Bryce: Ex-Business: An Ex-Club Romance
Page 26
“Really, it was fine, Bryce. Nothing to discuss. And if anything, it can certainly wait. You’re excited to tell me about this idea of yours, so tell me.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. Tell me all about it.”
I stare at her for a beat longer, just to feel her out, but her face exudes nothing but enthusiasm. I take a sip of my bourbon, just to organize my thoughts first.
“Ideal Media.”
“Ideal Media,” she echoes.
“I bought it all, every domain, including any possible variations. Ideal Publishing. Ideal Magazine. Ideal Corp. Everything. I called up a lawyer and set up a corporation, and, here’s the beauty of all, I put in a trademark for it. There isn’t anything I can do about Ideal Gentlemen, or Ideal Gentleman, for that matter, since they both already exist. But it’s perfect. We can do exactly what we planned on doing in the first place, except this time, we’re creating from scratch. A new publishing company under the heading Ideal Media. Strictly online to begin with, just for the sake of cost. One section dedicated to men. Another dedicated to women, of course. Like two magazines in one. It’ll be huge.”
I turn to find Edie giving me a smile that’s practically gushing.
“You’re so adorable when you’re excited about something.”
“Adorable?” I say with a wince.
“Sorry. How about masculine? Sexy? Virile?”
“That’s better,” I say in my most hyperbolically masculine voice, causing her to breathe out a laugh.
I reach out to pull her in closer. She sets down the glass of cognac that she has yet to even take a sip from, but I don’t comment on it since she then uses those hands to wrap around my neck.
“I almost forgot to tell you the best part,” I say, grinning like the devil that I am. “While I was on a roll buying up domains, I picked up one for my father. PierceWilmingtonIII.com. PierceWilmington.com was taken—probably by my brother, kudos to him for being smart.” I lift my glass. “He also took the IV version, no doubt thinking exactly what I am. Frankly, I’m surprised Dad’s was available to purchase for so cheap. Someone was squatting on the domain. You’d think some tech geek at Wilmington Financial would have at least given him the heads up. Then again, they probably hate him as much as I do. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if I bought it directly from one of them.”
Edie chuckles against me. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Nothing too obvious. Maybe one of those sites that sends glitter bombs, or tumbleweeds. Something that will make even my father scratch his head, wondering what the hell is going on. Maybe a save the gay penguins foundation. Or a Grateful Dead cover band fan club. The scratch and sniff sticker society.”
Edie is laughing almost uncontrollably by now, which gets me laughing. Just imagining Dad’s face when he googles his name and sees what pops up is enough to bring tears to my eyes.
“I love how much you make me laugh,” she says hugging my neck. “I’m so glad it was you, Bryce.”
I have no idea what that means, but I’ll take it. “In which case, I’m glad it was me as well.”
She laughs as though she knows I don’t get it.
“I’m glad to see I could perk you up considering everything. Speaking of which, it’s your turn to tell me about your day.”
Edie stares at me wide-eyed as though wondering where to begin. “Well, I went to see Mom and told her everything in person.”
“How’d she take it?”
A sweet smile comes to her face. “She was surprisingly unconcerned. More worried about me than anything.”
“The sign of a good mom,” I say, rubbing my chin as I think about mine. I have no doubt Mom tried her best with Dad. Still, her reaction to all of this was certainly unexpected. Usually, she’s much more of a cheerleader when it comes to her sons, even against Dad.
“Then…I met with Veronica this afternoon.”
“And how did that go?”
Edie hesitates, looking off to the side in thought. A slow smile spreads on her lips but only reaches the halfway point on her face. “I got enough out of it for a good release. I would feel bad for her, having to work under your Dad, but…fuck her.”
I cough out a laugh and hold up my glass. “That’s one to drink to.”
I dart my eyes to the table where her drink sits. She follows my gaze and then brings her attention back to me.
“About that…” Edie pauses for so long that I have to urge her on.
“About that…?”
She bites back a nervous smile, then pulls away and, for some reason, walks over to her purse to pull something out. It looks almost like a digital thermometer. She sits back down next to me and reveals what it is.
“I’m pregnant.”
She says it so simply that it takes several seconds for my brain to register the gravity of what she’s just said.
“Wait, what?” I say, blinking twice. My eyes dart back and forth between her face and the stick she’s holding up, which clearly spells out a digital “pregnant.”
“Pregnant,” Edie says, slower this time. Because I’m obviously an idiot.
“Yeah,” I utter, a little awed.
“Yeah?”
My eyes snap open wider when I realize what a dipshit I’m being. “I mean…hell. This is…this is great! Right?” I wrinkle my brow to make sure she’s on the same page.
Because I’m fucking ecstatic.
“If you think it is, then yes.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I do! I mean, it’s definitely unexpected but—Speaking of which, how the hell did it happen? We used a condom every—”
“The shower.”
