Chapter 13
13
ELLA
“ W as that your brother?” I ask as the driver pulls the car away from the Lane property and heads back into the city.
If you would have asked me, it seemed like a big waste of time to send a car to go pick me up, drive me to the Lane house an hour outside of Chicago to pick up Bennett and then head back into the city.
But according to Bennett, it was necessary. How? I have no idea. But hey, he’s paying me from the second I step out of my apartment building, so you won’t hear me complain.
“Who?” Bennett asks from the seat next to me, not looking up from his phone.
“The guy that looks like he could almost be your twin.”
That causes Bennett to look up from his phone and give me a confused look. “Elliot doesn’t look like me.”
A small snort come out of me. “Add some facial hair on him, put him in a suit and maybe style his hair and he is the spitting image of you.”
When the car pulled up to the house, I half expected to only see Bennett, maybe a house keeper opening the door, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw two other men there, waiting with smiles on their faces. Both looked like friendly smiles, but one coming from the guy that looks like Bennett, Elliot, looked like he was enjoying himself too much and I was missing an inside joke.
Bennett thinks about my assessment for a few seconds before he shakes his head and goes back to looking down at his phone.
“He’s my nephew. My brother’s kid.”
That make sense.
I remember from reading Thomas and Catherine Lane’s obituary that Bennett’s older brother was sixteen when they died. He must have started his family young.
“Is your brother going to be joining us for the board meeting?” The question comes out without a second thought and when Bennett’s shoulder tense up, I regret it.
I watch as he drops his phone on his lap, face down and turns to look out the window.
He answers a full tow minutes later. “No. My brother hasn’t step foot in Chicago for ten years and I doubt that he is going to do it anytime soon.”
I’ve been around Bennett a lot thee last three weeks and in that time I know when something has hit a nerve and he is trying his hardest to keep his anger in check. This is one of those times.
Feeling embarrassed, I drop my head slightly and apologize. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. Curiosity took the best of me.”
It takes a minute, but Bennett finally says and turns back to face me.
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t know.” A weird look crosses his face but then it quickly disappears. “My brother… is a sore subject. Especially on a day like today.”
My curiosity tries to get the best of me, but this is the one time that I don’t let it. I already made him upset with my last question, I don’t want to do that again.
The silence between us last for a few minutes.
“You want to ask why, don’t you?” He says, breaking the silence.
I let out a sigh, I guess I have to learn how to school my facial expressions.
“I do, but I’m not going to.”
“Why not?”
A small smile forms on my face. “Because I respect you, and if you say it’s a sore subject then I have no right asking about it.”
He studies me. His eyes moving across my face as if he is taking every inch to memorize it. My brain is telling me to shy away, but I don’t. I want him to keep looking at me like he is, because even if it’s for a split second it makes me feel like he wants me.
And I hate myself for even thinking that.
A man like Bennett Lane could never want me. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, who can have any woman that he wants, there is no way he would settle for someone like me.
“How much do you know about my family?” He asks, his question not one that I expect for him to ask.
“Only what I learned when I applied for this job.”
“Which is?”
“Not much. Just that your parents died when you were young and that your brother hasn’t been very public about his life as you have.”
And it’s true. That’s all I know about his family. I’ve heard a few whispers about the Lanes from the day I started working there, all over the building but I don’t stay to listen. It feels wrong learning about the family when I’m working for one of the members.
A small scoop leaves Bennett. “I guess that’s one way to describe my bother.”
It sounds like there’s anger in his voice.
“How would you describe it?”
We were supposed to use this drive to talk about the board meeting and a few other things that we need to get done before the afternoon but I have a feeling that we won’t be doing that.
Bennett turns to look back out the window and he stays like that for a few minutes. I just sit there watching him, waiting for anything that he might say.
I start to think that I won’t be hearing anything at all when he speaks.
“My brother isn’t hiding from the public. Well maybe he is but not in the way that the internet told you. Nobody has seen him in ten years. Not me, not his kids. He just fell off the face of the earth just like he did when he was sixteen.”
A lump forms in my throat. “Did he…”
“Die? I have no fucking clue. I’ve spent years trying to find some confirmation that he is dead or alive and to this day I have yet to find something. To find him.”
The lump gets even bigger as my heart swells for him. I see the hurt in his eyes, and hear it in his voice and it takes everything in me not to shed a tear for him.
