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“What do you think you’re doing, Brandon? You can’t just shoot my proposals down over and over again for no goddamn reason!” The booming voice that cut me off grew louder, more furious, as Berthold practically took the door off the hinges. All eyes in the conference room turned to him, but he had no shame even as he panted from exertion. Pursing my lips thinly, I met his fierce gaze as his eyes narrowed and he pushed and shoved his way around the table toward me.
I felt bad for the executives seated because Bert was wider than the comfortable distance between their backs and the wall.
“I’m in the middle of something, clearly.” Pride bubbled in my chest when my tone came out confident and loud. I was still working on that, and even the smallest progress was progress. Bert went beet red, his anger so hot that little beads of sweat braided his forehead as he paused to pant gutturally.Audra had a real point. He’s not healthy at all.
“Make time—”
“It wasn’t a cautionary suggestion, Berthold. Get out. I’ll talk to you when I’m finished here.” My eyelid twitched in agitation, and my rope came incredibly close to snapping when Bert just gaped at me in shock. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Excuse me? I won’t leave until we—” Before I even had a chance to think about it, my palm hit the table with a resoundingcrack, and the three people directly in front of me jumped out of their seats. Audra stood up from the corner, her eyes scanning me intently, and I glared as the last of my patience ran dry.
“Get the fuck out, or I’ll have securitypermanentlyescort you out!” Leaning on my tight arm, the thundering of my own voice shook the table slightly and stunned looks trained on me. Straightening with a huff, I tugged at my suit jacket as Bert slowly turned around to sulk out the way he came. Clearing my throat roughly, I hid my shaking hands behind my back, but I knew Audra saw them even while I addressed my marketing committee. “I apologize for the interruption. Where were we?”
“Ah, we were just wrapping up, sir.” Glancing over as Audra spoke up, I sucked in a sharp breath at the pride and appreciation in her gaze. “You were in the middle of the whole ‘recap and reconnect’ spiel.”
“Well, I guess that explains it, then. You’re dismissed.” Nodding as everyone fell over themselves to leave, I rocked back on my heels to pinch the bridge of my nose. My mind scattered, dodging my attempts to recall what I was just saying even ten seconds ago, and a groan built in my throat. “I need the notes from this meeting..."
“I’ve never heard you swear before. Are you okay, Brandon?” A wry smile tilted my lips at Audra’s concern, and she stalked over to press her fingers to my forehead. “I don’t feel a fever. What did you eat today?”
“I guess... I’m just done with his antics. To be honest, Audra, I don’t think I’ve ever sworn at all before, but anyway, I assure you, I’m not sick.” Keen eyes watched me, and Audra stepped back to scan me from top to bottom as slowly and deliberately as she could. Tension tightened my shoulders, and her pupils widened before they met mine with a flash of recognition.
“Youaresick. You fool, you’re lovesick! You have a girlfriend! Brandon! Why didn’t you tell me? I need to know these things! What else am I supposed to talk to my husband about?” Blood flushed my cheeks as Audra smacked me with the thick folder in her arms and she gasped loudly. “Wait. How long as this been going on?”
“Audra..." Groaning even as a smile stretched my lips, my ears burned at the pointed look she gave me, and I bopped my head side to side. “Okay, fine. You got me. I’m seeing a woman.”
Clearly, Audra’s back was doing fine as she bounced with an excited squeal and hit me a few more times in her excitement. A laugh escaped me as invisible weights lifted from my shoulders, and I dropped into one of the many chairs to sigh heavily. Memories filled my mind’s eye, and my secretary hurried to sit to get knee to knee with me.
“It’s been two months or so. We met at the charity auction for the Children’s CRC. Her name is Katie, and she’s an actress.” Trailing off, I clenched my jaw as our ride the other day filled my head. “It’s like we ran parallel for our entire lives up until this point, but something happened to send us on a collision course.”
“That is the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard.” Even as she berated me, Audra sighed wistfully, and I gnawed on my inner cheek diligently. “Young love, at its most beautiful—”
“Audra, come on. Anyway, we’re supposed to be meeting up, so I really don’t have time to witness Bert’s temper tantrum.”
“Ohh, where are you going? Is it fancy?” At her own question, Audra sat back quickly, and I frowned under furrowed brows. Right before my eyes, faster than it took to blink, she went from excited to angry, and my heart leaped into my throat. “Wait a minute. Are you absolutely positive that she’s not just using you for money? You said she’s an actress, so what if she’s playing you? What if she’s a gold digger? I mean, I don’t know her, but the odds are astronomicallynotin her favor, Brandon.”
“Katie? No.” Shaking my head, I propped my elbows on my knees to wring my fingers just so I could stare at them instead of the accusation in Audra’s eyes. “She gets really uncomfortable when we do anything that involves money. Like, I could get her an ice cream cone, and she tries to pay me back. She’s done that at the taco trucks and stuff, or she tries to stop me from doing things that cost anything if she realizes it early enough.”
“Really?” Even though she was obviously suspicious, Audra took me for my word, and I nodded again.
“Yeah, but more importantly, I don’t care how good an actress or actor... no one can fake that. I might not have a lot of experience with relationships, but I do know a thing or two about liars and manipulators.” Katie’s face when I told her about my mother flashed when I blinked. She looked like she just wanted to curl up and cry because it hit so close to her. “No, Katie’s not playing me. I was actually thinking of introducing her to you and my mom. I was thinking of inviting her mom, too. They seem to have a lot in common, our moms.”
“We both know I won’t believe you, but you really think she’s the real deal, don’t you, Brandon?” Clasping my hands together, I clenched my jaw as I pondered Audra’s question. What did I know about relationships? I hadn’t been in one since high school. My last girlfriend dumped me when I started working because I wouldn’t buy her things. Ever since, for over twenty years, I’d kept to myself.
“I think... out of everyone I’ve ever met—even you, Audra—Katie is the one who understands me the best. Out of every person I’d ever talked to, Katie cares the most about what I have to say. Even if I’m just fooling myself here, I really believe that Katie wants me for me. When I’m with her, she asks me questions about myself and my life that I can’t answer, and I think that’s important. I think that we’re the same, and we can help each other fix the things that are broken.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt, Brandon... but I should at least meet her before I judge her more, I guess.” Relief sagged my body, and I smiled brightly before a hard knock on the glass broke our moment. Stiffening, I pushed myself to my feet, and Audra scoffed loudly. “At least he knocked this time..."
“Relax.” Only managing that one word before Bert shoved his way back into the conference room, I didn’t bother to hide my frown as I turned to face him. “What do you have to say that was so important, Bert?”
The fire blazing in Berthold’s eyes brightened as I miraculously kept my voice level, and he just glared at me for a long, tense collection of seconds. If he expected me to crack like I had done too many times before, he’d be sorely disappointed, and I jutted my chin out in defiance.
Meeting Katie had taught me one thing, at least. I couldn’t blame my own actions on someone else. I needed to take charge ofmycompany,myemployees,my life.
“You know what?” Speaking up just as Berthold opened his fat mouth, I strode around the long table and tried to ignore the way his double chin wiggled. Struggling to keep my composure, my chest tightened, and I towered over his 5’7” height when I reached him.I don’t know why I was ever so intimidated by him. “I don’t give a flying fuck about what you have to say, Berthold. If you don’t like it, there’s the door. I have better things to do than babysit you and all of your fanciful, terrible ideas. From today on, you’re going to toemyline, and if you don’t, I’ll fire you. It’s that simple.”
And I walked out like aboss... because I was the boss.It’s about time I started acting like it.
ChapterNine
