Chapter 16 - Bridgett
brIDGETT
Lay It Out
With my heels clicking on the tile floor, I head down the hall toward Edgar’s office with the file he requested in hand. It’s Monday, and although I usually dread coming to work after the weekend, there is a pep in my step and a smile on my face that I can’t shake.
To say I’m happy is an understatement, and my good mood has everything to do with going to bed with Noah last night and waking up in his arms this morning.
Not that I had much choice about sleeping with him since he carried me up to his bed, where he stripped us of our clothes, then held me until I fell asleep.
It didn’t take long. Between the relief of him being safe and home and two orgasms, I passed out almost the minute my head hit the pillow. Waking up was a lot more difficult, but having him get up and shower with me definitely made for a great start to the day.
As I get closer to Edgar’s office, my footsteps slow because I hear a multitude of voices, my name and my brother’s, and some not-so-nice language.
Anger curls in my stomach as I listen to the men who have worked for my father for years talking about us like we’re nothing more than pests they have been forced to deal with.
And although it hurts to hear them badmouth about me, it pisses me off that they’re talking about my brother.
Aiden made it clear for years that he never wanted to work for my father, but when our dad had his stroke, he agreed to come home and fill our dad’s shoes—something that wasn’t easy for him to do.
Our dad wasn’t the kind of boss to leave all the work to the people under him.
No, he ran everything himself, only delegating certain projects to the people he hired.
For weeks after his stroke, no one seemed to know up from down, and if it weren’t for Aiden, I have no doubt the business would have gone under.
With a much-needed deep breath, I walk the rest of the way down the hall to Edgar’s office and step inside without waiting for him and the other men in the room to acknowledge me. Five sets of eyes turn my way, but I keep my gaze locked on Edgar’s as I toss the file in my hand onto his desk.
“Here’s the file you asked for.” I glance around the room, catching the eye of each man standing there. Men I know my father has trusted for years. Men looking at me like they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
“I know I just started working for Bender and Sons and that I have a lot to learn about the company and my place here, but I think each of you needs to be reminded that this is Aiden’s and my father’s company.
“Bridgett—” Edgar starts, but I hold up my hand.
“I do not care how you feel about either of us. I do not care if you think we deserve the positions we have. I do care about you talking about us like we don’t matter.
Because we do.” I glance at everyone again.
“This is our dad’s company, and if I ever hear you talking negatively about Aiden or me again, I will go to our father.
And if you know anything about him, you know he’s always wanted to keep Bender and Sons a family business, which means it won’t be Aiden or me without a job. It will be you.”
With that final statement, I turn on my heel and head out of the office and down the hall to my desk, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t know how my dad would feel about me doing what I just did, but I feel fricking fabulous, like I should be offered an Academy Award.
When I hit my desk, I grab my purse from my drawer and dig through it for my cell phone so I can send Noah a message to let him know what just happened. I might not know how my dad or Aiden will react to what just happened, but I do know Noah will be proud of me for standing up for myself.
Just as I finish sending him a text, I hear footsteps approaching.
When I look up, I spot Catharine coming my way.
I haven’t seen her since I was out with May weeks ago.
As soon as our eyes meet, I can tell something is off.
She might be dressed in a pretty, expensive jacket, jeans, and boots with her hair fixed and makeup done, but she looks pale and nervous.
“Hey,” she whispers when she’s close. I place my cell on my desk so I can message Noah once I figure out what’s going on with her.
“Hey,” I parrot, then ask, “Are you meeting someone?” I mean, people purchasing property or a home don’t usually come to this location, but what the hell do I know?
“No.” She licks her lips. “I came to talk to you.” She glances around the empty office space. “Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?”
“Sure.” I look at the conference room. When my dad was here, everyone in the office had weekly meetings in there, but it’s been empty since.
“Come on.” I lead the way, letting her inside before me and then shutting the door.
After we both take a seat at the large oval table, I watch her, wondering what this is all about.
“I don’t even know how to say what I’m going to say,” she says quietly, ducking her head, then I listen to her take a deep breath. “Conner and I are having a baby.”
