Chapter -2- #2
“Being CEO means a lot of hours in the office,” Eva reminds her. “How will that affect Mikah?”
Kami’s brow pinches. Before she can reply, Cheryl jumps in. “Kamila can handle it,” she posits. “Kenny did it. And I’m a prime example of a working mother who can do it all. Right, Jordan?”
“Uh,” Jordan stammers, “right, Mom.”
“I wouldn’t call what you do working, sis,” Eva says dryly.
Denz winces. He’s impressed by his coworkers’ ability to maintain neutral expressions during the exchange.
“Kamila’s a fantastic candidate,” Cheryl asserts.
Kenneth makes a note on his phone. “Anyone else?”
Eric raises his hand, cheeks flushed. He’s handsome, walking that fine line between a bookish nerd and one good selfie away from being a model.
He was hired three months before Kami, fresh out of the University of Texas.
Now, they’re both the company’s top event managers.
CEO is the obvious next move for him too.
“Eric!” Kenneth’s grin broadens. “Glad to see you step up for this opportunity.”
Kami quietly bristles. Not because Eric nominated himself. They work great together. It’s Kenneth’s public approval of Eric’s decision, something he didn’t extend to her. When it comes to his children, excellence is the bare minimum.
Kenneth leaves space for other nominations.
Kim finishes two muffins, cheeks so full there’s no way she could volunteer herself. Connor sinks low in his chair like no one will notice him. Cheryl narrows her eyes at Jordan.
“No way,” he says, surrender hands raised. “I’m just an assistant. That’s too much responsibility.”
Denz appreciates his cousin’s honesty. Jordan’s barely two years out of college. Stepping into a CEO role would be a bold move. Even Denz recognizes his own weaknesses. He’s a boss at the marketing side, but when it comes to performing during actual events?
He’s… not a Kami or an Eric.
A year ago, on the morning of a major politician’s luncheon, Denz failed to pay attention to the IN and OUT signs of the hotel’s kitchen.
He slammed right into the pastry chef carrying a four-tier cake.
A buttercream nightmare. After cleaning up, he did an emergency run to six different bakeries in search of a replacement.
While the guests enjoyed the variety of cupcakes he found, his dad’s glare made Denz want to hide in the hotel’s walk-in freezer for the rest of the event.
If prompted, the aunties could list each of Denz’s “hiccups” throughout his 24 Carter Gold tenure. Which is why he nearly swallows his tongue when Eva says, “Denzel would make a great candidate!”
Cheryl chokes. “Denzel?”
“Me?”
“You’ve been around the offices since you could crawl,” Eva says, undeterred by Denz’s wide eyes. She turns to Cheryl. “You can’t deny what he’s done for the company with social media.”
Warmth fills Denz’s chest. Eva rarely gives out compliments.
“Posting cute photos of tablescapes online is very different from running a business,” Cheryl counters. Of course. Always the other side of Eva’s coin.
“He contributes more than that,” Eva argues.
“My point is,” Cheryl says, “we need leadership. Someone who takes life seriously—”
“Whoa,” Denz interjects. “I’m a very serious person.”
Cheryl guffaws. “Nephew, be honest. You don’t even take your personal life seriously. I get it. You’re young. Life is fun now. Why commit to anything or anyone, right?”
Denz tries not to squirm. A hush spreads through the room. No one comes to his defense. He’s not sure he has the words to defend himself.
“CEO is a significant commitment,” Cheryl carries on. “A marriage. You can’t just log off. Avoid it when things get tough. Are you up for that?”
Denz’s jaw clenches. Leena, his mom, has one unbreakable rule: Respect your elders . She’s old-school Southern. He loves her for that. So, as much as he wants to tell his auntie—Jordan, forgive him—to “fuck off in traffic,” he doesn’t.
Kenneth’s heavy stare lands on him. “Denzel?” He’s waiting for a response.
Everyone is.
“No,” he whispers, to Eva’s obvious dismay.
Expression unreadable, Kenneth adds another note in his phone.
“It’s settled, then. The final decision on whether I promote from within or open the position to a wider candidate pool will be decided by each nominee’s performance.
I’ll email details later.” He pushes back from the table. “Let’s get to work.”
