5. Hayes #2
“Later in the week? I’m slammed for the next three days with the COO announcement. Doesn’t mean I don’t expect updates or photos.”
Her face begins to bloom with a changed mood, and I think it’s because of my request. “I can do that,” she promises.
I run my hand up and squeeze her arm, and the fingers of my other hand wrap around her opposite arm, caressing to soothe her and to drive my senses wild.
“As for the office…” I know it’s on her mind.
“This week, we don’t say anything, except HR should probably know before they hear it on the grapevine.
It will help give us a breather to figure it out. ”
She fights a laugh that seems desperate to escape. “A breather? You? I’m not sure that’s possible, I’ve quickly learned.”
Glancing away, I drag my gaze back and smirk to myself. “I guess you know me well, but we barely know one another at all.”
Quiet surrounds us, and her eyes narrow. “Is it crazy that I’m well aware that I’m not familiar enough with you, yet I’m not sure it feels that way?”
Ahh, our connection. She feels it too.
“Well, I guess we haven’t been able to stop and actually talk as two people who thought they would never see one another after an amazing night, and then here we are. We’ve been occupied with other topics.”
“With the product of that amazing night,” she quips.
I haven’t let her go or broken our gaze; we are trapped in a moment that we don’t want to end. “We probably need to address something else in this whole equation, which is—”
“Co-parenting.” She cuts me right off, and my chest tightens because apparently, I hate that word.
“Never want to talk about…” I drawl, hoping she would finish the sentence.
Her hands wrap around my wrists to remove my touch from her, but she glances down and doesn’t let me loose. “My head is spinning already.”
“So, exploring…” Why am I dragging us down this hole? I’m smarter than this. But I need to poke around the option for both her and me. We have to figure out what we remember of one another from our night together, if the traces of carefree us are still there. We were good together.
I’m captivated. By Elodie. Our spark is still strong, and it will circle in my head until I have an answer. It’s dangerous considering we have a child in the mix, but I’m not a man who backs down.
“Hayes,” she purrs, giving me a warning, and the corner of her mouth tugs. She can read my mind, and she’s the responsible one right now. Hence, why she isn’t letting me utter the words.
“Okay.” For now.
At last, she lets me go, and I comprehend that not even a finger-painted blob on a paper on the fridge can distract me from the obvious.
I'm a hot-blooded man who is forever bound to this woman, and I need Elodie on the table.
Not only on the table, but also the option of whether we are worth investing in.
With her back to me, she stands behind the opposite counter and grabs a kitchen towel. “Slow.”
The way she says it has me trying to understand what she means. I would say it’s about Lola, but I’m not entirely convinced.
We might go around in circles right now broaching the topic, and I believe we’ve had enough for today, especially considering how the day started with Elodie not very pleased with me.
One glance at my watch, and I can’t stretch these minutes any longer, and we both could use the space from one another. “I should head out.”
“Yeah, of course, Mr. Successful has places to be. I’ll walk you out.”
Following her, we walk painfully slowly.
If we had all the hours of the day, I think I would actually be staying.
We'd open a bottle of wine and talk about everything under the moon. Similar to the island, except this time, elements of our future would creep into the conversation. No matter what happens, we’re bound for life through Lola.
And truthfully, without her, finding one another again would’ve led us to the very same conversation.
I’ve been hoping to see her again for a long time.
At times, I worried it was an obsession in my head of fantasies.
When we stop at the front hall, we square off to each other. It’s a dangerous move, but I reach out and swipe a lock of her hair behind her shoulder, and my thumb grazes just under her jaw. I stay an extra second and keep her entrapped.
“I might have a career, Elodie, but I still have to be successful at the dad thing. And if there is something else I want, then I need to find a way to succeed at that,” I rasp, and that’s my warning with my eyes spearing into hers.
Her lips part slightly, but no words come out.
And that’s a good thing because we might be heading down a road worth discovery, and I don’t need the protest.
Although that would just fuel my persistence.
“Good night, Elodie.” That's all I leave her with.
The next morning, I wait while the entire company gathers in the auditorium for presentations. A couple hundred people sit, and a small section of media stands to the side as everyone grows quiet.
I’ve barely slept, but this isn’t my first rodeo with the lack of sleep; I have a job to do, a routine.
