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I stepped off the elevator, a bit apprehensive about seeing Kane. We hadn’t spoken since Saturday night. I’d thought about calling him, but so much hung in the balance right now. Armstrong Labs was my family’s company. My legacy. Perhaps even my children’s legacy. He needed to understand that. Sometimes we had to give up what we wanted for something better. That’s what I was trying to do.
When I entered the executive wing, I was met by Sir Randall, almost as if he were waiting for me. “Your father wants to see you, Dr. Young Lady.”
“Right now?”
He nodded before marching past me.
I quickly dropped off my bag and laptop case in my office before heading over to meet with Auggie. I was anxious to see him. He’d gotten home after I’d called it a night last night, then left before I was ready this morning. He was a machine. That worried me. He needed to be taking it easy.
Unfortunately, I had to pass by Kane’s office to see Auggie. I’d been hoping to sneak in undetected this morning. Luckily, I didn’t see Kane, though Jaycie was there as perky as ever. She looked fresh as could be in her mint dress that showed off her shapely, yet muscular, legs. Not to mention all of her ample curves.
“How was your weekend, Scarlett?”
“Good. Thank you.” I tried to hustle past her.
“We still need to do lunch,” she reminded me.
I really needed to stop brushing her off, but I was afraid all she would want to talk about was how attracted she was to the man I loved. Then I would want to slap her with some breadsticks or something. I’d never slapped anyone with anything, and I didn’t really want to break that streak.
“Let me check my schedule,” I put her off again.
“I won’t let you forget,” she sang.
“I know you won’t,” I sang back, feeling guilty. I should just go to lunch with her, but I was kind of in the middle of something huge.
I knocked on Auggie’s door.
“Enter,” he called out.
I walked in to find him pacing the floor, running his hands through his hair.
He stopped for a moment, gave me a glance, then kept on pacing.
I rushed to him, worried. “Auggie what’s wrong?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Scarlett, I need you to send me your business plan.”
I shook my head, praying I hadn’t heard him right. Though I was sure I had, and my throat started closing up. I hurried to speak before I lost my ability to. “Uh . . . I thought I had until Friday to finish it.”
“You do,” he growled. “But a situation has arisen, and I need it now.”
“What situation? It’s not done,” I stammered, in major panic mode. It was like one of those dreams where you showed up to class naked.
“Just send me what you have.” He was clearly upset.
I grabbed his hand. “Dad.”
He let out a heavy breath and gave me a sad smile. “I do love it when you call me that.”
Tears filled my eyes. “You do?”
He nodded.
I squeezed his hand. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”
He cleared his throat. “Kane has . . .,” he hesitated.
“Kane has what?” My heart started beating wildly out of control. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Auggie snarled. “He’s pushing the envelope, like he always does around here.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, I heard a hint of pride, even though he was obviously unhappy about it. Which was even more confusing to me. “Why do you need my business plan so soon?”
Auggie walked off. “Scarlett, please just send it to me. We’ll talk more later, when I know what I’m dealing with.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s so raw, and I have a few more people I want to interview, plus some more research,” I rambled.
Auggie sat down at his desk as if he were exhausted and gave me a look of understanding. “It will be enough for now. Continue working on it.”
I stared blankly at him, not believing this was happening. What was Kane up to? “Okay,” I eeked out before turning to leave.
“Scarlett, is there anything you want to tell me?”
I stopped in my tracks, facing the door. “Like what?”
“Do you want this job?”
That was such a loaded question. What had Kane told my father? He was supposed to have kept my secrets. Is this what he meant by choices?
“Scarlett,” my father pressed.
I shut my eyes and let out a deep breath. “Yes,” I squeaked out. It wasn’t a lie.
“Okay,” he sounded relieved. “We’ll talk later.”
I marched out the door and straight to Kane’s office. I didn’t even bother knocking before opening his door.
“He’s not there,” Jaycie informed me before I could open the door all the way.
I turned and faced her. “Do you know where he is?”
“He came in early this morning to meet with Mr. Armstrong and then left. He said he was taking the rest of the day off and he didn’t want to be bothered.”
