by Alice Ward
“Okay,” I smiled. “I’ll be there.”
“At four,” she reminded.
“At four,” I promised.
“They’re here!” she said. She grabbed her bag and threw the strap over her shoulder. With her lunch in one hand, she twisted the doorknob and ran out onto the porch.
“Hold on!” I said, hurrying after her. “I’ll walk you to the car.”
“You don’t need to,” she said.
“But I want to.”
“No.”
I stared at her for a second, considering whether I should push the issue. On one hand, I didn’t like the idea of letting her climb into a car with someone I’d never met. That didn’t seem like something a good parent would do. But, on the other hand, I really did not want to piss her off.
“I’ll just introduce myself to Hayden’s mom, okay?” I said. “It’ll be quick.”
“No,” she said again. She glared at me with as much anger as she could muster.
“Paisley…”
“I have to go.” She hurried toward the car and threw open the back door. I walked after her slowly. When she turned back and saw me coming, she rolled her eyes and pulled the car door shut. I sighed and turned my attention to the driver’s seat.
“Hi,” I said, lifting my arm to wave. Hayden’s mom rolled down the window and smiled. “I’m Sean Yates. I’m Paisley’s dad.”
“I’m Helen,” she smiled. “I think we met at the funeral.”
“Probably,” I nodded. “There were a lot of people there.”
“Claire was loved,” Helen said sadly.
“She was,” I said. I looked around awkwardly, wondering what else I should say. “Well, um, thanks for taking Paisley.”
“It’s no problem,” Helen said. “We always carpool.”
“Got it,” I said. I peered through to the back seat. “Have a good day.”
I could barely see Paisley hidden behind the front seat, but Hayden smiled and waved at me. I smiled back and tapped the car as I walked back up to the house. On the porch, I turned around and watched them pull away. It was the first time Paisley was going to be away from me since the night of Claire’s accident. I told myself it was only for a day and that I would see her after camp. Four o’clock.
Things hadn’t been easy over the past week, but it was worth it. I knew Paisley’s attitude was just her way of dealing with everything. Her entire life changed in one night. It only made sense that it would take her some time to adjust. At least three times a day, I reminded myself to be patient. Even though she didn’t know it, she needed me. And I was beginning to think I needed her, too.
I walked into the kitchen and checked the time on the oven. Seven thirty. I was due at work in a half hour. I poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. It would only take about twenty minutes to get to Phoenix if I drove fast, but I knew I should leave soon. Being late on my first day wouldn’t look good. Still, I waited until my coffee was gone before I grabbed my keys and walked outside.
***
It took me exactly twenty-two minutes to drive from my house to Ray Yates’ Motorcycles in Phoenix. When I pulled into the parking lot, I wasn’t sure where to park. I drove my bike around to the back of the lot and found an empty space. Taking my time, I unhooked my helmet and turned the bike off. I was in no hurry to get inside that building.
As I climbed off my bike, I looked up at the three-story building in front of me. I hadn’t seen it in years. It seemed different, bigger almost. Me and my bike both felt small by comparison. I sighed and stuffed my hands in my pockets. This was the last place on Earth I wanted to be.
Forcing myself to move, I walked around to the front of the building. My pace was slow, slower than it needed to be. I dragged my feet and tried to think of a good reason to bail on the whole idea. What I wanted, more than anything, was to climb back on my bike and hit the highway. I wanted to drive until I made it back home. I wanted to sit on my couch and not think for a while. I wanted to pick up a shift at the repair shop where I was comfortable and where I could be myself. Then, after work, I wanted to pick Paisley up from camp and ask her about her day.
Instead, I walked up to the front doors of Ray Yates’ Motorcycles and stopped. There were a few customers inside, but not many. I could see employees moving around, adjusting displays and talking amongst themselves. The show room looked nice, but I was unimpressed. I knew the show room here was miniscule compared to their other locations. This building was the corporate office. The real action took place on the top two floors, where my father and brother worked.
I took a deep breath and pulled the glass doors open. Stepping inside, I felt a rush of cold air. A wave of leather cleaner accosted my nose, and I grimaced. Thankfully, no one was around to see it.
“Good morning, sir!” one of the employees called out. He hurried over to me. “What can I help you with today?”
“Nothing,” I said shortly. I stepped around him and walked deeper into the showroom. My eyes roamed freely over the bikes as I moved.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” the employee asked. “A new bike or customization options?”
“No,” I said. I could feel his frustration growing, but I didn’t bother to stop and explain myself. I wove a path through the bikes until I reached the back hallway.
“Sir, that area is for employees only,” the guy said. I didn’t realize he’d followed me over until I heard his voice.
“That’s okay,” I said. “I don’t think they’ll mind.”
I walked over to the elevators and pressed the button. Standing back, I waited for the doors to open. Beside me, the same disgruntled employee was looking around for help.
“Relax,” I said. “I’m related to the boss.”
“The boss?” he asked. “Mr. Yates?”
“That’s the one,” I said.
“Oh.” He took a giant step backward and laughed awkwardly. “Sorry about that.”
