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Seven
After Taylor ended the call with Royce—hanging up on him as he deserved—she didn’t have the energy to confront Brannon. First, she was too angry with the eldest Knox brother and didn’t want to take it out on the wrong one. Second, and as much as she hated to admit it, Royce was right.
The company was facing a very big transition and it was of the utmost importance that the top brass were one cohesive unit. She and Brannon had both made mistakes. Him, planning a proposal when they’d never so much as slept together and her, not breaking up with him when she knew damn well their relationship hadn’t stalled—it never started.
That saying about eating crow swooped by on wide black wings, her father’s sage voice echoing in her ears. If you have to eat crow, might as well do it while it’s warm.
In other words: no more delaying doing the right thing.
She purposefully came in late the next morning to avoid chitchat and the possibility of bumping into Brannon or Royce on the way to her office. The executive suites had some distance between them in the sprawling building. At least she could ensure privacy for her conversation with Brannon.
After checking their shared meeting calendar and determining he was in, she straightened the skirt of her slate-gray wrap dress and headed to Bran’s office.
His personal assistant, Addison Abrams, had worked for ThomKnox since last June and was, according to Brannon, indispensable. She was smart, attentive, and as far as Taylor knew, incredibly kind. Addi was one of the first people in the office to approach her after her dad’s death, both with kind words and a touch to the arm that had turned into a gentle hug. Taylor would never forget that small but meaningful gesture.
“Good morning.” Taylor checked her slender wristwatch before correcting with a smile, “Late morning.”
“It’s still morning.” Addi’s smile was cooler than usual. Typically, she was quick to compliment Taylor on her wardrobe. Maybe gray wasn’t Addi’s favorite color. The two women didn’t converse outside of ThomKnox, but Taylor wouldn’t have been surprised if she and Addison someday formed a friendship. “What can I do for you, Ms. Thompson?”
The formality was new, too.
“Everything okay?” Taylor ventured.
Addi’s platinum blonde hair was a few shades lighter than Taylor’s and wound into a twist at the back of her head. Addi’s dress was a bright, sunset orange and would’ve been appalling on any other woman. But with her high cheekbones, ocean-blue eyes and golden skin tone, Addison was a true Cali girl. The vivid color suited her.
Those blue eyes were icy when she responded, “Everything is fine.”
Oh-kay. So much for small talk.
“I’m dropping in on Bran if he’s not busy. Is he on a call?” Taylor asked.
The other blonde checked the desk phone where a red light blinked twice before vanishing. Addi sounded inconvenienced when she announced, “Not anymore.”
“Perfect. I’ll let myself in?”
Addison nodded, her smile forced.
Taylor rapped lightly on Bran’s office door before letting herself in. She’d caught the expression of surprise on his raised face through the slatted wood blinds just before she entered. “I’m responding to your text finally.”
“In person, no less.” He didn’t wear a scowl as well as Royce. Bran was better suited for a smile or a mischievous smirk. “Have a seat.”
He gestured to the pair of dark leather chairs in front of a glass coffee table and stood to join her. Before he left his desk, he pressed a button on his phone and spoke into it. “Addison, can you send in an intern with drinks...” He let go of the intercom button to ask Taylor, “Is it too early for a drink?”
“Coffee will do.”
He dipped his head and pressed the intercom button again. “Coffee. Black for her—”
“Cream and two sugars for you,” Addi finished. “I’ll arrange it.” Her voice was warm when she addressed him. Interesting.
“So Addison isn’t unhappy in general, only with me.”
Bran didn’t deny it. “More like misguided protection. She works for me which means she’s automatically on my side.”
Addi sent a withering glare through the blinds before stalking off. Taylor wasn’t sure Bran had that right. Addi didn’t like that Taylor was in Bran’s office. With the door shut. Probably she’d heard about the failed proposal and the kiss. Who knew what sort of rumors had been flying around the office?
Bran had already taken his suit jacket off—it was a rare occasion that he wore it—but his tie was knotted at his neck. It was a fun design—yellow with bright orange suns. Taylor had the passing thought that it complemented Addison’s dress.
They shared pleasantries about a few emails that had come through regarding a new laptop design until an intern arrived with a tray. The conversation was slightly forced, and given Brannon’s stilted responses, he felt the same way. There seemed to be an unspoken rule about civility that almost gave Taylor pause.
