by Reeni Austin
“Come on. I wasn’t that horrible to work for, was I?”
“No, it has nothing to do with that. You know I loved working with you. I was just telling someone the other day about how we used to go out for drinks after work sometimes.”
“I miss that. We had a really good group.” Justine sighed. “Come on. Tell me what I have to do.”
“There’s nothing you can—”
“How’s a ten grand sign-on bonus sound? In addition to relocation expenses?”
“No, I really can’t—”
“Twenty grand. That’s as high as I can go. And you’ll start out at fifteen grand over what you were making when you left.”
“I can’t be worth that much.”
“Yes, you can. Compared to the cost of hiring someone new who doesn’t have your experience? You’re a steal.”
Cara whined as she spoke. “I’m sorry. It hurts me to say no but I have to. If only you’d called me before I got this job…”
“Yeah, yeah.” Justine’s tone was sad. “Well, call me if you change your mind in the next few days. I’ll have to make a decision to hire someone else soon.”
“I will.” Cara’s phone beeped. “I’m sorry, I gotta go. Getting another call.”
“Okay, bye.”
“Bye.” Cara took a deep breath when she saw it was Victor. “Hello?”
“Hello, querida.” He yawned. “I’m sorry. How rude of me. It’s been an exhausting day.”
“What happened? Who’s in the hospital?”
He paused for a long moment. “Douglas Whitt.”
Cara gulped. “You mean, Alexis’s dad?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head, confused. “Why are you there? Did she call you? Why would you spend all day at the hospital with her?”
“It wasn’t about her. He was my friend.” Victor’s voice was quiet and sober. “And he didn’t make it. He passed away a little over an hour ago. Massive stroke.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry.”
“Me too. He was a great man. I’ll miss him.”
Cara held the phone to her ear with no idea what to say. All day, Alexis had been in her head, tormenting her with anger and doubt. And now, that woman’s own father was dead? It was hard to imagine.
After a while, Victor inhaled deeply, then said, “I’ll have to cancel our dinner plans tonight. And since I had to shift my schedule around today, I may not see much of you tomorrow. I’m sorry.”
“I understand.”
“Good.” He sighed in relief. “Before I go, I need to tell you Alexis apologized for everything. Says she feels terrible about it.”
Cara scoffed. “Yeah, okay. I don’t know what to say to that.”
“Me neither. It really surprised me.”
“You don’t really think she’s changed, do you?”
“I think she’s in shock. She’s grieving. Probably saying a lot of things.”
Startled by the genuine sympathy she sensed in his tone, she let a few thoughts slip loose, in haste. “Is that why you’ve been with her all day? Are you comforting her? Will you be with her tonight?”
“No! God, Cara. I’m here because Douglas was asking for me. And yes, I’ve tried to be kind to Alexis. Her father just died. I’m not heartless.”
“I didn’t mean to imply you were. I’m just a little confused.”
Victor yawned again. “It’s fine. We’ll talk about it later, okay? I’ve gotta go. I’m sorry.”
Several minutes later, Cara was alone with her thoughts as she drove home. Her mind was still reeling from the news about Alexis’s father. Having lost her own father as a teenager, Cara wanted to have some empathy for Alexis but all she could think about was the cruelty Alexis had shown her. Surely, she was crazy enough to use even this tragic situation for her own gain. She could see it in her mind. Alexis batting her eyelashes at Victor, playing on his kindness.
Victor wouldn’t fall for that, would he?
When Cara entered her mother’s house for the night, Isaac jumped up into her arms as usual. She hugged him extra tight.
Patty strolled in from the kitchen as Cara was setting Isaac on the floor. “What are you doing home so early? You should’ve called while you were on the way. I figured you’d call later to tell me you were staying the night with you-know-who.”
“You know who” had become their code name for Victor when Isaac was around because every time the toddler heard the name “Victor” he nearly threw a fit and demanded to see him.
Cara let out a sad sigh. “It’s a long story. He had to cancel because Alexis’s father died today.”
