Chapter 11
eleven
. . .
Urgency
Five years ago
lynda carlisle
Summertime, 12:02pm
She makes the drive in silence, flowers tucked safely beside her, nestled in a cardboard box used for transport. There was no need for music to fill the empty cabin space of her car. No need for a podcast to fill her mind with ideas and insights, not right now. She took this drive in silence, each time she’d done this. She had been finding that it was one of the few times she allowed her mind to spin through the memories and the bleakness. While Lynda didn’t like to have to do so—what’s in the past is over, not much sense in dwelling on it—she did in fact recognize the value in processing now and then.
She thinks about when she first met the man that would later become her enemy, unwelcome as the memory often is. It was clear from the start that the husband she had been introduced to had a crush on her own husband .
She knew the behavior all too well. The excitement in the men meeting, the similar drive and ambition, sparking their competitive natures. The introduction of the families, kids thrown together to solidify the connection. Then the business talk that progressively became more and more inappropriate and locker room-esque. Hell, her husband may have had a crush right back.
She patiently played along, not wanting to outwardly express her concerns to her husband about this new man in their lives. One had to be more subtle than that. A woman needed to finesse her husband with seeds to be planted, always leading him to believe an idea had been his own. Lynda was a master at this game.
It was how she herself had landed her husband, all those years ago.
A smile sweeps across her face as her mind wanders to this unexpected memory. She turns her blinker on to merge onto the highway, thinking about how she had fallen in love.
They had met at work, it’s true. But it was no accident that she landed on his team. She had done her research, and knew the various teams she might be placed on when she received the internship offer. She knew everyone’s ages, schools attended, general background and family wealth. She also knew that William Carlisle was single and handsome, which seemed like a winning combination.
At the orientation, she bumped into him with her coffee, effectively spilling it all over his pristine suit. A subtle blush, her apologies for being so clumsy, explaining how nervous she was. Men liked innocence like that, and William proved to be no different. She feigned surprise when he mentioned that he pushed to have her on his team. After the fool she made of herself to him? My, why thank you, sir. Thank you so much, Mr. Carlisle. He insisted he call her Bill.
Lynda made sure he felt like a hero in her eyes, and pretended to act embarrassed any time a little comment slipped from her pink lips that might have leaned into flirtation. Silly young intern, flirting with her supervisor. Please forgive her, forget she said a thing.
A drink? Oh no, she couldn’t possibly.
He insists? Well then, alright. Just one drink.
What she hadn’t expected was to have her fake crush turn into a real one. To fall in love with him. One drink really was one drink, Bill was perfectly polite about it. She started to worry he did not in fact find her attractive at all, that he was simply being mannerly.
In the second phase of a crush, a person tries to make every single moment together count. It’s your chance to get to know the person, have them get to know you and hope they fall just as hard as you have. You find little opportunities to touch, sending a little zing of electric deliciousness you hope they receive as intended. Because the spark exists there for you, like it or not. Reciprocated or not.
It was maddening for her at first. This was not something she was used to! Men always pursued her, usually unwelcomely. After years of learning which moves to accept and which to fight off as best as she could, this was new territory for her. Lynda didn’t like it one bit. She felt off-kilter and unsure in his presence, suddenly thrust into an agony of longing for him that was terrifying.
He was smart. He treated his team with respect, but never let them get away with a mistake without learning something from the mishap. Bill’s instincts were sharp, and he worked hard to not only do his job to the best of his abilities, but to be a mentor to those within his circle.
He never once behaved inappropriately despite her leaving ample opportunities to do so. She learned that nice men did exist, and that they needed a little more coaxing before they’d finally take the plunge and make a move.
In the end, he confessed to have feelings for her, but only when pressed. His work integrity made him unsure of this, however, and so Lynda was moved to another team. Thus, a personal relationship finally ensued.
She’d never had to work so hard for something she wanted rather than needed.
Surely you can understand, then, why Lynda felt she had to work extra hard to protect her family. She wanted to rescue her family from the dangers of their city, but she knew she couldn’t force the issue. She would have to suggest moving away and then wait for her husband to agree. Bill didn’t like quick changes, but Lynda argued that you never knew when there would be an opportunity to be had. He countered that you never knew when that opportunity came with risk.
It’s one of the things she initially loved most about Bill—he was a master at this art much like she was. They both understood that risk was part of the game, and in truth, it thrilled them for many years. However, money makes people do crazy things, she quickly learned, and the addiction for more is limitless. Her husband’s unexpected attack in the comforts of his parking garage had been the final straw in her mind. No more chasing in a game that had become too dangerous. Her husband had his hesitations in leaving behind the world he knew so well. They fought like cats and dogs about what their next steps would be, him yelling that she was being ridiculous, one bad moment wasn’t enough to uproot everything. Her begging him to be reasonable, knowing that his hunger for the game would be something he’d struggle to let go of. Her proposal to leave the familiarity of the wealthy New York neighborhoods he knew and loved in favor of the suburbs and a new business focus wasn’t exactly a welcomed one.
She came up with another idea.
Her plan had been simple and effective. A networking event in the Midwest. A fresh start with contacts she had forged, making her husband believe they were a result of his ability to charm.
Bill could hardly say no to her enthusiasm .
She had learned of the event and knew of the businessman who would be speaking to a crowd of eager listeners about a new venture. Lynda worked to ensure that the man and her husband would run into each other at the hotel bar later, suit jackets unbuttoned and ties loosened.
She sat quietly in the background as she watched each man stroke the other’s ego, sure they had found kindred spirits in one another. Her plan was working. Bill expressed interest, even toying with the idea of moving to the area deemed ripe and ready for the new business. She finally felt like she could breathe a little. She’d succeeded in pulling her husband out of his comfort zone, and in turn, she could keep her family safe.
Naturally, once the move happened, the two families would become close on a personal level. While it wasn’t her first choice, thanks to her difficulty in trusting people and for the sake of putting the past behind her, she understood it would have to be that way. One didn’t rise to success without partnerships built on loyalty. Both families had something to offer with their skillsets and assets, but it was clear to her which man was more cunning. It brought her some comfort to realize she and her husband would always have the upper hand.
Thankfully, Lynda did come to find that she enjoyed their company. The wife was a sweetheart, of course, though the husband would continue to grate on her nerves now and then. Never mind that, she could side-step his arrogance, particularly when her irritations were tempered with a glass of wine. The important part was that the plan was working, the businesses were proving to be a success, and her husband’s thirst for the next challenge was still meeting its match. They had continuing plans to grow, and their lavish lifestyle of comfort and warm meals was never at risk.
As long as she kept a careful eye out, they would be okay. She knew, too, that she could trust her gut. It had never proved her wrong in the past.
When the two families’ children began dating (teenagers—so many hormones, she was hardly surprised), she quietly supported, though her apprehension was evident. Things could get messy when the passions of youth were toiling their way through hearts. Perhaps she feared the kids’ inevitable breakup and heartache. She tried to remind herself that young love was fairly innocent, and she need not worry.