Andrew
Dead silence filled the boardroom.
I let the door fall closed behind me as I stood there, finding all eyes where they were supposed to be. On me.
“Well?” I barked.
Kyle cleared his throat, and the four other employees sitting around the table all looked anxiously at him. “Mr. Marx, it appears there is an issue with an account. Houghton Graham. There is, uh, twenty thousand dollars missing from the account.”
He pressed his lips together hard, probably waiting for me to yell.
“Then find it,” I simply answered. “No need to call a meeting. You.” I pointed at Carolyn. “Go through the statements from the last few months.”
“I already—”
“Do it again. And you.” I nodded at Kyle. “Make sure this doesn’t get out. Don’t notify the client until we know exactly what’s going on. The rest of you, make yourselves busy. And if you lose one more damn check, you’re all fired.”
With a string of curses checked but rumbling in my throat, I turned around and left the boardroom, Maggie trailing me like a shadow.
Sometimes, the sheer lunacy of people could be astounding. I hired the best in the business world, and yet there were still fuck-ups. For some reason.
Along the open-working space leading to my corner office, employees straightened up in their chairs and typed and clicked away, doing their best to look like busy little workers once they saw me coming. They feared me. I knew that.
I also knew that anxiety could be very, very good for business.
“Which meeting is next?” I asked Maggie as we rounded the hallway.
“A one-fifteen call with the Dawson firm.”
“Good.” That gave me exactly an hour and a half. “Let Saxton right in when he gets here.”
“Yes, sir.”
In the office, I went straight to my desk and checked my work email. After shooting off a few response messages, the time came to noon exactly.
Noon. How had the whole morning passed without Raven’s school calling?
That should have been a good sign, but the rock in my gut said otherwise. As much as I wanted to believe that the one-sided talk the night before had impacted Raven, I couldn’t. She didn’t go down that easy. My daughter was half-Marx and that meant possessing a natural tendency to being strong-willed and hardheaded.
So not hearing from her school had my nerves increasing.
Maybe she burned the place down, and that’s why no one has called. There are no phones left to do it on.
I inspected the ceiling, debating whether to call the school and check in.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and Saxton breezed in, depositing himself on one of the chairs opposite me. He had fresh highlights, which I knew for a fact didn’t come from the sun, but he wore the kind of sweater that said “Hey, I’m going boating,” so at least he gave off the appearance of being sporty.
“What’s that frown for?” he asked.
“What’s that cocky smile for?” I countered, not that the question needed a response. Saxton was thirty-six, popular with the ladies, and raking it in investing-wise. He was the man women wanted to fuck and other men wanted to be. Except me, of course. As his friend, I only wanted to shoot the shit, make lighthearted fun of him, and count on him to have my back every once in a while.
“God, you make me feel old,” I sighed.
Saxton threw his head back in laughter. “What are you? Forty-five?”
“I’m not sure how you found that out, but yes.”
“That’s your prime. Girls love that age. It shows them you’re responsible but still young enough to last in bed.”
As per usual, women were the first thing on my buddy’s mind.
“Huh,” is all I offered.
“Seriously, Andrew. When was the last time you got laid?”
“Not answering that.”
“Because you’re embarrassed.” He pointed an accusatory finger my way. “It’s been a while. I know that. Your blue balls condition is spreading. It’s giving you a bad case of stink eye.”
My lips drew tight against my teeth. “Women and sex aren’t everything, Saxton.”
“Yeah, but getting some action is pretty fucking crucial. Try it out, and then you won’t be walking around with a stick up your ass.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I saw your staff on my way in. They’re all walking on eggshells, probably afraid I’ll tell you they were texting or something, and then you’ll fire them all.”
My exhale was hot. “I run a tight ship. Not going to apologize for that.”
“And I know you never will. But take my advice. Go on a date. Hell, just hire an escort, if you want. As long as it gets the job done.”
“Fine. It’s been a while. But that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is the problem?”
I hesitated. Raven’s behavioral issues were still a secret. I hadn’t told a single soul and didn’t plan on doing that. I’d been raised to keep family matters private, and that was how they always stayed.
“I’m busy. I need to take a vacation.”
“No, man. You need to get laid.”
I stood up and grabbed my coat from the hook by the door. “Where are we doing lunch?”
“Japanese? Thai? You like the Asian girls, right? I sure do.” Saxton waggled his eyebrows.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m going to give our waitress your number.”
“God, save me.”
With a nod at Maggie, we left the office. But Saxton wasn’t done, choosing to take the empty elevator ride as an opportunity to keep harassing me.
“Let me set you up with this girl I know. Her name is Veronica. Superhot.”
“Why don’t you date her?”
“I already went out with her sister a few times. I mean, I could, I guess.”
I smirked at Saxton as he seemed to give his new idea some serious thought. Let him go for Victoria or whatever her name was. He’d set me up with girls a few times before, and it had never ended well. Forget second dates. One dinner with a girl Saxton gave me the number of was over before the I arrived. Once it became apparent my net worth was more important to her than my personality, I faked an emergency and got my ass out of there.
