Chapter 4 Stop Coasting
~Caden~
I arrived at work before anyone else had come in, badge tapping against the scanner with a mechanical beep. The floor was quiet, and I was glad for the silence.
I grabbed a black coffee and went straight to my office, not even bothering to check my phone. I already knew there were no new texts from Felicity. Not that I expected one. I hadn’t earned one.
I sat at my desk, staring at the screen without seeing it. After about an hour, my assistant arrived, and I heard her moving around her desk and the area. Once she was settled, I pressed the intercom—time to face the music.
"Lauren? You around?"
"Yep. Be right there."
She walked in moments later, tablet in hand, eyebrows slightly raised.
All business. Lauren is amazing. I stole her from my former boss when I started B&R Consulting.
She had been working for him already for fifteen years when he retired.
Rather than let her get away, I begged her to come with me to start my own firm.
Lauren has been my assistant now for over a decade, and I couldn’t live without her. She’s a grandma three times over now, I think, and right now I have a feeling like she may wring my neck.
"Everything okay?"
"No, can we go over a few things?"
She nodded, taking the chair across from my desk.
"I need to go through everything. All the personal stuff. Felicity’s birthdays, anniversaries, flower deliveries—everything you’ve helped me with."
Lauren blinked. "You want a full rundown?"
"Yeah. No filters."
She was studying me for a beat before pulling up a file on her tablet. "Okay. You ready?"
"As I’ll ever be."
I watched her scrolling. "Alright. You got the file I sent you yesterday, right?"
I winced. "Yes—let's go beyond that."
"Okay—let's start with her birthdays since hers is so soon.
I've helped with buying her gift for the last three years. First year, you got her diamond studs. Second year, Tiffany pendant. Then the silk scarf. Last year was a Saks Fifth Avenue gift card because you didn’t confirm sizing in time on the long-line coat that she'd mentioned being interested in. "
"I gave my wife store credit for her birthday?"
"You did," she said, evenly.
I dragged a hand over my face, rubbing the stubble along my jaw. "Jesus."
"Anniversaries have mostly been spa packages or dinners. You canceled dinner two years in a row—once for the Houston trip, once because Macy had a fever. The spa was booked out by the time I tried to rebook."
"I remember the fever. I don’t remember canceling dinner."
"You did. I called her myself the following Monday to help with rescheduling."
There was a lump rising in my throat. I sighed.
"She's never complained or said anything negative about any of the gifts or cancellations—at least not to me." Lauren said gently.
There was a long silence.
"Keep going."
Lauren hesitated. "You want me to review Jessica’s gifts too?"
My eyebrows lifted. "Jessica’s gifts? You’ve sent Jessica gifts?"
"Yes." She looked at me like I’m an idiot. "You asked me a while back to keep things cordial. Gifts from Macy for holidays and milestones. Nothing too big, but still meaningful—your words."
"And?"
"And… last year, for her fortieth, I sent a Cartier desk clock."
I blinked. "You what?"
"She turned forty. You were in New York, I think. You told me to handle it and do something special from Macy."
"A fucking Cartier clock?" My voice cracked as I leaned forward, knuckles white against the desk edge. "You're telling me I bought my ex-wife—my EX-wife—a goddamn luxury timepiece that costs probably more than a grand? For fuck’s sake."
She flinched at my tone but recovered quickly, squaring her shoulders. "The receipt is in the system if you'd like to see it. You told me to handle it and didn't specify a price range."
I leaned back in my chair, stunned. "So Jessica got a Cartier clock, and Felicity got a Saks gift card and a recycled spa package?”
Lauren didn’t respond right away. Then: "You want to tell me what’s going on?”
"Complete fuck up."
Lauren's spine straightened, her lips pressing into a thin line as she clutched her tablet tighter. "I beg your pardon?"
My voice was low now. "No—not you. Me." I dug my fingers into my forehead trying to rub away the headache that was building.
I couldn't meet Lauren's eyes. "Yesterday—like a moron—I gave Felicity's birthday gift to Macy when she saw it and thought it was meant for her.
God, the look on Macy's face—she was so happy.
But Felicity..." I swallowed hard, the memory of my wife's expression flashing before me.
"Then, to top it off, I forgot how old Felicity was turning.
Forty. It's forty. How could I forget that? "
I leaned my head back, squeezing my eyes shut. “And meanwhile, my ex-wife is sitting in her office checking the time on Cartier throughout her day." Bitterness flowed through me.
