Everyone laughed, including Becca. Aiden leaned forward, shaking his head. “Sorry, dude. She bakes cookies. You can’t top that.”
“Damn it, foiled by baked goods.”
“She’s way cuter than you are, and she smells good,” I said without thinking.
Richard laughed even as Maddox and Aiden shook their heads. “Is that your professional or personal opinion, Reid?”
I shut my eyes with a groan. When I looked toward Becca, expecting anger, she met my eyes with her warm blue ones filled with amusement. I relaxed and grinned.
“Both.”
“Maybe I can add that to my resume.”
Bentley joined us with a frown. “Resume? You aren’t going to need one of those, Becca. You say the word, and you’re part of BAM. Forget The Gavin Group.”
Richard grabbed at his chest. “I loaned her to you. And now you’re stealing her? Where is the loyalty?”
Bentley chuckled. “All is fair in love and war . . . and business. You trained her too well, Richard. She is already invaluable to us.”
Becca threw up her hands. “She is right here, gentlemen. I think I have a say in the matter.”
Maddox threw a wink in my direction, tilting his head. “What say you, Becca? Here with us, or back to BC with them?”
I expected her to roll her eyes and refuse to answer. Her reply made my day.
“Toronto has some unexpected, added benefits,” she murmured. “So, at this point, I’d have to stay.” She met my eyes, quirking her eyebrows and making me grin.
I was the added benefit.
Richard groaned. “I give up. I can’t compete with love.”
Everyone laughed and looked at me.
I froze to the spot, locked in shock.
Love?
Reid
Getting married. Passport. Mortgage. Added benefit. Love.
Added Benefit.
Love.
The words kept swirling around in my head. I couldn’t dislodge them.
I stood, locked in place, until Aiden turned and called to me. “Quit staring at the view, kid! We got plans to make!”
Shaking my head, I joined them and acted as natural as I could. Becca knew something was wrong. She kept looking at me, trying to get close, but it was impossible. Bentley had a list he wanted made. Maddox kept throwing out numbers. Aiden was talking about protocols. Richard was all over the place, making notes about the campaign, instructing Becca on items he wanted covered. It was all either of us could do to keep up with them.
In the SUV, Aiden sat beside me in the back, his questions endless. I heard the constant murmur of Richard’s and Becca’s voices as they talked. Bentley was paying close attention to something Maddox was telling him, both of them serious.
We separated when we got to the office, everyone dispersing to handle the tasks they needed to do.
I sat at my desk, making my way through my list. My phone buzzed with a message from Becca.
Are you okay?
I replied quickly.
I’m fine.
My phone rang and I picked it up, seeing her extension on the display panel.
“Hey.”
“Fine usually means not fine.” Becca’s worried voice hummed in my ear.
“I have a shit-ton of stuff to get done. I’m okay, really.”
“You looked as if you’d been hit by a Mack truck. When I came over, what were you discussing that was so serious?”
I wasn’t sure whether it was okay to say anything about Maddox and Dee, and I decided to check before I told her the news. As for the rest, I wasn’t in the mood to share all the snags my former life was currently throwing in my direction. I had no one to blame but myself. Whining about it would do me no good and would only remind Becca I wasn’t good enough for her.
“Ah, just a bunch of things they want done. Don’t worry.”
She sighed. “I know you’re stressing over things, and what Richard said—about love? He likes to tease, and it was a general statement.” She dropped her voice. “Please don’t think any more about it.”
The question was out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Am I the added benefit?”
My office door shut, and I looked toward the sound. Becca stood there, her phone to her ear. She lowered it, then spoke directly to me.
“You’re the best benefit I have ever had. You’re my favorite part of this job and this city.” She looked at me beseechingly. “I don’t expect anything more than you want to give, Reid.”
Tossing my phone onto my desk, I was out of my chair in a second and crossing the room. She moved, meeting me partway, both of us reaching for the other. I yanked her close, covering her mouth with mine, needing her on so many levels. The taste of her mouth. The feel of her body pressed close. The silk of her hair under my fingers. It didn’t matter that we were at work or that we were crossing a line we had drawn. I needed her. I needed all of her to ground me.
I pulled back, leaning my forehead to hers. “BB, you’re my favorite everything. Don’t doubt that.”
“Don’t be upset with me.”
“Oh God, I’m not. I promise. His words just hit me.” I cupped her face, looking down at her. “I don’t know how to love, Becca. No one has ever shown me.”
She started to speak, but I shook my head to silence her.
“I feel something for you, more than only physical, and I want to see where it goes. But I can’t put a name to it.”
“You don’t have to,” she whispered, laying her hands over mine. “We’re just starting, Reid. And this is new for me too. We have so much to discover about each other. About being us.”
I brushed my mouth over hers. “I like being part of an us.”
“I like being part of your us.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
I kissed her again and stepped back. “Tonight, Becca. I need to be with you tonight. I know we have dinner and more plans, but when we’re done, I need you and me alone.”
“Me too.”