My spine stiffens—not in anger or shock, but in a what-the-heck-are-you-doing-here-and-why-the-hell-are-you-telling-me-this kind of way.
“I need you to sign the divorce papers he gave you.”
“What?” A laugh escapes, and she lifts her head to glare at me.
“I know he gave you divorce papers. I need you to sign them so he and I can get married.” She rests her hand on her stomach, probably to remind me that she’s carrying his child.
“I don’t know what Conner told you, Catharine, but I’ve already signed the divorce papers.”
“Don’t lie.” Her nostrils flare. “He told me you’ve refused to sign them until he gives you the money you asked for.”
“Is that what he said?” I try really hard not to start laughing, but it’s honestly difficult, given the situation.
“He told me everything.” She sits up a little straighter in the chair she’s in, no longer looking as unsure or ill as she did earlier.
“I know you cheated on him and that, even when he forgave you for forsaking your vows, you didn’t stop sleeping around.
And now you’re trying to get every single penny you can from him. ”
“I think you and Conner need to have an honest conversation about what’s really going on,” I tell her gently because getting upset cannot be good for her or the baby if she is pregnant.
“He’s always honest with me,” she snaps while slapping her hand down on the top of the conference table, making me jump. “For once, think about him and how what you’ve done has affected him.”
Taking a breath, I think about trying to tell her again that I already signed the divorce papers, and that Conner is the one refusing to jot his name on the dotted line, but I can tell by her demeanor she won’t believe me. “All right.” I stand. “I’ll sign the papers.”
“What?” She blinks up at me.
“I’ll sign the papers.”
“You will?”
“Absolutely.” I shrug and head toward the door, ready for this awkward conversation to be over. I hear her get up.
“How will I know you’re being honest about signing the papers?” she asks, stepping out of the conference room as I hold open the door.
“If he doesn’t have them from my lawyer by tomorrow, you can stop by, and I’ll give you a copy,” I tell her, and it hurts me to see her so relieved by my response. I know her trust in Conner is misplaced, but I can see she has to learn that difficult lesson all on her own.
“Thank you.”
“Mm-hmm.” I watch her walk toward the hall that leads to the exit, and as she disappears out of sight, I hope like heck Conner does right by her and the child she’s carrying.
Sitting on the front porch, I watch Lola, Louie, Chanel, and Coco wander around in the thick grass of the front yard.
When I got home from work this evening, I decided to bring the pups outside to explore—something they hadn’t been big enough to do until now.
I wasn’t sure they would take to the change of environment, but from the minute we got outside, they started exploring every blade of grass and haven’t stopped since.
When I hear a car coming down the driveway, my stomach instantly starts to flutter.
Noah sent me a text letting me know he would be home in time for dinner, which is a bonus with his new position.
I guess the overnight shifts he had been working are a thing of the past. Or maybe they’ll just be few and far between now.
As a familiar car comes into sight through the trees, the flutters in my stomach instantly turn to anxiety.
“Lola,” I call, and her head flies around before she starts running my way. Thankfully, all the puppies follow her lead. “Come on, guys. Hurry.” I pat my thigh and open the door to the house as Conner parks his car at the edge of the walkway.
“Bridgett!” he shouts as I try to get the puppies inside.
“Go away, Conner!” I yell back without looking at him, my attention on the pups circling my feet and Lola, who is now barking. Just when I start to step inside, hoping the dogs will follow, he snatches my biceps in a tight grip. “Let me go.”
On instinct, I spin toward him and shove his chest with all my might. Instead of releasing me, he stumbles off the step, taking me with him. I hit the ground hard, my hip taking most of the impact while he lands on his back with a grunt.
He groans. “We need to talk.”
“No.” I scramble to my feet and try to make it to the door, but his hand goes around my ankle, tripping me.
I fall face-first toward the concrete steps, barely catching myself with my hands while my knee slams into the edge of the stair.
A surge of adrenaline and anger flood my system, and I flip around to my bottom and start kicking, not caring one single bit where I hit him.
“Stop it! I just want to talk to you.” He yelps when I catch him in the jaw with the edge of my foot, but he doesn’t release me. Instead, he grabs the foot that just kicked him and stands.