by Alina Jacobs
Liz
After she left Wes, Liz went back to her condo, warm not just from the summer heat but also from the intensity of Wes. She hadn't expected him to be so… accommodating? Desirable? Flirty?
"Hi, Osman!" she greeted the doorman as he let her into her condo tower lobby.
"Liz! There's a package for you at the front desk."
She thanked the doorman then picked up the package from the receptionist.
Once inside her condo, she kicked off her shoes and contemplated the box. It contained her monthly subscription to a scrapbooking club. They would send her select tools, ribbons, fun accessories, and interesting paper designs to make a dream scrapbook. Liz loved scrapbooking, or rather, she had loved it before Carter.
Her brother and friends had hyped her on the idea that she and Carter Holbrook would date and hopefully fall in love. That didn't happen. Carter was already in love with Allie. Not that Liz held anything against Allie for it. Still, it was hard to be confronted with her own foolish desires day in and day out.
Liz took the unopened box and shoved it in her closet with the rest of the boxes. She knew she needed to eventually go through them along with the rest of her scrapbooking materials, but she didn't have the energy.
Instead, she watched old '90s romantic comedies on cable and fell asleep on the couch. The hero wasn't as good-looking as Wes.
She was yawning and still felt tired when she walked into the office the next morning.
"Late night?" Kate asked her.
"I had a meeting with Wes last night."
"You went out with Wes?" Grant asked as he stepped into the office. He didn't look pleased.
"Oh, it wasn't a date," Liz said. At least it wasn't supposed to be, she thought.
"Then what were you doing with him?"
"Just talking about the transition, trying to smooth over any tension between our companies."
"I think that was very wise of you," Kate said to Liz. Grant sagged slightly. Kate must've still had him in the dog house.
"Since you seem to be chummy with him now," Grant said, "I'm going to put you as the main liaison between Holbrook Enterprises and Walsh Systech. You'll be in charge of the transition and figuring out which personnel we will roll over into our administration and who we will, unfortunately, have to let go."
"I've already started planning for that inevitability," Liz replied.
"Perfect," Grant said. "Also, let me know if he tries anything with you. I still don't trust him."
"I think he'll be fine," Liz replied. "He was a perfect gentleman last night."
"Now on to happier things," Kate said. "I have a mini celebration planned for tonight. Just some people from the office and the board members. I rented out the upper floor of the Salt House restaurant."
"Sounds fun," Liz said. "Did you invite Wes?"
Kate gave her an odd look. "No… this is about our win. I don't think it would be appropriate to have Wes there."
"Right. Of course. Well, I better start on my work for today."
Liz sighed unhappily to herself. She tried to concentrate on the operations reports for Walsh Systech, but all she could think about was Wes. Had he been flirting with her? The way he looked at her, it was clear his thoughts were anything other than professional.
She had only been trying to be nice. Had she been sending mixed signals? You didn't just call him to be nice. You wanted to be near him up close and in person. She remembered the way he brushed against her. They were definitely close.
Trying to put Wes out of her mind, Liz turned back to the spreadsheets and the organizational charts for Walsh Systech.
She hated to lay people off, but she was, unfortunately, going to have to be aggressive in her recommendations for consolidation. There was a fair amount of overlap in administration employees.
Looking through the information, Liz wished she had never come up with her plan to take over Walsh Systech. She was not looking forward to dealing with Wes on a day-to-day basis. Or was she?
She googled him again and was confronted with picture after picture of his chiseled face, piercing blue eyes, and broad-shouldered form. In the pictures, he gave the camera a smoldering look or gazed out over a vast landscape.
America's most eligible billionaire, the captions read.
She shouldn't, but she wanted him. Did he mean what he said, that he wanted to fuck her? It was demeaning. But the way he looked at her at the bar… No. It was just a fantasy. It wasn't as if Liz was going to act on the desire.
She closed the internet tabs then reopened them. Wes's face looked back at her. Liz rested her head on her hand. It was the stress and lack of sleep that was making her act like this.
That evening, after she had accomplished very few of her goals for the day, Liz packed up and met Allie and Carter in the lobby.
"Since the restaurant is called Salt House, does that mean we're going to have cured meats?" Carter asked. "I'm hungry. I don't want olives and little shavings of salami. I want steak."
"We're not having a meal, Carter," Allie retorted. "Kate said it's a cocktail hour."
"We have to go eat tacos afterward, then," Carter said.
"We're going to be late," Liz heard Kate snap at Grant as they walked out of the elevator. Carter looked around dramatically.
"Is Grant still in trouble?" he stage-whispered. Grant glared at him.
"Yes, he is," Kate said.
Grant pretended to slice his throat.
"Don't act like that! You are a high-level director of a global company. You have to be professional," Kate said.
"Yes, of course, you are absolutely right, and I will act better in the future."
"Don't patronize me," Kate scolded.
"This is uncomfortable," Carter cut in. "I could really use a drink right about now."
"Yeah same," Grant snapped and left them to walk to the large town car that had just pulled up outside.