After the meeting, Denz is halfway to his office, staring down at his phone rather than meeting anyone’s eyes—Jordan’s oof I’m glad that wasn’t me look was enough—when he remembers the muffins. He hates leaving a mess for interns to clean up. He turns back to the conference room.
The door is cracked. Soft voices escape. His dad and the aunties.
“Why would you do that in front of my staff?”
A sigh from Eva. “You’re really thinking of bringing someone new in, Kenny?”
“I’m doing what’s best for them.”
Denz leans in closer, listening.
“Are you?” Eva challenges. “Is this about you and—”
“My company, my decision,” Kenneth interrupts.
“Wrong,” Cheryl chides. “You own the majority of the shares, but our voice matters. You can’t bring in an outsider.”
Denz hears his dad’s frustrated exhale. Then, Eva again: “You should’ve told them my idea about—”
“We’re not discussing that again,” Kenneth says, tone clipped. “No weddings. I’m not going back.”
“ You, ” Cheryl counters, “need to consider what will keep the company alive.”
“Or the next CEO will,” Eva says.
Denz’s shoulders sink. What the fuck is happening?
“We’re done,” Kenneth commands, voice getting closer.
Denz scrambles away like a cat frightened by its own shadow. He apologizes to the intern he nearly knocks over and for the mess he’s definitely not going back to clean up now.
On the edge of Denz’s desk is a bowl of assorted candies. They’re for the days he’s overwhelmed by a deadline. Stressed about an event. As he fishes out a roll of Smarties, he decides today is that day. It’s been two hours and he still can’t get his mind off the staff meeting.
In a few months, 24 Carter Gold will have a new CEO. His family’s company could be run by an outsider. What does that mean for him? What if the boss wants to move in a new direction, remove him from planning events like the annual NYE party? What if he doesn’t even have a job? What if—
When he looks down, his fingertips are covered in multicolored dust and the Smarties wrapper is empty. He groans before opening Facebook on his phone.
His disdain for the archaic, information-stealing app is well known. But the company’s Gen X and Millennial clientele still flock to that hellsite to voice their opinions in a nearly limitless character space. Maintaining an account is a necessary evil.
He’s so distracted, so distressed, his thumb accidentally hits the blue-and-white globe icon instead of switching over from his personal profile to the company one.
Hundreds of notifications drop down. The first sucks the air out of his lungs.
One of those four years ago today… posts.
A Polaroid of four smiling faces with Kami’s looping script on the bottom of the white border:
1/1/2021
In the photo, sandwiched between Nic and Kami, are Denz and Bray.
Nausea churns in Denz’s stomach. He can hear Bray’s scratchy laugh in his ear.
Smell that coconut bodywash. Taste the peachy burst of champagne while kissing Bray at midnight.
Feel the spiky buzz cut under his palms, the sinewy muscles along Bray’s back as they had sex until dawn broke the sky apart.
It’s too much. Except, the Bray in that photo isn’t who Denz saw at Crema. The fucking Braylon with his detached expression. Cold accent and hardened eyes. So far from the man Denz knew before London.
“Ugh.” Kami flops onto the chaise sofa opposite Denz. “I’m over today.”
Denz is so startled, his phone flies from his hands. It lands facedown on his desk.
“Wh-what?”
Kami’s suspicious gaze drifts from his face to the candy bowl. “How many Smarties have you had?”
“I’m not Mikah,” he says. “I just… hate Mondays.”
“Okay, Garfield, calm down.”
Kami plucks a pack of M&M’s from the bowl. “Weird meeting.” She separates the candies by color before munching on a green one, her favorite.
“Can’t believe Dad’s retiring. I thought he’d be running this place forever.”
“You did?”
“Let’s be real, Kam. He’s a great dad, but a better boss.” Denz crunches on a new Smartie. “He sees this place more than any of us.”
“True.”
“No offense to Eric, but I’m glad you nominated yourself,” Denz says. “You’d run the fuck out of this place.”
A grin creeps across Kami’s cheeks. “I have a few ideas.”
Denz perks up. “Ooh. Tell me you’re ready to jump back into weddings.”
It’s something else he can’t stop thinking about—what Eva said. The missing spark around here. With the holidays over, there’s at least a hundred newly engaged couples around the city, all looking for someone to plan their big day.
Kami’s nose wrinkles. “Why would I want us to get back into weddings?”
“Hello! They’re what put us on the map!” Denz steals a red M&M. “It’s what we’re known for.”