“What happened when he was sixteen?” I find myself asking. I should just let the conversation drop, but I find myself enthralled by everything that Bennett says.
“A month after my parents died, he just got up and left. He told me that he was going to come back, that he was just going to take some time to figure things out. I didn’t end up seeing him again until fourteen years later, when he showed up on my doorstep with his fur kids, asking me to watching them for a little bit while he got things settled. And well, he never came back. He abandoned me when I was eight and then he abandoned his kids the same way.”
If my heart wasn’t broken before, it definitely is now.
In a matter of weeks, Bennett lost his parents and then had his brother walk out of his life, not once but twice. That’s a lot of trauma for one person to handle and from the sounds of it, he’s still dealing with it.
I guess for some of us it’s harder to let go of things than it is for others.
Wanting to be there for him in some way, I push all my emotions down and reach over and place my hand on top of his and give it a squeeze.
His eyes move from my to where are hands are together. I know what he is probably thinking. I shouldn’t be touching him, but he doesn’t do anything to move me away and neither do I.
For some reason, having our hands touching like this feels right. Being close to him feels right.
“I know these words probably won’t sound like they have sentiment, and that I’m just saying them because it’s the acceptable thing to say, but I’m really sorry you experienced something like that. I know what loosing someone you love feels like. I know what goes through your head when someone you that is supposed to be there leaves when you need them the most, and it’s the worst thing in the world. I hated it and I’m sure you did too. It’s sucks and I’m so damn sorry it happened.”
I didn’t realize that I was crying until Bennett reaches over and wipes away a few tears that are running though my face. This is as close that I’ve been to him since earlier in the week when I kissed him.
If only I van be closer.
But we already said that the kiss we shared was a mistake. We can’t keep making them.
“You had a tough childhood.” It’s a statement, not a question, his hand not dropping from my face.
I give him a nod. “Yeah, you can say that,” I say not wanting to elaborate any more.
Bennett must understand because he gives me a nod as he pulls his hand away from me and straighten up in his seat.
As soon as there is distance between us, I miss him. I miss his touch and his scent burning in my nose.
Before I decide to something stupid, like kiss him again, I wipe the remaining tears away and change the subject.
“Tell me what I can expect from today’s board meeting.”
From the second that Mr. Goldman told Bennett that he was calling a board meeting, things have been moving along as if it was any other week and the current CEO did not state that come next week Bennett was going to be in his role. I would have figured with news like that Bennett would be on edge or at least doing shadowing Mr. Goldman or something, but no. The man has acted just as normally has he has before. Sure, there were times this week where he was stoic, but he has come out of meeting with a bounce in his step, which is not something that I’m used to seeing.
I realized rather quickly that the news that he was going to be CEO was not news to him. From the way he has been acting, he has probably known for a while that this was going to happen.
He might have been worried about this new position, at least not from what I could see, but I was, because if he got promoted did it mean that he would be getting a new assistant?
I asked him that very question two days ago and he reassured me that my job was safe, which calmed me down a bit but there are still a handful of questions that I have.
Some of them concerning the board meeting.
According to Bennett, I’m his assistant and I have to be there. Why? Who the fuck knows, but I’m going to be there and I don’t want to go in unprepared.
“It will just be like every other meeting that you’ve sat in on. Goldman is going to lead it, and drown on about how much the company means to him right before announcing he is going to retire.”
I nod. “Then he is going to announce you as his retirement and the board is going to vote on whether they agree to give you the title or not?”
“Yes.”
“Are you nervous about the vote?”
Bennett shakes his head. “No. I need ten votes I have no doubt in my mind that I will get them.”
“But you are nervous?” I didn’t want to say anything but when I switched the subject to the board meeting, the man sharing the back seat with me tarted getting a bit fidgety. Either he is nervous about the board meeting or being this close to me freaks him out.
A deep sigh escapes his body. “No. I’m not nervous but,” he pauses to think about it. “I know the board. They don’t want me to have this title, so they are going to do everything in their power to keep me out of that seat. I just don’t know what and not knowing is driving me insane.”
Right away, my mind got to Peter Hill. He hates Bennett and since board member, I know he has to have something up his sleeve to keep Bennett from being CEO. I really hope that I’m wrong though. I hope Peter doesn’t interfere with this, because even though I’ve only been working at Lane Enterprises for a short period of time, I know that Bennett would be a great CEO. He already does so much for the company, but the hire ups don’t even care. From what I’ve seen, he’s the best choice I just hope that nobody takes it away from.