Gold diggers. Those were the kind of women who orbited around Saxton. And he didn’t seem to mind. Sex and good times. That’s what he was into. And, I swear, dropping stacks on all the money-hungry girls excited him. It gave him a rush of power.
The doors slid open, and we entered the lobby, where I spun around and placed my hands on Saxton’s shoulders. “Look, I appreciate you trying to hook me up with someone, but it’s not going to work. I’ve tried dating. It’s not right for me.”
“So don’t date. Did you not hear what I said about the escort?”
“Yeah,” I dryly said. “That’s not my cup of tea.”
Saxton rolled his eyes as he pulled away from me and went through the revolving doors. On the street, I realized right away that I didn’t need my coat. The morning’s chill had been replaced by a balmy, sunny day.
“What’s your plan then? You’re just going to be alone for the rest of your life?”
I stared at the sidewalk as we walked. Saxton never met Danica, had no idea just how amazing she had been.
How was I ever going to find a woman who liked me for me, just as she did? Someone who cared to get to know the side of me I didn’t easily show?
“Here’s the trouble with women,” I stated. “Or, I should say, everyone. I can’t remember the last time I had a conversation with someone and they didn’t ask me for financial advice.”
“That’s what’s rubbing you the wrong way?”
“Sushi?” I stopped at a spot we’d been to a few times, and Saxton gave a nod.
Once in the booth, he did a quick inspection of every woman in the place. “The hostess is pretty hot.”
Just out of curiosity, I checked her out. “And probably in high school.”
“Andrew. It’s the middle of the day.”
“Fine. College.” I picked up the slip of paper with the day’s options and start checking off which rolls I wanted. “Which means she’ll definitely want financial advice. She’d be hounding me all the time on the best ways to get her debt down.”
Saxton laughed, and I gave him a grin over the paper.
“The right woman isn’t going to ask for advice,” he said.
“Hm.” I ran my hands through my hair, not willing to admit he was right about that.
But there was more to the matter. Suppose I did find a woman I got along with, one who didn’t give a shit that I was the CEO of a major company or that I had the jet to take her anywhere she wanted. What then?
How would she fit into my life? Especially with Raven being the way she had been for the last year?
My teenager’s current attitude was enough to send any woman running for the hills.
No. I was better off where I was. I had purpose at the company I’d built, and nothing, other than my daughter, mattered. I wasn’t a complete robot, which was why I allowed myself a hookup, albeit pretty unfulfilling, every once in a while.
Just not with anyone Saxton knew.
Let him think he was going to break me, that I would give in and change one day. I knew better than anyone. That would never happen.
Lanie The piercing scream shook my bones, making me jump in my seat and drop the scholarship papers I’d been looking over. Heart thudding, I left the papers on the floor and rushed to the door. Someone fainted? Or brought a weapon to school? A dozen awful possibilities ran through my head. Cracking the door the slightest bit, I looked down the hall. Near the front office, a girl with long, blond hair stood with clenched fists. “It’s not fair!” she yelled. “Miss Marx,” a female voice said from inside the office. “Have a seat. Now.” So that was the infamous Raven Marx. My second day at school and she already had a run-in. Not surprising in the least. “Why?” Raven shrieked. “I didn’t do anything. Nothing that the bitch didn’t deserve.” I cringed at the harsh words. Everyone up and down the hall had to hear Raven. The other voice said something I couldn’t make out, and Raven stood there for a few more moments, her chest heaving up and down. I took the time to inspect her closely.
