by Alice Ward
“Swell,” I said. “Sounds just swell.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tara
The elevator doors couldn’t open fast enough. From everything Ray said, I knew Sean was going to be difficult. After being hung up on twice already, I was prepared for a little attitude from him. I expected him to be surly and moody. After all, a broody nature was part of the look we wanted to sell, but I never thought he would be flat out rude.
His every word dripped with sarcasm, and he clearly had no interest in meeting me. His face twisted in discomfort the second I stepped off the elevator to greet him. He looked like he was in pain when he shook my hand, and I felt like I was pulling teeth just trying to get him onto the elevator. I tried to talk about our plans, thinking that maybe he would find it all somewhat interesting. I hoped I’d be able to adjust his mood before we met with Ray, but I failed miserably.
When we stepped off the elevator, Sean stuffed his hands in his pockets. His shoulders immediately sunk forward and his forehead creased. I’d never seen someone frown so intensely. I shook my head and led the way toward Ray’s office. Sean walked slowly behind me, his eyes focused on the floor. I glanced back at him and saw that he was still frowning. I tried to feel sorry for him. Maybe he was just nervous. After all, things were tense with his family. He probably didn’t mean to be rude, I thought. He was just worried about facing his family.
I let my frustrations fade as we rounded the corner toward Ray’s office. Sean was keeping pace with me now, but he still wouldn’t look up. I wanted to say something encouraging, but I couldn’t find the words. When I opened my mouth to speak, my throat felt dry and my tongue was like lead. I cleared my throat and gave up on the idea. Sean’s mood wasn’t going to improve before we reached Ray’s office.
“Ray,” I said as I knocked softly on the doorframe. “Sean’s here. You ready for us?”
“Yes. Come in, come in,” Ray said. His voice was laced with excitement. He jumped to his feet and gestured for us to sit down. I glanced around the office and saw that Zach was already there. He sat in his usual chair against the side wall. For the first time, he didn’t look at me when I walked in the room.
Sean walked around me and sunk into the closest chair. Zach watched him with beady eyes as he moved. Sean didn’t spare so much as a glance in his brother’s direction. He simply fell into the chair and stared at his father. Ray looked back at him. They exchanged some sort of silent communication that I didn’t understand. I felt like I’d just walked into an igloo. I shivered involuntarily and sat in the chair beside Sean.
“So,” I said with a forced smile. “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything.”
“Not at all,” Ray said. “Zach and I were just reviewing the plans for Sean joining the team. We have the rest of the week planned out, I think.”
“Perfect,” I said. “That’s exactly what Sean and I were just—”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Sean said suddenly. He glared at his father. “She doesn’t have to watch my every move.”
“Excuse me?” I asked. I was taken aback by his comment. Here I thought I was being professional and accommodating. I was under the impression that Sean’s foul mood was about his father, but really it was about me.
“She went downstairs to greet you,” Ray said. “In our world, that’s called being nice. It’s a professional courtesy.”
“Your world?” Sean scoffed. “What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means,” Zach said. His eyes still hadn’t left his brother. I could see a burning hatred behind them that I didn’t understand. Zach was never pleasant to be around, but I’d never seen him look so venomous. I half expected him to lunge across the room and throw a punch.
“I apologize if I offended you,” I said quickly, turning my attention back to Sean. My insides were burning with anger, but I wanted to avoid a fight. “I just wanted to make sure you felt welcome.”
“No chance of that,” Sean said. He didn’t bother to look at me while he spoke. He had eyes only for his father. I wanted to slap him.
“Why don’t we just go over the plans?” I offered. My voice shook slightly, but I clenched my fists to keep myself in control.
“Sounds great,” Ray said with a grateful smile.
“Swell,” Sean said. He spat the word through his teeth just as he’d done in the elevator. I was beginning to sympathize with Zach’s demeanor. Sean wasn’t making things easy on anyone.
“Well,” Ray began. “Tomorrow there will be a photoshoot. Our goal is release a new round of advertisements by next week. That way, our customers will already be interested when the new models of Yates’ motorcycles launch next month. We’ll set up downstairs first thing in the morning. The show room usually isn’t busy until around lunchtime, so we should have plenty of time. I’ve been told that we may spill out into the parking lot, depending on the heat index. Now, Sean, you’ll get to choose which bike you want to pose with first. We have three new models. If you want to test drive them first, that’s fine. You can take them out later today or…”
“No need,” Sean said shortly. “What time should I be here?”
“First thing,” I said. “Eight o’clock if possible.”
“Will do,” Sean nodded. “Anything else?”
He looked from Ray to me and back again. My patience was wearing thin. Ever since Sean agreed to come in, I’d been vibrating with excitement. Ray, Zach, and I each put a lot of effort into planning Sean’s schedule and all the promotional releases. This was exactly what the company needed. and now, I didn’t know if I’d made the right decision. If Sean was this difficult during a planning session, what would he be like at the photoshoot?
“Now,” Ray said. “We’ll have two photographers here. Each one was hired to capture a different look. There will be a few wardrobe options for you—”
“Wardrobe?” Sean asked. He sat up straighter.
