Chapter Three
WITH MY SPINEstraight and head held high, I lead the way out of Abby - Raven’s office. Mentally, I correct myself, because it is no longer Abby’s office. As hard as that is to accept.
When Abby first told me she was planning to step down, I was shell-shocked. I couldn’t believe that she could abandon our project so easily. A project we built meticulously together from the ground up.
My first reaction was anger, but time has turned that wound from anger to grief. As sad as it makes me, Abby is not my partner in this business and I no longer have a say in the matter. Raven has taken her job. But she hasn’t taken her place, no one can take Abby’s place. She treated me like an equal. I get an overwhelming sense that Raven won’t be the same way. Sunshine replaced by a sour grimace.
The loss leaves an ache in my chest. But I ignore it because this is not the time to mourn the departure of my business partner. This is the time to create a battle plan for an effective defense. Because that’s what this became the moment Raven set her fierce gaze upon me - a war.
Raven Belmonte is a woman on a mission. She is exactly what I expected her to be: rigid, uptight, with an attitude the size of a skyscraper. Even from our brief introduction, I can tell what kind of woman she is. She’s the type to fix her sight on a task, then conquer and destroy it. With a reputation for going after what she wants, she lets nothing stand in her way. She doesn’t know what she’s in for because she hasn’t gone head to head with me. And I plan to use that to my advantage.
Our heavy steps thud against the carpeted floors of the hallway as we make our way to the conference room. Every employee we have is waiting there for us, all five of them. August, Olivia, Jade, Bailey, and Adam. When I told them on Friday that their new co-director would begin on Monday, they could hardly hide their palpable excitement over their new boss.
That excitement will end soon enough. Once they get to know her. She might have a stellar reputation and exceptional background with this type of work, but her people skills can be summed up in one word. Nonexistent.
Even with her behind me, I can feel her discerning stare evaluating my every movement. Heat radiates from the intensity of her glare, as if she’s searing my skin with only her eyes. It astonishes me how with a single look she ignites a fire in me like I’ve never felt before.
Stopping in front of the door, I reach for the handle and take a fortifying breath.
Can’t go back now. This is it.
The room goes silent the moment the door swings open, a hush falls over whatever conversation they were in the middle of. I paste a pleasant smile on my face, trying hard to hide the tension building in my chest. These people trust Abby, and I don’t plan to share my disapproval of Raven in front of them. This is a silent war. And for now, these people can’t be trusted to fight on my side.
They fidget in their seats as I motion for Abby and Raven to enter first. Even if I don’t like the woman, I still have manners. After Spencer enters last, I shut the door and take forced steps to join the girls at the front of the room.
Nervous electricity buzzes through the space, and the employees shift anxiously in their seats. Abby clears her throat before she speaks, calling an end to the quiet murmurs filling the air. “I’m so happy to see you all again. I can’t tell you how bittersweet it is to be here today.”
Her voice breaks, and I can’t help but feel that this is a harder decision for her than she’s letting on. That knowledge eases the anxiety in my chest. At least she’ll miss us, too.
Tears glint from the corners of her eyes, and I know I need to do something. Not wanting this to turn to tears, I take a small step forward. Giving her a nod of my head, I silently let her know that I’ve got this. She gives me the smallest smile in return, her own way of thanking me for stepping in. “We are sad that Abby’s time with us has ended, but I am pleased to introduce our new Co-Director Raven Belmonte. I hope you will all join me in giving her a warm welcome.”
The sound of clapping reverberates through the room, filling the hole in my chest with an uneasy sense of betrayal. I press it down, knowing it’s unjustified. These people have to accept Raven, I get that.
Not missing out on an opportunity to be in the spotlight, Raven takes a step forward to address our employees. “Thank you, Blake.”
Addressing me by my first name. Interesting.
Raven’s lips tilt up in what I assume is meant to be a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I couldn’t be more excited to be here.”
Her stoic expression gives away no hint of her so-called level of excitement. I bite back a laugh, coughing to cover the sound. Abby’s eyes narrow as she slices me with a look. All I can do is raise a shoulder in my defense. Laughter has always come easily to me. I can’t be blamed for that.
She turns her attentive gaze back to Raven. I can’t help but shoot Spencer a look, rolling my eyes. The corner of his mouth slants in a suppressed smile, and a sense of camaraderie forms in that moment. Spencer and I may not agree on much, especially since he probably hates my guts, but at least the guy has a sense of humor.
As Raven speaks again, I turn my attention back to her.
A glint of mischief twinkles from her harsh gaze. “I have big plans for our group.”
Ice floods through my veins at the implication of her words.
“Things here have been -.” She hesitates as if she’s carefully choosing her next words before she speaks again. “Well, lax, to say the least. I want to see this organization grow more aggressive before winter.”
