by Laura Pavlov
“You didn’t ask. I’m doing it and you don’t have a choice.” I shook my head because I wanted to beg her not to go. Not when we had one of the busiest months we’d ever had coming up. “Should we call a temp?”
The thought made me sick. I didn’t like change. I’d never been a fan. I thrived on routine. Training someone new was not something I had time for.
“Before you say no, just hear me out.”
“No,” I said, which made her laugh. She was an easy audience.
“Stop. Listen to me, Crew. Maura is more than capable.”
“The intern? Hell no,” I hissed. She’d only been working there for two weeks.
And she was a goddamn Benson.
“Listen to me. The temp agency is going to send someone out that can’t handle this kind of workload. Maura can handle it. I can work remotely and walk her through everything daily. She’s our best shot of getting through this. And honestly, right now, I can’t handle getting endless calls from you complaining about the temp.”
I rolled my eyes. So maybe I was a perfectionist. I was more than aware that I wasn’t the easiest person, especially in the workplace. I learned from my grandfather, and he wasn’t there to make friends. He was there to make money, and help his employees do the same. I didn’t have patience for people who weren’t on board with that, and training an assistant was definitely not something I had time to do. And I couldn’t ask Layla to do it. She needed to be with her father right now, and I needed to respect that.
“You really think she can handle it? She’s a child.”
She chuckled, but I heard the sadness beneath it. I knew I was being a dick, but I couldn’t help myself when it came to Maura. “She’s a few years younger than you, ole wise one. You started working there when you were her age, and you had a hell of a lot more responsibility than she’ll have being your personal assistant. She’s the top business student at one of the toughest universities in the country. I promise you, she can handle it.”
“And you’ll talk to her every day?” I asked, pushing my car door open.
“I will. I’m sending you her number now. You’ll need to have contact with her. She’s your ‘go-to’ for the next few weeks. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
“Fine. Can you tell her to send a nice arrangement to your parents’ house and send those chocolate cupcakes there for you too? That ought to help you through this.”
“Did you seriously just task me with gifting myself?”
I laughed as I pushed the front door open. “I’m not ready to deal with her just yet. Just pass her the message. Jerome is expecting your call and will be ready to take you first thing in the morning,” I said as I typed out a thank you to our pilot. “Are Clay and the kids going with you?”
Layla was all about her family. I knew leaving her husband and the boys wouldn’t be easy for her.
“Hells to the no. Have you met the twins? Those boys have a busier calendar than you do. They’ll stay home with Clay. They’ll fly out if Dad doesn’t come out of this,” she said, and her words broke on a sob once again.
“Damn it. I’m sorry for asking. You just go do what you need to do. Hell, you don’t even have to call Maura about the flowers and the cupcakes. I’ll enjoy bossing her around in the morning. Just take care and keep me posted, okay?”
“Thanks, Crew. I appreciate it. I’ll phone Maura and go over everything with her tonight and I promise to stay in touch with her every day.”
“Thank you. Tell her that I like my coffee black, like my jaded heart.”
“You’ve never made me bring you coffee. Do not take advantage of her, do you hear me?”
I smirked. This might be fun. “All right. Talk to you soon.”
I ended the call and walked into the house. It smelled like pumpkin and cinnamon. My mother was one hell of a cook.
“Hey, look who’s here.” Blade popped a cracker in his mouth and walked over to high-five me before clapping me into a hug.
“Just got in.”
“Good. Mom’s cooked enough for an army.” He dropped back down at the kitchen island, and Knox walked into the kitchen.
“Hey, C-dawg.” He slapped me on the back. He smelled like whatever the hell cologne he wore because he always wore too much. I started to cough because it was so strong. Did I mention that Knox called everyone by a nickname? He had one for practically everyone in town. I’d like to say it never got old, but it did. And he knew it drove me crazy.
“Will you stop with the ridiculous handles, please? Where’s Dax? He flew in with you this morning, right?”
“D-wheezy? He’s out in the barn.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. D-wheezy was by far the worst name he’d given anyone, and he knew Dax hated it. Our brother had asthma and he was congested more times than not because he was highly allergic to horses, yet he refused to stay out of the barn.
Blade fell back in laughter before Knox turned to him. “Blady days, what are you laughing at?”
“Let me tell you the problem with all these bullshit names you like to call us. A. A nickname is a shortened version of someone’s name. B. Blady days is not short for fucking Blade, so Knox it the hell off,” Blade hissed before tipping his head back to take a pull from his beer.
We all laughed now. Knox had given us these ridiculous handles more than a decade ago and they weren’t going away. So, we took every shot we could to make fun of his name. He only laughed harder. The kid didn’t take life too seriously. Maybe because he knew how important it was to live every day to the fullest. That life was short, and you never knew what would happen. Our baby brother lived every day like it was his last. He’d always taken ridiculous risks growing up. Attempting to fly with robotic wings that he built with his best friend and jumping off the barn. That ended in a broken leg and two broken wrists. He’d parasailed, hang glided and rock climbed some of the biggest peaks in the US.
Hey, we all handled grief differently. I wasn’t judging.
