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“I will keep this brief, then you will be given some homework to do. I’m not my father, but like my father, I will demand respect and hard work. I’m not sure why you felt like missing a mandated meeting was okay on my first day as president at Lynol Inc, it’s not. I didn’t receive one rsvp from any of you stating why attending a meeting via video wasn’t possible. Nina Vore, my executive assistant, has the recording of the meeting sent to your emails. You will watch it and send me a thousand-word report detailing the differences I want to make in this company. If you can’t get on board with me as the president, I suggest you find yourself a new job. I’ll be splitting my time between this and the New York office for the next few weeks, but don’t think I won’t be both available and apprised of every department. I would suggest you readjust your working practices because I’m nothing like my father. This company will be run on the up and up, and you can take that to the bank. If you happened to straggle in and didn’t leave your name with my assistant, expect a phone call from your superior. That is all.”
I leave the meeting. I’ll be a fair boss,but I’m the boss. I won’t put up with incompetency, and in this way, I’m already making a difference.
* * *
Before I leavefor the night, I send Nina an email. She left after we talked about her adjusted hours of eight to five-thirty with an hour lunch. She wanted more hours with her adjusted salary making three times what she had. It also gives her more time, because she felt that forty hours wasn’t enough to complete her new workload.
The email tells her to contact a Nicolas Starling in accounting to set up a meeting on Monday. I told her to mark it as a time-sensitive matter. Mr. Starling would most likely understand the reasoning for the meeting. I’m surprised he’s not reached out to me, but maybe he’s afraid. Or he’s unaware I know. I have no idea, but it’s a conversation I can’t have over the phone.
Leaving the office at nine p.m., I’ve accomplished a lot, making my mark already in the company. Most of my interaction with the executive levels today was positive. I had a few resignations but these are most likely the men who were dirty and they understood I’d not put up with it. I may have hinted I’d press charges against anyone who had been underhanded. It’s one way to weed them out.
I realize in my first day as CEO and president, I’ve not had a chance to speak to, or even think of Clark. I pull for my phone, reading through a few texts, all of them from him, encouraging me that I’ll do great today. I press his number and he picks up on the first ring.
“I was just thinking of calling you, baby. How was your first day as the CEO extraordinaire?” His voice brings a smile to my face.
“It was exhausting, righting the wrongs of my father.” I begin to tell him of Nina and how he’d treated his secretaries in the past, and that I’m working with HR and legal to compensate all the assistants he wronged before. “I’ll help these women, most of whom were let go for bogus issues. Not only do I want to make sure they land on their feet, but I’m unsure of what my father might’ve put them through, and I want to offer them professional help. He left them destitute. You want to know the worst part? They all had skills and giftings that could help other departments. I’m not sure if they want to come back to Lynol Inc, but I’ve forwarded their resumes to the department heads and HR, giving each woman a choice to be a part of a company that has a different vision,” I explain.
“See, this is what makes you different, Xan. Don’t ever buy in that you’re like your father because you’re not.”
Clark believes in me when he’s the last person who should ever believe in me. “I don’t deserve you, baby,” I say.
“But you do, baby. You deserve so much more in life, and with me, I’ll be sure to remind you of that every day.”
“Thank you, Clark Farmer.”
“You’re welcome, Xander Lynol.” There’s a silence on the other end for a brief second, but it’s not awkward. We make sense together. It may be odd, but we really do. “So, tell me what the world’s best CEO has planned for the week?”
I read over my calendar. “I’m going into the law firm on Wednesday to hand over all my cases to Jasper Sinclair. I assume you knew that though. I didn’t know he was moving from the Big Apple to the modest city of Minneapolis.”
He’d mentioned Jasper once or twice and I felt like they knew each other very well. Something I don’t want to think about when it comes to past partners of Clark’s.
“Yeah, he told me he’s moving, and he’ll be working with Micah, right?” Clark asks.
“That’s what I’m led to believe. Why would he leave New York? Unless he wasn’t given a choice.” Clark is silent and it’s when I know he won’t betray the confidence Jasper has in him. “Okay, forget I asked.” I don’t say it with malice, and I hear a sense of relief on Clark’s end when he lets out a deep breath. “I’ll be leaving sometime Friday for New York, working in their office next week. I guess I can’t put off meeting my brother.” He has to hear the dread in my voice.
“I’m here for you, baby. Anything you need, we’ll face together,” he says with a yawn through the phone and I forget he’s an hour ahead of me.
“I know, and I can’t tell you how much it means to me. But you sound dead on your feet. Get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you Friday night. I’ll let you know when Nina makes the arrangements for me.”
“Hey, Xan?” he asks, and his voice instantly shifts, and he sounds a little unsure of himself.
“Yeah, baby, what’s wrong?”
“Will you stay with me? I don’t want you in a hotel room when…”
I hadn’t thought of arrangements and I probably would have had Nina book me a hotel room, but I like this idea much better.
“I’d love nothing more, but are you sure I won’t get in your way?”
“I know I have a small place, but no, I want you with me.”
“Then that is what you’ll get, Clark Farmer.” We say goodnight but nothing can wipe away the smile he’s placed on my face.
27
CLARK
“Mr. Farmer,” Liza calls out, knocking on my door and letting herself in. “Didn’t you want to get out of here early today?” she asks, and somehow I understood the day would be hell, so I’d asked her to kick me out no later than six. “It’s six-fifteen.”
