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“Oh yeah?” my dad asked. “Son, you're one of the most brilliant designers I know. And not only are you a designer, but you have the ability to actually get out there and create things with your own hands. There's nothing for you to be nervous about. I'm sure whatever this job is, you’ll kill it just like you’ve done every other time.”
My dad’s condition made me worry. I knew it wouldn't be long before he was gone forever too, even though I didn’t want to believe it. His failing health also made me worry about my relationship with my son. Lucas and my dad were very close, and I wanted that same closeness with my son again. I feared that once my dad was gone, all hope would be lost for us.
“You make up with that boy of yours yet?” he asked. “He’s always coming around here moping around, making me feel even worse than I already do.”
“I’ve tried,” I sighed. “He acts like what I did was the worst thing he’s ever experienced in his life, and he won’t hear me out. I know his mama gets into his ear about me too, so that’s another hurdle.”
“Your mama and I always hated that woman,” my dad chuckled. “I don’t understand why you even married her in the first place. The only good thing that came out of that marriage was the twins.”
“Ay!” I laughed. “We loved each other. Things just didn’t end up how we imagined they would. That's all. She wasn’t always so bad. Unless I was just blind and couldn’t see.”
“Yeah,” my dad laughed, “I think that was the problem.”
I’d hoped to see Lucas while I spent time with my dad, but he didn’t show up. I figured he knew I was there and decided to keep his distance, and I won’t lie—it hurt. I loved my son with all my heart, but I wouldn’t support his bad decisions the way his mom did. As a Taylor, I expected much more from him.
Ariane
Thanks to Mr. Logan Taylor himself, I was on a private flight to New York City that very next morning. On the fancy bar at the rear of the plane sat a complimentary bottle of champagne, expensive chocolates, beautiful flowers, and of course, a “welcome to the team” work packet. I wasn’t excited about the packet being in my face before I even saw the office, but Mr. Taylor’s treats made up for that.
“Ariane Pratts?”
I was surprised when a beautiful curvy woman boarded the plane behind me. She introduced herself and explained that she had been visiting a college roommate in Miami and figured it would be easier to stop by Holiday and pick me up instead of sending another private plane.
She was the spitting image of Lucas—just as a woman—which immediately gave her away to me. She was Lucas’s twin sister, Logan's daughter, and his company's vice president. She had the same captivating deep blue eyes as Lucas—one reason why I’d been so attracted to him. Casey's beauty was classic. The way she held herself exuded so much confidence. Her light foundation and blush complimented her flawless skin. I could tell she had a good sense of fashion. A red dress paired with a black belt and heels made her look elegant.
“Casey Taylor.” She smiled and extended her pale but sun-kissed hand. “I’ll be your unofficial tour guide today.”
“Nice to meet you.” I smiled and shook her hand. “This is a beautiful plane.”
“Thank you. Definitely one of my favorite ways to travel. No traffic, and it’s fast.”
Once we were all seated and ready for takeoff, I took a good look at Casey. It had been three years since I last saw her. Lucas had never let me get out much during our relationship, so it wasn’t a wonder that she had no idea who I was. But I knew her. I had studied their family during my seclusion, trying to figure out why Lucas was the way he was, but I never found an answer. And then finally I had found the courage to leave.
“What brought you to a place like Holiday, Florida?” Casey chuckled. “It’s so small here. Judging from your resume, I thought you might’ve been in Los Angeles or some other large city.”
“I got tired of the big city,” I lied. “I got to a point in my career where I just needed some peace and quiet. Helping everyone juggle their lives doesn’t really leave you any time for your own,” I chuckled.
“Oh, trust me, I know.” Casey laughed. “The way my dad puts the pressure on us at the company makes me wanna run away sometimes, so I can understand wanting some quiet time for sure.”
Casey had such a light and down-to-earth air about her—I felt like we could have been great friends while I dated her brother. She made me feel welcomed and hopeful about my new job. I hated lying and pretending not to know who she and her father were, but I wanted my life back. And the opportunity was there, so I grabbed it. I convinced myself that this would only be temporary, just until I could save up enough to start a new life somewhere else.
When we landed in New York, we were met by a personal car that drove us straight to Logan’s headquarters. The building was even more beautifully intricate in person and had Logan’s signature stamp all over it. His design emphasized functionality and elegance. The open floor plan and abundance of glass gave the building a modern yet aristocratic touch.
“Ariane,” Casey said playfully as she opened the doors to the building for me to enter, “welcome to Powerhouse Luxury Designs, where the eye meets the mind on a level of the unknown and all your dream homes become reality.”
The office was a complete palace. It was different from a regular office building, where you went in and were immediately greeted by a vapid receptionist at a boring wooden desk, or had to sip water from a fountain that hadn't been cleaned in Lord knows how long. The place was gorgeous. Everything was trimmed in gold and decorated like it was a home for a royal family. I was in awe of how the whole place radiated an atmosphere of luxury.
“The lobby, or main floor, is where our business starts, and we work our way all the way up to the tippy top. There are seven floors in this place and every person on every floor each plays a very important role in the company,” Casey explained.
I was already so impressed with Logan’s model homes and custom-built designs. I was eager to learn how each floor worked and how long it took for everyone to get on the same page perfectly enough to actually execute the design.
“The first floor is where we take calls and appointments from potential clients,” she said, as we loaded onto the elevator to head to the next floor. “Second floor is where we interview and match clients with designers based on their budgets, get a feel for what they want and in what time frame. From the third to fifth floor is budget placements. Sixth floor is where our HR handles business and the last floor is for the top payers and top payers only,” Casey added.
She made things sound so simple, but I knew it required hard work, perseverance, and a well-tested system that had taken the Taylors all the way to the Forbes list. I was highly impressed.
“This is my office here.” She pointed out a cozy little corner office on the top floor. “You being the assistant of the boss,” she said, flicking on a light in an office directly next-door to Logan’s. “This will be your spot.”
I stepped inside and felt right at home. It wasn’t too bright, or too dim. The view overlooking the park was gorgeous, and there was a lot of space for me to set up my plants and other whatnots. It reminded me a lot of the home office Lucas had destroyed the night I told him I was leaving.
