Chapter 17
Damian
“I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do for us, kiddo,” Leon says. I’m so relieved to have finally closed on this account, I don’t even let the “kiddo” reference bother me.
“Thank you, Leon. I truly believe this will be a mutually beneficial partnership. You’re making the right choice,” I tell him.
“Maggie can’t stop talking about that weekend.
She was asking about Brielle again just the other night.
You and your lady really made an impression on her.
And Pammie, if I’m being honest. She wasn’t sold on this partnership originally, truth be told,” he says.
It’s exactly what Brielle said to me that night after dinner.
Leon was ready to jump in bed with us right off the bat, but Pam was the one we needed to win over.
Since we’ve come back from that weekend trip, I hadn’t heard from the Vitales. I was starting to think that maybe we didn’t sell ourselves as a couple, that the Vitales caught on to our charade and lost trust in us… in me.
“Well, I’m glad that we were able to get to know each other, and your family, on a deeper level. Pam was right to withhold her trust in a complete stranger.”
Leon laughs. “She usually is right. That’s why she calls the shots on who we do business with.”
“I’m honored to have been chosen,” I tell him. “Say hello to her and the family for me. And Brielle,” I add.
“I will. I will. We’ll have to get together again soon. Maybe when the weather warms up a bit, I can have you both back for some fishing on the lake. In a boat next time.”
I plaster a smile on my face, my insides squirming with discomfort. It isn’t like I can run to Brielle every time something comes up. She isn’t at my beck and call as some on-call fake girlfriend. Although the thought of having a fake breakup with her doesn’t sit right either.
“Sounds like a plan,” I say. We end the call, and I sit back in my chair, giving myself two minutes to just enjoy the fact that I closed on another account.
My first thought is that I have to let Brielle know the good news.
The urge to go down the hall to tell her in person hits me, but that would be a mistake.
And Lord knows I’ve made enough of those where Brielle is concerned.
Not that they feel like a mistake. I pick up my phone instead, shooting off a text to her.
Me: Signed and sealed. Cardinal West Outdoors is officially part of the CreativEdge portfolio.
I stare at my phone, waiting for a response.
When one doesn’t come through right away, I put my phone down so I can send the account details to our contracts department to start setting everything up for them.
I’m halfway through the email when my phone chimes.
I reach for it faster than I should, a smirk tugging at my lips when I see a text from Brielle.
Brielle: Congratulations, Mr. Edgerton.
That’s it? That’s what she sent? After all the work we did signing that account?
The formality shouldn’t bother me. Hell, it shouldn’t be bothering me that we went a week with no communication whatsoever since we came back from Maine. We had an agreement. The moment that night ended, we forgot it ever happened, but I still couldn’t get her out of my head.
Me: Thank you again for everything you did.
Brielle: Again? I don’t recall the first thank you.
Me: I thought I had made that clear when we were up against your door. Was it not?
I hit Send and then immediately regret it. This is not forgetting it ever happened. This is the exact opposite of that, and it isn’t what we agreed to. Still, my heart beats harder, waiting to see if she’ll respond.
Brielle: I suppose that was a pretty decent thank you.
Me: Decent? That’s how you’re going to describe it?
The gall. I am already shaking my head at the phone with no one around to me see. There is no way in hell she thought that was just decent. Almost a week later, and it is still the first place my mind goes every morning and every night.
The sounds of people packing it up for the day filter through my office.
Brielle doesn’t respond, so I put my phone down and get back to my email.
I can hear her laugh getting closer. I am not going to look up though.
I have no reason to try to catch a glimpse of her as she leaves for the day.
The blood pumping through my body feels heavy and thick; the muscles in my forearms flex, like if they could reach out without my permission, they would seek her.
Her voice is louder now as she says good night to Louisa.
I look up.
Brielle is stopped directly in front of my doorway. She types something out on her phone and then pockets it, never looking my way.
My phone chimes.
Brielle: I don’t describe it at all, because it never happened. But if I did recall something like that, I would describe it as phenomenal. Too bad I don’t remember it.
She ends the text with the winky-face emoji.
I put my phone down with a renewed sense of pride. Something about that validation feels dangerously good.
