S is for Second Chance

by Annie J. Rose

  “Oh Devin, what am I going to do with you?” I whispered.

  Now, I had to worry about what he was going to do about Lizzy. I had been able to relax earlier, but now my guard was back up. The desire to flee was strong. I could pack her up and be on the next flight to Los Angeles. I had no doubt he would find me, but it would give me a running start. I would hire an attorney and make sure it was clear my home was in LA. If he wanted a fight, it was going to be on my turf—not New York.

  I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. Panicking wasn’t going to help. I would give him some time to cool down. I had to see the deal through. He would be in a better mood and would hopefully be willing to listen to reason.

  My father, on the other hand, he was another matter entirely. I needed to have a stern conversation with him. I would not allow myself to be his pawn. I knew his game, and I was done playing it. I had helped him as much as I was going to. If he and Devin went after the same account again, it was between them. I was done trying to referee the two of them.

  Chapter 25

  Devin

  I couldn’t get my head in the game. I had been trying to focus on the new projections for a company I was considering investing in. I had looked at the numbers, and it just wasn’t sinking in. I had a serious mental block going on. The only thing my brain wanted to think about was Elly. Elly and Lizzy.

  How in the hell was I ever supposed to have a relationship with the mother of my child if she continually sided with her asshole father? I didn’t even care about what she had done. I had truly forgiven her for that, but for her to think I was a thief—I couldn’t deal with that. I was a lot of things, but I had never stolen a damn thing, especially not from that piece of shit Ron Savage.

  I kept repeating her words. She forgave me. It was insulting. I didn’t do shit. She didn’t have to forgive me. I had to let it go. I had to figure out a way to get my head back in the game. I couldn’t let her continue to mess with me, or it was going to destroy my business and give me an ulcer.

  I shut down the computer and stuffed a couple of files in my briefcase before walking out of the office. I went home and walked into the sterile, cold, empty town house. I dropped my briefcase on the table next to the door and went to the kitchen to find something to drink.

  I opened the fridge and scanned the scant contents. It was empty. Just like the house. Just like my life. I had a taste of what life could be like with Elly and Lizzy, and it left me feeling emptier than I ever had been.

  “Fuck this,” I said with frustration. I pulled out my phone, made a call, and then headed upstairs to pack a bag. I had to get out of the city. I needed to clear my head and figure out what the hell I was doing with my life.

  An hour later, I was in the car heading to the airport where my private jet was waiting to take me to Anderson, Nebraska. I was hoping some time in the cabin on the lake I had purchased would give me some clarity. I needed a sign from God or some other deity. I needed to know whether I should pursue something with Elly or let it go. My head said to do the latter. My heart was urging me to chase her, despite the knife she kept stabbing me with.

  “Thank you,” I said to the driver I had hired to ferret me from the airport to the cabin. It wasn’t exactly a rustic cabin, but it was much smaller than my town house. I carried my suitcase into the main bedroom on the ground floor.

  I wasn’t sure how long I was staying. I could work from the cabin if there was a pressing matter that had to be handled. My phone rang in the other room. I debated ignoring it, but now that I had a child, I needed contact with the outside world.

  It was Wes, which was oddly coincidental that he would be calling shortly after I landed in his hometown. “Hello?”

  “Hey! I heard you were in town. Were you planning on saying hi?”

  “How in the world did you know I was here?”

  He laughed. “This is Anderson. I heard from a friend that works at the airstrip that the McKay jet had landed.”

  “Damn, that is next-level spy shit,” I said with a dry laugh.

  “We keep tabs on our town. Can’t have a bunch of city slickers invading us.”

  “I was planning on minding my own business.”

  “Since you’re here, we’d like to invite you to dinner tonight,” he said.

  I grimaced. “I don’t know. I’m not really in a good mood. I don’t think you want me around for dinner.”

  “Sure we do. Just come over. We’ll cheer you up.”

  “Thank you, but maybe tomorrow night,” I said.

  There was a strange sound followed by Rian’s voice coming on the line. “Devin McKay get your butt over here. I’m cooking meatloaf and mashed potatoes. You need a good home-cooked meal, not that slop you get at your fine-dining establishments.”

  I had to laugh. “Rian, you know how much I love meatloaf,” I said. “But—”

  “Nope. No buts. Be here at seven. Ronny would love to see you. She has not stopped talking about that magic fish you and Wes caught the last time you guys went fishing.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You do know that was a fish story, an actual fish story.”

  “I know that, but Ronny will not listen to reason. She thinks you walk on water and will not believe you didn’t catch the biggest fish in the world.”

  “All right, you are relentless. I’ll be there soon.”

  “See you then,” she said and hung up.

  It wasn’t exactly the lonely night I was prepared for, but maybe it was for the best. It was hard to be sad around Ronny. I finished unpacking before going out to the garage where I kept the new truck I had purchased for my time in Nebraska. I got in and started it up. It was strange to drive. Strange, but good. I was going to have to go for a nice long road trip tomorrow if time allowed.