"I'm sure glad we don't fight like that," Carter proclaimed loudly, putting an arm around Allie's shoulders. "I just defer to whatever you want because you're smarter and more capable than I am, and you smell better too. I know my place. This is why our relationship works."
"Shut up, Carter!" Grant called out from the car. Liz saw Kate's eye twitch.
When they arrived in the VIP area of the restaurant, it was already full, mostly with Holbrook employees.
Putting on her friendly professional face, Liz squared her shoulders and walked into the crowd.
"There's our corporate shark!" Walter called out when he saw her.
"Mr. Holbrook," she greeted him and shook his hand.
Walter turned to his brother, Jack, and two other board members. "This is the woman who nailed Walsh Systech to the wall. You should have seen it! It's the stuff of legends."
"Just fantastic!" said one of the board members. "Hey, my wife works for one of the major publishing houses. You should consider writing a business book or maybe even teaching a class at Harvard. I'm on the advisory board of their MBA program, and they're always looking for younger people to bring in as inspiration."
"Liz is a Stanford girl," Walter said, clapping her on the shoulder.
"We can overlook that," the board member replied with a smile.
"I'll think about it," Liz said.
"She's so professional. Isn't she?" Walter asked jovially.
"I hear you've been trying to mend bridges with Wes Walsh," Jack Holbrook remarked.
"It's in everyone's best interest to have a smooth transition," she replied.
"Of course my nephew is doing his best to make it as complicated and volatile as possible," Jack said.
"Could you cool it for one day in your life, Jack?" Walter snarled at his brother.
"I need to run," one of the board members said, excusing himself from the awkward situation. "This was a great conversation, but there are a few other people here I need to say hello to."
Jack and Walter glared at each other then turned and went their separate ways.
Liz tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think they just want me for a diversity example."
"What? No!" Allie said. "You went beyond that. Everyone in the business world is talking about what you did. It was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal."
"I guess," Liz said, "but maybe it was the wrong thing to do."
"Don't start being weak," Allie warned. "It's just business. Wes should have taken the deal or done a better job of protecting the company."
"But there's all the layoffs."
"They'll be absorbed into Holbrook."
"Not all the administration functions. There are redundancies."
"Mark is returning from the military in a couple of weeks," Allie said. "Supposedly, he wants to start some sort of technology company, since he has all that experience. Maybe he'll need the employees."
"Maybe," Liz said, but she wasn't sure. Startups were usually fairly lean, and it probably would not be able to take that many people. Liz wasn't even sure how many they would have to let go since she had spent all day daydreaming about Wes.
After she made the rounds and shook hands with people, Liz hung back against the wall and surveyed the scene. Several people had brought their spouses to the party, and Liz looked around jealously at all the couples.
Liz wished she had a boyfriend to show off at these events. She thought about Wes, remembering the way his fingers felt as they brushed against her skin.
She shook her head. There was no way Grant would be okay with that. A workplace affair was so unprofessional. But he wasn't technically a coworker… also, he was an asshole, so… it was out of the question.
"What's the matter?" Kate asked. "This is your party! Go mingle!"
"I will," Liz said with a sigh.
"Seriously, Liz, what's wrong? You did probably the most amazing move in business this century. People are going to write books about what you did. It's going to be studied in universities."
Liz shrugged glumly.
Kate pursed her lips and looked at her friend and coworker.
"Sorry. I just… Maybe I shouldn't have spent so much energy on my MBA. Maybe I should have worried more about my Mrs."
"You mean finding a husband, settling down, marrying?" Kate asked. "It's not all fun and games, you know."
"Yes, I know," Liz snapped. "I'm sure I don't have the full picture of being in a relationship since I have never been in a serious one."
"Sorry," Kate said. "Change of subject. Mark is coming back this weekend, and we're having a party. You should come. He'll be glad to see you. Plus he's the last eligible Holbrook if you're serious about earning your Mrs."
8
Wes
Wes's high deflated on the drive back to his New York City apartment after Liz left him at the bar. Holbrook Enterprises had rented the apartment for him so he would be closer to the Holbrook headquarters. It had come furnished, which was unfortunate because his American Akita had clearly been bored alone in the apartment, and he had destroyed several couch cushions as well as three of Wes's shoes.
As Wes picked up the dog-drool-covered shreds and made a note to purchase a new couch, he thought about Liz. He should have been more charming on their business date. He should have tried harder to be friendly.
He hoped she didn't take it out on the employees. Who was he kidding? Holbrook Enterprises was like all global corporations—a soulless juggernaut screwing up people's lives just because it could. If Liz wanted to be part of that, then she was going to be no ally of his.
But the way she felt when he pressed up against her. The flash of skin he saw as her skirt rode up. He wished he had touched her thigh. He wondered if it was soft. Would she have gasped, let him trail his hand higher? Wes forced himself to bury the desire.
Wes went back to northern Connecticut for the next few days and threw himself into work to try to not think about Liz.
"Happy birthday," Robert said that Friday as Wes was packing up to leave after a day of tense meetings.
