by Lexy Timms
“Who the hell told you this shit?”
“No one. Ever successful businessman has dedicated himself to a woman,” I said.
“Yes. To a decent woman. That’s where you missed the mark with Nina.”
“Oh, come on. She’s a decent woman. At least, she was.”
“She intentionally tanked a meeting with one of the biggest clients we’ve had to date. She’s not decent anymore, Jimmy.”
“I’ve never thought about hitting a woman, but I sure as hell debated on whether or not to throw her out of that car,” I said.
“Then why are you still with her? If you can’t even bring her to the dinner events and meetings anymore, why is she still around?”
“Because the press is still watching us,” I said.
“Then break up, smooth things over, and find someone decent to put on your arm,” he said.
“It doesn’t work that way. Because of the nature of our relationship, I’d probably have to pay her off to keep her quiet.”
“Then it’s a good thing Ashley saved us millions of dollars in taxes this year,” he said. “It’s ridiculous for you to stay with a woman for any reason, much less if you’re unhappy. And I’ll admit, your thing with her worked in the beginning. But it’s obviously not working any longer. How many more clients does she have to tank before you let her go?”
“None. It’s why I asked you to come to that dinner,” I said.
“Still doesn’t solve the problem of Nina being a bitch.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do, Ross? Just tell her it’s over?”
“Isn’t that how you break it to any woman? Jimmy, you sound idiotic. There are other ways to make clients see you’re a commitment kind of guy if that’s the vibe you want to give off.”
“How?” I asked.
“For starters, you’ve been faithful to your company. You haven’t tried to start another one up or anything. And our friendship, it spans back to our college dorm days. And our clients? The ones who keep coming back for more things? You’re committed to them.”
“It doesn’t give off the same public message.”
“Well, find a woman you can stomach better and strike up the same deal. Jimmy, she’s a terrible person. She’s trying to convince you that you need her so she doesn't lose her source of income. Do you realize how abusive that is?” Ross asked.
“I can’t let my company start a downfall now,” I said. “We’ve got too much at stake with this new client. Our stock is on the upswing, and our prospects have never looked better. I’ve got all of the investors eating everything out of my hands, and having a public breakup would fuck that all up.”
“Then don’t make it public, you idiot. Do it quietly.”
“Does Nina do anything quietly?” I asked.
“She takes your money quietly,” he said. “And if she takes your money quietly now, she’ll continue to do it when you have to pay her to keep her trap shut.”
“You speak so highly of her,” I said with a grin.
“I can’t stand the woman. I never could. You’re stronger than this. You can do this without her. Nina, she’s just a pretty face with a shitty attitude who thinks she plays a larger role than she does. You’re a commitment guy because you have Big Steps, not because you have a long-term girlfriend. It takes time and care and commitment to grow the type of company you have. Stop being so damn insecure about that.”
“I can’t go back to the way things were in my life,” I said.
“And that requires Nina how?” he asked.
“She’s in the equation. People expect her to show up to things now. It’s worked for well over a year, and it’s going to have to continue to work a little while longer until we can snake our way into the hotel business.”
“We already have, Jimmy. The contracts are signed. The orders have been put in. Ashley’s taken the checks from our investors. It’s happening now. Right now.”
“And a public breakup could ruin all of that,” I said. “And if she finds a way to tank my reputation and take Big Steps along with it, I’ll never forgive myself. It took me years, Ross, years to build this thing. My father was unemployed for most of my lifetime, taking odd jobs wherever he could while we scraped by on Mom’s puny disability checks. There were nights where I was digging around in trash cans trying to find food to feed my fucking mother because my assbag of a father was too drunk to know which way was fucking up.”
“Jimmy, I know,” Ross said.
“And I told myself when I went to college that two things were going to happen. I was never going to turn out like my father, and I was going to get my mother off the streets. And I never got to do the second thing, Ross. My father took that woman under with him because he could.”
“And Nina’s taking you under with her because you’re letting her, Jimmy.”
His words hit me like a brick wall. I felt like I was bleeding from my ears. The sounds around me faded into the background as my drink trembled in my hand.
He was right.
I was allowing Nina to sink me.
“Get rid of her,” Ross said. “No matter the fallout. You’re a multimillionaire, Jimmy. You’ll never wind up on the streets again. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be emotionally and mentally unstable in the process. Nina’s playing you, and you’re letting her. She’s manipulating you, just like your father manipulated your mother.”
“If Nina takes this to the media, they’ll dredge up my past. They’ll find all my skeletons and hang them from the bridges of this country for everyone to see.”
“And we’ll tackle them one at a time. But it beats losing big clients because you can’t keep her on a leash.”
I picked up my drink and put it to my lips as my mind came to a screeching halt. Jimmy was right. Nina had to go, no matter the cost. The business was stable enough to handle its first public outcry of supposed scandal, and we would quickly bounce back. I didn’t need Nina to do this. Just like I didn’t need my father to do this.