“Oh no.” Patty brought her hand to her chest. “She didn’t have something to do with it, did she? You know, to get an early inheritance?”
“I don’t think she’s that crazy. Supposedly, he had a stroke.”
“Hmm.” She nodded, deep in thought. “What’s that have to do with him canceling dinner?”
“He was close to her dad. Really close.” Cara looked around to make sure Isaac was occupied with toys on the living room floor. She then lowered her voice. “It’s so strange to me. He told me Alexis apologized. She feels bad about everything.”
“About what, exactly?”
“All he said was she feels bad about everything.” Cara shrugged. “I don’t know. I assume for all the spying. Harassment. Getting me fired. He was so brief on the phone. Said he was tired.”
“I can tell you’re worried.” Patty put her hand on Cara’s shoulder. “It’ll be all right. I’m sure he’ll make it up to you soon.”
“I don’t know. He seemed so distant. He didn’t even say when we’d see each other again.”
“Don’t do that.” Patty waggled a finger. “Don’t be the needy girlfriend. There’s no better way to scare a man off.”
“It’s not that, Mom. I don’t need his constant attention.” Cara turned around to watch Isaac. “How stupid am I to get involved with my boss? I could lose everything if he doesn’t want me anymore. He said I shouldn’t be scared. He’d find me another job or whatever. But what if he doesn’t? And what about him?” She nodded toward Isaac. “He’s already so attached.”
“I think you’re overreacting. You-know-who had a bad day and he canceled dinner. End of story. Don’t overthink it.”
Cara’s eyes were still on Isaac. “Justine called me again today.”
“Justine? In Chicago?”
“Yeah. Offered me a lot of money to come back. A lot of money.”
Patty winced. “Oh boy.” She could see in her daughter’s eyes that she was seriously considering the offer. Cara was always too practical. Wise beyond her years. Patty’s eyes welled up at the thought of Cara and Isaac leaving. “I hope you won’t do that.”
Cara cleared her throat, choking away tears of her own. “I was careless to let myself get so swept away. It’d be different if it was just me but I have a kid to think about. We need security.”
“But sweetie, nothing’s secure these days. You could take that job and be laid off again.”
“That could happen here, too. You just said it—nothing’s secure. And at least with Justine, I don’t have to worry about me and my son both getting our hearts broken by my boss.” Cara slid her hand across her cheek to get rid of a tear as she turned to her mom. “Maybe her phone call was perfect timing.”
Patty stuck her palm to her forehead, her eyes closed. “I have to go finish dinner. Please don’t make any rash decisions. At least sleep on the idea.”
Cara watched Patty go to the kitchen before sitting on the couch, where she quietly burst into tears. Thankfully, Isaac was too busy crashing toy cars together to notice.
Chapter Sixteen
Victor placed his hand on Colleen Whitt’s shoulder. “Please let me know if you need anything.” It was the morning after Douglas’s passing, and Victor had dropped by the Whitt estate before beginning the business of the day. He sat alone with her on a plush sofa in the parlor.
�
�I will.” She nodded weakly.
“And again, I’m so sorry I won’t be able to attend the memorial service in Kentucky. I’ve tried to work it out on my calendar—”
“Shh.” Her eyes narrowed as she patted his hand. “You’ve done enough, Victor. Much more than you should’ve. It means so much to me that you came to the hospital yesterday.” With a sad sigh, she added. “It’s a shame about you and Alexis. Douglas always spoke of you so highly. It did his heart good to see you.” Colleen’s tiny grin faded and she brought a tissue to her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She opened her mouth to speak again when she turned sharply in response to a loud noise from the kitchen. She then rolled her eyes and said, “Caterers. Sounds like they’re tearing the house apart just to set up a small brunch.”
“You’re having a brunch today?”
“Yes. To feed the lawyers coming over. There’s so much business to settle.”
“You should have someone else do that for you. I can make some calls.”
Colleen sniffled and shook her head. “No. I need to stay busy or I’ll fall apart.” Another sound came from the kitchen as she rose to her feet. “Oh dear.” She gave Victor a frantic look.