  When I arrived at the Brown household, it was bright and cheery and so full of life. Ronny talked a mile a minute telling me all about her adventures. It was nice to have so much life around me.

  “Dinner’s ready,” Rian called from the kitchen.

  “We better get in there, or your dad is going to eat it all,” I told Ronny.

  She giggled and took off running. I followed behind her and took the seat Ronny insisted I sit in. Dinner was good; the conversation was light and easy. I was glad they had bullied me into coming for dinner. It truly did lift my spirits. Once dinner was over, I helped clear the table, feeling like part of the family.

  “I’m going to get Ronny to bed,” Rian announced. “I think I’ll turn in as well.”

  Wes gave her a kiss before giving Ronny a kiss on her cheek.

  “Good night, ladies,” I called out. “Thank you for dinner.”

  “I’ll grab us a couple beers, and we can sit outside and enjoy the peace and quiet. I know you don’t get much of that in the city.”

  “You got that right,” I agreed.

  We headed out and sat down in the comfortable chairs. It was so quiet. I could see the stars twinkling high above and found myself getting lost in thought. “Here you go,” Wes said, handing me a cold beer.

  I twisted the top off and took a long drink. “It really is nice here. I think I can see myself doing this one day.”

  “It’s nice. It’s an adjustment but taking it easy and enjoying life and all it has to offer is very rewarding.”

  “Maybe, but you have to have a life to enjoy,” I replied.

  “So, what’s going on? What has you hiding out in Nebraska?”

  I took another drink. “A woman I cared about. She’s back in my life. She’s been keeping a huge secret from me for years.”

  “Ouch,” Wes said.

  I realized Wes was the right man to talk to. He out of everyone would understand. “She had my baby and never told me. She never told me she was pregnant.”

  Wes let out a low whistle. “Been there, done that. It isn’t easy. I guess the first step would be to start with why? Why didn’t she tell you? Were you in a relationship that went bad?”

  I sighed bef
ore explaining the whole story to him. He nodded, agreeing it was definitely a difficult situation.

  “The most recent fight is because she thinks you stole from her father, right?”

  I nodded. “Yes. I didn’t steal shit. You know me. Everything I have, I have worked my ass off for.”

  “She doesn’t know you.”

  “She knows me,” I insisted.

  “When she went to work for you, it was because her father told her you had been stealing from her. She was a young kid. Of course she’s going to believe her father. She obviously feels a sense of loyalty toward him. You said Ron Savage was a first-class asshole. Just try to imagine what it was like to grow up with him filling her head with bullshit. She was probably brainwashed.”

  I shook my head. “Even if she did believe it then, she should know me better by now. She does know me better. If she really believes I’m a liar and a cheat, why in the hell does she keep sleeping with me?”

  Wes laughed. “I’m not even going to try and answer that.”

  “She kept my child from me, yet she thinks I’m a thief. What the hell is that about?”

  “Have you talked to her? Rationally. Without tossing around insults and accusations. Both of you need to try and see the problem from one another’s point of views. I believe you when you say you’re not a thief, but you need to make her believe you. Without getting angry.”

  “How am I supposed to change her mind?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “The truth. I know it sucks, but if she doesn’t believe you now, I don’t think you’re going to be able to change her mind. Then you have to decide if you can get over it. Can you be with a woman who thinks you’ve been stealing from her father?”

  “I don’t think so,” I answered honestly. “When it comes to her, my judgment is skewed. I always look right past her betrayal and her lies. And without fail, it bites me in the ass every time. I know I shouldn’t trust her, but I can’t help being drawn back to her. You know those bug zapper things? All those bugs see their buddies getting fried, but they can’t stop themselves. They head right into the bright light and get zapped. That’s me. I keep getting zapped, and I’m too fucking stupid to stop.”

  He burst into laughter. “That’s one way to look at. Another way is that you recognize there’s someone in there worth loving. I guess you have to consider is a little jolt worth it?”

  I grinned. “Yes, but in the long run, I don’t know if those jolts are worth getting my heart broken. There’s also Lizzy to think about. I can’t let this thing between us get messy. I don’t want our daughter getting caught in the middle of a war.”

  “That’s smart. No matter what happens, the two of you need to stay friendly for the child’s sake. Shit, I still can’t believe you’re a dad.”

  “Me either. I’m still trying to get my head around it.”

  “But you forgive her for keeping the fact you fathered a child a secret?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “I understand why she did it. Things were pretty rocky between us. I had just lost out on a project that cost me millions. I’m not happy she did what she did, and I am still pissed about it, but I do forgive her.”

  “Then I think you owe it to both of you to try and figure this all out.”

  I finished the beer, mulling over what he said. I supposed in the grand scheme of things, her wanting to believe in her father. I’d only known about my daughter for three days and I would give anything for her to see me as the man I wanted to be.

  Chapter 26

  Elly

  I felt like an empty shell. I had got out of bed that morning, showered, dressed, put on my makeup, and kissed Lizzy goodbye before heading out. I was going through the motions and doing my best to pretend everything was okay. I smiled as I walked into the offices of Toby’s company.

