by Cooper, Jodi
Bullshit! I think to myself.
I know that he’s using his Mom as an excuse, but I need to know if that’s the only angle that he’s going to try and use to deflect the situation. “Okay and is that your only reason? Your Mom?”
“And investors would walk away from the company if they knew I was dating the daughter of a disgraced jailed investor. It would harm my reputation and this company and I won’t allow something like that to happen. Not when I’m just beginning to show what I can do if I put my mind to it,” he says.
I laugh, not because it’s funny but because he really believes the stuff that he’s trying to sell to me.
“If the investors knew what really goes on in this company, you would’ve been broke a long time ago because they would’ve walked. You were drunk, lazy, and partied hard to no end every day I was here up until today. I think they would prefer me over the lifestyle that you lived. And to throw my Dad in my face is a low blow. I’m nothing like him and I never will be anything like him. I saw what he did to my family and to other people’s families and you think that I would want to follow in his footsteps? You’re lucky that I’m too professional or else I would slap you right now and I wouldn’t feel the least bit sorry about it.”
“I understand that you’re hurt…” he begins to say.
“Hurt? Rhett, you’re nothing but a spoiled rich little brat! You don’t know how to enjoy life because you’ve been too busy downing yours in a bottle. You really need to grow the hell up and stop trying to push false issues off on me when you’re the one who has the problem! You jerk! I can’t believe that I thought you could really change and be an adult. Well FYI being an adult doesn’t mean you transfer your problems off to the next available person. You’re a real piece of work and I hope that you get everything that you deserve.”
I grab my stuff and storm out of the office.
What a prick.
What a stuck-up, rich, prick.
Chapter 7
I’m still fuming about Rhett as I hop into my car and begin to drive to my Mom’s house
The nerve of him to try and throw my past and my father in my face!
I know what my father did was wrong, but I am nothing like him.
Nothing.
Like.
Him.
I am a strong, independent woman.
If anything, I have tried everything in my power to not be like him and make a better name for myself.
Mom always has a way of making me feel better about the things going on in my life.
After about fifteen minutes, I pull up to her house and use my key to go inside. She is in the kitchen cooking as usual and it warms me to know that I will always have one person to go to when I’m upset.
“Hi Mom,” I say as I sit down at the table.
She turns around and smiles. “Hi Jessica! I wasn’t expecting you today. What a nice surprise and you’re just in time I was about to eat dinner.”
“I know, I just thought I’d drop in for a little bit and see how you were doing,” I say.
She stares at me. “Something is on your mind, isn’t it?”
I laugh. “Mom, something is always on my mind. And if there is nothing on my mind then I must be asleep because it’s the only time my mind stops running a million miles a minute.”
“You know what I mean, sweetheart. Something is bothering you.”
“Yes.”
“So what is it? Quit beating around the bush sweetie,” she says
“It’s this job mom…” I start to say before she cuts me off.
“Is Rhett still being hard on you, sweetie? I’m telling you I think it will get easier you just have to be strong and hang in there a little longer.”
“Today he was actually different, Mom. He was sober and actually did some work but he’s still a jerk. You know, he had the nerve to throw Dad in my face. I can take a lot but throwing Dad up into the mix of things is a big no no.”
“Why would he do that, sweetie? Were you two having an argument? People say hurtful things when their mad.”
“I just said that he’s a jerk, mom. We weren’t having an argument - he was just being a jerk. And I’m to my limits with him being a jerk towards me when I don’t do anything to deserve it.”
“I know, sweetheart, but I just think that he’s still finding his way. I know it will get better. You did say that he came into work sober isn’t that a good change. It seems as if he’s making an effort so maybe change isn’t that far from the horizon.”
“Mom, I know you like to see the brighter side of things but there is no bright side to this. None at all. I think he is who he is and that’s that. Sure he came to work sober but his personality is still the same. I just… I just don’t know any more Mom.”
“There is always a bright side, sweetie. You just have to look for it. Even when it looks like there might not be one it’s always there.”
“I just don’t want to see it right now. That’s all, Mom. And if it’s there then there a lot of clouds covering it up.”
“I understand this is overwhelming for you but just think of how it will look when you go apply for another job.”
I sigh. “With how things are going with Rhett, I hardly doubt that he will even give me the recommendation. Or he would probably ask me to write it and then he’d just sign it.”
“You don’t have high hopes in him do you?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, Mom. I really don’t. He’s changed so much. It’s just hard to be sympathetic towards him. I try to understand him but there is only so much I can do. I don’t think that he’s going to change until he figures out what’s really eating away at him and why he feels the need to drink in the first place.”
“I understand, sweetie. I want you to hang in there a little longer but if you feel as if you need to go for your sanity, then I would understand,” she says. “I don’t want you to lose yourself trying to fix him. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to walk away for a while.”
