Chapter 9 #2
Quinn twists her head toward Natalie. “I love you, Natalie, but why would you sit in on this?”
“I’m Jaxon’s executive assistant. I sit in on most of his meetings.” Natalie keeps her pen moving across the pad without lifting her eyes.
Quinn’s gaze travels from Natalie to Andrew to me, reading the current running beneath all three of us.
“You’re all terrible liars.” She uncrosses her arms. “Every single one of you.”
“That’s a strong accusation.” I stand, get behind my chair, and then rest my arms on the back as I peer over them. “You must have a reason.”
Quinn uncaps her pen and sets it against her pad of paper without writing. “Jaxon.”
“Quinn.” I dip my chin toward her.
Andrew pushes up his sleeve more. “We should get to the actual agenda.”
“Of course.” Quinn opens her notepad to a clean page. “What’s the real reason we’re here?”
“I told you.” Andrew taps a folder that’s in front of him. “Resource allocation for ?Lehlani Rose Designs.”
Quinn takes a moment and studies us. “I don’t understand why this requires forty-five minutes. Wouldn’t it be Jaxon’s call?”
“He wanted other opinions.” Natalie keeps writing. “He’s needed in our other sectors, and I think it’s time to let her fly. She’s smart.”
“The four of us have worked together for years.” Quinn places her pen down. “This is the first time I wasn’t included in a discussion such as this. I analyze most of the investments here. Livianna’s numbers were solid when I went over them last.”
“Which was before the accident.” I wander around the conference table to release the tension in my muscles. “Circumstances have changed.”
“Livianna should be here for this discussion.” Quinn hikes her thumb over her shoulder toward the door. “But maybe I don’t understand anything about this meeting.”
Andrew turns to face her. “You don’t need to be here, Quinn. We’re asking you to trust that.”
Her gaze falls on me. “But?—”
“Quinn, please don’t question my judgment.” I stop and give her a pointed stare. “It’s not in your best interest.”
Her mouth opens, and nothing but a frustrated sigh comes out.
“Natalie and Andrew, that’ll be all.” I stride to the door and open it. “Quinn, stay.”
Andrew collects his folder without question. Natalie caps her pen and tucks her legal pad under her arm. They read the dismissal the way people do after years of reading a room correctly. The door closes behind them.
Quinn peeks back as if she’s considering leaving herself.
She gazes in my direction. “Should I be worried?”
“About what?” I settle into the chair across from her.
“About whatever just happened. You don’t usually end a meeting and keep someone back unless that person…?”
“Everything is fine.” I rest back to show Quinn this isn’t an interrogation or a reprimand. “From what I can tell, you’re Livianna’s closest friend. I thought it would be better to get your insider’s opinion.”
Quinn pulls her eyebrows together. “She wouldn’t like me speaking about how she’s doing when it has to do with you analyzing her business and deciding if you want to continue to help her.”
“I’m not asking you to give me information she wouldn’t tell me herself. But I am asking if you personally believe Livianna would benefit from CVI continuing her mentorship.”
Quinn pushes away from the table and crosses her legs. “She’s sharp, Jaxon. She always has been.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
“Why are you asking me instead of her?”
“I don’t want to undermine her confidence by raising concerns directly. She’s been through enough.”
“She has.” Quinn peers out the window for a few beats. “I don’t want to feel like I’m betraying her.”
“Understood.” I lean forward, scooting my chair in. “All I’m asking is if you think she’s ready to be on her own.”
Quinn rolls her lips between her teeth. It’s a good telltale sign she’s trying to keep her mouth shut about something.
I’m eager for an answer, but I know Quinn. She’s a lot like Livianna. They resist being pushed too far, especially when it comes to staying loyal.
“Let’s try this another way, Quinn.” I tug on my sleeves. “What would you be willing to share with me that could help me decide if I should let Livianna go?”
“As Livianna’s friend, I would say she still needs your help, but that’s all I’m going to say about her business without her here. It doesn’t feel right to make decisions about what she needs when she isn’t here to give her input.”
Quinn just gave me the opening I was looking for.
“Fair enough, but is there something I should know about Livianna’s personal life that could interfere?”
Quinn’s gaze drops to her lap, and I give her a minute of silence. She’s trained not to answer tough questions without fully considering all the facts. I know this because I was the one who taught her that.
After a moment, she tosses her hair back and gives me what I need. “Livianna’s marrying the lead singer of the hottest rock band out there. She’s being hounded by the paparazzi, and she pretends she’s not stressed. I think she needs all the support she can get.”
“And that’s why you’re upset. You thought we were talking about abandoning her.” I inhale and release it slowly. “How’d I do?”
“God, Jaxon. How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Read my mind.”
I laugh low. “Years of practice. And you’re just as skilled, Quinn.”
“At business. Personal stuff is a whole other story.”
“You can relax. I have no plans for cutting her loose. Andrew and Natalie are just concerned about the time I dedicate to her…and her business.” I quickly add the last part to keep this about Livianna’s company.
Quinn cannot know how I feel about Livianna. She wouldn’t be able to contain her reaction.
“Jaxon, in my opinion, they’re off base. They don’t see what she’s going through.” Quinn points toward the door to Livianna’s office. “Yeah, she’s one tough cookie, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t lost and confused most days.”
“She’s lost and confused most days?” My stomach tightens. “She doesn’t come off that way to me.”
Yes, I know she doesn’t remember anything, but the way Quinn describes her makes me think Livianna is hiding things from me now.
Quinn shakes her head, backtracking. “No, that’s not what I meant. I was saying…”
“It’s okay, Quinn. You have my word. Anything you tell me in here today stays here.” I push away from the table to open my stance. “You said Livianna is stressed. Is that from her trying to remember her past, or is there more?”
Quinn forces out a puff of air. “I’d say there’s a lot more. After all the articles, rumors, and hate that are running rampant online, I’d say there’s a lot more. That’s why she’s not even coming in today.”
“What?” I get my phone out of my pocket and scroll through my appointments. “She’s supposed to meet me this afternoon to discuss the cosmetic company she invested in. What happened?”