I cross my legs and square my should as if I am ready to walk through a battle. “If they do try to take that title away from you, we will just have to find a way to stop them regret it.”
Bennett turns to me, with what looks like fire in his eyes and a grin playing on his face. This is a new look and I never want it to go away.
“Those are mighty words, Ms. Vincent.”
I shrug. “Well if people want to play with fire, they should know the consequences that come with it. Getting burned and the possible chance that there won’t be anything to stop the flames from over taking them.”
…
The day passes a lot slower than I thought it would. All people can talk about is what they think the board meeting is about. According to the chatter the cafeteria, is that nobody know why Gerald Goldman would call a meeting, apparently he only informed me and Bennett and nobody else.
From what I’m hearing, some people are guessing right, but other are just throwing the most random things out there. Like Gerald is leaving Lane Enterprises to go to another company, which is plausible but the man is up there in years and I doubt he even wants to continue working. Someone else said that they think that Gerald is going to be opening up his own winery in Italy, which I could happen, I mean the man is retiring and if he loves wine that much then go for it, but again, I doubt it would happen.
The most eye popping one though is the one I heard in the bathroom about how that person thinks that Thomas Lane himself is coming back from the dead and kicking Gerald out as CEO. Apparently this person thinks that the Lanes faked their own death and are choosing now to come back. Who even thinks that?
If I was a less civilized person, I would have walked out my stall and punched the lady in the mouth for thinking such a thing. She no doubt took something before coming into work, because that idea is absolutely bonkers.
I look at the time on the corner of my computer screen and let out a sigh of relief. The board meeting is thirty minutes away. Thank god. I don’t how much longer I’m able to sit at the age of my seat. Bennett may not be nervous about the vote, but I am.
What if it doesn’t go his way? Will he quit? Or continue working here while the board looks for another replacement for Gerald?
I also can’t take the amount of pacing that is happening in his office right now. He’s been going back and forth between the coffee maker and the door for the last hour and it’s driving me insane. For a guy that says he’s not nervous, he is shit at hiding it. I think about going in there but then I might to something stupid like kiss him again to distract him.
So to keep myself from walking into the office, I try to keep myself busy until it’s time to head up to the conference room.
I’m in the process of sending a text to Charlie, telling her that I will be late and to use some of the money I left this morning for dinner, when I hear footsteps approaching me.
When I look up, I’m a little surprised when I see a little boy in a suit standing in front of my desk.
He beams with a smile as he gives me a wave. “Hi.”
His smile elicits one of my own and I wave back. “Hi. Are you lost?” I ask, looking behind him for an adult that may be with him.
The little boy laughs. “No, my uncle works here.”
I study the little boy and he looks familiar. I’ve seen him before, but I didn’t get a good look, but now as I take in his face his familiarity is more than seeing him down in the lobby. Almost as if he were the younger version of the man currently pacing in the room next to me.
“Who’s your uncle?” I ask for confirmation.
“Bennett Lane,” he announces his smile growing bigger. “I’m Drake.”
He holds out a hand for me to shake and I can’t help but to chuckle a little as I slide my hand against his.
“It’s nice to meet you, Drake. I’m Ella, your uncle’s assistant. Did you come here by yourself?”
The little boy shakes his head. “Henry and Elliot are coming up. I just beat them to the elevator. They’re too slow.”
“Are they now?” As if on cue, the two men that I saw earlier today at the Lane property walk toward my desk.
Henry looks annoyed and Elliot looks amused.
“Mr. Drake, what did I say about running?” Henry reprimands, but the little boy just give him a shrug.
“I was excited.”
Henry shakes his head and is about to say something to me but he is interrupted but Bennett’s twin.
“Hi, I’m Elliot. We didn’t get to meet back at the house. You must be Ms. Vincent.”
This guy can’t be that much younger than me, so him calling me Ms. has me scrunching my nose.
“Call me Ella and it’s nice to meet you too. If you guys want to go in and see Bennett you can, but I should warn you, he’s bee busy pacing a path to the floor below us.”
All three of them look at each other, as if they are trying to figure out what to do, but that’s when the door to Bennett’s office opens, revealing the man himself.
“Uncle Bennett, look. We’re matching.” Drake’s voice breaks the small silence as both Bennett and I look over at Drake, who is indeed matching his uncle.