Anger boils under my skin, heat inundating my entire being. My eyes cut to my employees, people who I see as friends, but they don’t share my sense of outrage. She’s practically saying that we haven’t been doing enough for the community and they don’t bat an eyelash. We’ve only just gotten our feet under us. They don’t even notice that Raven is trying to tear us down.
All five of their faces light with excitement. They shift in their chairs, giving each other eager nods of agreement. Their excitement about the things Raven promises fills me with even more irritation.
Just who does she think she is?
It’s my name on the building, not hers. Even if we are just a subsidiary of my family’s company, I founded this nonprofit, not her. It’s time I remind her of that.
“Of course, all changes will be approved by both directors before being implemented.” My cold stare moves to her, eagerly awaiting her reaction. A small smirk tilts the corner of my mouth as she turns her head to survey me.
Her narrowed eyes cut to me, the anger turning their color to an almost imperceptible red. That tells me everything I need to know. My assumptions about her intentions were spot on. Conquer and destroy.
Not this time.
The smirk on my face grows, turning into a sneer. Something about the anger blazing in her eyes fills me with a feeling I can’t describe. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all. Impeding Raven’s plans is going to bring me far more joy than I ever could have expected.
“Alright guys, I look forward to getting to know you all, but for now, let’s get back to work. We’ll have more meetings in the future to iron out the changes.” Raven dismisses them all with a wave of her hand, and they stand to leave.
I want to roll my eyes, but I refrain. She can try to implement her authority here, but I’ll be there every step of the way. And I have no intention of making this easy for her. The time for pleasantries is over. The time for planning has begun.
After everyone leaves the room, I hang back, needing some space to mull over everything that’s happened today. I need a plan. I need a course of action to lead me forward.
The longer I stand here, the more my blood boils under my skin. Everything Raven said in our meeting was meant to put pressure on my relationship with my employees and insert herself as the new boss. I will not take her impudence sitting down.
I don’t know what pushes me into motion, but I step out into the hallway. My feet carry me to Raven’s office, where I know all three of them are currently helping her get set up for her new role.
I don’t know what has come over me, but if I don’t say the words boiling beneath the surface, I’m likely to explode.
With purpose, my feet carry me forward until I’m standing in front of her door. It’s slightly ajar, and I raise my fist to knock on its wooden surface. Voices from within cause my hand to pause.
Leaning forward, curiosity blurs my sense of right and wrong.
Raven’s sultry voice hits me first. “Abby, I don’t know if this is such a good idea. There’s no way Blake and I will ever be able to work together. You saw the way he looked at me.”
The way I looked at her?
The moment she found me lounging behind her desk, she sliced me with a look that could kill. And she says I gave her a look? Is she insane?
Abby sighs, and I can tell that she’s exhausted. “Just give it a chance, Ray. I promise you’re going to love it here.”
Ray, huh?
Raven Belmonte is not a ray of sunshine. Her nickname couldn’t be further from reality. She’s more like a cumulonimbus cloud. Beautiful and enchanting when you look at it, but when you examine her more closely, there’s something dark and sinister lurking beneath the surface.
She’s a sunflower. Always leaning towards the light, but never shining herself.
“I really hope you’re right.” The wheels of the office chair squeak and I can tell that someone has taken a seat behind the desk, probably Raven.
Spencer’s deep voice sounds closer than I expect it to be. Involuntarily, I take a step back, pressing myself against the wall, not wanting him to know that I’m here. “Blake isn’t that bad.”
The same surge of camaraderie from earlier rushes through me. Maybe he doesn’t hate me after all. That knowledge makes my chest puff up with the smallest amount of pride. If Spencer Grant can get over his dislike of me, maybe miracles do happen.
“You’ve got to be kidding, right?” Raven huffs out her retort, and the dislike in her voice makes the anger in my stomach twist, erasing every positive feeling in my chest. “Blake Emerson is a spoiled man-child who lives his life off of his mommy’s purse. He’ll never be willing to accept me working here.”
For the first time, her words slice through me in the exact manner she intended them to.
So, this is how she sees me?
I can’t deny that at one time I was exactly the man she describes, but since December, I have been actively making changes and no one sees that. No one sees how hard I’ve worked. They only see me how they want to see me. And that is perfectly fine with me. Let their small minds limit them from seeing the man I am growing into.
Pushing myself off the wall, I head to my meeting with August, the director of outreach coordination. It’s what I do every morning, like clockwork. I can’t let Raven’s words get to me anymore than they already have.
Many hours later, I settle into my office chair with a groan. I take a deep breath, letting the quiet wash away the disaster that has been today. Silence wraps itself around me like an old friend, and I welcome it.
There used to be a time when being alone would have bothered me. I would have surrounded myself with people just to prevent the silence from swallowing me whole. But I know now that silence is better than any group of friends I used to have.
Today couldn’t have gone worse if I’d tried. Abby says she knows what she’s doing hiring Raven, but I think she doesn’t trust me to run the charity I started.
