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Un-fucking-real. It’s as ugly an insinuation as what Mark implied. This entire place is poison, so much so that it once had me believing Cam came to me with false intentions.
“I don’t want your goddamn money,” I assure him, wrenching the door open.
The sound of his fist slamming again carries through the room, giving me a horrid picture of what Cam’s childhood may have been like. “Then name your price!”
He’s ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous. Does he think everyone can be bought? As I gape in wonder, I’m convinced I’m staring at pure evil.
Worse yet, not a mention of how Cam feels has been broached. He’d buy away his son’s happiness to suit his own prejudices. Well, he just bribed the wrong man.
“A new job,” I challenge.
“Ha. There’s something we can both agree on. Acting like you weren’t in it for the money—why didn’t you just cut the crap and not waste my time? Name your severance package and let’s be done with it.”
He thinks I want to be bought off? His delusions know no bounds.
“Why would I quit? You said so yourself—I’ve been here a long time and have a good performance record. I think a reassignment is in order.”
“You want another account? Fine.” Throwing a nod at Randy, he issues his orders. “Give him one of Preston’s, since you can’t get him squared away.”
Randy’s face looks like he just sucked on a lemon after that jab. I smell dissention in the ranks. They ought to love my request then. I’m about to find out how high they’ll jump.
“No. Not another account. Randy’s job.”
“What?” Randy practically chokes.
“That’s my price. Take it or leave it.”
Lauren, my ex, was a lawyer. I gleaned enough from her work to deduce that their treatment of me and Cam today would be a harassment case big enough to rock all of Bellevue if not national news. We do have subsidiaries all over the country, after all.
“You’re fucking dreaming, Carver,” Randy scathes.
I’m not dreaming. The thought of taking over his job would be a nightmare at this point. I want nothing to do with Fairway Foods anymore, but I want them to squirm the way they’re trying to make Cam and me squirm.
Jaw set, John stares at me and lets out an amused sound. If I didn’t know any better, he almost looks to admire my tenacity.
Picking up his drink, he gazes out the window. “Clear out your office, Randy.”
“What?” Randy squawks, stepping forward with wild eyes trained on John. “You can’t be serious?”
His father’s unfeeling eyes don’t even look at him. “Haven’t I taught you anything about business?”
And I used to think that I had issues. Exiting, I shut the door behind me, neither caring nor surprised by the yelling I hear through the walls behind me. I spared Cam the humiliation of being ensnared in a lawsuit against his own father and made it clear to John that the type of person his son chose won’t be trifled with. I have a new job that I don’t want and don’t have Cam, though. My problems are far from gone.
Wherever he is or however deep he is in his vow of silence, he was put there by his fear of his father. I blame my desperation on using it to help me find him as I make my way to the parking garage and palm my phone.
ME: You have one hour to tell me where you are or I’m going to your parents’ house to find out.
CHAPTER 30
Cameron
The cool breeze from the gulf brings relief to my puffy cheeks. I should be embarrassed that my co-workers at my new job could probably tell I spent last night crying my eyes out. But it’s not a job. It’s a sentence, a dark corner to hide me in where I can’t bring any shame to my father. And the only person whose opinion I care about isn’t here to see what a mess I look like.
Rising from the damp sand, I collect my loafers and socks, not caring that the hems of my slacks are now coated in beach sand. I don’t have many outfits with me. I should probably take better care of them, so I won’t have to grovel to my mother to send more before my first paycheck. For all she knows, this is some kind of promotion or vacation.
Does she even know? I’m too afraid to check my phone to find out.
I couldn’t stand the thought of taking it with me today, knowing it would weigh my heart down, even lower than it is, if I read any of my messages. I hope to God I’ve done the right thing, not that I had many options.