Losing our baby sister fifteen years ago had been something we’d all dealt with differently over the years.
“Sweetheart, I’m so happy to see that handsome face.” My mother made her way into the kitchen and moved straight for me. She wrapped her arms around me, and I hugged her tight. Delilah Carlisle was as close to an angel as anyone living and breathing could be.
“Handsome face? Are you sure you aren’t looking over his shoulder at the younger version?” Knox asked, and my mother chuckled before swatting him on the shoulder.
I rolled my eyes when she pulled away and shot my brother the bird over her shoulder. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s out in the barn with Dax, just feeding the horses. You going to spend the night so you can ride tomorrow morning?”
“I’ve got work tomorrow, but I’ll take Harley out tonight before I head back home.”
“You are home,” my mother said, patting my cheek before moving to the sink.
Harley was my sixteenth birthday present. I’d asked for a motorcycle and been gifted a fine ass stallion named Harley as a compromise. My father knew better than anyone how to keep the peace in our home, and a motorcycle would have put my mother over the edge. Harley had ended up being the best gift I’d ever received. She was more than a horse. For many years, she’d been my favorite form of transportation and had somehow become a confidante. There was no risk in sharing your inner struggles with someone who would never betray you nor repeat what you shared.
Mom picked up her cell phone and sent off a text, which I’m sure was to my father to tell him dinner was ready, and that I was home. When we were young, she used to just ring the gigantic cowbell on the front porch, but her roosters hated the sound now, and she’d never do anything to upset the animals.
Bull was lying by the back door, and I went over to scratch his head. We’d had the oversized mastiff since I w
as in middle school, and he was getting up in age. The world’s most annoying chihuahua, Prancer, was yapping at my feet and I bent down to pet her little head. She was always lying beside Bull and the size difference made everyone laugh.
“Where’s Duke?” Duke was a border collie my mother had rescued a few years ago, and he loved to hang out with the horses.
“He’s out with Dad and Dax. They’ll be right in.”
Dax strolled in ahead of my father, and Duke was striding right beside Dad.
“D-wheezy and Days-are-long-Davis are in the house,” Knox sang out and my father barked out a laugh.
“Hey, son. Glad you’re home. Your mother was missing you.” That was Dad’s way of saying he missed me too.
“I was here two weekends ago.” I rolled my eyes once again as we made our way to the table.
“So, how’s work?” Dad asked as he passed me the salad. My mother had made a large salad, grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls, and it was all spread out on the table.
“Busy. And I just got a call from Layla. Her father’s not doing well. I called Jerome to fly her back home tomorrow. But it’ll be a rough couple of weeks.”
“Ladybug is so hot. You know, for an elderly woman,” Knox said. Layla had giggled and blushed every time my little brother came to visit and called her by the ridiculous name.
“She’s forty, you overgrown man child,” Blade said over his laughter as he dropped two rolls on his plate.
We were all tall and lean and had the appetite of an NFL team. Mom was just used to it.
“Oh no. Is her father okay? Can you get a temp to fill in?”
I scrubbed a hand down the back of my neck. “It’s not a convenient time for her to be gone, but what can I do? I definitely don’t want a temp. I have zero patience with training people.”
“You don’t say?” Dax piped in, oozing sarcasm. “I briefly remember you making me cry the first time you took me golfing as a kid when you chucked my club because I missed the ball.”
“You missed the ball seventy-five times. I’m only human.”
More laughter.
That’s how it always was here. Well, aside from the darkness that still lived under this roof. Even all these years later. The sadness that always threatened to rear its ugly head. I felt it, but I tried desperately to push it away. A loss that impacted all of our lives. There wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t all think of Belle.
“I hope you told her to take all the time she needs. Family always comes first.” My father cut his chicken and popped a bite in his mouth as he watched me. Dad was probably the nicest man you could work for. He helped employees purchase their first homes, loaned money to many of his past employees. He had a huge heart, and he made no attempt to hide it.
“Of course, I did. She thinks the intern is up for the task.”
“Oh, that’s right. You always get an intern the second half of the year. I’d trust Layla if she thinks she or he is up to it. You don’t think they are?” my mother asked.
I rubbed my temples, feeling a sudden headache come on. “Yeah. She’s fine. It’s Maura Benson. She was sent over by the university.”
Blade’s eyes doubled in size, and Dax cocked his head to the side and studied me. Knox did not miss the opportunity to make light of the situation. It was Knox after all.
“C-dawg just dropped a motherfucking Benson bomb,” he sang out like the fool he was.
“Knox Daniel, do not speak like that at the dinner table,” my mother said before dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. “Maura Benson is a lovely girl.”
“Please. She’s a Benson. I’m shocked she made it through the interview process.” Blade forked some salad and continued eating.
My brothers didn’t have quite as much hatred for the Bensons as I did, but it was known that there was no love there. They didn’t share the same memories as me, as I was the oldest. I knew Arthur Benson was the lowest of the low. Hell, he took advantage of people in this town every time you turned around.
“And we’re Carlisles. We don’t hate people because of their last name. Maura Benson has never done anything to deserve our anger. And if the university sent her over, she must be a damn good student. Don’t pass judgment, son. That’s not who we are.”