Before I leave for the night, I take a walk through the office like usual. A couple of people from the design team are still here finishing up. They have the wall-mounted screen on, displaying the tentative campaign for one of our liquor distributor clients.
“I think it’s almost there,” Trent says.
“Are you sure Satan’s going to like that hook? I feel like we should have something more classic,” Danielle says.
“We can present two options, but I think he’ll like the youthful energy of this. It’s trendy and targets the young-adult demographic. He’d be stupid not to go with it,” Trent adds.
“It’s good,” I say. Both heads snap to me.
Danielle’s eyes swirl with panic. Trent looks over at her and then back to me.
“You’re right. It’s a strong hook. I like it.
The ad creative is appealing, but make it brighter.
This will be their summer campaign, and what you have here gives off spring vibes. ”
“Okay, yeah. Sure. We can do that.”
“Good work,” I tell them.
“Um, thanks, Mr. Edgerton.” Trent says, Danielle beside him with her jaw hanging open.
“Listen. We just signed a new account, Cardinal West Outdoors. I know Leon and Pam Vitale personally, and I’m going to expect nothing but the best for their account management.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to take them on,” Danielle says quickly. She hasn’t been with CreativEdge for very long, and she still feels like she has something to prove, although everything I’ve seen from her has been excellent.
“Good,” I say with a nod before I add, “I want you to bring Brielle Collins in on this, too.”
Danielle looks at Trent with confusion.
“Isn’t Brielle an accountant?” Trent asks, caution lacing his voice.
“She is, and she’ll be an asset to your design team as well.” I hitch my brow, challenging one of them to question my decision-making. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“No, sir,” Trent says quickly. Danielle nods her agreement.
“Good. Pack it up for the night. Pick this back up tomorrow, and get that palette updated.”
“Yes, sir,” the pair say in unison.
I leave them in the office and make my way to my car. I pull out of the parking garage and turn left, my hand on the Bluetooth controls of my car.
Phenomenal.
That’s what she said.
It doesn’t matter, because she’s my employee, and on top of that, she’s the one who said it was a bad idea. She doesn’t want to go there, and I respect that.
Still, we have another trip coming up next weekend, and since we haven’t even spoken in a week until I messaged her today, we need to get a plan in place.
That’s the only reason why I’m reaching out, I tell myself.
It’s bullshit, and I know it. I miss having her around, but I don’t let myself go down that road. We really do need to make a plan for next weekend, and since it’s her family, I’m following her lead.
“Call Brielle,” I say into the commands.
It rings enough times that I almost hang up, but just before I get sent to voicemail, she answers.
“Mr. Edgerton, hello.” Her voice is smooth and professional. Like her boss calling her after hours on her personal cell is completely normal.
“Damian,” I correct, letting her know that this isn’t a work call.
“I didn’t think Damian was supposed to be calling me,” she retorts.
“Are you backing out of the family thing next weekend? Because last I knew, we still had one more go-round before this is over.”
A beat of silence on the other end of the phone before Brielle responds. “Yeah, I’m still going.”
“Do you not want me to accompany you anymore?” I ask. My stomach twists uncomfortably.. “Decide to take your sister up on her offer instead?”
“God no,” she huffs.
I let the silence wrap around us. This has nothing to do with me. It’s her call to make. If she wants to go alone, she just needs to tell me so. But if she still wants me to go with her, I will.
“Tell me what you want from me, Brielle.”
I hear her swallow on the other end of the phone. I’m hanging on to her noises, waiting for her response.
“It’s… fine. It’s too late, anyway. My flight leaves on Friday, and they’re probably sold out. I kind of forgot it was right around the corner with everything else.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the flights, Brielle. Do you want me there with you?”
“Yes. But I shouldn’t,” she says quietly.
I get that. I feel the same. But there is something addictive about Brielle. About the way she stands up to me. The way she bonded with Maggie instantly. The way she sees the world through her own unique lens.
“Come downstairs.”
“You’re here?” she asks.
“Yes. If you have other plans, cancel them. I’m waiting out front.”
“So bossy,” I hear her say as she hangs up the phone. A smile pulls at my mouth. It isn’t until she comes out a few minutes later that I feel a sense of being settled.
She stops to talk to Pete, so I move around to the passenger side and open the door for her.
“Thanks,” she says as she passes me to get to the car.