Chapter 36
36
YES. MY DATE IS AMELIA THATCHER
I kiss Amelia’s hand before placing it in Rob’s. I hate the idea of another man holding her, dancing with her, all while I leave to play the dutiful son to a man that wishes I was anything but his son. I follow my father as we’re joined by Phil and the photographer for the evening, passing Cecelia along the way. She’s staring daggers at Amelia and I clench my fists in protective anger.
Rob is with her.
I trust no one else to protect her if I can’t. Rob has been my brother in all the ways but blood for as long as I can remember. He has stood by my side during each of these events keeping me sane throughout them all. I forgot to tell him he was off the hook tonight but I’m grateful for my lapse in memory. I hear the angelic laugh of Amelia behind me and I turn to see Rob has her body in a dip before pulling her up into his arms. There isn’t a sound in this world I crave more than her laugh. I just hate that it’s not me who’s the cause of it right now.
Being jealous of Rob is ludicrous. He hates these events more than I do. He left all of this behind to live a life of simplicity so I know he’s only here for me. And if I can have him ar ound Amelia to make sure no one else is, then there isn't a place for me to feel an ounce of jealousy.
“Right over here gentlemen.” The photographer ushers me, my father, and Phil to stand near the grand staircase that leads up to the second floor of the building. He has my father stand one step above Phil and I. Pretentious ass . Even when it’s someone else’s event he has to find a way to make sure everyone remembers who’s on top.
After I hear the click of the camera I begin to walk away, wanting to get back to Amelia as soon as I can but my father clears his throat behind me. “Where are you going, son? We aren’t done.” I turn around and see my father adjusting his cufflinks, not even bothering to look up to see if I am looking at him.
God I hate him.
Just then, Cecelia walks towards us along with her maid of honor who looks just like a mini wannabe version of the socialite, following her stride. My mother follows closely behind in her floor length champagne dress.
“Ready for us?” Cecelia serenades in a way that can only be described as nails on a chalkboard.
The photographer positions Cecelia near Phil and her maid of honor next to me and I cringe at how quickly her friend tries to cradle into me. I give a non interested shrug and I can tell I embarrassed her but I honestly have no shits to give for this facade of a portrait.
We aren’t a happy family.
My mother doesn’t acknowledge me before taking her place near my father on the step above us all. We go through the motions of a family portrait for the wedding album for a short eternity before I’m forced to stand there for another thirty minutes watching Cecelia and Phil run through a series of poses.
The photographer finally decides he has every combination of photos he needs before telling us we are free to rejoin the party. I vaguely hear Cecelia announcing to the group that she has to powder her nose before my father places his hand on my shoulder.
“Let’s find somewhere private to talk, son.” I want to roll my eyes at his word choice. Son . Something you’d normally find endearing coming from a man that you call father but from him, it just drips with insincerity.
I already know it isn’t a question so instead of arguing I just follow him.
“I thought you said somewhere private.” I state dryly while I eye the bar outside of the ballroom the party is currently being held.
“Can’t a father share a drink with his son while they talk?” He hands me a glass of whisky while he grabs his drink from the bartender. I eye him suspiciously before grabbing my glass. He’s never done a kind thing for me that I can remember so there’s very little trust in what he wants now.
Drink in hand, I follow one step behind him as we make it down a hallway. We pass a very angry Cecelia on our way to a private room.
Wonder what could’ve pissed her off in the bathroom. Must’ve been a bathroom attendant that didn’t recognize her from the tabloids, which brings a small smile to my lips.
We step inside a dimly lit room only illuminated by the lights from outside. I reach to flip the switch turning on the overhead chandelier needing a bit more light to make this conversation less ominous. I lean against the credenza lining one wall, choosing to stand instead of sitting in case I need a quick escape. My father follows my lead and leans against the executive wooden table that spans the room. I don’t expect him to ever take the inferior position by sitting while I stand.
“How have you been doing, son?” My father asks like it’s the most casual thing knowing there hasn’t ever been a time he’s ever asked me how I’m doing and actually cared for the answer.
“Just ask me what you want to ask, father. I have a date to get back to.” I retort sharply.
He takes a sip of his drink, “ah yes. Your date. Exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Who.” I say with anger laced in my tone.