After Elodie’s, I met the leadership team for drinks, where we discussed strategy for the next two weeks of onboarding.
I’m lucky that Charles, who is retiring and whose role I’m taking, will bring me up to speed.
But talk turned personal, admittedly. The men around me are colleagues, but out of office, they’re friends.
Naturally, conversation drifted to Elodie.
I couldn’t help but ask Julian for all the tidbits that I doubt Elodie would share.
I’m an ass, or simply the elements of possessiveness are creeping in, but I had to know if Elodie has dated at all since the island, and Julian confirmed she hadn’t, according to Savannah.
He also shared that she played a major role in ensuring Savannah didn’t throw his ass to the curb, and for that, he owes her for life.
He didn’t surprise me when he listed all of her qualities.
A dry sense of humor, a strong work ethic, and a preference for low-key outings when without Lola.
She has a sitter who comes every once in a while so she can enjoy happy hour drinks with Savannah.
Everything checks out with the woman I met at a bar.
But the revelation that tugged at me was when he told me that Elodie would become quiet whenever the topic of Lola’s father came up.
As though she would get lost in a memory.
Nonetheless, and I can’t fault Julian, but his alliance is with Savannah, which means he’s protective of Elodie.
It all equates to the warning that I had better not misstep and hurt her.
Standing off-stage, I watch as Julian approaches the podium with that grin that is honest yet ridiculously cocky. I still haven’t figured out if half the company fears him or worships him.
“Today is an important day for Haven Crossroads. We are having a great year, with record numbers and staff who put their all into the company. I’m grateful to you all, and for your patience, as everyone has anxiously waited for the announcement of our new COO.
Sometimes great ones need to retire.” He looks off to his side and outstretches his hand to Charles, the man about to embark on the chapter of his life that involves grandkids and golf.
He smiles in appreciation as the room claps.
When the appreciation wears off, Julian continues.
“We will forever remember his contributions and, on a personal level, his profound impact on growing the company with me. I know everybody has patiently been waiting to hear who will be named our new Chief of Operations, a role key to our strategy for success. A role that ensures we run smoothly across all departments. Our patience has paid off.”
My heart begins to quicken. I’m confident in speeches, but this time, eyes are not only on me, but everyone in the company is already forming opinions from this moment on.
“We have just the man to hit the ground running. You’re familiar with him.
A visionary who has launched many startups into billion-dollar companies.
We’re entering a new era where we continue to grow, and to help us get there, I’m pleased to announce Hayes Callahan as our new COO.
” As the room erupts in applause, Julian angles his body to the side to indicate for me to join him on the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, your new COO.”
As I walk out, flashes from cameras flicker in the corner of my eye.
I hate to say we’re doing this, the cliché announcement, but we are.
I’m in a sharp suit that says I’m career-driven, paired with cufflinks worth more than any intern’s salary.
Perhaps I appear to be a man who can be fair or ruthless, it’s up to the audience's interpretation.
I have a strong grin that is returned by Julian as we shake hands and pause for the cameras quickly for the golden photo before he steps away to offer me the podium.
“Thank you,” I tell him as the claps simmer down back to quiet, the last sounds of cameras tapering down. I’m not a man who needs to rehearse in the mirror for such events, but right now, I kind of wish I did.
A fucking magnet draws my attention. Even under the bright stage lights, my eyes zip straight to a speck in a room of hundreds to spot the woman who has had a life with my daughter for two years, plus another nine months in the womb.
Nobody would notice the brief pause when my eyes slide to her, and her upper lip twitches in response, because her attention is on me with intensity no different from that of middle management and up, who are probably sizing me up, debating my weaknesses and strengths.
Except that Elodie’s attention is on a personal level.
She’s my weakness that others haven’t yet figured out.
The connection that nobody will be able to match, no matter how much they claw their way up the corporate ladder. Elodie is the woman who, out of the office, will be tied to me forever.
I nearly lose my focus, but I’m quick to bring my attention back to the middle of the room and fix my smile. “It’s a privilege to join Haven Crossroads. I’m ready to start at full speed…”
I deliver the expected acceptance speech to loud applause and a standing ovation.
I’m a man driven by excellence, always willing to go the extra mile.
Even when my dad passed, I kept moving.
But now? For the first time ever, I’m distracted.
And that’s a real fucking problem.