Andrew I curled my fingers around the golf club, the new gloves Maggie had ordered just for this occasion clinging snugly to the grip. Sinking into my stance, I pulled back, set my eye on the ball, and swung with precision. The club’s head hit the ball with a satisfying smack, sending it flying through the air and onto the grass, about five feet away from the hole. A booming laugh echoed across the green. “Well done for a man who says he’s rusty.” I grinned at Paul Nordmeyer, polo shirt stretched tight across a bulging belly and neck red from the sun. “Guess I’m a natural.” “Beginner’s luck,” he good-naturedly mumbled through his caterpillar mustache. “You’ve been away for so long, you might as well be starting over. How long did you say it’s been?” I shrugged. “About a year. Used to play all the time, though.”“All the time” was an exaggeration, but what Paul didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. I stepped to the side, watching as Paul took his turn. The course was close to empty, with
Andrew Inside the country club was a little busier than outside. People chatted quietly over small tables, and the shiny, wooden bar only had one customer—an older woman drinking what looked like tea. “A whiskey,” I told the vested bartender as I took a seat. “Neat.” He set the tumbler down in front of me, and I took a long sip that burned my nose and throat. It didn’t help any. My problems were still there. What was I going to do if the meeting with the counselor led nowhere? Take Raven to see a specialist outside of school? What if that didn’t work? She never talked about school, but that had to be the problem. Home was fine, somewhat. Nothing went on there. Come to think of it, maybe that was the issue. It had been years since Raven had a friend over. That wasn’t normal. When I was her age, I was practically glued to my friends. If South Seattle wasn’t working out, I could take her out of it. Her senior year had only just started. She could get in at another school. Not priva
Lanie I took a deep breath and stared in the mirror, turning one way and then the other. Was the black eyeliner too much? Yes. Too loud. I was going to work at a high school, not to a nightclub. Grabbing a makeup wipe, I went to rub it off, then remembered it was liquid and would smear all over the place. “Shit,” I murmured, dropping the wipe in the bathroom trash. Heart racing, I adjusted the little strands of hair around my ears and frowned. The look would just have to do. At least I was dressed somewhat conservatively in a button-up and wool sweater. Checking the time, I grabbed my purse and keys from the hook by the front door and locked my ground-floor apartment behind me. There was still plenty of time to get to work, but with my nerves making me shake, I knew I’d be more comfortable once I got into my office. This was the day. In less than an hour, I had my first parent-teacher conference. Hopefully, I’d make it through the meeting without vomiting. I’d had plenty of pa
Lanie “Y-yes,” I sputtered. “Come right in. Mr. Marx, I assume?” “That’s right.” “Have a seat.” He walked over to the chairs opposite my desk, tight shoulders and sculpted rear-end moving with controlled precision. Realizing I was staring, I quickly took my own seat. If I’d hoped meeting Mr. Marx face-to-face would help ease my anxiety, I was sorely wrong. The man sitting across from me was perfection, in possession of the kind of face that could give any professional male model a run for their money. Now, not only was I worried about how well I would perform during the meeting, I was once again worrying about how I looked. Was my makeup still holding up? How was my hair doing? I resisted the urge to touch it and see. Remember the steps. One at a time. Placing my palms on the desk, I smiled. “Thank you for coming to meet with me. I know you’re well aware of Raven’s recent, um, acts.” I checked a cringe. This wasn’t the speech I’d prepared at all. Mr. Marx’s face darkened, an
Andrew Those curves. Not the ones of her hips or breasts. I’d hardly gotten a look at the school counselor’s figure, but she seemed pretty thin beneath the sweater and jeans. No, it was the curves of her lips. They were the perfect Cupid’s bow, slanting down in a delicious, inviting way. Who got to kiss those lips at night? Without warning, jealousy seared through me. Damn the man I’d never even met. Or woman. Maybe Miss Jacobs was gay. How the hell could I know? But at least she wasn’t married. I’d already clocked the bare wedding band finger. Damn, though, the things those lips could do. I could tell just from looking that she was a great kisser. More than that, probably. It was always the reserved, prim women who were the most passionate in bed. “Mr. Marx, who lives at the home?” I rubbed the back of my neck, unable to shake the annoyance. Did we have to talk? I would have been fine with staring at the woman all day. She was that breathtaking. “The two of us.” Karen, thou
Lanie“I knew the second I saw you that you were the one for me,” Andrew Marx breathed, his hot exhale kissing my cheek.I closed my eyes, absorbing his scent, anticipating his taste on my tongue. His lips grazed against mine ever so softly, his tongue darting out to nudge my mouth open.“Ow!” I shrieked, dropping the knife onto the cutting board. Bright red blood spilled from the cut on the side of my finger.“Here.” Erica took my hand and inspected it. “It’s just a little nick. Press this against it, and I’ll get a Band-Aid.”I leaned against the counter and wrapped the paper towel around my finger as she rooted through her first aid kit.“What had you distracted?” she asked.My face grew hot. “Nothing.”Luckily, she didn’t look up at me. “Here we go.”I tossed the paper towel and carefully wrapped the Band-Aid around my finger.“Maybe I should take care of cutting the veggies,” Erica said.“Knock yourself out. I’ll take care of drinking the wine.” Plopping down at the table, I dug
Lanie“I’m not asking him out.” I furiously shook my head. “Although, I did tell him about that art show this weekend.”“And what did he say?”“It had nothing to do with us. I suggested he take his daughter to it because she loves art.”Erica waved her wine glass around. “I’m still waiting to hear what he said.”“He asked if …” I bit down on the smile curving my lips. “If I would be there.”Erica shrieked and lightly punched my arm. “You jerk! You were holding out on me. Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”“Because I don’t want to get my hopes up,” I wailed. “Am I interested in this guy? Yes. Of course.”“And he’s interested in you.”“Because he asked if I’d be there?” I hopefully questioned.“Don’t make me spell it out again.”“Okay.” Heat crept up my neck. “I believe you.”“It’s about time you did, you sexy, smart beast, you.”I giggled. “You’re not going to kiss me, are you?”“Please.” She snorted into her wine glass. “I got over that phase in college.”For the hundredth time that