“Yes,” Ray nodded. “Nothing fancy. It’s basically what you usually wear, only—”
“Then why can’t I wear my own clothes?” he snapped.
“Because this isn’t a Walmart advertisement,” Zach said.
“Zach,” Ray warned. “We just want to make sure our brand is represented as much as possible. You’ll be wearing the same style jacket as always. Only this one will have our logo. That sort of thing.”
Ray paused and waited for Sean to argue, but he didn’t say a word. He simply sat back further in his chair and resumed staring at his father.
“Tara will be there to oversee the whole thing,” Ray said. “So, if you have any ques—”
“I don’t need a damn babysitter,” Sean snapped, his voice louder than before. “I already told you that.”
“She’s not a babysitter,” Ray said. “This whole thing was her idea, so…”
“I’m not doing this if I have someone breathing down my neck the entire time,” Sean said. “I don’t need some corporate suit watching me while I—”
“You don’t have a choice,” I said, interrupting him for once. My professionalism was gone. I couldn’t sit there and listen to Sean berate us any longer. Enough was enough.
“What?” Sean asked, finally turning around to face me.
“You heard me,” I said. I glared back at him without flinching. “I have worked for this company for the past five years. This entire rebranding project was my idea. If you don’t want me around, you’re going to have to get over that, because I will be around. But don’t worry. I have better things to do than babysit you.”
Sean opened his mouth to speak, but he quickly closed it. His eyes were locked on mine and he looked livid that I would dare challenge him.
“You’re the one who needs me,” he finally said.
“No,” I shook my head. “We don’t need you. We want you. There is a difference.”
“I’m not your lapdog,” Sean growled.
“You’re right,” I nodded. “You’re our employee.”
Sean looked at Ray for support, but he received none. Ray just looked back at him impassively. I could tell from the look in his eye that Ray was worried Sean would walk. I chastised myself for losing control. As much as I hated Sean’s attitude, I knew I’d crossed a line.
“I’ll be here at eight,” Sean said. With that, he stood up and stormed from the office. We could hear his thundering footsteps all the way down the hall.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. Ray closed his eyes for a split second. He looked exhausted. “I shouldn’t have gone off on him like that.”
“It’s okay,” Ray said. “He can be frustrating.”
“That’s an understatement,” Zach said.
“What’s his problem?” I asked. The question was more rhetorical than anything, but Zach took the opportunity and ran with it.
“His problem is that he has no respect for anyone,” Zach said. “He walks through life without a care in the world. He has no work ethic, no drive, nothing. He’s a waste of space who isn’t good for anything except riding bikes and—”
“Enough.”
Ray’s voice was soft, but firm. Zach shut up quickly. Ray fixed his eyes on his eldest son. Zach turned red and looked at the ground. I wasn’t sure what I missed, but I felt certain Ray had already warned Zach about bad mouthing his brother.
“Again,” I said. “Ray, I’m sorry for what I said to Sean. I know he’s more than an employee. If you’d like me to apologize…”
Just saying the words made my stomach churn. Even while I was apologizing to Ray, I knew I’d been right. Sean needed to be put in his place, and I was glad I did it.
“No,” Ray said. He shook his head and added, “Sean isn’t an easy person to deal with sometimes, but he has a good heart. He’s a good man. He just needs to be looked after. That’s why I want you at the photoshoot. You’ll be able to smooth out some of his rougher edges. With you there as a buffer, things won’t spin out of control.”
“So, I am a babysitter,” I chuckled.
“A little bit,” Ray admitted. “But an extremely well-paid one.”
I smiled and said my goodbyes before walking down the hall to my own office. Once inside, I pulled the door closed behind me and thought about the morning. Our meeting was short, much shorter than I expected. I never imagined it would be so intense.
As I pictured Sean’s face, I wondered if I’d made a mistake. The way Sean glared at his father and ignored his brother was almost Shakespearean. The Yates family clearly had more issues than I imagined. Their family dynamic was far beyond dysfunctional. As sure as I’d been about Sean, after that meeting, I wasn’t so sure at all. Was Sean really the best person for this job? Or had I royally screwed up by bringing him on?
CHAPTER NINE
Sean
After I picked Paisley up from camp, I did my best to put the meeting behind me. Seeing my brother for the first time since everything happened made my entire body feel like it was engulfed in flames. The second I saw him, a million unpleasant memories flooded my mind, and I remembered everything I hated about him. He sat there in our father’s office like he owned the place. I had to fight the urge to strangle him on sight.
I knew I behaved poorly. Tara was right to snap, but it didn’t make me feel any better. When I stormed out of there, I seriously considered never going back. It would have been so easy to just drive home and never go back to Phoenix again. I knew I could get shifts at the repair shop anytime I wanted. I could even pick up some side gigs and maybe I would be able to make enough money…
The second I saw Paisley, all those thoughts disappeared. This job was too good to pass up. No amount of hatred toward my brother could keep me from doing what was best for Paisley. She deserved everything I could give her, and with this job, I could give her anything she could ever want.
The next morning, Paisley woke up early. She was already dressed and waiting by the door by the time I walked into the living room.
“Wow,” I said lamely. “You’re up early today.”
