Chapter 39
Riggs
I’ve gone three days without a drink. Each morning, I text Zoe a message, telling her I’m thinking about her and to have a good day. Every night, I text her a picture of something that made me think of her during the day. She leaves all my texts on read with no response. Still, seeing that she reads them as soon as I send them tells me not to give up hope. After all, it was through texting we fell for each other.
Kenny has dropped in on me several times a day to make sure I’m not slipping back into my self-destructive mode. With each passing visit, I suspect something’s amiss with him. He was in a horrible car accident almost two years ago that left him with a gash bisecting his right eye and slicing down his face and neck. The scar is wicked, and he wears a glass eye. That’s one of the many scars I can see. There are plenty more I can’t.
When he dropped by earlier today, I could’ve sworn he wanted to tell me something, but I got a call from Calla saying she was coming over. He ran out of here so fast I never got to ask him about what’s bothering him. Once things settle down with Zoe, I need to sit him down for a serious talk. One crisis at a time. Right now, my focus is getting my wife back.
“Knock, knock,” Calla says, pushing open the door.
“Hey, honey.” I pull her into a big bear hug. I may be pissed at her for talking to the press and saying those shitty things, but she’ll always be my sweet little girl.
“Is Zoe here?” She looks around as if my wife is hiding in the room somewhere about to pop out and yell, ‘surprise’.
I shake my head no. “She left me. Said she didn’t want to come between us.”
Calla gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh, Daddy! I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are, honey.” I want to tell her I’m not the person she owes the apology to, but I think we need to have a serious conversation before I push her to connect with Zoe. Hell, I can’t even get Zoe to talk to me, so there’s no guarantee she’d talk to Calla either.
“I was upset you ran off and married someone my age, but. . .” She fiddles with her bracelet, frowning.
“I know me imposing a budget upset you, but as your father, I owe you some lessons in financial literacy. I wasn’t doing you any favors spoiling you like that.”
“I know that now.” She hangs her head in what I suspect is embarrassment.
“What changed your mind?”
She shakes her head, frowning. “It doesn’t matter. I just want to make things right.” She lifts her head, making sure I’m looking at her. “I love you. I promise I never talked to the press.”
For the first time, I believe her. “I know you love me. You’ve always been dramatic. You get that from your mother. Even when you were a little girl, you’d get mad and yell that you hated us and hoped we’d die.”
She covers her face with her hands, chuckling. “I’m such a brat.”
“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean you have to always be one.”
“I really am sorry I came between you and Zoe. I’d like the chance to apologize to her.”
“I’m sure she’d like that.” I rub my jaw, looking off to the side.
“What’s wrong?”
“Zoe won’t answer my calls or my texts. I think maybe she’s realized I’m too old for her.” As much as it pains me to admit that, it’s true. I am too old for Zoe.
“You’re both adults. You can love whoever you want.” Her voice is strong with conviction, surprising me.
“What caused the sudden change of heart?”
Calla shrugs, refusing to make eye contact. I want to press her further, but Indira interrupts us, needing approval on something for the closet.
“Do you want to come see the remodel?” I ask, hoping she won’t freak out that I’m changing so much for Zoe’s sake.
Calla nods, following me up the stairs.
At least, she and I are going to be alright. Now I just have to get my wife to come home.
Not long after Calla left, Rick called me to come into the office. There’s trouble with the merger, and he needs the entire team there.
Kenny, DJ, Rick, and I sit at the conference table with our media manager, Fiona, who happens to be DJ’s wife, and Amy Parks, the head of our HR department. We’re trying to figure out a way to keep all the Rev Sports employees on the payroll. Their CEO insisted we add that to the contract before he’ll move forward with the acquisition.
“I’m not sure we can justify two people in all of our administrative positions. Not to mention the administrative and executive assistants.” Amy frowns, shuffling through the papers in front of her. She’s a hardass, and if she says something can’t be done, Rick will most likely default to her.
“We need this to go through. It could take Titan to the next level,” Rick insists, surprising all of us.
Amy crosses her arms. “It could also cost us a fortune in extra staffing. We have to let some of their people go. We can give them nice severance packages so they have time to find something new.”
Rick smacks his fist on the desk. “I said no layoffs, dammit.”
Amy jerks her head back, not used to Rick directing his frustration toward her. She stands, smoothing down her skirt. “It looks like I’m not needed here.” She leaves the room, muttering under her breath.
Rick watches her leave. “Shit,” he hisses, shaking his head.
“You better go after her to smooth things over,” Fiona scolds.
“She needs to learn her place,” Rick shouts.
Kenny and I exchange glances. He must really be stressed over this merger.
DJ clears his throat. “I know you’re the boss, but you need to mind your tone when talking to my wife.” He gives Rick a pointed look.
Fiona places her hand on his arm, shaking her head no. “Let’s get back to brainstorming ways we can make everyone happy. Then we can go to Amy with a plan.”
After the meeting, Kenny follows me to my office, closing the door behind him. “Am I the only one who thinks Rick and Amy have something going on?”
“Amy? You think?” I guess it’s possible. She’s quite a bit younger than him and was married up until a few years ago. Rick lost his wife ten or so years ago. I don’t think he’s seriously dated anyone since. He was devastated when Claire died. Maybe he is moving on with Amy. No one would blame him.
“Dude, it’s obvious. He can’t take his eyes off her when she’s in the room. I think they’re secretly dating.”
“Well, good for them. Everyone deserves to be with their soulmate.”
“Do you really believe that?” He looks almost hopeful when he asks.
“I do.”
He lets out a slow breath. “Man, you don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”
“Why is that?”
He opens his mouth to speak, but my phone lights up with a text from Zoe.
Zoe
We should talk.
“I need to go.”
Whatever Kenny has to say to me can wait.