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“Is that right?” I leaned forward and placed my elbows on the table and bore my gaze straight at him. “Shall we wait for everyone else?”
“Oh, Asher isn’t coming,” he smugly admitted, as he placed his briefcase on the floor and unbuttoned his suit jacket. “I want to talk to you alone. You’re smart and clever and you know what’s best for you. I want to discuss the joint business opportunities.”
“You have some fucking nerve coming in here and attempting to control my decisions,” I snapped. The pounding in my head increased but he’d pushed me too far. “How dare you think you can bulldoze intomybusiness and take over. Why not show yourself to the door? That would be the clever decision to make.”
“Hey, wind it back a second.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m not trying to do anything of the sort. What’s with the attack? Do I need my lawyer?”
“No,” I sighed. I knew I was out of line, but I couldn’t help it. This man was under my skin, and he knew how to rile me up, so my thunderous attitude exploded. “I didn’t mean to take it out on you,” I admitted as I slumped backwards and stared up at the ceiling and exhaled a large breath.
“So, that was a special show held just for my entertainment? Not the Sutton Wilkinson everyone else seems to know,” he questioned as he pulled his chair closer to the desk.
“It wasn’t for entertainment, but to answer you; no, that’s not the real me,” I conceded. “It’s not like I should even be here.”
“Why?” he enquired, appearing genuinely interested. “Sutton, why shouldn’t you be here?”
“Because this wasn’t meant to happen.” The embarrassment hit me head on. “I was meant to pop back, visit and leave, not have gained my dad’s company. This should have all gone to Asher,” I said as I manically stood up and headed toward the window. My emotions hit me hard, and I started to wrestle my hands into small fists by my side before I pushed my hands out against the window.
“Hey, your dad picked you for a reason Sutton, no matter what you may think,” Tate admitted as he got up out of his chair and rounded closer to me. He came to stand behind my shoulder. “Don’t think he took the decision lightly.”
“It’s too much.” I sighed. “I had things planned, a life in San Francisco. I don’t feel I belong here.”
“Belonging isn’t about the place though, Sutton. It’s the people – family – yours are all here. Why can’t that mean this can be your home?” he said, as he placed his hand on my shoulder. The warmth radiated through me. “I shouldn’t have cancelled Asher coming today. It was wrong of me, but I just wanted to talk.” Tate slid his hand into his pocket and picked out his phone from his jacket pocket as I took a quick side-glance over and started to tap away on the keyboard. “I didn’t want to cause any issues, that wasn’t my plan.”
“I know you say that Tate, but it’s the way I’m programmed. It seems everything has changed since I came back. My once self-assured brother has gone and hidden in the shadows. I get it. I do. It must be awful; his dreams destroyed the moment I stepped back on British soil, but I didn’t know… I didn’t know.” I blew a long hard breath out as he turned me around to face him.
“I know and he does deep down too. He just doesn’t seem to be as fast to pick it up as you.” I chuckled as I stared into his blue eyes. “Sutton, don’t doubt yourself. Asher will come back, and you’ll sort this. I promise.”
“Thank you.” I sniffed back the tears as he reached into his pocket and handed me an embroidered handkerchief and a business card.
“If you need to talk to someone, Sutton, I’m here,” Tate muttered as he pulled back and did his suit jacket up and grabbed his case as a knock at the door disturbed us.
Tate opened it and smiled. “Ah thanks Billie, coffee. I’m just leaving though, but I’ll take mine with me.” Without a glance back, he walked out of my office and toward the lift.
Did that just really happen? Did the arrogant, uptight suit really just behave like a genuinely kind man?
Fuck.
I considered what had just happened. I needed to be completely sure that if any suspicions I had surrounding Tate Hillside, should be a concern or if I had just been part of a game. I didn’t want to look a fool if I couldn’t back up my claims at my next meeting with Dad.
I turned around to shut my door when a cough disturbed me. “Sutton,” a meek voice said, as the strong hand gripped the door frame. “I’m sorry.”
“Asher, it’s forgotten. I just don’t like being ignored.” I ushered him into the room and shut the door before I reached up and pulled him into a hug. “I don’t want to fight. I didn’t expect or want this. It just happened; you know what Dad’s like.”
“I know. You’re not an easy person to avoid – chomping at the bit, shall we say.” He chuckled as he pulled back and made his way to take a seat. “It just hurts.”
“I know, but we need to fix it. We need to fix us,” I admitted, as I joined him at my desk, taking the first steps in hope that he could see that if we continued the way we were going, we’d tear this company apart. “I need you by my side. I need my big brother and your help.”
“How can I do that?” he asked as he crossed his feet over one another and tilted his head. “You’re in charge, Sutton. You.”
“I know, but I can make the decision as to how much you help. I’m in charge, as you so rightly put it, not Dad,” I pleaded my case, in the hope that Asher liked the idea. “You’ve made most of these deals and I’m lost. I’m seriously lost without you, Asher.”
“Go on.” He pulled his chair forward, closer to the desk, his gaze fixed on mine. I knew he was in search of doubt, but he wouldn’t find it.
“Tate Hillside,” I began. “I saw all the projects with his name on them.”
“Sutton, I know what you’re thinking.” He reached his hand out toward mine that had started to tap nervously in front of him. “You’re wrong about him, he’s made us money. He’s made our business stronger. He’s a good man, Sutton. I’d never let anyone destroy everything we’ve built.”
“I had to ask.” I pulled his hand into mine and squeezed it tight. “I needed to know.”