“Yeah,” Paisley said.
“Excited for camp?”
“Yup.”
“I made your lunch last night,” I said. “It’s all ready for you.”
“Thanks.”
“How ‘bout some breakfast?” I asked. Paisley just shrugged so I went into the kitchen and poured us each a bowl of cereal. When I walked back into the living room, Paisley was already sitting on the couch waiting for me. I smiled and handed her the bowl.
She shoveled the cereal in her mouth too quickly. I thought she was going to choke, but I didn’t say anything. I wondered if she was too hungry. Did I not feed her a big enough dinner the night before? I shook my head at the thought. She’d been eating better lately. Those first few days after Claire’s accident were rough, but she was slowly getting her appetite back. I told myself not to question things.
“So, I was thinking maybe I could drive you to camp this morning,” I said casually. I took a bite of my cereal without looking at her. I didn’t want her to think it was a big deal in case she got spooked and lashed out again.
“Hayden’s mom takes me,” Paisley said simply. Her voice was firm, but she didn’t sound angry.
“I know,” I nodded. “I just thought it might be fun for me to take you.”
“I don’t want you to,” she said. She ate more of her cereal, and I let the subject drop. My heart felt like it was in my stomach, but I bit my tongue. I would try again tomorrow.
“That’s okay,” I said. My voice sounded normal and I was grateful. “I’ll just pick you up after.”
“At four,” she said.
“At four.”
There was a short honk outside. Paisley and I looked over to see Helen’s car pull into the driveway.
“Gotta go,” Paisley said. She handed me her bowl and grabbed her bag.
“Don’t forget your lunch,” I said. “It’s in the fridge.”
Paisley ran to the kitchen to get her lunch. In less than two seconds, she was back in the living room heading straight for the door. I rose off the couch to say goodbye, but she was already running outside. I sighed and walked over to close the door behind her. I watched through the window as she climbed in the car and Helen drove down the street.
Once they were gone, I sat back down to finish my breakfast, but I wasn’t hungry anymore. I didn’t expect Paisley to warm up to me immediately, but I was at a loss as to what to do. Nothing I did seemed to help her. She felt like a stranger to me. I wanted to push her, to poke and prod until she opened up, but I knew that would only do the opposite. She had to come to me in her own time.
Still, it was hard to pretend like her attitude didn’t hurt. I didn’t know what it meant to be a father. My own had failed me at every turn, so I had no idea what a good dad looked like. All I wanted was to do right by my daughter. I wanted to help her through things. I wanted to be there for her. But I didn’t know how.
Ever since I could remember, I was cold and closed off. I didn’t let people in. I spent years focused on the MC. Back then, I had one goal: to work my way up in the club. All my ambitions were centered around the MC and my brothers there. I didn’t have time for anyone or anything else. Deep down, I always knew that was why I lost Claire. She didn’t leave me for another guy just for kicks. She just couldn’t take it anymore.
Regardless of the reason, it broke my heart when she betrayed me, and I hadn’t trusted anyone since. Even after putting the MC behind me, I still lived the same way. Cold. Closed off. Not exactly the recipe for successfully nurturing an eight-year-old little girl.
More than anything, I wanted to feel close to my daughter. I wanted to feel like I wasn’t a total failure as a parent. If she could just trust me a little bit, I would feel like I was doing something right. It hadn’t even been two weeks, and I knew I should be patient, but it was hard. The more time I spent with Paisley, the more I realized just how much we had in common. She was so much like me when it came to her emotions. Cold and close
d off. She kept things close to her chest just like I did. Only with Paisley, I wanted something better for her.
***
“In here,” Tara said when I walked inside. She pulled me over to a side office and told me to sit down. Her professionalism was gone. She no longer wore her fake smile. She was cold and firm. Bossy and stern. I couldn’t tell which version of her I liked the least.
“What are we doing?” I asked.
“Before the shoot can start, we have to take care of the paperwork,” Tara said. “Your contract.”
Tara laid a stack of papers down in front of me and handed me a pen. She pointed to the signature line at the bottom of the first page and looked at me expectantly.
“Can I read it first?” I asked.
“Of course,” Tara said. “But make it quick. We have to start soon.”
Tara leaned against the wall and waited while I skimmed through the contract. It was long and verbose. There was legal language that I didn’t understand, but the general gist seemed straightforward. I would be the face of the company. I would model and pose. I would be on the cover of their magazines and on advertisements all over the world. The thought made my skin crawl, but when I turned to the last page everything changed.
My annual salary would be $500,000, plus bonuses for each successful ad. I would be given stocks in the company that, hopefully, would appreciate enormously in the next few years. Everything looked amazing, but I was stuck on the salary. I’d never made so much money in my life. Half a million dollars every year… It felt like a dream.
I signed the contract on each page and initialed the first and last. I dated the proper lines and clicked the pen closed. Without a word, I handed the signed contract to Tara.
“Great,” she said. “Let’s get to work.”
Tara led the way to the showroom. Everything was brightly lit and rearranged to form the perfect photography set. There was a giant white screen placed against a back wall and three different motorcycles positioned off to the side. I walked immediately toward the bikes.