83. Chapter Fourteen
Carrie
Chapter eighty-three
Reid
Early Friday morning before the board meeting, Carrie, Gabe, and I meet Royce and an assistant DA named Marcus Roman at the coffee shop by our house. Marcus is thirty-five with curling black hair and a scar on his jawline that Royce told me in advance came from a few years in the army. Royce is trying to hire him. He’s resisting, declaring himself done with the kind of war that spills blood. Marcus slides a folder in front of me and another in front of Gabe.
“These agreements are absent of stated charges, therefore you don’t have to tell me what they are,” Marcus says. “Your father won’t know that, though. He will, however, know that you have an agreement with me and you can tell him that you somehow convinced me to hold off on charges. That story is yours to tell. If you ever get ready to actually move forward, I’ll be happy to get the press and promotion that will follow, but rest assured, I owe Royce my life quite literally. I won’t move unless you tell me to move.”
Royce looks between me and Gabe. “You can trust him.”
I believe them both and after Carrie, who sits between us, inches backward to allow us to do so, Gabe and I share a look and open our folders to scan the documents. Carrie leans over in my direction and reads with me, and then she and I share a look of approval over the legal wording. Gabe leans forward and looks at me, giving me a nod, and in silent agreement, we both sign three copies of the documents: one for Marcus and two for us, one of which will go to our father today at the meeting, if he should choose to show up. My gut says that he will, but I’m keeping that to myself. Carrie is nervous enough. I don’t need to add to her worry.
A few minutes later, Marcus departs and we thank Royce with our checkbooks and genuine gratitude. Once Royce departs, Gabe eyes Carrie. “Have you told your father you’re merging the companies?”
“I’m not giving him a chance to screw this up,” she says, “though I don’t think he will be a problem before or after. I think he’s ready to move on. I sensed it when I spoke to him in Japan but again, I’m just not taking any chances.” She looks at me. “Your father is going to show up. I just know it.”
“Probably,” Gabe says. “He’s that kind of an asshole. You know the kind that just keeps getting bigger and bigger which takes all the fun out of things.”
Carrie frowns. “Was that a bad dirty joke?”
Gabe frowns back at her. “Was it?”
“Yes,” I state. “It was.” I glance at Carrie. “Ignore him. He’s the asshole.”
Gabe’s phone rings and he pulls it from his pocket. “Norma Jean,” he says. “Yes, I do believe I’ll take your call.” He winks at us. “She likes me. I’ll meet you two outside. I need to set up a romantic encounter.”
Carrie snorts and I turn her to face me, tuning out Gabe. “We’re ready if my father shows up. We’re ready, baby.” I stand up and help her to her feet, the emerald green blouse that she’s paired with a black skirt reminding me of the night I met her. We were starting a new phase of our life then, and I have that same sense of doing so now. “Let’s go end the war of families once and for all.”
“Then we get married before they find a way to stop us,” Carrie says.
“No one is going to stop me from marrying you, Carrie West, soon to be Maxwell. They can try but they won’t win.”
“I’m just tired of waiting for the next attack. I want to be married and happy.”
“We are happy.”
“Secure. I want to feel secure. Right now, I feel like someone is going to pull the rug out from where we stand.”
“Baby, I get all your abandonment issues, but I’m not leaving. No one is going to convince me we can’t be together. Tried and failed, remember?” My hands settle on her arms. “We are one now. I live because you live. That’s how it is now. That’s what can’t be changed.”
“For a real asshole, you say all the right things.”
I arch a brow. “You still think I’m an asshole?”
“Yes, but you’re a pretty perfect asshole.” She pushes to her toes and kisses me. “Let’s get this over with. Then maybe I can just relax into the wedding.”
“And our life. Relax into our life and me.”
“Into our life and you,” she says. “Yes. I like that.”
A short time later, the three of us arrive at the building that houses the Maxwell offices where the board meeting will take place. We step onto the elevator and Carrie looks between me and Gabe. “You look like twins in blue suits. It’s pretty incredible to see you both together and dressed so similar. You really look a lot alike.”
“Except that I’m the younger, better looking one, right?” Gabe says. “And the nice one.”
“You mean you hide behind jokes the way he hides behind being an asshole,” Carrie amends for him. “You don’t fool me, but I won’t tell.”
Gabe narrows his eyes on her. “You think I hide behind jokes?”
“I know you do,” she says. “I just hope that one day, you trust someone enough to let down that wall of yours.”
He studies her a moment and then his gaze lifts to mine, his expression guarded, but there’s something there I haven’t seen before but I understand it. Gabe doesn’t want to be seen. I knew that of course, but this moment is confirmation. Not for the first time, I wonder what’s there beneath his surface that he wants to hide. I wonder if, in my need to protect myself, I failed to see my brother, to be there for him. I wonder what made him bleed, the way I bled emotionally, because something did.
The elevator dings and Carrie turns to face me. “Your father is going to be here.”
“If he is, we’ll handle it.” I turn her to face forward. “Welcome to the office that will soon be half yours.” I walk her forward and Connie greets us.
