19. Matthew
19
MATTHEW
“ F uck!” I spat as I slammed my office phone into the receiver.
I repeated the same fucking song and dance over and over again. I’d call a name on the roster of investors and hit another dead end. The whole thing proved to be tremendously frustrating.
Holden observed quietly from his spot on the couch.
I really wanted to believe that this damning information against Wyatt wasn’t true. I really did. This after all was my family. Wyatt and Liz took me in when I had no other prospects. They were good people, right?
But I knew in my gut something was off. Somewhere along the way I’d lost my street smarts, but deep down that kid was still a part of me and I knew this situation was fucked. Parker wasn’t Wyatt’s favorite person. In fact, he couldn’t really stand being in the same room as him. He constantly judged him for being lower class, making snide remarks about how inept he found him to be.
Lower class ... just like how Cassie said all those people at my parents' parties had treated her. I wondered if my parents were among those that made her feel worthless.
I winced while scanning the documents for more investors to call. Now that the floodgates were opened, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. Certain things Cassie said struck a chord with me, and the more I reflected on the past, the more I realized how much I’d missed. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I recognized I might have had blind loyalty to the wrong people if these allegations were true.
I proceeded to call more people on the list, seeing if I could gain any more knowledge on Nardini Industries, but with every dialed number, I came up short.
“What are you going to do at the shareholders’ dinner tomorrow night? I mean, how are you going to sit across from Wyatt knowing this?” Holden wondered.
I groaned, throwing my head back. “Ah shit, I forgot about that. Honestly, I have no fucking clue. I mean, this shit is pretty damning, don't you think?!” I shook the papers in my hand.
“Yeah, man. But, you need to know the truth, right? After everything, you deserve that much,” Holden reasoned.
I got up out of my chair and started pacing again. “Are you free tomorrow night?” I asked, trying to form some kind of plan.
Holden threw his hands up dramatically. “Do you ever listen to me? Lately, it’s been all about you, all the time. And I get it, you found your dream girl again, and you want to win her back. Not to mention, you’ve also got all this shit to deal with now.” He motioned to the stack of incriminating paperwork on the desk. “But sometimes, things need to be about me. Like I’m proposing to Bee, probably tomorrow night at the restaurant if the jeweler has the ring I want.”
“You’re going to propose this early? It’s only been, what, like three months?” I challenged him, sitting on the edge of my desk, arms crossed, waiting to hear Holden’s reasoning.
“Three and a half actually.” Holden waved me off.
“Three and a half.” I chuckled, looking at him incredulously.
“Look I know what you’re thinking—it’s too fast. I’m not ready to be tied down. I’m too good looking. And yes, those are all valid points, but the old saying is true: ‘when you know, you know.’ I could be on this earth for a hundred years and the only woman for me would still be Bridget.” Holden nodded at me. “Besides, I want to lock it down before we fuck it up like you and Cassie and have to wait years for our second chance,” Holden quipped.
I closed my eyes tightly, my chest clenching with the mention of Cassie’s name. Opening my eyes, I cast them downwards, unable to face the reality that there’d be no second chance. Not for me. Not for us.
“What’s wrong? I’m sorry. Did I go too far? I just want you to be happy for me, Matt!” Holden explained, standing up and walking closer to me.
“No, it’s not you.” I blew out a breath. “There is no ‘us.’ Won’t be one either. Not ever. She doesn’t love me anymore. But we’re going to try and be friends …” I shrugged my shoulders, trying to play it off, but I was not doing a good job.
“Aw, Matt. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Are you sure? She looked pretty crazy about you at the restaurant. Both of you, looking at each other with goo-goo eyes. Thank god, Bee and I aren’t like that.” Holden blanched, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Should I get Vlad, the stripper, back here to cheer you up?”
“Har har, very funny. Now about tomorrow night …”