“Right. Who . A little birdie tells me your date is none other than Amelia Thatcher. Is that correct?” I want to leave this room and take Amelia as far away from here as I can. I can see the look on my father’s face as he waits for confirmation. He is the snake you’re warned about your whole life. I can’t speak. If I confirm who she is, he will slither in and poison what we have. If I deny, that could be my career he holds the reins to. “Answer me son.” He demands sternly.
“Yes. My date is Amelia Thatcher.” I answer him through gritted teeth.
“Cecelia was right,” my father exclaims with a laugh so sinister the devil himself would be weary of it. “I knew you could do it, son. I just didn’t think you’d go so far as making her your date. This is good. We will have Thatcher Inc. signed as a client in no time.”
I stand there unable to speak. My rage is causing me to see red. This is exactly the reason why I didn’t want to listen to Tiffany. I should’ve known better than to bring Amelia here. Surrounding her with these people. I should’ve protected her from a man that would probably kill his own son if it meant furt her advancing his own agenda.
The ringing in my ear drowns out whatever he was saying. I can’t do this to her. I won’t allow this son of a bitch to dig his claws into my Amelia. I don’t care about the bullshit Tiffany was spewing about letting Amelia make her own choices. This is one I have to make for her and ultimately one I have to make for myself.
“No.” I say, holding back any emotion.
“I beg your pardon?” My father asks in shock. Never having heard me talk back to him, it really does take him by surprise.
“I said, no.” I say more sternly than before. “Amelia’s business is not up for discussion. She will not be convinced to sign with Anderson & Anderson. I will not allow anyone to come near her. Not tonight. Not ever.” I stand taller, standing my ground.
My father steps away from where he was leaning to stalk towards me, even at his tallest, I still tower him by half a foot. I used to be intimidated by him but I refuse to fear him when it means I can protect Amelia.
“What the hell did you just say to me?” He grinds out with anger.
“I said,” I close the distance between us and look down at him, “no one comes near her.” I enunciate each word to emphasize my unspoken threat. Come near her and I’ll make sure you barely live long enough to regret it.
“You don’t know what you’re doing, son. You’ve either had too much to drink this evening and aren’t thinking clearly, or you’re really ready to flush your career down the toilet because if you think I will allow for this kind of disrespect you are sadly mistaken.”
Sizing him up, knowing this is a fork in the road for me. I can choose the memory of my grandfather and stay or I can choose Amelia.
I down the rest of my drink before placing it down on the credenza. “I should’ve walked away from this place years ago.” A sense of relief washes over me. A weight lifted off my shoulders I’ve been forcing myself to carry all these years. I make my way to the door before his hand grips my arm.
“You ungrateful son of a bitch. You’ve always thought you were better than me. Why? Because my father took pity on you? That doesn’t make you special. He just didn’t live long enough to realize what a disappointment you would become.”
My free hand instinctively flies up to grip his throat, pushing him against the wall. “Lay another hand on me and I promise you there isn’t a single contract you’ll be able to sign without a proxy for the rest of your pathetic life.” I threaten while applying more pressure against his now erratic pulse causing him to struggle for air. “The only thing grandpa would be disappointed in is seeing the company he built has been turned into your playground for greed. Had he had an updated will before his accident, I can guarantee he would’ve preferred having the company signed over to the highest bidder than the likes of you. You were never his vision for the future and I’m tired of watching you besmirch the Anderson name. I’m done.” I let him go and watch as he doubles over, grabbing his neck and gasping for air. I leave him where he’s hunched over.
I walk down the hallway towards the ballroom so I can find Amelia when I hear him behind me, “you’re right you’re fucking done. I will make sure there’s not a single law firm that will touch you with a ten foot pole! You’re finished in this city!”
I choose to ignore him and keep walking until I see Rob standing outside of the party. “Where is she? Why aren’t you with her?” Knowing he knows exactly who I’m asking about.
Rob turns to me with confusion in his eyes. “I don’t know man. She was upset and she left. I don’t know what happened.”
Panic rises in my chest at the thought of Amelia gone. “What the hell do you mean she left?” I practically scream in his face.
Rob replays what she said before she left with her driver after coming back from the bathroom.
The bathroom .
Then it hits me. I realize what she must have heard my father say if she passed the room coming back from the bathroom. If she left after hearing it then she must not have stayed long enough to hear me quit my job for her.