I didn’t say anything, but he turned around and went back to the showroom. I watched him go, wishing I could go with him. Spending the day downstairs in the showroom was much more appealing than seeing my father again.
The elevator light came on and the doors pulled apart slowly. A woman about my age stepped off and extended her hand to me. She smiled brightly.
“Sean,” she said, her dark green eyes taking in my appearance. I wondered if I should have dressed better. “It’s so nice to meet you, finally. I’m Tara. Tara Isaac.”
“Oh,” I said. I shook her hand. “The woman I spoke with.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Come on up. We have some exciting things to discuss.”
I stepped onto the elevator with her. I didn’t feel any excitement. I only felt a strong sense of dread. Tara stood slightly in front of me while the elevator doors closed. Her long blonde hair fell in ringlets down her back. I shuffled my feet and cleared my throat.
“Well,” she said, turning around to face me. “I think you’re going to be pretty thrilled when you see what we have planned. We’re all just so happy to have you here. I can’t tell you what this will mean for the company. Your image is exactly what we’re looking for.”
“My image?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Your authentic, biker look. It’s perfect. The customers will eat it up.”
“It’s not a look,” I said. “It’s just me.”
“Which is exactly what makes it perfect.” Tara’s smiled was forced, but she held it in place while she spoke. I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded and stared at her. She looked back, clearly waiting for me to speak.
“I’m sure it’ll be great,” I said. I did my best to keep my voice level and professional, but the sarcasm seeped in without my permission. Tara’s smile faltered slightly.
“It will be,” she insisted. “We’re going to meet with your father first. That way we can make sure we’re all on the same page. How does that sound?”
I grimaced at her as the
elevator stopped and the doors opened. We were on the third floor. My father’s office was just a few feet away. In that moment, a grimace was the best I could do.
“Swell,” I said. “Sounds just swell.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tara
The elevator doors couldn’t open fast enough. From everything Ray said, I knew Sean was going to be difficult. After being hung up on twice already, I was prepared for a little attitude from him. I expected him to be surly and moody. After all, a broody nature was part of the look we wanted to sell, but I never thought he would be flat out rude.
His every word dripped with sarcasm, and he clearly had no interest in meeting me. His face twisted in discomfort the second I stepped off the elevator to greet him. He looked like he was in pain when he shook my hand, and I felt like I was pulling teeth just trying to get him onto the elevator. I tried to talk about our plans, thinking that maybe he would find it all somewhat interesting. I hoped I’d be able to adjust his mood before we met with Ray, but I failed miserably.
When we stepped off the elevator, Sean stuffed his hands in his pockets. His shoulders immediately sunk forward and his forehead creased. I’d never seen someone frown so intensely. I shook my head and led the way toward Ray’s office. Sean walked slowly behind me, his eyes focused on the floor. I glanced back at him and saw that he was still frowning. I tried to feel sorry for him. Maybe he was just nervous. After all, things were tense with his family. He probably didn’t mean to be rude, I thought. He was just worried about facing his family.
I let my frustrations fade as we rounded the corner toward Ray’s office. Sean was keeping pace with me now, but he still wouldn’t look up. I wanted to say something encouraging, but I couldn’t find the words. When I opened my mouth to speak, my throat felt dry and my tongue was like lead. I cleared my throat and gave up on the idea. Sean’s mood wasn’t going to improve before we reached Ray’s office.
“Ray,” I said as I knocked softly on the doorframe. “Sean’s here. You ready for us?”
“Yes. Come in, come in,” Ray said. His voice was laced with excitement. He jumped to his feet and gestured for us to sit down. I glanced around the office and saw that Zach was already there. He sat in his usual chair against the side wall. For the first time, he didn’t look at me when I walked in the room.
Sean walked around me and sunk into the closest chair. Zach watched him with beady eyes as he moved. Sean didn’t spare so much as a glance in his brother’s direction. He simply fell into the chair and stared at his father. Ray looked back at him. They exchanged some sort of silent communication that I didn’t understand. I felt like I’d just walked into an igloo. I shivered involuntarily and sat in the chair beside Sean.
“So,” I said with a forced smile. “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything.”
“Not at all,” Ray said. “Zach and I were just reviewing the plans for Sean joining the team. We have the rest of the week planned out, I think.”
“Perfect,” I said. “That’s exactly what Sean and I were just—”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Sean said suddenly. He glared at his father. “She doesn’t have to watch my every move.”
“Excuse me?” I asked. I was taken aback by his comment. Here I thought I was being professional and accommodating. I was under the impression that Sean’s foul mood was about his father, but really it was about me.
“She went downstairs to greet you,” Ray said. “In our world, that’s called being nice. It’s a professional courtesy.”
“Your world?” Sean scoffed. “What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means,” Zach said. His eyes still hadn’t left his brother. I could see a burning hatred behind them that I didn’t understand. Zach was never pleasant to be around, but I’d never seen him look so venomous. I half expected him to lunge across the room and throw a punch.
“I apologize if I offended you,” I said quickly, turning my attention back to Sean. My insides were burning with anger, but I wanted to avoid a fight. “I just wanted to make sure you felt welcome.”