Omigod. That is the most adorable thing in the world. Before the night is over, I need to take a picture and get it printed so that I can put it in Bennett office.
“That you are.” Bennett says to his nephew and gives the little boy a smile, that I’m seeing for the first time. One that reaches his eyes and makes him look even more like the most gorgeous man ever.
No, he is the most gorgeous man ever and I’m going to hell for thinking it.
The Lane men talk for a few minutes as I kick myself for thinking that my boss is hot. I’m still lost in thoughts of his smile that I almost miss when Bennett calls out my name.
“What?” I ask, getting myself out of the daze.
“Are you ready to head upstairs?” Bennett asks, his eyebrows bunching up in the process.
I frantically grab my notebook, pen and phone before getting up. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Bennett situates Drake in his office, where is going to wait until the board meeting, and once that is taken care of, he, Henry, Elliot and I head up to the top floor of the Lane building.
“This room is as stuffy as I remember,” Elliot mutter from where is next to me as the four of us walk into the conference room.
The three men head to the huge conference table that sits in the middle of the room and take a seat while I head over to the floor to ceiling windows where three other assistants are.
There are so many people in this room that I have never seen before. I guess that should tell me the severity of the CEO calling a board meeting.
A few minutes pass by and a minute or so before the meeting is about to start, the doors close and Gerald Goldman stands at the head of the table, with a smile on his face.
“Thank you everyone for coming tonight. I know this was a bit of last notice, but appreciate the effort.” Mumbles fill the room before the attention goes back to Gerald, who takes a second to collect himself. “A lot of you may know why we are here tonight, some may have guessed it, but if you don’t know, I called this meeting to officially announce that I have decided to retire.”
Claps sound out, and more than a handful of people get up from their seats to either give Gerald a handshake or a hug, congratulating him on his retirement, including Bennett.
Once everyone has had their chance to thank Gerald for putting in the work at Lane Enterprises, everyone sits back down and waits for the current CEO to continue speaking.
“Since I’m retiring, not only do I have to announce who I’m choosing as my replacement, but a vote to put the change into motion needs to happen. Why not just do it all in one go?”
Gerald scans the room, meeting the eyes of every single board member.
From the corner of my eye, I see someone moving. I turn to see Peter Hill place his elbows again the table, his almost foaming at the mouth at the anticipation of who Gerald was going to announce.
The asshole thinks it’s going to be him. Of course he does. It finally clicks as to why Peter hates Bennett so much. He sees him as a threat, an unstoppable one at that.
So when Gerald doesn’t speak right away, of course he is the one to speak up about it.
“We don’t have all night, Gerald. Who are you choosing as your replacement.”
A look of anger passes across Gerald’s face when Peter speaks but Gerald is able to compose himself and give the room a bright smile.
Peter’s mouth keeps foaming and I see Henry place a hand on Bennett’s shoulder. If I were sitting next to him, I would be holding his hand.
“There was nothing hard about my decision. I know that who I have chosen will always do great by this company.”
“Who is it?”
I swear Peter is on the verge of jumping out of his seat and celebrating a victory that is never going to come.
Gerald looks around once more and the bright smile from before overtakes the room.
“I’m choosing Bennett Lane to replace me.”
There’s silence for a few second, before the room fills with claps and cheers. Like with Gerald, people get out of their seats and walk over to Bennett to give him their congratulations. As if the vote already came and went and he officially holds the title. Everyone congratulates Bennett, everyone but Peter.
My eyes stay on my boss for a minute or two and I love the fact that there is actual happiness flowing through his eyes. I want to see that happiness every day.
My marveling of Bennett is cut short when I notice Peter get up from his seat, a sadistic grin playing on his lips.
This man is up to something and from the looks of things, we are all about to find out why.
“This absolute bullshit. He can’t be named CEO.” Peter snarls, after slamming his fist against the conference room table, grabbing everyones attention.
It’s Bennett who confronts him.
“And why the fuck not?” He says, the happiness in his eyes completely gone.
“Because of the clause. And because the clause hasn’t been met, there can’t be a vote tonight.” The grin on Peter’s face grows even more.
Clause? There’s a clause?
“And what clause are you talking about, Hill?”
“The marriage clause. The one that states the CEO of Lane Enterprises must be married in order to hold the title.”
Oh shit.