Yes, she's Macy's mom, but Cartier? What's next—a private island for her half-birthday? I don't remember 'luxury timepieces' being in the ‘nothing too big, but meaningful’ list of possible gifts.
"I'm sorry—can we go back? Did you say you gave Felicity's gift away? The custom-made purse?"
I exhaled, the sound hollow in my chest. "Yes—not on purpose. I mentioned that Macy found the bag. What I didn't mention is that I'd hidden it in her closet, behind all the crap she’s collected over the years. I figured it would be safe there for the couple of days she'd be home.”
I sighed, thinking it through. “What eleven-year-old goes digging in their closet?
Mine, of course—since it just so happened she needed her ballet shoes.
" I rubbed my temples, feeling the headache pulsing beneath my fingertips. "But then she walks into my office and pulls out the bag—this stunning Dior bag in all its effing glory.” I groaned. “Lauren, she was going on about how perfect it was. She was so happy. I just couldn’t find the words to say no.”
Lauren crossed her legs and narrowed her eyes. "And you thought your wife would just… what? Understand?"
I held up my hands, preemptively. "I know.
She saw it when she walked in and actually dropped the groceries on the floor.
There was Macy with the bag. And Macy started talking to her about how happy she was—even thanked Felicity, thinking the gift was from both of us.
Fuck, what a mess. Then once Macy went upstairs… she let me have it. Deservedly."
Lauren’s expression dialed back from pissed-off mom to deeply disappointed.
Her voice softened, but not by much. "Listen, Caden—I haven’t said anything before.
I wasn’t really sure it was my place. But I think it’s time.
After thirty years, with Mark, I've learned that if you stop showing up, the other person stops waiting. "
I didn’t even try to argue. There was no venom in her tone—just truth. Truth, I hadn’t wanted to see.
"She said she’s run out of words," I murmured.
"I'd say she's earned that right," Lauren said, leaning forward. "She’s out of words, Caden. What Felicity needs isn't another promise or explanation—it's action. Show her that she matters."
I stared at the desk—jaw tight.
"You want to fix it?" Lauren asked.
I nodded slowly, feeling a painful ache spread through my chest. "I do. God, I do. I love her more than anything—I just... I'm terrified of it being too late."
"Well," she said, walking to the door. "You’ve got the week to prove it’s not. I’d start there."
She paused, hand on the doorframe. "And for the love of God—don’t delegate this to me. I believe in you. You love her. You’ve got this."
She walked out.
I was rubbing my eyes when her head popped back in again.
"One more thing—freebie. You’ve got dinner reservations tonight. Antico Forno, 7 p.m. I booked it a month ago—an anniversary makeup, just in case. Based on what you’ve told me, I doubt she’ll show, but maybe you can figure out a way to make it count—If you’ve got it in you."
She paused at the door, then turned back with a slight frown.
“Actually, there is one more thing. Has Jessica been asking you about work lately?” I looked up from my desk. “Not really. Why?”
“She called here last week. Said she was trying to reach you about Macy’s school schedule, but then she started asking questions about our clients. How business was going, whether we were busy this quarter.” Lauren’s expression grew concerned. “It felt... off.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Nothing specific, obviously. I told her she’d need to discuss business matters with you directly. Probably nothing, but it felt weird.
I felt an uncomfortable twist in my stomach but pushed it aside. “Probably just making conversation. You know how she is.”
“Maybe.” Lauren didn’t look convinced, but she shrugged. “She also asked if you still travel a lot for work. Even overnight. Whether you’re ever out of town overnight.”
“Could be it was because of her wanting us to take Macy maybe? But if it happens again and it still feels off, then just let me know.”
“Will do.” Lauren paused at the door, then turned back. “Actually, there was one more thing. She asked about our expense reimbursement process—how quickly we turn around travel expenses, whether receipts go directly to accounting or through me first, that sort of thing.”
“Our reimbursement process? Why?”
“She said Brad’s company was looking to implement a new system for their employees.
Wanted to know how we handle things—do you submit expenses as you go or in batches, how long approval takes, whether we require original receipts.
” Lauren shrugged. “It seemed like a lot of detail for casual conversation, but maybe she was just being thorough for Brad.”
I felt that uncomfortable twist in my stomach again. “What did you tell her?”
“The basics—that you usually submit monthly, that I process them and send to accounting, standard turnaround is about a week. Nothing confidential, but...” She trailed off.
“But?”