“No chance of that,” Sean said. He didn’t bother to look at me while he spoke. He had eyes only for his father. I wanted to slap him.
“Why don’t we just go over the plans?” I offered. My voice shook slightly, but I clenched my fists to keep myself in control.
“Sounds great,” Ray said with a grateful smile.
“Swell,” Sean said. He spat the word through his teeth just as he’d done in the elevator. I was beginning to sympathize with Zach’s demeanor. Sean wasn’t making things easy on anyone.
“Well,” Ray began. “Tomorrow there will be a photoshoot. Our goal is release a new round of advertisements by next week. That way, our customers will already be interested when the new models of Yates’ motorcycles launch next month. We’ll set up downstairs first thing in the morning. The show room usually isn’t busy until around lunchtime, so we should have plenty of time. I’ve been told that we may spill out into the parking lot, depending on the heat index. Now, Sean, you’ll get to choose which bike you want to pose with first. We have three new models. If you want to test drive them first, that’s fine. You can take them out later today or…”
“No need,” Sean said shortly. “What time should I be here?”
“First thing,” I said. “Eight o’clock if possible.”
“Will do,” Sean nodded. “Anything else?”
He looked from Ray to me and back again. My patience was wearing thin. Ever since Sean agreed to come in, I’d been vibrating with excitement. Ray, Zach, and I each put a lot of effort into planning Sean’s schedule and all the promotional releases. This was exactly what the company needed. and now, I didn’t know if I’d made the right decision. If Sean was this difficult during a planning session, what would he be like at the photoshoot?
“Now,” Ray said. “We’ll have two photographers here. Each one was hired to capture a different look. There will be a few wardrobe options for you—”
“Wardrobe?” Sean asked. He sat up straighter.
“Yes,” Ray nodded. “Nothing fancy. It’s basically what you usually wear, only—”
“Then why can’t I wear my own clothes?” he snapped.
“Because this isn’t a Walmart advertisement,” Zach said.
“Zach,” Ray warned. “We just want to make sure our brand is represented as much as possible. You’ll be wearing the same style jacket as always. Only this one will have our logo. That sort of thing.”
Ray paused and waited for Sean to argue, but he didn’t say a word. He simply sat back further in his chair and resumed staring at his father.
“Tara will be there to oversee the whole thing,” Ray said. “So, if you have any ques—”
“I don’t need a damn babysitter,” Sean snapped, his voice louder than before. “I already told you that.”
“She’s not a babysitter,” Ray said. “This whole thing was her idea, so…”
“I’m not doing this if I have someone breathing down my neck the entire time,” Sean said. “I don’t need some corporate suit watching me while I—”
“You don’t have a choice,” I said, interrupting him for once. My professionalism was gone. I couldn’t sit there and listen to Sean berate us any longer. Enough was enough.
“What?” Sean asked, finally turning around to face me.
“You heard me,” I said. I glared back at him without flinching. “I have worked for this company for the past five years. This entire rebranding project was my idea. If you don’t want me around, you’re going to have to get over that, because I will be around. But don’t worry. I have better things to do than babysit you.”
Sean opened his mouth to speak, but he quickly closed it. His eyes were locked on mine and he looked livid that I would dare challenge him.
“You’re the one who needs me,” he finally said.
“No,” I shook my head. “We don’t need you. We want you. There is a difference
.”
“I’m not your lapdog,” Sean growled.
“You’re right,” I nodded. “You’re our employee.”
Sean looked at Ray for support, but he received none. Ray just looked back at him impassively. I could tell from the look in his eye that Ray was worried Sean would walk. I chastised myself for losing control. As much as I hated Sean’s attitude, I knew I’d crossed a line.
“I’ll be here at eight,” Sean said. With that, he stood up and stormed from the office. We could hear his thundering footsteps all the way down the hall.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. Ray closed his eyes for a split second. He looked exhausted. “I shouldn’t have gone off on him like that.”
“It’s okay,” Ray said. “He can be frustrating.”
“That’s an understatement,” Zach said.
“What’s his problem?” I asked. The question was more rhetorical than anything, but Zach took the opportunity and ran with it.
“His problem is that he has no respect for anyone,” Zach said. “He walks through life without a care in the world. He has no work ethic, no drive, nothing. He’s a waste of space who isn’t good for anything except riding bikes and—”
“Enough.”
Ray’s voice was soft, but firm. Zach shut up quickly. Ray fixed his eyes on his eldest son. Zach turned red and looked at the ground. I wasn’t sure what I missed, but I felt certain Ray had already warned Zach about bad mouthing his brother.
“Again,” I said. “Ray, I’m sorry for what I said to Sean. I know he’s more than an employee. If you’d like me to apologize…”
Just saying the words made my stomach churn. Even while I was apologizing to Ray, I knew I’d been right. Sean needed to be put in his place, and I was glad I did it.
“No,” Ray said. He shook his head and added, “Sean isn’t an easy person to deal with sometimes, but he has a good heart. He’s a good man. He just needs to be looked after. That’s why I want you at the photoshoot. You’ll be able to smooth out some of his rougher edges. With you there as a buffer, things won’t spin out of control.”