I rolled my eyes. My father hated Arthur for a multitude of reasons. But he was always the peacekeeper. Always willing to forgive others, no matter what they did. Everything was a teachable moment and he’d never pass his hatred on to his sons, though my grandfather had attempted to do that to him. My grandfather and Maura’s grandfather had been business partners back in the day before they became rivals. They dissolved their company and went on to start their own competing companies. My grandfather grew to hate the oil business due to all the tension between him and his ex-best friend, so he let his brothers take the reins and he started the ad agency. But the rivalry never died down. Apparently, the whole feud was started over offering health insurance to the employees back then. My grandfather thought it was important to take care of the people who worked for him, and Maura’s grandfather did not. It was a breaking point for them and the rest is history.
Like I said, there was no love between the Carlisles and the Bensons.
“I agree with Dad. I remember seeing Maura next door with her lemonade stands as a little girl. And let me tell you, that girl has grown into a gorgeous woman, or hadn’t you noticed?” Mom asked.
Knox burst out in laughter. “She’s hot, Mom. That’s what you mean. She and her friends are smokin’ hot. Every single one of them.”
“Maura’s the prettiest. Coco’s the hottest. Gigi is sexy as shit. Addy is stunning. And Ivy is smokin’.” Dax whistled.
Mom claps. “Oh, this is like an episode of The Bachelor.”
Shoot me.
Maura’s hot, I’m not arguing that. But she’s the daughter of the devil, so I’m most definitely not looking. And yes, her friends are also easy on the eyes, but again, they’re friends of a Benson. I have zero interest in mixing with any of them. It’s never been a problem as they’re several years younger than me, so we didn’t have much interaction.
Until now.
“Doesn’t Gramps have a rule about dipping your pen in company ink?” Blade smirks, and the table erupts in laughter. I roll my eyes.
“I can assure you, there is nothing to worry about there. I barely deal with her.”
“Why in the world are you still using pens that require being dipped in ink? Your grandfather needs to enter the twenty-first century and use normal pens,” my mother said, shaking her head.
More laughter.
Knox howls. “Dee-don’t-tell-a-lie-lilah, you’re as pure as the sun, Mama.”
I shook my head and ate the rest of my dinner in silence. Because dealing with Maura Benson over the next few weeks was not something I was looking forward to.
Chapter Five
Maura
I’d just filled my new bestie Beevis, or Beeves as I called him, in on my new position. I was thinking of it as a promotion. After handing him his coffee and him giving me a little pep talk, I made my way inside. My phone rang just as I stepped on the elevator, and I looked down to see Coco’s photo pop up on my screen.
“You’ve got this. I want you to shout at the top of your lungs that Crew Carlisle will be your bitch,” she yelled into the earpiece of my cell phone, and I cringed. I was thankful that I’d arrived early enough that no one was on the elevator with me.
“I will not be saying that,” I whisper-shouted. “Okay, I’m here.”
“Maura. Do not let him intimidate you. And if opportunity arises, or, ahem, if Crew Carlisle rises.” She burst out in a fit of laughter. “I’m just saying. Don’t rule out hot office sex.”
I groaned. “I’m hanging up. I love you. I’ll FaceTime you tonight with the girls.”
Coco was the one you called when you needed to get pumped up. I knew I was walking into a bullfight with a red bandana tied around my neck, because Layla had made it clear that Crew Carlisle was not thrilled about this arrangement. She told me to hold my head high and prove I was more than up for the task. She said he’d probably try to intimidate me and that I’d need to push back. She also shared that it took them quite a while before he warmed up to her, but beneath the broody asshole, my words, not hers, was a teddy bear, so to speak. I highly doubted that was true. But I wasn’t going to bow down to Crew. I was more than capable of handling this job—he just didn’t know it yet. So, he could dish me all the sass that he wanted, and I wouldn’t back down.
I grew up in a house with Arthur Benson my entire life. I had thick skin. I’d been raised by a man who didn’t treat me the way he treated my brothers. Sure, he wanted me to do well in school so he could brag to his friends. He liked that I attended one of the most prestigious universities in the country, but his goals for me never exceeded more than getting married and having lots of babies for him to spoil someday. My father was not a progressive man, I’d venture to say he was small-minded in many ways. He liked to show me off at the club like some sort of showpiece, bragging to his friends about how pretty I was or how smart I was. How lucky some man would be to marry me someday. My brothers both worked for him, and they were always trying to convince me to come and work at the oil company with them. That’s when my father would usually make a joke about women not belonging in managerial roles of large corporations because they should be off raising kids. He was old-school, old-fashioned, and close-minded. But I loved him because he was my father, and he loved me the only way he knew how. My mother insisted it was just the way men were. But my brothers weren’t like my dad. They were excited about my future, and they listened to my dreams.
So, no. I wasn’t going to take any crap from Crew Carlisle. I wasn’t on his payroll. I was working full-time for the experience, not the money. And I was damn well going to get it whether he liked it or not. So, in the words of the Magic Willows’ fearless secretary, Ivy Baron… he could go suck a turd if he had a problem with it.