“Okay.” Wanting to lighten the air, I winked. “Now out of my office before I call HR and report you.”
“For?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.
Shocking her, I grabbed her and pulled her close. I kissed her hard, long, and deep.
“For making me ridiculously happy.” I spun her around and urged her to the door. “Please go before I show you exactly how happy and really give Richard something to talk about.”
She was laughing as she left.
I adjusted myself and returned to my desk. I hadn’t lied—I had a ton of work to do for all three partners, and I needed to concentrate.
Still, the words swirled and the dark thoughts kept pricking at the edges of my mind. I tossed my glasses onto my desk and hung my head as the thoughts became too loud to ignore.
No passport meant no travel. Becca wanted to travel. Even if I was able to get one, there could still be places that would restrict my entry. I wouldn’t be able to be part of that aspect of her life.
Bad credit and a prison record meant trouble getting a mortgage. It had taken me a long time to find a place willing to rent to me. The thought of having to go through that process for a different apartment was daunting, never mind the almost certainty of being turned down for a mortgage.
Unless . . .
I dismissed the thought before I had even finished it. Using my skills to beat the system and push through an approval would only prove that Becca’s father was right and convicts never changed. I couldn’t allow myself to do that. If Becca ever found out, if the guys ever found out, I would lose the trust of the people I cared about the most.
Owning my own place might not be something I could hope to do for a long time.
And as for love . . .
The more my past blocked me from moving forward, the fewer the chances of Becca and me working out. I wouldn’t allow her to give up her dreams because of me. In the end, she would hate me for it, and I couldn’t stand the idea of t
hat happening. Travel, a home, kids, and marriage—I knew those were all part of her hopes and dreams.
The bottom line was I wasn’t good enough for her.
A small part of my heart broke as I realized that perhaps I wasn’t the one who was going to share in those dreams.
Locking my feelings and thoughts aside, I turned back to my computer. At least there, I was in control and could do exactly what they expected of me.
It was the only place I knew well and wasn’t a failure.
* * *
We didn’t get dinner out or to see each other privately that night, or any other night that week. The office was chaos, all geared toward the campaign kick-off and the reveal of Ridge Towers.
In another stroke of genius, Bentley went with an unconventional real estate company for the Ridge Towers project. He opted for a family-oriented business rather than one of the larger, well-known groups. The older parents brought a wealth of knowledge of the city and the real estate market, while their two adult children expounded on the technical merits and unique design, which appealed to the younger buyers, both single and family-driven. They covered the bases of all generations, making them the right choice for the project. They had impressed him with their enthusiasm and the family aspect. Families selling to families.
I worked late every night, often deep into the morning hours. The office hummed all day and night, and I wasn’t the only one crashing on the sofa to grab a few hours of sleep before starting over again. Becca and I spoke about business, passed in the hall, smiled blearily at each other at meetings, but aside from the occasional brush of our hands, fast text, or meaningful glance, that was our meager interaction. Richard was with her almost constantly, and they worked with the partners directly. My office felt as if it had a revolving door with the number of people in and out of it all day.
Thursday, they launched the campaign. The market was flooded with print, radio, TV, and social media spots. Ridge Towers was everywhere. Bentley was interviewed on-site, where he talked about the venture and his vision. Both Aiden and Maddox accompanied him, but preferred to stay in the background. He was eloquent and passionate; using all the keywords Richard and Becca provided him, hitting all the right notes between the features of the concept and the family angle.
They nailed it.
When the expansive sales office opened on the weekend, complete with 3D videos, computer-generated models, and a full complement of staff to answer questions, the line-ups were out the door. By the end of the weekend, over half the units had sold, with no sign of sales slowing down. Interest was already buzzing for phase two of the project.
Later Sunday night, I brought up the report I had created that linked all sales to the inventory of the building. I was alone in the office. My job was behind the scenes, making sure everything technical ran without a glitch in the sales office, our online presence, and website. Everyone in the IT department had been on hand all weekend, and it had gone well. Any small errors were controlled, fixed, and not seen by the end user to any significant degree. The people at the sales office had nothing but praise for everything we had put in for their use. Overall, I’d done my job well, and because I was grateful to my staff, I had sent them all home for a well-deserved rest.
I scanned the sales, trying not to gape at the substantial dollar figures. They were staggering, and while BAM was used to dealing in large sums, I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to them. The penthouses and end units—all the most expensive—were spoken for, including the one I had secretly wanted. Maddox’s huge condo, which took up the entire top floor of the third tower, aptly named “M,” was the largest of them all. He would live there with Dee and, I assumed, their family. I felt an odd swell of jealousy toward him, but it wasn’t for the expensive condo, or his ability to afford it. It was the fact that he was able to do so without his past interfering. He had been able to move on from his mistakes, whereas mine kept haunting me.
I had been grateful to be so busy the past week. It distracted me from the dark thoughts in my head. The trip I might not be able to take. The condo I might not be able to purchase. The life I might not be able to have with Becca. Normally not one to dwell on the negative, I couldn’t seem to get past the defeat I was feeling.
