“Is Daddy in trouble?” Connor asks, his eyes wide.
“So much trouble. Auntie Si is going to hang out with you while I talk to your daddy, okay?”
“Okay,” Trevor answers.
I stand and follow Ainsley into my bedroom, shutting the door. I don’t want the boys to know Grace is gone yet, so the living room is out.
“She and I disagreed on what pictures to use for the hotel marketing, and Miles took my side.”
“There’s got to be more to it than that.”
“I didn’t handle the situation well, and neither did Miles. We discussed it without her…twice. She lost it the second time, and quit.”
“Were the photos you wanted to use that much better than the ones she chose?”
“Yes, and no. Hers would work perfectly well in the campaign she created, but I know mine would make it exceptional.”
“You should’ve all met together to discuss it. Cutting her out of the discussion is bullshit.”
“We know.”
“It’s not fair to anyone for her to quit. She deserves her job, and also the respect the two of you didn’t give her.”
“I already said we know we were wrong.”
“You say it, but you don’t mean it. You still think you did the right thing.”
“This is my chance, Sis. My chance to prove myself, and have my job with Corrigan extended. Why is it so wrong for me to have done everything I could to keep it?”
“It’s wrong because you aren’t some cutthroat asshole who throws a woman under a moving bus to further his career. I expect you to fight for what you think is best, but not by cutting out your direct boss. That’s a ducking misogynistic asshole move.”
“I’m not misogynistic.”
“In this, you were.”
“Maybe.”
“Yes, not maybe.”
“Fine, okay? I already told you Miles and I know we screwed up. Me more than him, because I lost her in all aspects of my life. Have you thought about how hard it is for me to take a look at what I did, and still be able to live with myself? Not just at work, but at Con’s party?”
“I’m glad you’re finally admitting it, and making it better will go a long way to make you feel better too.”
“You were right. About me holding on to anger, and the feelings Jacky left me with. There’s no love there, but there’s still hurt. Or there was. When Grace said she was quitting, and Miles told me she’s leaving for New York, I let it go. I felt it almost like it was a weight I was pushing off my soul.
“I love Grace like I never loved Jacky, and yet I judged her on how I felt when Jacky left. No matter that Grace is nothing like her, and was there for the boys even after I hurt her, I still held her to the mistakes of my past. I wish it didn’t take losing her to make it happen, because fuck if I know how to get her back now.”
“I’ll help you.”
“Not this time. I love you, but this time, I need to do it alone. She has to see that I’m willing to struggle and fight for her. For us.”
“Yeah, I think she does.”
Grace
“Go home, Grace,” my mom says, pushing the bread basket towards me. We’re at our favorite neighborhood place, and I was hoping for some motherly advice, but I didn’t expect what I’m getting.
“Wow. You know most mothers would want their child to stay with them.”
“Not when she’s making a mistake.”
“I told you everything, and you only get that I’m to blame?”
“No. I believe the men in your life are 99% to blame, but I also believe you won’t find a better job than the one you’re leaving. You know how to work among men who don’t value you, and while I don’t think that’s exactly the case here, you’ll survive. Your father and I raised you to survive.”
“I quit.”
“We didn’t raise a quitter, either.”
“I came home for support.”
“That’s what you’re getting.”
“I wanted a hug, not tough love.”
“You got a hug when you walked in.”
“I’m not going to beg for my job back.”
“Maybe you won’t have to. All I’m saying is that if you’re given the offer to keep it, don’t turn it down.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Now, tell me more about these little boys.”
Keir
“You’re not really going to let her go, are you?” I ask Miles when I enter his office the next day.
“I can’t make her stay.”
“I know, but we can’t just do nothing.”
“I have a baby on the way, and several other divisions to run, so excuse me if I wish you’d done something before she left.”
“This isn’t all on me.”
He rubs a hand over his hair. “No, it’s not, and I’m sorry for saying that. We’ve already know we fucked up, and I’m pretty sure having her name dragged through the mud by the media didn’t help things, but all I can control now is her work environment. The rest is up to you.”
“I know. There has to be a way to get her back to Vegas. If she’s here, I can grovel more effectively."
"As can I."
"So, what do we do?"
"Nothing yet, but only because Matt says I can't reach out to her until he talks to her."
"Matt's talking to her?"
"He's on a plane as we speak. Keep your fingers crossed, because if he can't get through to her, and let her know how important she is to this company, I don't know who can."
Grace
I'm standing at the windows in my borrowed office, staring out at the Manhattan skyline. The lights glitter like diamonds, but it's different lights I wish I was seeing right now. Colored lights, a pyramid whose light can be seen from space, and a mini Eiffel Tower.
"I had a feeling I'd find you here."
I turn at the sound of Matt's voice, knowing this day was coming, but not wanting it here yet. "You're here with my exit paperwork?"
"No."
"No?"
"I was going to tell you that if you say you're quitting, you need to mean it."
"But now you know I meant it."
"The question is whether you still mean it."
"That's a complicated question to answer."
