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“A few words, Orlie?”
Orlie clears his throat and leans to the mic. He’s taller than his father, meaning he has to stoop down so his voice registers on the microphone. “I look forward to this endeavor and all the prosperity to come.”
Polly leans into me. “How many times do you think he practiced that in the mirror?”
I cover my mouth with my hand and try not to laugh. She’s right.
He is even worse than I am. That man has never felt an emotion a day in his life.
“So, with that, I encourage you all to get to know Orlie. He’ll be around more and more as I pull back gradually. This change will be slow so I ask you all to please be open with your feelings as we try and usher Wynters into a new era,” Trevor looks around the room, taking us all in. “Now, I know you’ve all been waiting for your dismissal. Enjoy the buffet.”
While the people at the tables start to rise and flood over to the buffet tables, Polly and I turn to one another, two of only a few women amongst a sea of tech bros.
I am in shock right now. “What is Trevor thinking?”
Polly nods. “That he wants to spend the rest of his days deep-sea fishing, I’m sure.”
I sigh. “I mean, he deserves that. He deserves to retire, but…”
“I guess it’s better to promote someone from inside the company rather than do some search. Companies always seem to fall apart when they bring in outsiders.”
“Yeah, but it’s still nepotism.”
Polly shrugs. “Fair. That’s been the Wynters way since the beginning, though.”
“Yeah…”
“You didn’t want a chance to be CEO, did you?” she elbows me in the side.
Alarm bells go off in my head. “Me?! No. Never in a million years. I just don’t know if Orlie can live up to –”
Trevor Wynter’s voice rises above the others. “Kira!”
I stand up stock straight at the sound of Trevor Wynters calling my name. I look in his direction on the outskirts of the room. He waves me over with his signature pleasant smile.
Standing next to him is his son.
“Shit.”
Polly gives me a sheepish smile. “It will be great.”
“I don’t know, that guy looks like his bite is worse than his bark.”
“Oh, hush and go talk to him,” she bumps my hip.
That little bump propels me across the room to meet Trevor and Orlie. Trevor used to make me nervous the first year I was here. Now, though, I consider him a friend. As much as he can be for being my multi-billionaire boss.
However, the closer I get, the harder my heart beats in my chest.
Trevor slides his hand over my back with a paternal smile. “I wanted you to meet Orlie officially.” He looks at his son. “This is the woman I was telling you about. Kira Solace.”
I try to smile at Orlie. His lips don’t even move. He just nods. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Solace.”
I’ve never seen Orlie up this close. But what I see is making my mouth dry. Anytime he’s passed me in the hall, he’s kept his gaze down to the ground.
Now, though, I can see his eyes. Darker than dark. Black holes that could suck me in.
Something about that is intriguing.