"I'd like to not think about it if it's all the same to you," Wes replied. "This is, without a doubt, the worst birthday I have ever had."
"Cheer up," Robert said. "Rhonda has been working on the Holbrook situation. She has some ideas about how we can take them down, especially once our companies are fully integrated. We'll talk next week."
Wes went home to Kal, fully anticipating that he would spend the night tinkering with his robots. But when he arrived at his condo, Dana was sitting inside.
"Hey," he said with a big smile. "I thought you were in the middle of production."
"I'm not missing our thirtieth birthday," Dana said. "Come on. Mom and Dad want us over for dinner."
"I really don't feel like celebrating."
"Yes, we're one year closer to death, but Mom wants to celebrate. Besides, I have some fun presents," Dana said with a grin.
"I didn't buy you anything," Wes said guiltily.
Dana laughed. "Then going to dinner at our parent's' house can be your gift." She waved to Kal, and the three of them drove the short distance to Elaine and Hank's, their parent's', house.
"I really don't want to be here," Wes said, slowly stepping out of the car when they pulled up outside the small brick house.
His mother and father were standing in the open doorway when he and Dana walked up to the house.
"There he is!" his mother said, hugging him. "I'm sorry about your company."
"Don't worry about him," his father said. "He's still a billionaire."
"Hank, can we not do this? It's the twins' birthday," his mother pleaded.
Wes knew the amount of money he made with his company was a sore point for his father, who had been a working-class man his entire life.
"Come in! I made brisket," his mother said. Wes followed Dana into the house.
"Your dog better not make a mess on the floor," his father warned.
"Kal is house-trained," Wes said, trying not show his annoyance. When he was younger, he idolized his father. Over time, a distance had formed between them, ever since he had grown taller—much taller—than his father.
Dana helped their mother with the food while Wes and his father sat at the table in silence.
"Elaine, just sit down," his father finally said.
"I just have to grab one more thing." She set the salt and pepper in front of Wes's father. "I hope the food's okay," his mother said as she served them. "That kitchen is so horrible to cook in. I don't know how I manage."
"I wish you would let me buy you a nice house," Wes said.
"There's nothing wrong with this house," Hank snapped.
Wes tried not to let his annoyance show on his face. Instead, he concentrated on chewing the dry meat and flavorless potatoes. Though the kitchen might have shared some blame, the reality was that Wes's mother was a terrible cook.
"Would you like some more?" his mother asked after Wes choked down the last of his dinner.
"No, thank you. I'm full."
"You hardly ate anything!" she cried.
Wes gave her a tight-lipped smile. "I haven't had much of an appetite lately. Too much stress."
"Everyone ready for cake, then?"
Elaine didn't make normal cakes. Instead, she made icebox cakes, which consisted of graham crackers, canned fruit cocktail, and cool whip. Wes thought he would puke if he ate one bite of the greasy-looking concoction his mother pulled out of the freezer.
"You've really outdone yourself," Dana said.
His mother beamed as she placed candles in the cake.
"Light them, would you, Hank?" she asked.
"Don't you think they're a bit old for this? Do thirty-year-olds need a cake?"
"Probably not," Wes replied. "Let's just throw it outside and call it an evening."
"Stop it, you two," his mother said. "Now w
e're singing happy birthday."
"Please don't," Wes said.
"Then, just blow out the candles, and let me take a picture. Wait, hold on." She tapped at her phone. "I can't work this dang thing." Wes and Dana smiled for the camera.
"Have a piece," his mother implored.
"I'm on a diet," Dana chirped.
"I'm on the paleo diet," Wes added.
His father took a big slice of the cake. Wes winced as he heard his father's teeth squeak on the frozen cool whip.
"We didn't buy either of you any presents," Elaine said. "I wasn't sure what you wanted. You never answered my text messages."
"This is fine," Wes said. "Really it's perfect. What is it, Dana?"
His twin sister was grinning from ear to ear.
"I have a present," she sang and rummaged around in her purse. "Look what I bought us! Genetic ancestry DNA kits! It will be fun. We can see where we came from. I bet we have Cossack or Native American genes or something with our height."
His mother had a sick look on her face.
"Are you okay?" Wes asked, concerned. He stood up and went over to his mother. Hank had stopped eating and was staring at Elaine.
"Are you having a heart attack?"
"No," Elaine snapped, pushing him away.
His father was slowly shaking his head.
"I knew it," he said softly. "I knew it. It's those tests. Isn't it? I always knew something was wrong with those kids."
9
Liz
"I doubt anyone's doing any work today," Carter said to Liz as he and Allie showed up unannounced in her office. Liz hurriedly closed all her browser tabs. She had been reading articles about Wes.
"So, I heard Mark is coming home today," she said, hoping they didn't notice what she was looking at.
"Kate said you were coming to the party tonight. We're leaving after lunch. You can come hang out at our apartment and ride with us," Allie offered.
Liz already had her bag packed. She had promised her parents she would visit that weekend. So, after a shared lunch of sushi that they ordered in, she rode with Carter and Allie to their condo.
