Chapter 3 #2
“Yes, you did,” I replied evenly. “Don’t lie to me about this, Phillip. Not on top of all the other lies.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I never meant to hurt you, Thad. It just . . . happened.”
I huffed. “And exactly how many months was it just happening for Phillip? One? Two? Six?”
More silence. Then he whispered, “Five. Five months.”
I let the shock settle in my heart. Five fucking months? I counted back in my head and almost dropped the phone. “That conference I attended in Singapore.”
He whispered, “Yes.”
I almost laughed. “A week. I was only gone a fucking week.” Then it occurred to me— “Shit. That’s why Judd had those flowers delivered to my hotel. He was feeling guilty. Oh my God, I am such an idiot. He’s never sent me flowers before, or since. So, who approached whom?”
Another pause, this one a lot more awkward and needing no interpretation.
“Oh my God, it was you, wasn’t it?” I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry that it hadn’t been Judd who’d made the move.
“It wasn’t planned,” he argued miserably. “It just—”
“Happened. Yeah. So you said.” I tried to keep my temper.
“You know what? I don’t care who started it.
I don’t care who kissed whom first. You both had to be on board for it to happen, and that says it all.
My boyfriend and my best friend. Jesus Christ, could the two of you be any more of a cliché? ”
“Thad, I—”
“Well, you’ve got him all to yourself now.
Good luck to you. I hope he shows more loyalty to you than either of you did to me, but I wouldn’t bank on it.
Once a cheater, always a cheater, isn’t that what they say?
Still, maybe you could ask Judd to step in as the creative for the business when I’m gone.
Except, oh, that’s right, Judd hasn’t come up with an original fucking idea since . . . let’s go with forever.”
“Thad, please,” Phillip was begging now, and the idea viciously thrilled me. “This isn’t what I wa—”
“We’ll talk further when I’m ready.” I cut him short again. “And no, I don’t know when that will be. I need to think. I’m going to take a couple of weeks off. I haven’t had a vacation in years.”
“A vacation?” Phillip scoffed. “Christ, you wouldn’t know what to do with one.”
“I’ll learn,” I said bluntly. “I’ll make sure you have what you need to keep the place running and clients happy, but I’m not coming in, not as long as you’re both still there.”
“You want me to fire Judd? I can do that,” Phillip offered. “He’ll get work easily enough.”
I snorted. “You just don’t see it, do you? What Judd did was a complete betrayal, but it pales compared to what you did.”
“But—”
“And as for my mother,” I ploughed on, “you’re not going to say a word to her, do you understand?
You don’t get to put your version first. I’ll call her today.
Consider yourself shut out of the family phone circle.
As far as I’m concerned, you don’t fucking exist other than for work purposes, until I’m ready to say you do.
When my mother learns what you did, she’s not likely to want to hear from you either.
” I wasn’t as convinced about that as I sounded, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let Phillip know that my mother would likely find a way to blame me and not him.
“She loved you like a son, you do know that, right?” Which was, unfortunately, true.
“This is going to break her fucking heart.”
Phillip’s response was a numbing silence. He knew how my mother felt about him. In truth, he probably felt more guilty about her finding out than me. It was a sobering thought. When Phillip finally did respond, it was all about the business. Typical.
“We’re supposed to meet with that guy, Rosburg, this afternoon.
” He sounded genuinely panicked now. “The delivery date on that first software framework is coming up, and I can’t cover the technical side of that shit.
That’s your lane. And yes, I realise Judd isn’t up to it, I’ll give you that.
And while we’re on the subject, I don’t want Judd, Thad.
I never did. Not in that way. Things just happened between us.
I swear, it was nothing . . . serious. I fucked up.
I get that. And I’m sorry, Thad. I’m really, really sorry.
It was a stupid fucked-up thing to do, but you can’t just walk away from everything we’ve built because I screwed up. You need this company too.”
Oh, hell no. “Everything I built, Phillip. Me. Not you. I brought you on board three years ago to be the company’s charming face. To work your magic with the clients. I never expected you’d use it to charm my damn boyfriend into your bed.”
Phillip tried to argue, “It wasn’t just—”
“I can build another company just like this one,” I reminded him.
“Or continue without you. Either way, you and I are done. Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you broke every best-friend rule in the book.
Judd, I almost understand. He’s always been a tad weak and selfish, but I was still stupid enough to think he loved me.
But you, Phillip? You were my best friend—” I tried to cover the break in my voice but couldn’t quite manage it.
“I trusted you enough to sell you half my damn company. We were supposed to be in this together, but right now, I honestly don’t care if it crumbles and we both end up in bankruptcy court. ”
Phillip went quiet for a moment, and I could almost see the set in his jaw harden.
