Chapter 29 – nate
NATE
Luke
Any idea why there are police cars in front of the building?
Ryan
Wasn’t me.
Beau
For once.
Iglance up at the officer in front of me. He’s talking to his sergeant, double checking a few things.
I called the police this morning, pulling the strings I needed to make sure I didn’t have to go down to the station or force Cat to testify. I’d rather not force her to relive her attack.
Nate
I called them. Someone attacked Cat last night. Luckily, I got to her in time.
Beau
WHAT THE FUCK???
Ryan
Is she okay??
Luke
She must be okay. If she wasn’t, Nate would’ve torn the building down already with his bare hands.
James doesn’t answer because he’s standing right behind me. I asked him if I could give my statement in his apartment so I wouldn’t wake Cat up. He was a quiet support behind me while I told the officer about Harry’s attack the night before.
Before I can text the guys an update, the officer hangs up and turns back to me.
“I talked to my team,” he says. “They’re going to request footage from the Allan Gardens conservatory cameras to verify your story. If we decide to press charges, we’ll need to speak with Miss Daniels and get her testimony.”
“Sure,” I reply.
Of course, it’ll be up to Cat if she wants to go after Harry in court.
If she wants to see him in jail, I’ll bribe and influence whoever the fuck I have to in order to make that happen.
What’s another broken rule to make sure she’s safe?
I’ll break them all if it means I never have to see her face like that, scared and teary, ever again.
I could do it, too. The police rely on UPS’s cooperation in investigations way too much to piss me off.
“You have my card if you need any more information,” I say, guiding the officer toward the elevator.
James waits to speak until he’s gone. “Do you want me to give the guys a summary on what happened?”
“Please, yeah.” I already know that Luke, Ryan, and Beau will have thousand questions and demands for details. Letting James field them is more than a small favor.
James puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad she’s alright. She’s a good woman.”
I’m too shocked by the compliment to answer. It’s just a few words of approval, but coming from James, that’s practically a declaration of love. He’s even more reticent than I am to show his approval of anyone.
Then James narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t you have work to do?” he asks coolly.
There’s the James I know—an emotionally-stunted workaholic, confused at why anyone else wouldn’t be as committed to their job as he is to his.
“I’ll get out of your hair,” I promise, heading to the elevator and pressing the button for the UPS floor.
For the first time I can remember, I don’t want to go to the office. Not because I’m avoiding work, but because I want to be there with Cat when she wakes up. Maybe I could order in breakfast for her, or even risk trying to make her toast and scrambled eggs.
But I shouldn’t. She probably wants space today after everything that happened with Harry. Besides, I have work to do.
Work that’ll be significantly less interesting without my assistant. I left Cat a note ordering her to take another day off—even if some twisted part of me wishes she’d ignore that note and visit me anyway. She needs the rest.
I’m already in a bad mood when I stride into my office, but it immediately gets worse.
Because my mother is already there, waiting for me.
She’s wearing her usual outfit of a silk blouse and pressed trousers, complete with tasteful designer heels and pearl earrings. Her gray-streaked hair is perfectly swept back into an elegant updo, and her makeup is flawless.
Mom taught me early that appearances matter. The owners of UPS should look the part. She would never allow me to leave the house with a hair out of place, even as a kid. She looks me up and down carefully, even though I know my suit is flawlessly pressed and styled.
“What are you doing here, Mom?” I ask.
Her brows arch. “I’m here to see the CEO of the company I own. I expected him to be in the office during business hours. Apparently, that doesn’t matter to him.”
Nothing like an Eleanor Walsh ambush to put a cherry on top of this disastrous morning. I could explain that I was busy giving a statement to the police, but I doubt that would satisfy her. “I’m here now,” I say instead. “What brings you into the office, when you could have just called?”
“I’m here in person so you know how seriously concerned I am, Nathaniel. As a board member, and as your mother.”
Fuck. I need a cup of coffee before I can deal with this conversation. I take a seat behind my desk and keep my expression even. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the rumors that my son is not only spending time with his assistant outside of work hours, he’s actually screwing her!”
Blood rushes in my ears. How dare she talk about Cat like that, like she’s some cheap whore playacting as my assistant instead of a competent employee.
But do I really expect any better from Eleanor? There’s not a kind bone in her body. She’s made of ice, silicone, and Chanel No. 5.