Footsteps in the hall distracted my dark thoughts. Aiden sauntered in, sitting down heavily in the chair.
“Hey.” Despite his smile, his voice was deep with weariness.
“Hi.”
“I was looking for you earlier. We all were.”
I frowned. “I was here, working in the server room.”
“I sent you a message. Two in fact.”
“Sorry.” I glanced at my phone. “Shit. I put it on silent somehow. I missed a few messages. Was it important?”
He was fast to reassure me. “No. I wanted to invite you for dinner. When you didn’t respond, I was checking to make sure you were okay since it was out of character for you. I saw the lights as I was heading home and came in to see if you were still really working or had crashed on the sofa again. I was going to drive you home if that were the case.”
“I’ll be crashing soon enough. I wanted to make sure everything was good with the reports and systems before I left. I think I’m more tired than I thought, and I missed the fact that I had the phone off and that there were messages. Sorry about that. Once I’m done, I’ll head out and get some sleep.”
He waved off my apologies. “You did a great job this week. I know it’s been crazy, and I appreciate the effort you put in to make sure everything went smoothly. You’ve clocked a lot of long hours.”
I shrugged. “It’s what you pay me for. I’m glad the launch was successful.”
He snorted. “Successful? We blew past Maddox’s projected numbers. We sold more units in a day than we estimated to sell in a week. Even Richard was blown away. If we keep going, phase one will be sold out in a matter of weeks, not months.”
“When will you open phase two?” Although still amazing, the second building wasn’t as unique as the first one, and the price would reflect that. Given it wouldn’t be available for a few years, I might be able to get a place in that building.
“We’re going to hash that out this week. The plans are complete, and the interest is already there. The building will go up fast since the units are more standard, aside from a few on the top floor.” He rubbed his face. “To be honest, we didn’t think we’d move ahead with phase two so fast. Richard and Becca are on it, though. She came up with some great concepts. Have you seen them?”
“No.”
He frowned. “I would have thought she’d have shown you.”
“We’ve been so crazy this week, Aiden, I’ve barely seen her. I haven’t had a real conversation with her since Monday.”
“It has been wild, hasn’t it?” He grinned. “Things will settle down this week. The sales team will handle it now, Becca will do her thing, and we’ll get back to planning.”
He stood, studying me. “Are you okay, Reid? You’ve been . . . withdrawn all week.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been concentrating on making sure everything went off without a hitch.”
“It did. You should be proud.”
I shrugged. “I simply did my job.”
He frowned, narrowing his eyes. “No. You did more than your job. Your program and the features were a huge part of our success. The cool factor of what you and your team did in the sales office put us ahead of everyone else out there.” He paused. “I’m proud of you, Reid.” He held out his hand. “On behalf of BAM, and personally, thank you.”
I stared at his large palm, then accepted his firm handshake.
“We’re going to talk later this week once things are back to normal around here. Bentley, Maddox, and I have some ideas we want to look into with you.”
My neck prickled, a sense of worry settling in my mind. “All right.”
“Don’t look so worried. It’s a good thing.” He tilted his head in assurance. “Your life is movin
g beyond all the bad shit, kid. You’re part of our team, our family. We’ve got your back.”
My throat felt thick, and I could only nod.
“Go home and get some rest. It’s still going to be a crazy week.”
“Yeah, I will,” I managed to get out.
“Okay, I’m heading home. See you tomorrow.”
* * *
Becca was walking into the building as I was walking out. I stopped in the lobby as she entered, Richard beside her. Despite the smile on her face, she looked exhausted. Richard was talking on his phone and raised his hand in a silent hello, strolling away to continue his conversation. From the tone of his voice, I assumed he was talking to his daughter, Gracie. It was after eleven here, which made it about bedtime for her in BC. Becca told me he hated being away from his family, even for short trips, and he stayed in close touch all the time.
“Hi.” I smiled at her. “You’re just getting back from the site?”
“No,” she replied with a frown. “We had dinner with Bentley, Aiden, and Maddox, going over some things. Did you not get my message?”
“No, I missed one from Aiden too. I had my phone on silent. Sorry.”
“You were working?’
“Yeah. Crazy week.”
She edged closer, her fingers brushing my hand. “Yes, it has been. I’ve-I’ve missed you.”
I wrapped my fingers around hers and squeezed. “Me too. But it was a great week, right?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Amazing. I was going through all the stats with Richard and Bentley. Those cross-channel reports you created for me, Reid, are so useful! I can see the predictive analytics, and I’m able to fine-tune the targeted PII. This is the first time I have reliable touchpoints to prove the effectiveness of our MRM.”
“Right,” I said with a shake of my head. I knew the data she wanted, but some of her terms were unfamiliar.
She laughed and tried to explain. “Predictive analytics predicts where the user will click next. PII identifies the consumer, which forms a consumer segment to target, and MRM is Marketing Resource Management, which helps manage content. It can be set up to templatize the look and feel of content, along with appropriate messages to deliver to customers.”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 15