  “Good morning, I’m Elly Savage,” I introduced myself to the woman at the reception desk.

  “Hi, Miss Savage. The rest of your team is already setting up in the conference room.”

  “Thank you,” I told her and headed in that direction. I liked that she referred to them as my team, even if they weren’t. They were Devin’s people. Devin was making all this happen. It was about the last thing I needed. I was trying my hardest to pretend he didn’t exist. It was about the only way I could function.

  Toby was passing out donuts when I walked in. “Elly!” he greeted.

  “Hi, Toby. You guys look like you’re off to a great start.”

  He nodded. “We are. Things are rolling along. These guys have got things well in hand.”

  “I expected nothing less,” I said, taking a seat at the table. Devin’s team was an extension of him. He wanted perfection. He would expect nothing less.

  “This is where we’re at now,” one of the men said, sliding a folder over to me.

  I picked it up and reviewed it. It was so detailed. I could see how much time and energy went into every line item. There were notes scratched in the margins. It was different handwriting, as if it had been passed around with everyone adding their own two cents.

  “This is impressive,” I said.

  “Isn’t it?” Toby said, excitement in his voice.

  “I’m putting together some numbers for initial projected stock sales with the lower start price,” the same man said.

  I nodded. “Perfect. I’m going to work on putting together a list of contacts.”

  “Great.”

  The room buzzed with various conversations. I focused on making my list, but no matter how hard I tried, I kept thinking about Devin. I hated that things had been going so well between us. I wished I could erase the past, pretend it never happened. Of course, if I did that, I wouldn’t have Lizzy.

  Why couldn’t I have it all? Why couldn’t I have Devin the man, the father of my child, without all the baggage? There was so much baggage between us it continually got in the way. We managed to take one step forward and tumbled two steps back. Every time we made headway in our relationship, something came up. That something always revolved around my time working in his office.

  He’d become irate when I’d told him what my father had told me. He had so vehemently denied all of it and he’d looked so sincere in all of it.

  Had Had been misled? I felt sick. I got up so fast from the table I knocked over an empty coffee cup. “Sorry,” I muttered.

  I closed my laptop and rushed out of the conference room. “Where’s the ladies’ room?” I asked.

  The receptionist pointed down a hall. I moved fast. I felt violently ill. I rushed into the bathroom and went into a stall, locking it behind me. I waited to see if I would actually throw up. When I didn’t, I walked out of the stall and turned on the cold water.

  Everything I thought I knew about me and my dad and the company was called into question. My mind did a mental rewind, going over all the conversations I had ever had with my father pertaining to Devin and the business. I had been going to work with my father for years before I’d even graduated high school. I knew the ins and out of the business, but I had never really seen the financials.

  I worked on some deals, but I never had all the pieces. Everything was called into question. Everything I thought I knew about my dad, the business, Devin, everything was suspect. There was only one way to know for sure. I had to confront my father directly.

  I soaked a paper towel and used it to dab at my face. After taking a few deep breaths and pulling myself together, I went back to the conference room. I wasn’t really needed, and any questions would be direction toward Devin anyway.

  “I’ve got another appointment,” I said with a smile on my face. “You guys are doing a great job. Keep it up.”

  “See you later,” Toby said with a wave.

  I walked out, doing my best to appear normal. I was feeling anything but normal. I hailed a cab and headed for my father’s office, assuming he still had the offices. When I walked into the building, I checked the directory. I winced when I saw my father’s company only had one sm
all suite. In the good old days, there had been two full floors of offices.

  “Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” I muttered before walking to the elevator and pushing the button.

  I stepped out of the elevator and scanned the plaques until I saw the suite number for my dad’s office. I opened the door, and although it still had the look of a successful operation, underneath the shiny veneer there were visible cracks.

  I looked at the furniture in the waiting area. It was outdated and worn. The carpet, once luxurious, was frayed in the corners. The painting that hung on the wall was an obvious cheap knockoff. I strolled through the doors that once led into a bustling office. It was eerily quiet. I popped my head into the breakroom and found it empty. The coffee maker stood alone on the counter. It didn’t look like it had been used in a long time.

  I walked to the double doors at the end of the hall and knocked once. “Dad,” I called out.

  “Come in,” I heard him say.

  I was almost afraid of what I would see when I opened the doors. I pushed one open and stepped inside. I winced when I took in the emptiness. His office was huge, and he still had his massive desk, but the Van Gogh that had once hung behind him was gone. The Persian rug in the seating area was missing, and in its place was another knockoff. He was trying to hold on to the idea he was rolling money, but the truth was clear. And it was also clear he’d been dozing at his desk. In the middle of the day.

  Seeing him sleeping on the job of what had once been a vast empire was sad. The empire was falling to ruin. It was a very apt description of the trajectory of my life as well. If only I had known my entire life had been built on a house of cards.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, not exactly nicely.

  “We need to talk,” I told him, taking a seat in the worn leather chair.

  “You’re right, we do,” he snapped. “Let’s start with you telling me why you sold me out to that slimeball.”