Well, we started.
It was her idea, after all. So I’m forced to follow her lead. I trust her. I do, but did she have to pick her stone faced best friend? So what if she has tons of experience working with nonprofits? Couldn’t Abby have hired someone fun? It’s not even that. Couldn’t she have hired someone with a personality?
I don’t need a babysitter; I need a business partner. Someone who can help me grow this organization into something this town desperately needs. Not someone to monitor me and report back to Abby when I mess up.
Raven is the last person I would choose to fill that role. I’ve only met her once before today, but she’s every bit as cold and detached as I remember her being.
The whole Belmonte family is like that. They all think that they are better than the rest of us. But some things never change, and they never will.
At least I can say that time has changed me - at least it’s beginning to.
Leaning my head back against the headrest, I allow my eyes to close. Images of settling into the worn leather chair in my father’s library with a good book and a glass of Pinot Grigio flit through my mind. I can’t think of a better way to spend my evening than that.
A buzzing in my pocket pulls me from my thoughts. Abby’s name lights my screen. I miss the joy I used to feel seeing her name. Now it just makes me sad.
She reminds me of all the things I lost - all the things I missed out on.
Putting a smile in my voice, I tap the screen and answer. “Well, if it isn’t my lucky day. What did I do to receive the pleasure of a phone call?”
“Hello to you too.” She laughs, but it sounds forced.
“What’s up?” I don’t tease her like I normally would. We are just friends now and we’ll never be anything more than that. Sometimes you realize you spent too long chasing a dream that wasn’t really yours.
“Are you busy tonight?”
This time, I can’t resist the urge to tease her. She makes it too easy. “Why, Ms. Stephens, are you asking me out on a date?”
When she laughs, it’s genuine. “Ha. Ha. Hilarious, wise guy. I’m serious. Are you free at seven?”
I lean back further, my eyes trailing up to the ceiling. “Well, that depends. What did you have in mind?”
“Dinner?” She says it like it’s the only obvious answer.
“With you and Mr. Hot Shot?” It’s not that I don’t enjoy their company, but I already settled on my plans for this evening.
“You really have to stop calling him that. He has a name.” She sounds annoyed, but I know her better than that. She thinks I’m calling him that to belittle him. Not because of the real reason.
“You know I give all my favorite people nicknames. Your new boyfriend is no exception to the rules.” I place one hand behind my head and lean back in my chair, propping my feet up on the desk.
Maybe it’s time to show Abby and Spencer that I have no intentions or desires to chase after Abby anymore. That I only want them to succeed. With that in mind, I agree to what she’s asking. “But to answer your question, yes. I’m free for dinner.”
“Perfect.” Her enthusiasm at my acceptance falters. I raise an eyebrow in question, even though she can’t see me.
A moment passes before she speaks again, as if she doesn’t want to say what she’s about to say. “Raven will be there too.”
An audible groan leaves my lips before I can stop it. “Does she have to be?”
“Blake.” She draws out my name as she says it, making it sound like she’s chastising me like she would a petulant child. “Raven isn’t going anywhere. Can’t you just give her a chance?”
“Abby.” I draw out her name, just like she did mine. “I already spent most of the day trying my best to make her feel welcome. Is dinner really necessary?”
“Today didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.” She searches carefully for her next words before she speaks. “I think more face time with Raven would go a long way.”
More face time with Raven is exactly what I don’t want. I can’t imagine a worse way to make things better between us. Less face time, actually. Less face time would be good.
But if I don’t show up, I would just prove Raven’s words right about me.
I’ll prove them all wrong. I will accept her as my partner. Even if it’s in name only.
Defeat floods through me, and I speak the words through gritted teeth. “Where should I meet you?”
I can hear the smile in Abby’s voice when she speaks again. “Thanks, Blake. I know this isn’t how you’d normally spend your evenings. I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy social schedule for us.”
“It’s not a problem.” I haven’t had a busy social calendar since Christmas, but I don’t correct her. It’s not really her business how I spend my time. “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”
“I’ll text you the details. See you later.”
“See you then.” I end the call, setting my phone on the desk with more force than I intend. The cup of pens beside my computer rattles. My free hand moves to massage the tension building in my temples.
Just when I thought this day couldn”t get any worse, I”m proven wrong. So what if I didn”t have any plans for tonight? This isn”t how I would choose to spend my evening. I”ve already wasted an entire day with Raven, why not my evening too?
My phone dings with a message from Abby, and I glance at the text before shoving my phone into my pocket. Grabbing my keys off my desk, I close the lid of my laptop. There”s no point in going home if I have to meet them for dinner. Let’s get tonight over with so I can go home.
Making my way out of the building, I lock the door behind me. With a quick glance around the parking lot, it’s clear that once again, I am the last one here. That thought usually makes me smile, knowing that everyone else is gone for the day and I have the building to myself, but not today. Today, it just feels lonely.