“Exactly. Known for . The past. We’re better without them.”
Are they? Denz should tell her about the cryptic conversation he overheard. Kami needs to know what she’s walking into.
He frowns when her hand grabs his on the desk. Great. A pep talk’s incoming.
“I’m proud of you too,” she starts. “For knowing your strengths. Not falling for the pressure.”
Denz lifts a questioning eyebrow.
“I rarely agree with the aunties. Especially about us.” She grimaces. “But I’m happy you didn’t let Eva convince you to go after something you’re not ready for.”
“Not—” He drags his hand away. “—ready for?”
“Denz.” Her voice is more annoyed than malicious. Like she can’t believe she has to spell this out for him. “You’re invaluable. Saturday wouldn’t have happened without you. But being CEO is serious.”
That word again. “Serious.” Something his sister clearly doesn’t associate with him. It’s one thing to be doubted by the aunties, even his dad. But coming from Kami, this angers him.
“I’m as good as Eric or anyone else here,” he says. “I take a lot of things seriously.”
“Okay.” Kami folds her arms across her chest. “What, then?”
He snatches his phone from the desk. “My brand!”
“What else?”
“Our family’s legacy. Our dad’s dream.”
He never talks about it, but the first time Denz saw Kenneth in action went like this:
He was six years old, peeking from behind a group of cameramen and producers. A young and growing 24 Carter Gold was chosen for a segment on a reality show. Marvelous Weddings .
A close-up: the bride-to-be, Audrey Hudson, a certified EGOT, was sobbing on the love seat in Kenneth’s office.
On bended knee, Kenneth coaxed her out of the death grip of wrong flowers, wrong dress, wrong groom .
A fairy godfather with promises of happily-ever-after and a Kleenex for her mascara-streaked cheeks.
Captivated, Denz wriggled through the production team. Right into the shot like a kid interrupting his parents’ Zoom meeting.
No one screamed, “Cut!” His unplanned interruption was met with laughter. Even Kenneth grinned.
They finished filming with Denz in the thick of it, propped in his dad’s lap. Watching Kenneth rescue someone’s dreams from destruction. It was Marvelous Weddings ’ highest-viewed episode ever. The turning point for 24 Carter Gold. New clients poured in from everywhere.
Eventually, after dealing with one too many nightmare clients, Kenneth took wedding planning off the list of services provided. But Denz still thinks of that day. The instant he realized he wanted to be the one who changed someone else’s life, if only for a moment.
Denz still hasn’t reached his full potential. Hasn’t made his mark in the Carter empire. This is his time.
He stands abruptly. “I may not have been around as long as you or Eric, but I’m devoted to seeing the company thrive.”
“Are you?” Kami sighs. “God, Denz. You’re not even committed to your own personal life. How many years has it been since you put forth the effort to be in a relationship?”
Denz didn’t sign up for a surprise roasting from his sister. He needs to say something. Anything .
“I’m nominating myself, Kam.”
He should stop there. But he’s pissed and emotional. Of course he says the stupidest thing imaginable to reinforce his point:
“I tried keeping it low key, but… I have a boyfriend.”
“You have a what ?” A new head pops into his office doorway. Auntie Cheryl. “Who?”
“I— ah .”
The lie doesn’t come fast enough. Denz looks between his stunned sister and intrigued auntie. This is where he yanks his foot out of his mouth. Corrects things. But if he confesses now, he’ll confirm Cheryl’s earlier comments about him.
Denz has been humiliated enough today.
“Boyfriend,” he squeaks out. “Serious. Relationship.”
Denz doesn’t give Cheryl a chance to digest his stammering. He stomps out of his office. All the way to the other end of the company floor.
“I nominate myself!”
To his credit, Kenneth looks up from his desk, unalarmed. “Nominate yourself for what? Loudest, rudest employee ever? I doubt you’ll have any competition.”
Denz freezes. He’s in his dad’s office. Along one wall, countless awards glitter in the Atlanta sunlight. Opposite the desk is the lavender love seat where Aubrey’s life was changed. Where his life was changed.
“Son?”
Denz eyes the soft, concerned expression unfolding across his dad’s face. His mind’s made up. He’s not letting his dad’s legacy—his own legacy—die without a fight.
He squares his shoulders and says, “I nominate myself to be the next CEO.”