“I’ll show myself out.” Victor stood up and gave her one last small hug. She scurried off toward the kitchen as Victor headed in the opposite direction.
He was only a few steps from heading out the front door when he heard a voice calling his name from the grand staircase behind him. He groaned inwardly as he turned around to see Alexis descending the stairs.
When he caught a glimpse of her short lacy form-fitting nightgown, he stared away from her, at the wall. “Good morning, Alexis. I was just paying my condolences to your mother. I have to go.”
“Leaving already?” Her bare feet were light as she raced to the bottom and walked up to him. “Weren’t you going to say anything to me?”
“I really need to get to the office. And I think you probably need to put some clothes on.” Victor glanced around the large entryway, looking for the butler. “Where’s Clifford, by the way?” Surely Alexis didn’t usually walk around the house in such skimpy clothes where the help could see her. She had to be doing this for him.
“He’s probably helping Mother in the kitchen. What? Am I making you uncomfortable?”
Victor cleared his throat and set his eyes on hers, careful to look nowhere else. “I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Alexis.”
Tears filled her eyes, her voice cracking as she spoke. “Thank you. It doesn’t seem real to me yet.” She quickly wiped her tears away with her fingertips. “So, will you be taking the private jet to the memorial service?”
“No. I won’t be attending.”
“What? Why not?”
“I just can’t work it out. I already explained it to—”
Alexis inched closer. “But I need you. Remember? Daddy asked you to take care of me.”
“He wasn’t in his right mind. You know that. I need to—”
She interrupted by launching her scantily clad body against his, her arms tight around his back. “Please stay.” She cried against his suit. “It’s been so nice to be with you again. I need you.”
Victor stood completely still, arms at his sides. “Let go of me, Alexis.”
“Please, Victor!”
He lifted his hands against the front of her shoulders, pushing her away. He stayed there for a moment longer as he looked in her eyes to make sure she heard him. “Don’t test me. I’m sympathetic, but nothing’s changed. We’re over, and you need to leave Cara alone.” He let go of her and straightened his tie as he prepared to leave.
“Cara.” Alexis let out a disgusted huff.
“You apologized yesterday. Remember?”
“Yes. But that doesn’t change how I feel about you. I’ll always want you back.” She stared at him, pleading. “I know you got involved with her after I got her fired. If you’re trying to prove a point, consider it proven. I’ve learned my lesson. Please, stop punishing me.”
“Punishing you?” Victor chuckled as he turned to exit. “Cara is not your punishment. She’s my reward.” He opened the door.
He had only taken a few steps outside when he heard Alexis behind him.
She said, “You may want to ask your reward why she didn’t tell her baby’s father she was pregnant.”
Victor stopped. “Excuse me?” He looked back at her, one eyebrow raised.
She took a flirtatious stance in the open doorway, a hand on her hip. “Yeah. I’ll bet she’s never mentioned that, has she? I think it’s terrible when a mother keeps a young boy from knowing his own father, don’t you?”
In his calmest voice, Victor replied, “I’m sure she had her reasons. Now, leave us alone or there will be consequences.” In no mood to ask how she had obtained such information, he walked to his car without looking back.
* * *
It was almost lunch time, and Cara hadn’t heard from Victor all day. No text message, no email. Just silence. And every time she caught herself wondering if he was somewhere comforting Alexis, she distracted herself with thoughts of Chicago. Usually, she restricted her personal Internet searches to her phone, but today she didn’t care. The search history from her computer would clearly show a person who was contemplating a serious move.
The clock struck noon and Cara was seconds away from reaching for her purse to go to lunch when Rhonda appeared at her door. With a blank look on her face, Rhonda waved and said, “Hey.”
“Hey there. You okay?”
“Yeah. You got a minute?”
“I guess so. Have a seat.” Cara motioned to the seat beside her desk.
