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Aillard grows still, his fingers no longer tapping. I can’t quite tell if he’s contemplating my question or trying to avoid answering it. Finally, he says, “Yes. But not in a very significant way and it’s solely to do with Whitney. She and Carly have opened a drop off area for books to be donated to shelters for teens and families. This way they have some form of entertainment that’s partially educational. When they began it, I had one of my employees create a list of places we could take the books to. I occasionally help her drop them off.”
Chuckling, I say, “You helped her create her own nonprofit.”
Aillard makes a face but doesn’t deny it. “Purely for selfish reasons. It makes Whitney happy and therefore it makes me happy.”
Sounds like the cost of love.
“You could run a route for me if you want.” He shrugs. “Technically that’s volunteering, right? I doubt it’ll be on your list of items Bex is involved with. Maybe it’ll score you brownie points.”
I glare at him. “I don’t want brownie points.”
He smirks. “My mistake. After you sought her out, I assumed your curiosity was piqued and you wanted to impress her.”
I don’t have time for this. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing in Bex’s orbit and I’m not about to gossip with Aillard to try and figure it out. “Aillard, get the fuck out of my office. Go run one of your multiple companies.”
“Touchy subject.”
“I’m serious.” I point towards my office door. “I’m not entertaining the idea of getting back with Bex.” If I state it enough, perhaps I’ll get my heart to believe it.
“Good.”
Confusion slams into my gut like a sharp jab. “What?”
“I understand your curiosity about someone from your past. I just wanted to see if you were still interested. It’s better if you’re not and can keep this professional. No one gets hurt this time. Bex gets a majority of her loans paid off and you get to breathe again.”
He’s making perfect sense, but that doesn’t stop the swift anger that consumes me. Iknowleaving Bex be is the right choice. Being too close isn’t good for anyone. There’s something inside of me, deep inside, that continues to want to seek her out. It’s hard to resist the urge, which is why I gave in so easily when the opportunity arrived. Even so, I admit in a voice filled with gravel, “It has become quite suffocating.” The constant media attention. The phone calls. The press. The shareholders. Fucking Gabriel Donner and his nosy ass always shouting his opinion to anyone who will listen. Bex gave me a moment to breathe.
“It’ll pass.”
“I have one too many items to juggle to have time to foster a relationship with anyone.” At least that’s the truth. “Let alone try and rebuild one that would need a lot of time and reassurance.”
“One thing I don’t agree with King on is the timeline set for this,” he adds. “I gave it thirteen weeks because news stories typically retire from the public eye by that stage. King is expecting ten weeks to blow over the media as well as your shareholders. Considering your shareholders are going off the media, I think once it dies down they will too.”
“Ten weeks puts us at Thanksgiving, right in the middle of all the holiday festivities.”
Aillard nods. “True. There’s always more attention in November for charity work than there is in September and October because of thegiving thanksmedia push. But it doesn’t necessarily mean this will draw out that long.”
“You’re the numbers guy, I’m surprised King didn’t follow your lead.”
Aillard shrugs in his seat. “I think, in part, he was giving extra leeway for anything that might go wrong. Maybe it’s necessary, maybe it isn’t. What do you think? You work alongside press releases and the media. How long does an ad for Ravenscroft Hotel go for?”
Hmm. I tap my knuckles on my desk as I think. “That’s different,” I finally manage to force out. “We cater towards a higher clientele than most hotels do. So advertising is different. We offer different amenities at the hotel throughout the year, but some things remain consistent such as the spas. There’s not really a time limit to it versus a seasonal limit.”
“For all the times we’ve been together, I don’t think you’ve ever really talked business with us before,” Aillard mentions. “Why is that?”
Because King deals in scandals and Aillard runs different businesses along with his private computer company or whatever it is he does with that large brain of his. Hotels are not as interesting in comparison and therefore I rarely feel the need to interject my opinion in their matters since I have no knowledge of how they run. Just as they don’t know anything about hotels and every individual part I have to make a decision on daily. “You’re not interested.”
He flicks a blond eyebrow up. “Says who?”
Fair point. “Alright,” I relent. “Neither of you seem interested. It’s not as exciting as what you do.”
A moment passes before Aillard begins to laugh. “If you think King gives a single shit about computers or my clubs and restaurants then you’re wrong.” He’s grinning delightfully. “And I couldn’t give a shit about his job, which he can barely speak about thanks to his NDA’s. The objective isn’t to take a literal interest in the jobs themselves, but share as a businessman and friend. Yet you hardly ever bring up your business.”
“Well, now that you’ve shown an interest, I’ll remember to share more at our next get together,” I say wryly. Truth be told, we haven’t gathered like we used to in a while. Something has always interrupted our time. Recently it was helping Aillard track down a former employee, a supposedfriendto all of us from our college days, who stole millions from his company. “Perhaps we should get together soon.”
“King and I could attend a volunteering event,” Aillard offers. “Solidarity in our friendship with you.”
I roll my eyes. Not because his suggestion is ridiculous, far from it. Our friendship has always been solid, where one of us goes so do the others. We’re always there for each other to help carry the load life throws at us. It’s just amusing to think Aillard is trying to weasel his way into chaperoning Bex and I at a charity event without outwardly saying it. “You’re more than welcome to come, but clear it with Bex first.”
