Chapter 4
Twelve years later
Another day, another invitation.
This time, it’s my old high school having a reunion. As if I’d ever set foot in Gisborne ever again.
Shelives there.
While she might be my biological mother, she’s also the woman who broke my dad. He was never the same after we left. He worked himself into the ground at the power plant until he died six years ago.
I’m just glad he saw the fruits of my labour—mine and a group of uni friends who made an alcohol-free beer that went viral and became a multi-million-dollar company.
“Simone,” I call out.
Simone, my PA, appears in the doorway. She places her hands on her hips and gives me a bored look as if she knows exactly what I’m about to say.
I hold up the invitation. “Could you please write them back again and tell them I’m not interested in this stupid reunion?”
She shakes her head.
We’ve been working together for two years, and why she’s still here, I’ll never know. I can be a perfectionist, and I’ve got no patience for things that waste my time—like this. She’s got her eyes on the big prize—becoming the CEO’s PA instead of the lowly CTO. But Garrett’s already started advertising for an external candidate, and I’m far too selfish to suggest the woman I’m dependent on to him.
“Why don’t you write to them? They’re clearly not taking the polite brush-off very well.”
I snort. “I’m not sure why they’re so focused on me giving any kind of speech. I sucked at that kind of thing when I was at school.”
A smile sweeps her lips, before she laughs. “You’re so eloquent. I have no idea why they’d want you either.”
“It’s a mystery.” I drop the letter to the desk and hold up my palms.
Simone rolls her eyes and stalks across the room. “Give it to me. I’ll write a reply in Deacon speak.”
“Deacon speak?” I side-eye her, and she laughs again.
“The only question really is how many ways I can find to say, ‘Fuck off’?”
I chuckle. “You know me so well.”
With another eye-roll, she picks up the piece of paper and turns to leave. “Just remember your board meeting starts in about ten minutes.”
Saluting her, I rise from my seat. “I suppose I should go and get a coffee before I head in there.”
“Good luck.”
Ten minutes later, I join Garrett and Victor in the boardroom. The only one missing now is Mallory—Garrett’s ex and marketing manager extraordinaire.
Victor eyes my coffee. “I knew I should have made a stop before the meeting.”
I take a sip of my drink. “You snooze, you lose.”
He scowls as I take my seat.
“Hey Garrett, have you found a new PA yet?”
Garrett fixes his gaze on me. “Why? Are you ready to give up yours?”
I snort. “Not likely.”
“Actually, there’s a candidate coming in tomorrow. The recruitment company’s done a good job of weeding out the nopes this time. This one’s perfect on paper at least, so I’m hoping it’ll be a quick process.”
“Thank God for that,” Victor says. “Do you remember that dipshit they tried sending us for the accounting role?”
I laugh. Vic had nothing but trouble the last time he looked for a new assistant accountant. One guy in particular managed to bluff his way through the entire recruitment process until he interviewed with Vic.
Then it became painfully obvious that he thought he could just wing it.
Needless to say, Vic came down hard on the company we were using.
“Anyway, my candidate tomorrow is perfect. She’s from Gisborne too. I brought her file down on the off chance that you know her and can shorten this whole process.”
I roll my eyes. “You know as well as I do that’s not likely. I haven’t been back there since I was nineteen.”
He pushes the file across the table. A hazel-eyed gaze stares at me from the photo attached to the front.
Wait a minute.
I know those eyes.
I frown, opening the folder.
Philippa Theresa Chapman.
“No way.” I meet Garrett’s gaze.
His brows knit before he bursts out laughing. “You do know her.”
That photo. She’s gorgeous. That was inevitable for Pippa. She was a pretty girl, so full of life and love and everything good in the world. Her dark hair is swept up into a bun with loose wisps of it falling down the sides of her face. That smile of hers could light the darkest of places.
Lucas would hate it if I hurt her.
It would be the ultimate payback.
That thought, however brief, sits on my chest and aches. No. I couldn’t do that to her. She doesn’t deserve it.
I close the folder and lean back in my chair. “How do you feel about taking Simone taking the role?”
Vic smirks.
The boardroom door swings open and Mallory walks in. The only woman in our group—she was dating Garrett when we came up with our revolutionary business idea and given she was studying marketing at the time, it was a no-brainer for her to join us.
She’s often the one who grounds us—pointing out when we’re getting out of control. She might not be with Garrett anymore, but we’re all good friends.
“Can we get this meeting going? I’ve got an appointment with a new billboard company this afternoon.”
“We’ve been waiting on you.” Garrett rolls his head on the headrest of his chair.
“Deacon was just about to tell us why the woman interviewing tomorrow for Garrett’s PA role is a bad choice,” Vic says.
Mallory huffs out a breath. “Let me guess. You’ve had sex with her?”
“That’s not a barrier to employment.” I grin. “She’s my ex-best friend’s sister.”
A collective oooh goes around the table. These are my people. They know my story.
“The ex-best friend who fucked your mum?” Garrett asks.
I nod slowly. “The very same.”
“So, you want me to get HR to drop the interview? Is that why you’re offering me Simone, who I might add would also be perfect for the role?” He beams as if the idea hasn’t occurred to him before.
“No. I want Pippa as my PA.”
Every eye in the room swivels to me.
I shrug. “What? She was twelve when it happened. It wasn’t her fault. I was angry at her back then, but she didn’t do anything except love her brother.”
“You didn’t even look at her CV,” Garrett says.
“I’ll take it back to my office with me. But she was a smart kid. Always had her nose in a book.”
Mallory rolls her eyes. “Lord help us.”
I lean forward, stitching my fingers together. “Now. Let’s get this meeting underway.”