AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She doesn’t disappoint, emitting another whoop that’s almost mistakable for an ambulance gearing up.
“I knew it!” she says. “So he’s not such a jerk after all?”
“No,” I say with a heavy sigh. “He’s actually really sweet, and exciting, and hot as hell. I almost wish he were an asshole. All this was a lot easier when I thought he was.”
“Uh oh,” Anna says. “There’s always a ‘but’.”
“Yep,” I confirm. “And this one isn’t nearly as enjoyable as his.” I quickly fill her in on the situation up to this point. “And now I’m expecting Sloane to call any moment and tell me that he’s being booted out of the family business.”
“Yikes.” I can practically hear Anna’s grimace. “Do you have to tell him? Isn’t that really a conversation Sloane should have?”
“It is,” I say. “But then he’d also find out that I’d been sitting on all this for days, maybe even weeks at that point. I used his future as a bargaining chip without even giving him a heads up.”
“You should come clean then,” Anna says. “He’s going to find out eventually. It might as well be from you.”
I picture Rhett sleeping so peacefully in the other room. I want to cuddle up next to him, not tear his world apart.
“Ugh, you’re right,” I say. “It’s selfish of me to keep this to myself.”
I frown, eyes tracing the skyscrapers outside my window. They’re hard to make out fully as the winter storms rains ice and snow over the city.
“It’s just been so nice to have something good happen,” I say at last. “Something good that’s not a part of my job.”
“But Liz,” Anna says softly, “he is a part of your job. And ignoring that doesn’t change the fact.”
Anna’s right, and she’s a good friend for telling me the hard truth, even though I hate hearing it.
“Okay,” I say. “Thank you. I’ll go and talk to him now.”
“Good. Try not to be too worried,” Anna says. “You’re just the messenger. If it’s meant to be, things will work out.”
We say our goodbyes, but I don’t leave the room right away. I let Rhett sleep a little longer, let this beautiful, exciting thing we have last a bit longer. That can’t hurt, right?
As if in answer to my wishful thinking, just as I stand to head back into the bedroom, my phone rings.
It’s Sloane.
My heart in my stomach, I consider just letting it go to voicemail. But then she’ll wonder why I didn’t pick up, and knowing Sloane, she’ll just keep calling until I answer.
“Hello?”
“Okay.” Sloane sounds like she’s clenching her jaw.
“Okay?”
“Tell Marie I said it’s a deal. I’ll bring my updated will to the meeting where she’ll sign over her half of their billions to the Westing Bank.”
I’m dead silent. It’s probably not the best choice, but it’s all I’m suddenly capable of.
“Is everything okay, Ms. Slate?” Sloane snaps.
“I think I should let you know,” I say before I can stop myself, “that Rhett has been expressing… more of an interest in the bank.”
“What are you saying?” Her tone is as deadly cold as Lake Michigan and right now I’d rather dive back in than have this conversation.
“I’m saying that Rhett has been talking about a future at the bank. He seems… excited, hopeful. Maybe you should talk to him before making any final decisions.”
Every part of my body tenses as I wait for Sloane’s reaction, anticipating the pain like the moments directly after stubbing a toe.
