Soldiering On (Soldiering On #0.5)

by Aislinn Kearns

  Now, though, she knew it was her time. And he’d finally have to take her seriously.

  She pushed open his heavy office door and stuck her head around. Her father was at his desk, frowning at his brand new desktop computer.

  He glanced up as she pushed the door open wider.

  “What’s a cookie?” he grumbled. “It’s telling me to clear them.”

  “It’s a…never mind, I’ll do it.”

  Morris Lennox was a greying man in his early sixties, with a once-solid build that had slowly softened into a paunch. He was born into money, would die in money, and had worked himself into a heart attack at sixty amassing more of it.

  Mandy was his golden child, only having distinguished herself in that regard by not being as much of a screw up as her younger brother. He loved her, in his way. As far as Mandy knew, she was the only one that he would ever show a weakness to. Even if that weakness was an ignorance of browser cookies.

  Mandy quickly fixed his computer and sat on the other side of his imposing cherry-wood desk. Though in many areas of the offices he had skimped on furnishings, his office was not one of those places. He liked his comfort, and knew the value of a potential client’s first impression. The place was respectable, warm, and slightly intimidating. Just like the man sitting opposite her.

  “How are you?”

  He waved that away. “So, we have some things to talk about.”

  Straight to the point. All right.

  “My proposal?”

  “Yes. In part.”

  Mandy waited.

  Morris looked down at the papers in front of them without really seeing them.

  “I’ve decided to implement your proposal. You made a convincing argument for the cost-cutting measures.”

  Mandy managed not to throw herself to her feet with excitement. Energy buzzed through her, but she contented herself with a pleased grin.

  “I’m glad to hear it. I’ll put together a team to work on it right away.”

  “Hamilton will work on it. He’s responsible for internal finances.” The way her father said it was so offhand, so callous. Mandy’s heart sank to her toes as the words registered beyond the dismissive tone.

  The air was suddenly thin, but she managed to draw a breath. “I’m sorry? It’s my proposal.”

  He wouldn’t even look at her. Just stared down at the useless piece of paper. Did he even know what he was doing?

  “Yes, but it’s his department.”

  Her father finally looked up. Mandy wasn’t sure what he saw in her face, but a frown flickered over his expression.

  “Are you all right?”

  Mandy tried twice before the words came out, still an octave too high. “Is this a punishment for something?”

  “No, of course not!” He sounded shocked. Truly shocked. As if there was no way that his words just now could in any way be interpreted as a slight.

  “Then why are you doing this?”

  “It’s become clear to me with the proposal that you are wasted in the CSR division. You are talented in ideas, communication, and proposals. You understand your audience. It’s a rare and valuable skill.”

  “Okay,” she said slowly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She gripped the arm of the chair, trying to hold herself together while she felt like she was slowly shaking apart.

  “I’ve decided to shut down the CSR division and move you into our corporate strategy team. I think you’d fit right in.” He beamed.

  Mandy swallowed, bile rising in her throat. She waited until she could assemble some coherent words. Her voice was low.

  “But I enjoy corporate social responsibility. It’s why I agreed to work for you.”

  “Yes, but don’t you think it’s time you found a real position? One that didn’t waste your talents? You could be making us millions.”

  Blackness edged her vision. Her fingernails dug into the wood of the armchair.

  “I don’t feel that I am wasting anything. CSR can make you money. I’ve just proven that.”

  He waved that away. “Small fries compared to what you could be making. And isn’t that what you want? To make a difference?”

  Mandy was going to be sick. He didn’t understand her. All these years. All those talks. And he knew nothing about her.

  He thought he was doing the right thing. Pushing her to grow up. He didn’t understand that she had been an adult for a long time. Just one that was very different to him.

  “No thank you,” she managed.

  That frown came back. Confused. Kindly.

  “I don’t want to move into strategy.” Her voice was stronger now.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I know you don’t. That’s what hurts most of all.”

  “Amanda?”

  “I quit.” Strong. Definitive. She stood, and the soft click of her heels bolstered her. Striding through the wreckage she was creating.

  His eyes bulged. “Amanda-”

  She kept her voice even, despite the temptation to rage, or to cry. Only cool-headedness could save her dignity. “Father, I love you. But you should have learned long ago that I’m not like you. I thought you were starting to understand. I gave up a job I loved to be here to support this company and move it into the next stage. But it is quite clear that our visions for this company are incompatible. You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said over the years about what I wanted to achieve. About who I am. So, before I say something I might regret, I’m going to quit.”

  She strode to the door. Click, click, click.

  Just before leaving, she turned. “Goodbye, Father,” she said with quiet devastation.

  She shut the door behind herself and strode out of the office. She made it to the car before she let out a gasping sob and allowed the tears fall.

  Chapter 6

  “So, what did you want to talk about?” Blake’s voice interrupted Duncan’s scribbling on yet another scrap of paper. He’d holed himself up in a corner booth at Macy’s Café near the rehab centre, too distracted by the silence in his apartment to be able to concentrate.