“I need to find her!” I leave Rob behind while I run down the stairs to get in my car. I grab my phone and frantically call her but it immediately goes to voicemail.
I try again. Voicemail.
“Damn it!” I scream towards the screen on my phone.
Riley
Amelia, please answer your phone.
Riley
Where are you?
Riley
Please let me explain.
Riley
Amelia, please it’s not what you think. Just give me a chance to explain it to you.
Each desperate text I send her goes unanswered and my panic rises that much higher. I immediately head to her home, hoping that’s where she had her driver drop her off. I pull up to the front of her building and jump out of the car so fast I almost forget to put it in park.
I see Randy, her doorman, at the entrance. “Sir, good evening.” He bows slightly at the waist.
“Randy, have you seen Amelia?” I beg, holding my breath for his answer.
He scrunches his brow with worry, “no, Sir. Is everything alright? Is Amelia alright?”
“No, no. I just,” I pause, not even sure what to say. I run my hands through my hair in frustration at not knowing where she is. “I just need to find her. We were together tonight but we got separated and I just need to find her.”
“I can let you know when she gets home safely, sir. If you just leave your number, I can make sure to contact you.” Randy offers me a reasonable solution to my concern. Unfortunately, reasonable isn’t what I’m looking for at the moment. I offer my thanks, write down my number, then head off in search of her.
If she’s not at home, I doubt she’s killing time at her office, she must be at the one place that offers her solace.
I head to her garden.
I arrive at the secret oasis in a matter of minutes. I park my car as fast as I can, barely paying attention if I’m even parked remotely straight. All I can think about is Amelia. I pray to God that she’s here because I’ve run out of options. She isn’t answering her phone. My texts are still going unanswered. I couldn’t tell you where her friend Sam or Lauren lives, which are the only other places I can think she’d be but I just hope that this is the place she chooses to visit.
Taking a deep breath and sending a last minute prayer that I’ll find her here, I push open the hidden gate among the greenery wall.
Empty .
My shoulders slump in defeat.
She’s not here.
I feel like I’ve lost her. And not just in the physical sense. I think I’ve truly lost her. I kept her at arm's length even when she gave me a chance to let her all in. I allowed her the room she needed to have doubt in me. To her, I was just the guy that didn’t commit to her when I had the chance and after hearing what my father said… she had every right to assume I was playing her.
I want to hate him for this. Hate him for ruining any chance of good in my life. But the blame is falsely placed.
I hate myself.
At the end of the day, I only have myself to blame. I was too weak before to walk away from that sham of a family all because I held some emotional tie to a company that no longer felt like home. If I had started my career anywhere after law school I could’ve had a chance at a normal life. A chance at offering Amelia the man she deserved instead of a shell of who I could’ve been.
I’ve only ever felt alive when I was around her and now I’m not sure if she’ll even look at me again. Unsure of where else I could go to look for her, I drag my feet towards the bench in the corner of the garden. The same one I’ve sat on every time I’ve been in here with her and it tears at my chest even more knowing I might not get the chance again.
I stare out at the garden from where I sit and it’s more alive than the first time I was brought here. The night I met Amelia. Everything planted here is now in full bloom and yet I can’t appreciate the beauty of it without her. Her face when she’s h ere is what makes this place special.
All I can do is sit here and replay every interaction with her and I wish I could’ve done it differently. I would’ve never offered her a deal to pretend to be with me. If I had half a brain I would’ve recognized that she was supposed to be the real thing for me since the moment I met her. I knew when she ran face first into my chest at that restaurant that she marked me as hers. Even with being in the midst of a business meeting, the sight of Amelia distracted me enough to play knight in shining armor for her.
I’m not sure how much time has passed since I’ve been sitting here but my ass is starting to go numb on this metal bench and I’m nowhere near done beating myself up mentally. I grab my phone praying that there will be a missed notification on my phone with Amelia’s name on it, but alas, nothing.
It’s eleven thirty, which means I’ve been here for over two hours. I never heard from Randy which also means Amelia never made it home. That realization makes me panic and I lunge off the bench with the need to find her.
I grip the gate to swing it open and almost hit someone on the other side. “Shit. I’m so-” My apology gets stuck in my throat when I catch sight of a beautiful brunette in an emerald green dress.
“Amelia.” I breathe out.