I smile at her. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Mom. I just need to think on it. The thing with Dad was a low blow, especially since I’ve been doing everything in my power to make sure I’m better than he ever was. Just anyone mentioning Dad to me sends me into a different space and maybe I just need to deal with that issue as well because I’ve been avoiding it for years.”
“I know it must hurt, sweetheart. Especially since you and Rhett were once so close but like I said if you decide to walk away, I won’t be mad at all. I don’t want you to go crazy trying to save him. Sometimes you have to be a little selfish and put yourself first.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t want to let you down, Mom.”
“Yes, I’m sure, sweetie—and trust me when I say you will never let me down. But…”
“But what, Mom?”
“He’s only making you mad because you like him.”
“What?! No Mom, I don’t like him. Haven’t you been listening?”
“Oh, I’ve been listening,” Mom says with a smug smile on her face. “And I know how you act when you like someone.”
“I do not like that man, Mom.”
She smiles, “It’s ok. There is a deep connection between you two. Vivian and I saw it a long time ago. You two fiery characters understand each other.”
“No Mom. It’s not like that. He… And I… we’re just…”
“Whatever you say, dear,” she sighs. “Now are you staying for dinner?”
I shake my head. “No Mom I think I’m going to head home now. I’ve had a long day and I really just need to shower and get some sleep. So that I can clear my head.”
“Alright sweetie, well I guess I’ll talk to you later.”
“Alright mom. Good night. Call you when I get home,” I say as I walk out of the door.
Chapter 8
I wake up the next morning on time for work but decide against going.
I don’t even call in to let him know that I wouldn’t be in.
/> There is no use because I don’t know if I will be going back anyway.
I get out of the bed and head towards the kitchen to grab a banana and some yogurt. I hear my phone going off in the distance and I know that it has to be Rhett, so I don’t run for it. I eat my banana and yogurt and slowly head back towards my room.
My cell phone goes off again and I glance at the caller ID. Just as I suspect, it’s Rhett.
“Hello,” I say into the phone already aggravated that he has the nerve to call me after what he said to me yesterday.
“I need you to come to my penthouse. It’s an emergency,” he says into the phone.
“What kind of emergency, Rhett?” I ask, not believing him one bit.
“Look, can you just come? I really need you right now and I don’t know who else to call.”
“Why are you not in the office? Today is a work day, you know,” I say sarcastically.
“My penthouse in twenty minutes,” he says as he hangs up the phone.
I roll my eyes as I place the phone back down on the bed.
Since he’s at home, I see no reason to get dressed in business attire, so I pull on a pair of skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. I grab my white sneakers to put on and grab my keys as I walk out of the door.
All I can think is that Rhett better be dying if I have to go all the way to his penthouse to see him when he should really be at the office. Casually, I get into my car and drive the short distance from my apartment to Rhett’s penthouse.
Once in front of his building I get out of the car and get on the elevator that leads to his penthouse. Once on his floor, I punch in the code to enter and walk inside.
“Rhett. Rhett,” I call out.
I hear some moaning and walk towards it.
He’s lying across the couch with a bottle of liquor in his hand. It reeks of alcohol once I get up to him, and I immediately know that he’s drunk. After that speech that he gave me and the change he made in himself yesterday… it was all for nothing.
“You’re drunk!”
He looks at me and looks back at the ceiling as if I said nothing to him at all.
“What kind of emergency are you having, Rhett? Because all I see is a drunk excuse of a man!” I yell. “You call me over here early in the morning for what? To see you drink your life away once again? You have got to be kidding me!”
“I called you because I’m just so freaking miserable, okay?”
“Oh…”
“I’m barely holding onto my business and I can’t trust anyone in it.”
“People…”
“Everyone is out to get me because I’ve been down for so long,” he interrupts. “I need a good business manager to keep things intact because if I don’t find one soon, I know they will try to take my Dad’s company right from under me.”
“No they wouldn’t… would they?” I question.
“That’s why I had to fire Bill yesterday. He was making it possible for them to vote me out and I wasn’t having it. When I saw the papers, I knew that I had to slide into action and do something and I did but I don’t know how long that’s going to hold them off. They really want me out and I’m not sure if I can even stop them at this point with the mess I’ve made of things over the pass two years. I’ve missed meetings and blew off clients multiple times till they don’t even let me attend meetings anymore and tell clients that I’m very busy so that they don’t have to see the drunken mess that I’ve become. It’s bad. Really bad. Dad would be so disappointed in me.”
“So basically everything that I said to you was true,” I say slowly. “About them wanting to vote you out and you losing everything if you don’t get your act together?”
“Yes… you were right. I’ve known for a long time that they want me out but there is nothing that they can do. It’s not like I’m out publicly being an asshole. I’m just lazy and a drunk. I try to pull it together but then I just feel this void inside of me and liquor just fills it. If they take my Dad’s company, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I know my Mom will lose it. It’s just that I’m in too deep and I don’t feel as if I can come back out. The world is a dark place and the liquor just makes it seem a little tolerable. I’ve wanted to stop, but then I start to feel lonely again and I pick the bottle right back up.”