Instead of acknowledging her accusations, I just say, “If this is about the Edmonton deal, you have nothing to worry about.”
“So the rumors aren’t true? They’re not rethinking the deal because of your relationship with your assistant?”
“I have a call with them later today. The deal should be going ahead as planned.” I spoke with the heads of Edmonton Security almost immediately after my call with the Globe reporter.
It took a certain amount of finessing, but I managed to convince them that my relationship with Cat is purely professional. “Where did you even hear about this?”
“From that horrible gossip blog, the Toronto Tea,” she says, her nose scrunching like she’s just smelled something awful. “Cat’s probably selling them information. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before everything about your life is published there, thanks to her.”
“She doesn’t need to sell anything, Mom. She signed an NDA like all our employees, and I pay her well enough to begin with.”
“How well do you even know this woman? How do you know she isn’t just with you for your money? God forbid, is she on birth control? If you got her pregnant—”
“That’s enough,” I snap. “Whether my employee is on birth control is none of your business.”
I recall with vivid clarity, coming inside of my kitten not so long ago and make a mental note to broach the delicate subject of birth control with her.
Not for my own interests, but for hers. When she told me to come inside of her, I’d never been more turned on by the idea that I could put a baby in a woman.
That I could make life with someone who’s pure sunshine.
That I could tie myself to her so thoroughly that the knots would never come undone.
Eleanor huffs.
“Mom, I’m done listening to you about this.”
Of course, she ignores that, her eyes glowing with fury. “Have you even looked into her? Did you know her father is a felon and an addict? He served three years for armed robbery. Is that really the kind of person you want to have legal access to our family?”
“You had no right to violate her privacy like that. She’s entitled to her privacy, and you will respect that!
” Granted, that’s a bit hypocritical, coming from me.
Watching Cat through the street cameras, buying her building, that’s not exactly respecting her privacy.
But I had good intentions, and Mom definitely doesn’t.
“That girl gave up her privacy when she got involved with you,” she says. “We’re an important family, and anyone connected to us will attract scrutiny. I’ll do whatever I need to do to protect UPS, Nathaniel.”
I almost laugh. Of course, that’s the bottom line here. Can’t let UPS be put in jeopardy. Mom wouldn’t care if the thing at stake here was my heart.
“It’s time for you to leave,” I say, standing and gesturing to the door.
“I’ll leave when I’m done speaking to you!” she practically screeches.
“Don’t make me call security. I wouldn’t want to embarrass our family by causing a scene.”
She gapes at me, then sniffs imperiously. “You’ll be hearing from the board if you’re not careful.”
“That’s my problem. I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Goodbye, Mother.”
Her icy eyes scan my face, looking for weakness. She doesn’t find any. When she finally understands that I won’t bend to her will on this, she lets out a long-suffering sigh. She stands, looking away and picking up her Celine bag.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she snips, sweeping out of my office without another word. Once she’s gone, I slump in my chair and rub my temples. My patience was already thin enough after watching that asshole Harry try to assault Cat.
I check my phone, hoping for a message from her. She hasn’t sent me anything yet, which I hope means that she’s sleeping in. I do have a private message from Beau, though.
Beau
James filled us in about everything. I’m so sorry about Harry. You were right—I should be looking more carefully into everyone I hire. I’ll apologize to Cat personally during her next shift.
At least my friends are showing Cat the respect she deserves—the respect she’ll never get from Mom.
They can see how worthy she is, how sweet, generous, warm, and alive she is.
Nobody’s ever made me feel light and carefree like her.
The fact that I’m dying to leave work and go see her—I’ve never felt like that before.
I’m tired of trying to stay away from Cat. From now on, I’m spending as much time with her as I fucking want, and I’m going to spoil her the way she deserves. I grab my phone and call Susie, my office manager. She picks up on the first ring.
“Good morning, Nate,” she says warmly. She worked for Dad for decades and is probably the only person at UPS who still remembers me as a child. I trust her more than any other employee.
“Miss Daniels is out today,” I tell her. “Have some nice macarons and a bottle of champagne sent over to her apartment.”
“Of course. And maybe you’d like to send some champagne glasses, too? I’m not sure she has any.”
I grunt in approval. It’s a good idea, and I make a mental note to increase Susie’s bonus. “Could you get them in pink?”
There’s a muffled laugh on the other end of the line, and I can hear the humor in Susie’s voice when she says, “I think that can be arranged.”