“Shower?” My mind races back in time. We’ve had more than a few showers together, but that first one sticks out. I stop rewinding, then do a play by play—my cum all over her stomach, my hand sliding across it, down to... “Ah, the shower.”
“It took me a while to figure it out too but it’s the only explanation.” She raises one eyebrow in a challenging way. “Unless you were thinking of something else?”
“Please, Edie,” I say with a smug smile. “We both know that once you had a second helping of the goods, all other men were chopped liver for your taste buds.”
A laugh erupts from her lips. “Is that so?”
“Come in closer and I’ll give your body a heaping serving to remind it.”
I wrap my arm around her and pull her in so her face is only inches from mine.
“Really, Edie, I can’t think of another woman with whom I’d rather have a baby to inherit my amazing wit and charm, devilishly handsome looks, innate brilliance. And you’re not so bad yourself.”
She rolls her eyes.
“On that note, since you can’t drink. I think this is definitely worth me drinking for two. Three!” I say, my brow rising.
I swallow the contents of the remainder of the glass in my hand then set it down and reach out for her Hennessy.
“You’re not just reacting this way for my benefit, are you? Because I know it’s a lot to take in, especially considering the magazine and this new thing you’re doing—”
“Oh no you don’t,” I interrupt, touching my nose against hers. “Practical, pragmatic, play-it-safe Edie is not allowed to come out to play tonight. Tonight, we are going to celebrate this. Because this new thing that I’m doing, you’re going to be right there doing it with me.”
Since my free arm is around her waist, I extend an index finger from the one holding her glass and point to her abdomen.
“And this new thing that you’re doing, I’m going to be right there doing it with you the whole way.”
I’ve barely gotten the last word out before Edie’s lips are on mine. A kiss never tasted so sweet. We linger in it, knowing that this is the first kiss that signifies what we’ve just become.
Edie pulls away and smiles at me. “Now, finish that drink, and let’s get to the real celebration. From now on we don’t have to use condoms.”
I set the glass down and pick Edie up to carry to the bedroom, her laughing the whole way.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Bryce
The next morning, we lounge in bed past the point of propriety.
And why not?
After learning that I’m going to be a father, I could bask in it all damn day. I’m on my back with Edie curled into my side.
“Are you going to at least call in sick to the magazine before they think you got hit by a bus? Your dad hasn’t fired you yet, Bryce.”
“That would mean getting out of bed to get my phone and why would I do that when it means leaving your side for a full thirty seconds?”
Edie rises to stare down at me with amusement. “So we’re just going to stay in bed all day?”
“If you insist.”
“Come on, neither of us is that lazy. At some point, you’re going to want to at least start toying around with Ideal Media. Frankly, I’m excited to start plotting and planning as well.”
I turn down my mouth in thought and nod. “You’re right. But I’m not at that point yet, so get back down here next to me.”
She smiles and curls back into me again. After a moment, she speaks again.
“I know we didn’t get to talk much about this last night but…don’t tell anyone about the pregnancy yet. I just—I mean after last time, I don’t know if—”
“I know,” I say quietly before she can finish that thought. Now that I’ve fully embraced the idea of having a baby with Edie, the same worry has slithered around in my mind as well. It’s easy enough to dismiss it, believing that fate made the right choice this time so there’s no way what happened with Reggie would happen with us. That doesn’t mean reality will play along. I stare at the ceiling, forcing that idea from my mind. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks,” she says against my chest.
At some point, she falls asleep against me. Of course, that’s exactly the moment that Mother Nature decides to intrude. I disentangle myself from Edie and head to the bathroom to relieve myself. When I come back, she’s awake again, sliding up to lean against the headboard with a smile.
“I guess this means we’re officially up for the day?” she says.
“I guess so,” I say, walking toward the bed. I work my jaw in thought. “I was thinking of making a detour today. I have an idea for getting funding.”
“You do? What is it?”
“I’m going to ask my brother.”
“Your brother? Who works for your father?” She looks appropriately skeptical.
I grin. “All the more reason to ask him. He probably hates him as much as I do. It’s the perfect way to piss the old man off.”
“Do you really want to stir the pot like that?”
The grin disappears from my face. “My father is dead to me as of now. After the shit he’s pulled, there’s no coming back.”
Edie gives me a sympathetic look but doesn’t press the issue. Not that it would do any good. Dad was a pain in the ass to grow up with, but the things he’s done over the past few weeks have crossed the point of no return.
“Okay,” Edie says with a nod. “And I guess I need to make an appointment with the doctor to start this pregnancy off on the right foot.”
The grin comes back to my face. “Who knew? Edie and me sitting in a tree.”
“Soon with a baby in a baby carriage,” she says with a smile. It quickly fades as the worst enters her head and she bites her lower lip with panic in her eyes.
“Hey,” I say, sliding in closer and taking hold of her chin. “It’s going to be fine, okay?”
She nods.
“If you start to freak out today, just think of me making an ass of myself at Wilmington Financial.”
