Chapter 6
six
. . .
WYATT
Lost in my thoughts about seeing Blair again, I missed my floor and am stuck riding this elevator to the top, where my father sits with the other partners. Now I’ll have to pretend it was intentional. There’s no way he isn’t here already. Maybe he’ll be in a meeting, and I can fake that I forgot all about his schedule and then steal whatever homemade item his secretary, Pat, has made.
Well worth the unintentional detour.
“Wyatt! What brings you up here so early? You here to see your dad?” Pat comes around from her desk and heads straight to me with open arms. Even though she’s nearly the same age as my dad, I think she’s been playing the grandmother role her entire life. She’s been supporting either my father or grandfather since she graduated college and is basically family at this point.
“Um, is he in his office?” I ask rather than confirm or deny my intentions.
“He sure is. You go on in there. He doesn’t have any appointments for another fifteen minutes.” She pushes me toward his office, and while I know it’s meant with love, it takes some restraint not to stand firm so I don’t have to go in there.
“Wyatt? Did we have an appointment?” My father asks when he sees Pat usher me into his office.
“Oh, Jack, stop it. Your son does not need an appointment to say hi to his father.”
Sweet and optimistic Pat. If only she knew how much he would prefer our conversations scheduled.
Actually, same.
“You mentioned a new client yesterday,” I say. “Was just following up. How can I help?” I place my hands in my pockets to help stop me from fidgeting. This is so out of character for me, and I can see the skepticism splashed across his face when he squints his eyes.
I’ve been a disappointment to my father for as long as I can remember. Although, from the outside, you’d never know it. He loves to brag about his children, but if you listen closely, he’s really just patting himself on the back for all we’ve accomplished.
“Did you hear Wyatt made law review? I knew when I set him up for the internship with my good friend, Judge Phillips, there was no way it wouldn’t happen.”
“He graduated top of his class! Good thing I had all those mentors and tutors on standby.”
I was smart but not focused enough.
I was ambitious but not motivated enough.
I was social but not charming enough.
You see the pattern.
“You wanted to follow up.” It’s not a question. More of a statement of confirmed suspicion. “Sure. Pat should have already had your assistant put the meeting on the calendar, but the short version is TWA has accepted an offer to merge with The Manhattan Group. It’ll be months before anything goes through, but TWA needs to clean some things up, tighten up spending, get rid of dead weight, you know, the usual housekeeping before everything is final.”
I don’t hear what he says next because all I can think about is that this assignment could mean another shot with Blair.
“I can take lead.”
It’s out of my mouth before I can take it back.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen my father speechless. Most days, I fight him on every account and spend all my effort avoiding working with him. I should have played this much cooler, but I had no fucking idea I would end up here first thing this morning. It’s like I was thinking of Blair and the universe spit me out on the top floor and into the arms of a project that would allow me to see her again.
“I’ll be lead, and Joe will handle the bulk of it. I wanted you to stay close for more experience with mergers and acquisitions,” my father says as he stands, indicating the conversation is over.
I clench my fists, still in my pockets, and work to keep my face neutral.
“I’ve worked dozens of M&A cases, and you know that I’m the most experienced associate when it comes to entertainment clients.” He knows I wanted to specialize in music and entertainment law, but that’s not our family’s legacy.
“Yes, I know. Unfortunately, I’ve let you waste too much of your time on frivolous work, and you’re still not a partner at thirty. You’d think the name on the door would be compelling enough to take advantage of the cases I try to assign you.”
My father is walking out the door, but now that I know the work will mean more time at the agency and with Blair, I pull out the only line I know will work—but also one I may come to regret.
“I’ve never asked you for any special treatment or favors. I’m asking for this. Make me lead, or at least second chair to you. I can handle this, and you know I’m the best suited for it, anyway.”
“See you at the meeting,” my father says as he vanishes around the corner.
I stand in his office, not knowing whether I’ve gotten through to him or, if I did, what it’s going to cost me later.