“Okay,” I said. “Nina’s gone.”
“‘Atta boy. Another drink to celebrate?” Ross asked.
“Sure. Why not?”
Chapter 18
Ashley
The sun was shining brightly by the time I opened my eyes Saturday morning. I reached for my phone and picked it up, trying to see what time it was. But instead of getting the time, I saw I had a bunch of missed calls and text messages from Cassidy.
And my phone was lighting up with yet another phone call.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Morning, sunshine. The earth says hello!”
“Are you drunk already?” I asked.
“Nope, but I do have the day off from the bakery.”
“Why are you shutting down the bakery today?”
“Because it’s having to be exterminated, and I’m trying to keep things hush-hush so people don’t freak out and go somewhere else.”
“What did you find? What happened?” I asked.
“It was an ant. Nothing major. But you know how I am about bugs.”
“You’ve always hated them forever and ever?”
“Exactly. So I let the exterminator guy in to do his thing, and now I’m free for lunch. And the afternoon. And dinner.”
“You want to spend the day together to get your mind off the fact that you might have an ant problem?”
“Please? It’s killing me inside.”
“Sure. I’ve got a lot to fill you in on anyway,” I said.
“Oh, is it Jimmy stuff? Please tell me it’s more Jimmy stuff.”
“Yes, but not the kind of stuff you’re thinking. Wanna come get me in an hour?” I asked.
“Make it forty-five minutes. I’m on my way.”
“You’re forty-five minutes away from me?”
“I’ve been driving around trying to get my mind off things. So sue me. See you soon!”
I shook my head as I hung up the phone and rolled out of bed. It didn’t take me long t
o piece myself together with just a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with my hair thrown up. I splashed some water on my face, gargled some mouthwash, and grabbed my glasses. Next on my regimen was to go brew some coffee.
I’d need a cup to get through the barrage of questions that would eventually come my way.
I heard Cass honking her horn in the parking lot as I drank down the rest of my coffee. Caffeine flooding my veins as I grabbed my purse and rushed out the door. I bounded down the steps right when Cass reached over and opened my door. Then, I blurted it out before she could ask.
“I got a promotion!”
“What? Are you serious? What kind of promotion?” she asked.
“The kind that lets me treat you to lunch. Come on. Pick anywhere you wanna go,” I said.
“Anywhere?”
“Anywhere,” I said with a grin.
“This sound interesting. I take it this promotion came with a pay raise?”
“A substantial one.”
“How substantial are we talking?” she asked.
“Pick a restaurant first. I don’t want you to go crashing into a guardrail.”
Cass pulled into her favorite hibachi restaurant, and the two of us walked inside. The smell of food set my stomach growling in hunger as the hostess led us to a table. I ordered myself a nice, expensive drink, and Cass raised her eyebrows. Then she followed my lead before we placed our normal orders.
“A ten-dollar drink? Now I really have to know all the details,” she said.
“You’re looking at Big Steps’ new Account Representative for their board of investors,” I said.
“I have no fucking clue what that is.”
“No one does, apparently. It’s okay, though. I manage all the individual accounts of the investors on the board of Big Steps. I work in corporate now, essentially.”
“Oh, shit. Does this mean you got a serious pay raise?”
“As serious as six figures,” I said with a grin.
“You’re making what?”
“I got a raise to one hundred and seventy thousand dollars a year.”
“Get the fuck out of here. No, you didn’t.”
“And my own office on the second to last floor of the building.”
“What the fuck?”
“It overlooks the ocean, Cass.”
“We’re having lunch in your office for the next few months, is that what I’m hearing?” she asked.
“And on my dime,” I said with a giggle.
“What does this job entail? What are you doing now? Holy hell, I can’t believe it, Ashley.”
“Neither can I. I’m still struggling to process it all. But I’m doing all sorts of things. The best way to sum it up is I’m the sole accountant for the investors when it comes to all things regarding Big Steps. I handle their money, I cash their checks, I help project what their investments will get them in return, and I go to all of those meetings.”
“You do all the things for them.”
“I do,” I said.
“You have no idea how happy I am for you, Ashley. Holy fuck.”
“You already said that.”
“Sorry, I just ... damn. I knew you’d finally fall into your niche with that math mind of yours. Have you told your mom?”
“Three times already,” I said.
“Things not so hot on that front?” she asked.
“She’s getting worse,” I said with a sigh. “The small moments of lucidity she does have are waning. It breaks my heart, Cass. What in the world am I supposed to do?”
“There isn’t anything you can do. You have her in one of the best care facilities in Miami. She’s somewhere safe with people who know how to handle this kind of thing.”
“Am I a bad daughter for putting her there? Should I have been able to keep her with me?”
“In that disgusting apartment of yours? Not a chance. You shouldn't even be there. And now, you can get out. Have you been apartment hunting?”