“You can always come back out of the hole. It’s never too late to get yourself together. I know that the world is a tough place, but you just can’t sit around and let it get the best of you either. You have to fight back.”
“It’s just that no one knows my pain. My Dad was my best friend. I could talk to him about any and everything and when he died of that stroke, it was as if I lost everything. I had no one. Everyone always claimed that they would be there for me but no one ever was. Not even Mom. She just picked up her life as if nothing ever happened and expected me to do the same but I couldn’t. I know that he would want better for me but it just seems like I can’t do better because he’s not here.”
I sigh. “As an adult, I’ve lived a very lonely life myself so I know exactly how you feel whether you believe it or not.”
Rhett looks at me with vulnerable eyes, “Go on…”
“I was teased endlessly as a kid when everyone found out that my Dad went to jail for fraud and embezzlement. It was all over the news night and day for about two weeks. I never made any friends at all after we left. It was always just my Mom and me. She was the only person that I could talk to about anything while everyone had friends to confide in. I didn’t go to my prom, I didn’t go to any college parties, and well, I lived a pretty lonely existence. I actually think I’ve made one friend in all of this time and ironically she works for you too. Her name is Nina and she’s a real sweetheart. She’s been nice to me since I’ve had to deal with you.”
He laughs. “Yeah I know who you’re talking about. She is nice. She used to ring me painkillers for my hangovers and lots of water.”
“Other than Nina, the only person I’ve ever been able to talk to is my Mom. Your Dad made your life better but my father made my life miserable. He only ever thought of himself, which is why I found it hard to reach out to you when you were going through your situation with your Dad. I hold so much resentment towards mine and you, well, you loved your Dad.”
“Do you remember when we were kids and we used to do the trust exercises with each other?” he asks.
I laugh. “Yeah, we always did them wrong. I would let you fall because I thought you would crush me and you would let me fall because I let you fall. We were a mess!”
“At least we could trust each other to know that we would let the other fall.”
“Do you remember our tree house and how we used to hide from our parents up there?” I reminisce.
“Yes, it’s still there. Mom said she wanted to keep something from our childhood around now that we’ve grown up.”
“Really? Wow! I thought it would’ve rotted away by now.”
“Nope, she keeps it up to date. It now has cable TV and a lot of other stuff. It’s basically a mini house. I think she’s hoping for grandkids.”
“Wow! Had they put cable up there when we were younger, we definitely never would’ve come down.”
He laughs. “I think they knew that, which is why they didn’t.”
I smile. “We had some good times. Can’t believe so much has changed over the years. It’s crazy.”
“I know. I used to wait for the day your family would move back next door but it never happened. It just wasn’t the same growing up without you.”
“You know, our childhood memories are some of the best memories of my life,” I say with a tear in my eye.
“Mine too.”
We both gaze into each other.
Mom was right. There is a connection here.
I can feel.
“Jessica,” Rhett states. “I drink because I don’t want to feel lonely. I want to feel like how I felt when we were kids and didn’t have a care in the world. I don’t want to be
an adult in the cold-hearted world. Sometimes it just becomes so much and it hard to hold onto the good memories.”
“Well maybe you should stop drinking then, to hold onto the good memories that you and I had and then maybe we can make some new better memories. But first you have to work out what you want.”
He throws the bottle away.
Standing up from the couch, he walks his tall, broad body across to me.
He looks at me and pulls me close to him and kisses me passionately on the lips.
“I want you.”
Chapter 9
“Are you sure about this?” I ask him as I pull back a little.
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” he says as he crushes his lips back to mine.
Damn it.
Deep down, I have wanted this moment for so long.
I’ve needed it.
He is the only person I have ever felt connected to.
In a moment of passion, I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him harder.
His tongue still tastes like alcohol, but it still turns me on.
His touch sends emotion flooding through me.
This feels so wrong… but so right.
He rubs his fingers through my hair and trails slow kisses down my neck.
“I’ve wanted to do this to you since you first stepped into my office,” he says.
“I’m surprised that you can remember when I first walked into your office,” I say as I crush my lips against his again.
He pulls back. “I could never forget the day your angelic form walked back into my life.”
He pulls my t-shirt over my head and unclasps my bra.
Oh.
This feels naughty.
Wrong.
But so right!
I am so confused as his head dips and takes my nipple into his mouth, twirling his tongue around the sensitive bud before gently grazing it with his teeth.
He repeats the same action to my other breast and my body is on fire with desire.
“Lay down on the floor,” he demands.
I do as he says and he takes off my shoes and slides my pants and panties down in one swift motion. His eyes are filled with yearning and I know that he wants me as badly as I want him.