"Good. I'm not looking for a yes. Talk to me, Grace."
I look back at the window, gaining courage from the lights out there, while knowing Matt's watching my reflection. "Over the years, I've missed family vacations, family celebrations, and even my grandmother's funeral, because I knew I couldn't look weak. I couldn't take time off, I couldn't cry when I got devastating news, and I couldn't ever let the men around me have any reason to take a shot at me."
"That would never happen at my company."
"I thought so too, and I was so happy to job there. I felt valued, and respected, until I didn't anymore."
"I've seen all the photos, and we both know Keir's choices are better."
"It wasn't about the photos," I admit.
"It was about them meeting without you, and my brother taking his side over yours without hearing you out. He would've still chosen those pictures, because every project needs to be our best, but you deserved to be treated better. He knows it, and it's killing him."
"The first time I saw them looking over the pictures without me, I was hurt. The second time was worse, because of everything that happened the day before. All the accusations I know some people still believe, even though it’s blown over in the media, and how raw I was over being put through that. Not being allowed to face the man who tried to destroy me, and then walking in on two men I once trusted working against me...it was too much, Matt."
"I apologize, because I was trying to protect you by not having you in the meeting with that asshole. I have a wife who is strong and independent, so I do know better, and I have no excuse other than wanting to spare you more ugliness."
"Apology accepted. I appreciate your concern, even
if it wasn't needed."
"Come back, and let Miles apologize."
"It's not just Miles I'll have to face. How do I tell Keir I was being petty?"
"You just tell him. From what I can tell, he's been more of an ass to you than you've been to him."
"He has, but it hasn't messed with my job."
"Really? I seem to remember his ex-wife coming after you publicly."
"Yeah, and since we're having this little therapy session, I'm going to tell you I wanted him to stand up for me."
"I can't speak for him, so I don't know what he's thinking. He looks like shit, if that's any consolation."
"It might be if I knew it was because of me."
"You're going to make me bring out the big guns, huh?"
"A raise?"
"You can have a raise, but I have something better."
"Better than a raise?"
He reaches into his suit jacket, and pulls out two handmade cards. Before I even see the words or pictures, I know who they're from. He wasn't kidding about bringing something big enough to make me go back. I would face a dragon for Trevor and Connor Martin, so facing two men who hurt me doesn't seem so daunting right now.
"Tomorrow is Family Celebration Night for the daycare center. We have them every quarter, celebrating every kind of family who uses the center. The boys are sharing a table for their family, and they would really appreciate you taking the last seat."
"This is low, Matt."
He throws his hands up in the air, like he's innocent in all of this. "Don't blame me, because you made those boys fall in love with you."
I take the cards from him, running my hand over the fronts, where Connor has drawn me a Wonder Woman and lots of hearts, and Trevor has carefully printed my name along with "X"s and "O"s. Inside each is a printed invitation to the dinner, glitter, Wonder Woman symbols, and more love. So much love, and there's no way I'm going to ignore it.
"Take me to your plane, Boss."
18
Keir
While the boys are at C&C, helping to decorate for a special family dinner tonight, I'm picking up my parents from the airport. Ainsley offered, but I need to talk to them... or really, my mom. My dad told me to marry Grace when he met her, and not just because she was dressed as a superhero. He saw what everyone who gets to know her sees—the exceptional woman who has the biggest heart, and enough love for a man and his two sons to share.
"I love that Matthew Corrigan does this for his employees," my mom says when we're on our way to Ainsley's house, where they're staying for the weekend.
"He's great."
"Are we going to see your photos while we're here?" My dad asks.
The dreaded photos that cost us all so much? I'd like to burn them at this point, but I can't. "Sure."
"I'm going to make dinner on Sunday, because you all need a home-cooked meal."
My mother says it like I don't feed my boys, and it sets me off. "If I hadn't listened to you about Grace, they'd be having one every night."
"She's not right for you. Especially after all that news coverage."
My dad sits up straight in the passenger seat, and looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. "What? Is that what happened at the party? Please tell me you've fixed things with her, Son."
"Things are worse than ever between us, but she still made dinner and dessert for Trev's potluck last week."
"You asked her to do that after you hurt her?"
"No. Trev called, and asked her. She didn't hesitate to say yes to him."
"I didn't know," my mom says, and I can hear the remorse in her voice.
"I did, but I still listened to what you said, and hurt us all."
"How can we help you fix it?"
"If someone could get her back to Vegas, maybe I'd have a chance."
"She's not here?"
"No."
I tell them everything, and by the time we reach Ainsley's house, I've been swatted on the back of the head by both of them. They've also changed their flights, so they can watch the boys while I fly to New York tomorrow, and try to earn back a place in Grace’s life. Tonight is about my boys, but tomorrow will be about all of us.