“Since you’re suddenly free this afternoon, I figured we could go do that after we ate,” I said.
“Oh, yes. We’re going to get you a nice place somewhere away from all the insanity that takes place on that corner. You know I’ve witnessed drug deals go down in front of your apartment.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“Swear to heaven and hell, I have. We need to get you out of there. And now, you don’t have an excuse, Miss Six Figures.”
“I wish there was something more I could do for my mother,” I said.
“You’ve done everything you can. You took care of her in her own home until it became too much. You applied for all sorts of experimental programs. You shelled out thousands of dollars and have gone without for years to make sure you could afford the best place in Miami for her. You field her Medicaid, and you take care of her bills. You do everything for her.”
“If that’s true, why do I feel like it’s not enough?”
“Because you’re watching your mother slip away. I can’t imagine what that’s putting you through, but what’s going on with her doesn’t make you a bad daughter. Not being staffed with a nursing staff in your home doesn’t make you a bad daughter.”
“It kills me to see her like this, Cass.”
“I know,” she said. “I know it does. And anytime you need to talk about this, you can call me. Okay? Or take me out to lunch. I’m good with either.”
I giggled and shook my head as I dabbed at the tears forming underneath my eye.
“I take it the Jimmy news was only about the promotion?” Cass asked.
“Sorry to disappoint,” I said.
“Have you talked with him about what happened at all? I assume you see him more often with your new job and all.”
“Yeah, yeah. We talked. He told me he wouldn’t try to come onto me anymore or put me in any more uncomfortable situations, and I believe him.”
“Why do I get the feeling something else has happened that I don’t know about?” she asked.
“It was nothing. A small kiss in his office.”
“What?” she asked. “When the hell did this happen? And how small of a kiss are we talking about?”
“Cass, stop it. It was just a one-time thing.”
“That’s what you said about the party.”
“Stop it. Jimmy still has a girlfriend, and nothing is going to happen between us. We talked about it. He took me to lunch. He reassured me the promotion was because I was perfect for the job, and he told me he would never put me in another situation like the one in his office again.”
“For shits and giggles, what exactly happened in his office?”
I sighed as our drinks and food arrived at the table.
“He may or may not have said that the night we spent together was one of the best he’s ever had before he grabbed me and kissed me.”
I looked up as Cass and watched as her jaw dropped to the floor.
“Are you insane?”
“What?”
“That doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“Well, it was. I told him I wasn’t going to be the side girl in his relationship, and he understood. I’m telling you, we talked. And I believe him when he says he won’t do that to me anymore,” I said.
“I see that grin on your face. You liked it, didn’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter what I liked, okay? The point is, he’s taken. Plain and simple. And I don’t do that. I’m not that woman, and I sure as hell wouldn't appreciate it if the man I was seeing was doing that with another woman.”
“Oh, he’s got you cussing and everything. I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Jimmy Sheldon.”
“Yes, I have,” I said.
“Man, I hate that he’s got a girlfriend. She looks like a bitch.”
“Cassidy!”
“Well, she does! With that straight black hair and those steely eyes. I bet they secretly hate each other. Why else would he have ‘the best night of his life ever’ with you?”
“Yo
ur words, not mine,” I said.
“His words, not mine,” she said with a grin.
“Can we drop it now?” I asked. “I’m hungry, and I want to hear more about this ant.”
I watched Cass shiver as she grabbed her jumbo drink.
“It all started yesterday morning. The morning that would forever change my life.”
“You’re such a drama queen,” I said.
“Do you want my story or not?” she asked.
“If it gets you off the topic of Jimmy, then yes.”
As I stabbed at my food, I listened to Cass recount the very epic tale of how she came across an already-dead ant and freaked the heck out on everyone. She was so animated when she talked, so outgoing and full of life. I had no idea why she was still single, but it probably had something to do with her never wanting to settle down. She was the kind of girl a man like Jimmy needed. Not me. Not a quiet, timid, reserved girl who was awestruck by a storm over the ocean.
It was too bad that he had a girlfriend.
Because I think I would have enjoyed being his.
Chapter 19
Jimmy
I started looking out over the expanse of Miami as I waited for the knock on my door. I had woken up to a text message from Nina saying she needed money for another one of her vacations. I told her if she wanted the money, she would have to come over and talk and that we would have to resolve the things that happened at the client meeting this past week if she wanted to go on this vacation using my dime. She wasn't happy about it. She called me complaining about how I was holding her up from her plans and how she was too wound up with things in her life. She kept droning on about how she needed to get away and how it was my responsibility to make sure that was possible for her so she could do the best possible job for me.
I told her to think of it as an employer-employee meeting and that she needed to come over and talk if she was going to get the money.
I drew in a deep breath as I raised my coffee to my lips. I really wanted to have a whiskey neat in my hand, but it was only ten in the morning. Miami was bustling down below, unaware of the argument that was about to take place. And I knew Nina would make it an argument.
She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.