“What are you planning, Bryce?” She asks in a warning tone.
“Nothing much,” I lie. “Just a little break in the monotony of the financial world.”
She purses her lips and shakes her head. “Already the perfect role model.”
“In all fairness, if I end up being the kind of father my dad was, I give him or her permission to publicly humiliate me. And it will be all that I deserve.”
“Well, far be it for me to try and talk you out of what I already know you’re going to do.”
“See, already you get me, Edie. We’re perfect for each other.”
“I guess at this point we have no choice but to be.”
“You’ll see,” I say with a wink. “But I guess that’s my cue to get ready for the day.”
“In which case, have a lovely day, sweetheart,” she says, batting her eyelashes.
“You too, darling,” I say grandly, grinning as I head to the closet.
I decided to drop into a coffee shop to order something much stronger than what I had at my place. The morning rush has died down, leaving the “work-from-home” crowd to take over in its wake. So, no one is paying attention to the guy on his phone with a double espresso.
My brother picks up on the second ring.
“Now, I’m really beginning to feel special. Two phone calls in less than a month?”
“I’ve got a proposition that you may find worthwhile.”
“I can’t imagine you offering me anything that I can’t already buy myself.”
“This one is priceless.”
“Go on.”
“A chance to really piss Dad off.”
“You tried that one already, and it crashed and burned. Fool me twice…”
“Trust me on this one. Get me into the building again and we can talk about it.”
“I have a meeting in about ten minutes with the old man and some investors.”
“Actually, I was planning on meeting with him as well. But, I certainly wouldn’t want to do anything like crash a meeting with some news that I know will probably humiliate and anger him. Can’t have Wilmington Financial risking a multi-million dollar deal.”
“Try a billion.”
The mind boggles.
Still, the way he said it, Pierce might as well be telling me that he caught the clap. This must be the same Singapore deal Dad was boasting about the last time I was at Wilmington Financial, the one Pierce himself put together.
“Try not to sound too enthusiastic about it, Pierce. I can only imagine what your cut of that will be.”
“More than you want to know, which means I may just tell you once the check clears. Now, any chance of you getting to the point? What’s this news you have for Dad? Some of us can’t bum around at a magazine all day.”
I take it Dad hasn’t told him the news yet. I decide now isn’t the time to fill him in.
“Fine, get me in after the meeting when you’re free. Wouldn’t want you to risk a fat bonus at the end of the year.”
Pierce pauses a beat before responding. “Or, I could give you an all-day pass, and you could interrupt this meeting taking place in the conference room outside of Dad’s office in about ten minutes. I could also tell you this meeting is set to run for the next hour, so you probably want to get here soon for the biggest impact. I could also tell you that if you tell Dad it was me who gave you access, I will find at least a thousand ways to personally destroy you. And in case you think I’m bluffing, I suggest you take a walk down memory lane to when we were kids.”
“So, in other words, you want me to interrupt this meeting.”
“I didn’t say that,” he says pointedly.
“You obviously want this meeting to tank. Sounds personal.” Now, I’m even more curious.
“Think what you want,” he says with just enough edge in his voice to make me think I’m on the money. And he isn’t going to confirm or deny anything.
“Message received,” I say. “But I need a sit down with you in return to discuss this proposition of mine.”
“So long as
you piss Dad off, and make it good.”
“I don’t know if it reaches the level of a billion-dollar loss, but he’ll definitely have some rosy cheeks. And we both know Dad doesn’t blush.”
“Access granted. I guess I’ll see you in a bit. If you have the balls.”
“My balls have already accomplished more than you can fathom, dear frater.” A shit-eating grin appears on my face as it, once again, hits me that I’m going to be a father.
“And with that, I’ve officially reached my lifetime quota of discussing your balls. Show up or don’t. But make it worth the ass I’m handing over to Dad for him to spank.”
“Speaking of lifetime quotas for imagery, that’s one I’d rather not think about again either.”
He chuckles on the other end. “Gotta go. Meeting is about to start.”
“I guess I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Edie
I’m getting ready to go out, mostly because I refuse to sit around the apartment all day. My emotions vacillate between giddiness at the surprising but happy news Bryce and I received yesterday and angry moping over the situation with Contempo Woman.
I have Nicole on speakerphone as I do my hair and makeup back in my apartment.
“I’m okay, Nicole. Really. Sorry I ignored you yesterday, it was just—”
“No, I get it!” she protests, her voice still filled with an outrage that warms my heart. “I mean, the nerve of Veronica. And to let you go so suddenly? What the hell was this new owner thinking?”
I know exactly what he was thinking, but I’m tactful enough not to air all the dirty laundry. Especially now that some of it will soon be hanging from my own family tree.
“I’m obviously taking the job at Elle UK. I’d rather pack up and move to London than work under that double-crossing bitch.”
I smile but bite my tongue. Part of me still feels like I’m in the role of editor-in-chief, where I know better than to complain down the chain of command.