him and ask for a favor in return. As you know, an old friend of his owns TBG. I had to make him do the dirty work.”