  It had been nearly a week since Duncan had moved into his apartment. In that time he’d been furiously researching what was needed to start a business in Boston, but he’d mired himself in a swamp of confusion.

  Duncan glanced up. His friend was looking worn about the edges, like a shirt that had been laundered a little too roughly.

  “Have a seat.”

  Blake sat with a thump.

  “Are you okay?” Duncan couldn’t help but ask.

  Blake forced a smile. “I just want to be out there working.”

  “I get that,” Duncan told him with not a little empathy. His mind was tugging him back to the plan in front of him. He was on the verge of pulling it together. He just knew it.

  Blake sighed. “So, you’re out now. How’s your luck been?”

  Duncan glanced up, distracted. “I haven’t been looking.” There had to be a way to figure out the finances. Maybe if he started small, only hired one of the guys, bought little equipment, he could make it work.

  “What? Why not?”

  Duncan blinked, focusing on his friend. “I’m trying to figure out a way to create jobs for all of us. It’s been taking up all of my time.”

  Blake eyed him, confused and maybe a little suspicious. “What have you been doing?”

  Duncan leaned forward, the excitement that thrummed through him every time he spoke of his plan sparking to life again. “I’m going to open a business. I’m still ironing out the details. But I think it will be like a temp or employment agency, only it will be exclusively for injured soldiers, and only for tasks that require their very specific skill-set. Like a security firm, I suppose.”

  Blake’s eyes took on some of Duncan’s excitement. “Man, that sounds like exactly what we need!” He already looked younger, more rejuvenated, even with just the thought of doing something more with his life than sitting behind a desk.

  “I hope
so. That’s the plan, anyway.” Gratified by Blake’s enthusiasm, Duncan felt a renewed sense of purpose. They needed this.

  “So, what’ll I be in this new world order? Or do you want me to just stand around looking pretty?”

  Duncan rolled his eyes at his friend. “I don’t want to turn away my customers with your ugly mug.”

  Blake grinned, not at all deterred. “So, what do you think?”

  “You’ll be the primary infiltrator.”

  “That sounds dirty.”

  Duncan glared. “Anyway, basically everyone will be able to do any job that we get in, but you’ll all have your specific skill-set. You will mostly be getting in and out of places unseen. You’ve always been good at that.”

  “It was all those beds I had to sneak out of in my wilder days.” He was completely deadpan, but Duncan knew for a fact that Blake had never slept around. He might talk a flirty game, but he rarely acted on it and was a monogamous kind of guy.

  “That’s if I can pull this off, anyway.” Duncan suddenly deflated, the overwhelming enormity of what he was trying to achieve hitting him.

  Blake’s eyes grew determined. “What do you need? Where are you stuck?”

  “Money, mostly. I have my pay from my years of service squirrelled away, and it’s a decent nest egg. But the amount of investment required to launch a company is insane, not including all the equipment and such I’ll need to purchase up front.”

  “How about all of us chip in?”

  “You have a few million bucks in your back pocket I don’t know about?”

  “Jesus, what kind of equipment are you getting?”

  “The usual. Guns—lots of them. May as well exploit the fact that we live in America. Plus, we need fancy computers and software. Night Vision goggles, flak jackets, and flash bangs. Enough for everyone. Security systems. I have my eye on some heavy breaching kits. Scopes. Lights. You name it.”

  “Shit. You’re going all out.” Blake narrowed his eyes, then shrugged. “So get an investor. A real one, with lots of cash.”

  Duncan sighed. “Yeah, I was hoping I could do this myself. Run it the way it needs to be run so that we don’t end up back where we started with people underestimating us all. But I don’t think I can afford to be sole owner at this point. They’d never give enough capital to a first-time business owner.”

  “All you need is to find the right partner.” Blake’s steady faith bolstered him a little. “I’m sure there is someone out there with pots of money that just wants to give it away to the right people.”

  Duncan’s mind flitted back to the classy blonde he’d seen on his last day in rehab. But as much as it seemed like she had a lot of money that she didn’t know what to do with, there was no way he’d let someone that considered him and his friends as pitiable projects anywhere near this new business of his. The whole point of this venture was that he wanted to escape people just like that.

  Blake continued, oblivious to Duncan’s mind wandering.

  “Besides, as far as I know, most investors just front up the cash and don’t interfere with day-to-day operations.”

  Duncan shrugged. “That would be good. Though, honestly, having someone with some experience in business wouldn’t hurt.”

  “A little out of your depth?” Blake teased.

  “No,” Duncan growled. “I just hate paperwork.”

  “Uh huh.” Blake was unconvinced.

  “The forms alone that I have to fill out are insane.” He pointed to a giant stack on the edge of the table. Blake’s eyes widened.

  “What are all these?”

  “I only understand about half of them,” Duncan admitted with a grumble.

  “Christ.” Blake was eloquent as ever. Duncan couldn’t help but agree.

  Chapter 7

  Mandy was just walking out of the veterans’ rehab centre, where she’d just signed away a large chunk of her cash, when her phone rang. Rather than going directly to her car, she walked further down the street in the fresh autumn air as she answered.