He hated being reminded that he wasn’t the brains behind what we did, and when he spoke again, all of that whining apology in his voice was gone.
“You need me, Thad,” he spat. “That’s the reason you wanted me on board, and I’m not about to walk away simply because you feel awkward about what happened between Judd and me.
This is my life, too, and my financial security on the line.
I’ve invested everything I have in this venture, and I won’t let you burn it down simply because you’ve had your feelings hurt.
If you decide to stay with the company, you’re going to have to deal with me still being here, because I’m not selling my share to you at any price.
Don’t forget, you’re the one who hates dealing with people, and we both know you’re shit at it.
I’m the reason we’re as successful as we are, just as much as you.
It takes more than just technical expertise for a company to succeed, and you damn well know it.
You’d still be in the minor leagues if it wasn’t for me. ”
There was more truth to that than I would’ve liked. “I can learn,” I shot back, somewhat unconvincingly. “Or I can—” I paused at the sound of voices in the distance. Two men talking. But Ryder said he lived on his own.
“Thad!” Phillip demanded. “Are you even paying attention? Jesus. This is exactly what I’m talking about,” he complained. “You live in your own world. In your head or on some bloody computer screen. You need a damn minder. You need me.”
Once, I’d have laughed at his words because, in essence, Phillip was right.
But now, my hackles rose, and the injustice of it all burned anew in my belly.
“Trust me, I can find someone else to take your role. You’re far from indispensable, Phillip.
Charmers like you are a dime a dozen.” Not quite true, but fuck him.
“Don’t forget, you’d have nothing to sell if I didn’t do all the damned work behind it.
I can find another pretty face with a honey tongue, but you’ll have a lot more trouble finding someone to replace me. ”
“Then I guess I should start looking, since I’m not going anywhere.
You’re not indispensable, either. Nobody is.
” Phillip paused, then added in a grinding tone, “This is so like you. Things get tough and you high-tail it out of town. It’s what you’ve always done, ever since we were kids.
But this is our company, Thad. I own half of it, and it’s been a fucking goldmine.
Are you seriously telling me that you’re prepared to blow the whole thing up simply because I fucked Judd? ”
His words shocked the hell out of me. That Phillip could even think our company would carry on as usual was beyond me. This was a Phillip I didn’t know. A virtual stranger, and I wasn’t sure how I’d missed seeing this side of him for over two decades. Maybe I just hadn’t wanted to.
“I’m done talking,” I said, struggling to keep my voice even. “Give Rosburg some excuse and cancel the meeting until I have time to think.”
“You have to fulfil the contract, Thad,” Phillip pointed out. “If you don’t meet the deadline, both our names will be mud, and the company will tank. It won’t be any good to either of us.”
“I know. I know,” I agreed because, unfortunately, he was right. The world of industrial software development in New Zealand was relatively small, and walls had ears. “I’ll finish what’s needed and send it to you, along with updates on the other contracts we have pending.”
“What about the Elosand bid?” Phillip demanded. “They want a mock of the technical software specs by the end of the month, before they make a decision on who to go with.”
“I’m well aware,” I said evenly. “I’m still working on it.”
The line went silent, then, “See that you do. I won’t be left holding the bag on this, Thad. Our partnership is very clear on your responsibilities in that regard.”
“I know. I fucking wrote it, remember?” I pulled a face and counted to five, hating the way he could wind me up like a clock.
“My lawyer will call yours, isn’t that how it goes?
I’m not asking for much, Phillip. Just hold the fort and leave me the fuck alone for a bit so I can process how momentously you two have fucked me over.
I think even you can manage that. I’ll call when I’m good and ready.
In the meantime, if you need to get hold of me for any work-related stuff, email will do just fine. ”
I hung up before he could respond and thought about calling my mother for all of two seconds before shoving the phone in my pocket. I needed some food in my stomach before crossing that particular line into the unknown.
“Breakfast in five,” Ryder’s voice echoed down the hallway.
My heart gave a little thump of anticipatory pleasure. Whether it was directed toward breakfast or the man serving it was a question I happily ignored.
“Coming in a minute,” I called back, giving myself a stern look in the mirror at the double entendre.
“Get your fucking shit together, Thaddeus Grey. You’re going to have breakfast with the nice straight man, then you’ll thank him and leave.
What you will not do is drool, flirt, or in any way crush on him.
He’s off limits and far too big to piss off. ”
That decided, I frowned at my reflection and set about tidying my scruff and moustache before I headed to the kitchen.
Not because of Ryder, though. Nope. That would’ve been ridiculous.
I’d just picked up the trimmer when the man in question called out a second time.
“Would you like sausage with your eggs and bacon?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes to the ceiling, whispering, “Are you fucking kidding me?”