Rhonda looked outside for Gary, who was nowhere to be seen, then closed the door and sat down. “Do you know Sally in accounting?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, anyway, she sent me something and told me to show it to you. It’s in my personal email.” Rhonda winced as she handed her phone to Cara. “I’m not sure what it means to you, exactly…”
Confused, Cara took the phone. “A video?” Then she immediately hit play. It was a short clip with no sound. She saw a woman, who looked like Alexis from behind, speaking to Victor. “What the…she’s almost naked.”
“I know.”
“Is this a security video?” Cara gasped when she saw Alexis fall against Victor’s chest. The video ended a few seconds later. “Were they kissing? I can’t tell from this weird angle.”
Rhonda shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m really sorry. I don’t know why she wanted you to see that.”
Cara gaped at the video as she hit play for a second time. “This date stamp says today. Oh my God…”
“Oh sweetie.” Rhonda frowned. “The rumors are true, aren’t they? You and Barboza?”
Cara put her elbows on her desk, her palms against her forehead. “Oh my God…oh my God…”
“Oh no. I’m sorry. I hear he’s a heartbreaker. If I were you I’d—”
“Get out.” Cara put her hands down on her desk, glaring at Rhonda.
“Please, let me help—”
“No. Get out. And close the door behind you.”
Without another word, Rhonda stood and walked out the door. As soon as it closed, Cara clicked her mouse to open a new browser window. “I’m so done with this.”
* * *
Patty answered the door just as Victor was about to ring the doorbell for the second time. She heaved forward, sighing in relief as she greeted him. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Victor walked inside as she closed the door behind him. “Is Cara here? I’ve been trying to call her all afternoon. My assistant said she left early and…” He stopped talking when he realized Patty was crying. “Oh no. What happened?”
He was startled when Isaac ran into the room screaming, “Mommy Mommy Mommy!” as he usually did that time of the day to welcome his mom home for the evening. Isaac stopped at Victor’s feet, his eyes lighting up as he inhaled
a slow gasp, excited to see his friend. He reached up and put his hand around Victor’s thumb, ready to pull him into the living room. “Wook what I got—”
Patty tapped Isaac’s shoulder. “No, sweetie. Not now.”
Isaac’s face instantly puckered. He produced a high-pitched whine.
Victor bent down to hoist him up into his arms. “Hey buddy.” He patted his back. “Mi amigo.”
Isaac smiled at that. He let his head fall against Victor’s chest for a moment, then leaned back to look in his eyes as he began a story. “Today me and Gwammah…”
Victor nodded along and tried to interpret as much of Isaac’s chatter as he could, asking occasional questions for clarification. He slowly walked to the living room and sat down, keeping Isaac on his knee. Patty sat beside them. When Isaac finished talking, he hopped out of Victor’s lap and walked a few feet away where he sat on the floor and turned his attention to a television show he had forgotten he was watching.
Patty teared up again. “See? You’re so good with him.” Her voice got softer in case Isaac could hear. “I don’t know why my daughter’s so stubborn about you.”
He placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Please tell me what happened.”
“She swore me to secrecy, of course.” She chuckled sadly and wiped her eyes. “I’m not supposed to tell you she’s on her way to Chicago. Going back to her old job.”
“What?” Victor’s heart raced with worry. “Without saying goodbye? Or taking…” He nodded toward Isaac.
“She went for the weekend to find an apartment. Get a few things in place.” She sighed. “And no, apparently she wasn’t going to tell you. She was just not going to show up for work on Monday morning.”
“I can’t believe she’d do that to me. What happened? What’d I do?” He leaned toward her, his eyes piercing hers. “Tell me exactly where I can find her.”
* * *
Cara stepped out of Justine’s car and waved a quick goodbye to her old friend. Then she pulled her sweater tight across her chest to protect herself from the chilly evening wind. As she ran inside through the revolving glass door, she smiled at what a good decision she had made to splurge on herself for once, booking a room at a nice hotel in downtown Chicago instead of in a quieter neighborhood outside the city. The combination of elegant surroundings and wine-induced euphoria made it easier for Cara to forget about New York for a little while.