  “What do you mean you quit?” Sierra asked her as soon as she picked up the phone. It had been a few days since Mandy had walked out of her father’s office. She and Sierra had played phone tag ever since. In the end, Mandy had just texted her the news, needing to tell someone.

  “I finally realised that I didn’t belong there. My father was never going to take me seriously unless I morphed into a female version of him. And I don’t want to be that person.”

  Sierra made a sympathetic noise. “I’m sorry, hun. That must have been really hard.”

  “I’m becoming okay with it. Turns out I’m not particularly upset about my job. It’s far more devastating to come to the realisation that even after all these years, my father has never made an effort to understand me.”

  “Oh, God, that’s the worst. So what are you going to do now?”

  “I’m not sure. I have enough money that I can take my time finding a job that’s really right for me. I want to use my business degree, but also do some good in this world, you know?”

  “For sure. That sounds perfect for you.”

  They made some more general chitchat, but Sierra sounded distracted. She was quickly pulled away by some urgent task, and the two said their hurried goodbyes. As Mandy hung up, she noticed that she’d found herself across the road from a small café. Suddenly craving a latte, she crossed the road and slid inside the toasty warmth of the bustling coffee shop.

  It wasn’t until she’d ordered her coffee that she realised there was a familiar face at one of the tables.

  The man she thought might be called Duncan sat amongst a pile of papers, frowning at a document that she thought might combust with the strength of his frown. She hesitated, wondering if she should interrupt him. She was still annoyed at herself for somehow pissing him off the other day—she’d been dwelling on it as one tended to do with their most embarrassing moments—and wanted to apologise.

  But the chances of him even remembering her were slim. Surely she’d just embarrass herself further?

  She admitted to herself that part of the reason she wanted to apologise was because she still found him incredibly handsome. His smooth black skin, his strong features, his broad shoulders. He was quite an impressive package.

  Mandy stepped once in his direction, but she’d taken too long to deliberate. His friend that had been with him the other day, the charming one, slid into the chair across from him.

  Disappointed after having psyched herself up for the encounter, Mandy slid into the only empty seat in the café, which happened to be two seats over from him.

  She hadn’t intended to eavesdrop. Not really. But as soon as he’d begun talking about his idea for his business and his struggles at getting it off the ground, her brain had perked up.

  It sounded like a good idea. Both socially responsible, and profitable. If done right.

  She wanted this, she realised. It was the perfect combination. Better yet, it sounded like he needed her help.

  She listened for a good place to interrupt, sipping her coffee. Then, she slipped out of her chair and came up next to the two men.

  “Hi there. I couldn’t help but overhear. It sounds like you could do with some assistance,” she said, and put on her most charming smile.

  Duncan scowled at her, but the other man smiled disarmingly. “Hi. Blake,” he reminded her.

  “Hi. Mandy.” Blake held out his hand and she shook it, still conscious of Duncan glaring at her.

  “Sit,” Blake offered, gesturing to the chair to his left. As she sat, she noticed that the arm closest to her was a prosthetic. That explained his stint in the rehab and Duncan’s determination to offer him a position in his future company.

  She glanced over at Duncan, going for a winning smile. “I really am sorry I was eavesdropping. But you were discussing my area of expertise, so my brain perked up. I’m hoping I can help you.”

  “Why?” The word was clipped as he asked her.

 
“Duncan…” Blake warned.

  Mandy placed a placating hand on the table. “It’s all right, it’s a valid question.”

  Duncan grunted, his shoulders loosening just perceptibly. Good. She was getting somewhere.

  She rolled her shoulders a little, preparing herself to give an off-the-cuff pitch. “It sounds like you have a good idea. One that’s socially responsible and potentially profitable. Plus, you seem like you have the expertise and determination to do something special with this company. But you don’t have the necessary knowledge to build and maintain a business, regardless of your familiarity with everything else. That’s where I would come in. I would front up an appropriate sum of the initial investment and help you get the business up and running the right way.”

  She waited with bated breath for his response. His frosty eyes gave nothing away.

  “And what would you get in return?”

  “Half-ownership,” she replied immediately.

  Duncan scoffed. “Not a chance.”

  Mandy raised her brow in cool question. “Considering I’ll put up, I’m guessing, ninety percent of the initial investment, financial acumen, and experience to make this a success, I think that’s more than reasonable. I could walk away right now, no skin off my back. But you need someone. Maybe not me, but someone exactly like me. It’s a good offer.”

  Duncan considered her. She glanced over at Blake. He was looking at her, clearly impressed. Mandy gave him a small smile and turned back to Duncan.

  “Well?”

  “I’m thinking.”

  “Would you like to see my résumé? I have a copy on my tablet. I’ve been working on it lately.” She didn’t mention exactly why.

  Duncan gave a sharp nod. He rose in Mandy’s estimation. It was smart to gather the facts, not let oneself be steamrolled. But Mandy knew she would win him over regardless.