Grace
Finding the perfect dress to wear for a dinner you're a special guest at is harder than it seems. I could've called Stella, but I wanted to put in the extra effort for the boys. I finally settle on a bright pink dress, completely covered in fabric flowers that get bigger from top to bottom. I manage to get shoes in the same color, and decide my diamond studs are the only jewelry I need. I curl my hair into soft waves, showcasing the various shades, and put on a minimal amount of makeup. I feel pretty, as I walk out the door, and drive to C&C.
Walking into the cafeteria, I feel like I've been transported into a fantasy land. There are dragons, fairies, twinkling lights, and lots of flowers. Professional decorations are seamlessly mixed with ones the children have created. The various tables have been replaced with large rounds that seat ten each, and there’s a dance floor in the middle of the large room.
As usual, I feel Keir before I see him, and head in the direction my body tells me to go. Just as Matt said, there's only one seat left at the table, and it's in between Trevor and Connor. There are two small bouquets of flowers tied with ribbons at the place setting, and I want to run and claim them, but I force myself to walk slowly over to them.
I'm only a few feet away when Keir looks up. His eyes widen when he sees me, and he says my name. "Grace."
Trevor jumps out of his chair first, and I kneel down to take his hug. "You're here! Matt said he'd bring you, but I didn't know if you'd come."
"He said he'd throw you over his shoulder if you wouldn't come, but I told him you'd punch him like Diana would," Connor adds.
"I would've punched him if he'd done that, but I didn't come here because of him. I came here because my two favorite boys made me the best invitations ever."
They are so adorable in their little bow ties, button downs, suspenders, and pressed pants. I want to hold onto them forever, and forget all the problems I still have to face, but I know I can’t. I can pretend for one night, though.
"We're your favorites, Pretty?"
"Who else would be?"
"Not Daddy," Trevor says, and I stifle a laugh as Keir curses.
I decide to take a little bit of pity on him, because I still owe him an apology. "Your daddy is a man, so he wouldn't be one of my favorite boys."
"Do I qualify?"
I look up to see Ethan standing over us with a smile on his face. He holds out a hand to help me to my feet, and pulls me into a tight hug.
"You're definitely a close third, E."
"Are you back for good?"
"We'll talk about that later. Save me a dance?"
"I'll save you two."
His face is bright red even before I kiss him on the cheek, and send him back to his own family. When I turn back to my own my table, Keir's dad grabs me into a big hug. "It's good to see you, Grace."
"You too."
I get and give hugs to Zack, Ainsley, Sierra, and Joel, ignoring the other two people who are seated here, because I'm not getting into it with them in front of the boys. Trevor holds out my chair for me, and Connor places my napkin on my lap. They each hand me a bouquet, revealing a silver Wonder Woman cuff beneath them.
"Is this for me?"
"Yep. We got to pick one gift online for up to $25, so we combined our money for you," Trevor tells me.
"Do you like it?" Connor asks.
"I love it," I say, putting it on my right wrist, before hugging them both again. "The flowers are beautiful, too. I'm very honored to be your guest tonight."
"Do you want your food now? We’re going to get if for you, because we know what you like.”
“I’ll carry the heavy plate,” Trevor adds.
“I would love some food. Thank you.”
The boys scamper off, and I turn my attention to Keir and his mother. “I am very aware of your low opi
nion of me, Mrs. Martin, and that Keir agrees with you about me staying away, but I couldn’t do it tonight. Those little boys want me here, so I’m here, and the two of you need to pretend you’re at least okay with it. For them.”
“My opinion of you is actually quite high right now, and I’d like to apologize for what I said to my son at Connor’s party. I’m over-protective of my boys, and I was afraid you’d hurt them. I know I ended up hurting all of you instead, and I am truly sorry.”
You could knock me over with a feather, and I feel a lump in my throat that wasn’t there a moment ago. I swallow past it to answer her. “Thank you.”
The boys come back with two plates filled with some of my favorite foods, but I wait to dig in until everyone else has food. Keir takes them to get theirs, and I have a moment alone to try and calm my breathing. Keir’s mom isn’t against us, so the only thing standing between us is us.
Keir
I watch Grace as she laughs and eats with my sons, answering their questions, and listening to them talk about what they’ve been doing since she saw them at Connor’s party. She never gets irritated with them, or tells them they’re talking too much. She ruffles their hair, and kisses their cheeks, and none of it is fake, or forced. I took this away from them, and I curse myself again for being a coward.
“Can you come over tonight, and I can open my presents, Pretty?”
“Which presents, Con?”
“My birthday presents you gave me. I didn’t want to open them without you.”
Her hand flies to her mouth, and I see tears glisten in her eyes. “My sweet boy…I mean, you’re such a sweet boy. Not mine, just…excuse me.”
She gets up from the table, and practically runs outside. The boys start to wiggle out of their chairs, but I tell them to stay. It’s my turn to take care of Grace. Long past my turn, but I’m not going to make the same mistakes again.
As I make my way to the patio door, Ethan steps into my path. “Leave her alone.”
“I’m trying to make things right.”
“I won’t allow you to hurt her again. She’s breaking, and you can’t completely break her. You just can’t.”
Unexpected Company: #2 of Company Men Page 12