“Well, well, there he is,” she says to me. “And here she is. Carrie, Carrie, Carrie. I knew, I just knew you were the one.” She pulls Carrie into a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
Carrie laughs. “Obviously, you know we’re engaged.”
“I do,” she says, pulling back to add. “Keep him busy and maybe I can find time for a date.” She sobers quickly and looks at me. “They’re all in the conference room and I have a stockholder meeting for the firm set for five.”
“And my father?” Gabe asks.
“Nowhere near so far,” she says. “I have security on alert as you suggested this morning.”
I nod and motion Carrie and Gabe forward.
A few minutes later, we’re in a boardroom filled with a dozen other people and a live phone line for stockholders. Our fathers don’t qualify, but I’m certain both have found a way to listen in. I begin the presentation and two hours later, Gabe and Carrie have each given pitches. We break for lunch and compare notes before we return and the questions begin. Another two hours later, the vote takes place. Maxwell and West officially merge. It’s done.
Not long after the meeting ends, riding a high from our success, I’m in Reid’s office with him and Gabe, with Reid popping a bottle of ridiculously expensive champagne. We’ve just toasted to our new merger when my phone rings. I set my champagne down. “That will be my father,” I say tightly. “I’d bet money on it.” I grab my purse from my desk and open it, removing my phone to confirm and then give Reid and Gabe a small nod. “Hello, father,” I say, as Reid sets down his champagne and pulls me into his arms, leaning on the desk as he does.
“Did he take your company or did you take his?” he asks, giving a chuckle.
“Both. It’s a merger, a partnership.” I rotate in Reid’s arms and look at him, repeating his earlier words. “We’re one now.”
“I’ll never be one with that bastard, but I’m out. I’m not a part of the company anymore and Stella and I have talked a lot over the past two weeks. I need to let go. I need to let you be happy, but he better make you happy.”
“He will, dad. He does.”
“Then be successful, but watch his father.”
“Reid has a leash on him. Don’t call him. Don’t agitate him. If he calls you, tell him you love me. You aren’t fighting anymore. And then it will be over.”
“I do love you and I will. It will kill me, but I will. Take care, honey.” He hangs up.
I look up at Reid. “Could you hear?”
“Yes, baby, I heard.” His hands come down on my face. “And yes. We are one.”
Hours later, Gabe and Carrie are with me when we tell our partners who quickly jump on board when they see the numbers. After much conversation, and yes, laughter, it’s time for dinner with Reese and Cat, and it’s a surreal feeling to step onto the elevator again with my brother and my future wife. Monday morning the three of us will be together again to meet with the staff at Carrie’s offices.
“I can’t believe your father hasn’t shown up,” Carrie says, leaning into me.
“Just enjoy the silence,” I say. “It won’t last long.”
“No,” Gabe agrees. “It won’t last long.”
As if he’s foreseen the near future, the elevator opens to the lobby and the three of us exit to come face to face with my father. “Congratulations, sons,” he says, looking sharply arrogant in a three-piece blue suit. “You made us a lot of money tonight. I wanted to tell you in person.” He looks at Carrie. “I approve.”
“Because they took over West,” Carrie challenges. “Or did I take over Maxwell?”
He scowls and Gabe and I both laugh. “We’re all richer, pops,” Gabe says. “Focus on that and this gift we brought you.” He reaches in his pocket and hands my father an envelope. “I sincerely hope you won’t ever make us use that.”
He stuffs it in his pocket. “I’m sure it’s interesting, my boy. You always make things interesting.”
“You have no idea,” Gabe says. “But you will. Now. We’re on our way to Cat’s for some nice family time. Goodnight.”
I take Carrie’s hand, leading her around my father, and Gabe joins us on the other side. The three of us cross the lobby and exit the building. None of us speak, the sense that the ball is about the drop in the air, and it does. “What the fuck is this?” my father demands from behind us.
We all turn and face him as he comes right up to us. Gabe and I automatically step in front of Carrie, sheltering her. “It’s insurance,” I say. “You will not go after Carrie, her father, or us for that matter.”
“If you do,” Gabe adds, “that plea agreement, with immunity for us, will be activated, and we have enough dirt on you to ensure you die in prison.”
Our father doesn’t immediately reply. Seconds tick by and then he snarls, before laughing. “Priceless. You two boys learned well. Good work. You made money and held off your adversary. Finally, I know that you can handle yourselves and my company.” He pats us both on the shoulders. “Have a good dinner.” And then he walks away.
Gabe and I part to allow Carrie between us. “What just happened?” she asks. “Does he really want us to believe this was all about testing and training his sons?”
Gabe and I look at each other. “Yes,” we say together again.
“Because he’s really good at painting himself the winner,” Gabe adds.
“No retreat, no surrender,” I add, as my father always taught us. “He found a way to do both and look like he won. It’s over.” I look at Gabe and he adds, “Yes. It’s over.”
“It’s over?” Carrie asks.
I pull her to me and cup her face. “Yeah, baby. It’s over.”