15. Chapter 15
Jinny
T here is only one word to describe the expression on Led’s face. Pure joy. I never knew that firing a person could do that. Especially when it’s your brother that fired you. “So...what are you going to do? What’s your next move?”
“Well, this said architect that my brother boned made plans for building me an office at the house. I haven’t decided if that’s the way I want to go or if I want her to alter the plans and buy some land to build it on.
Either route will take some time, or I can buy a building and have it remodeled.
In the meantime, I can do business from home or rent some office space while the permanent place is being built. ”
She’s smiling. “What is it that you’re going to do, Led? That’s what I meant.”
“Oh, that.” I chuckle. “Yeah. I want to open my own financing firm. A place where customers can come for investments, investment advice, financial advice, financing, you name it. I’m tired of doing finance for large corporations owned by family.
Doing financing for large corporations doesn’t bother me, I just don’t want to have a personal stake in any of it beyond the contract that I agree to with the customer.
Big or small, I’ll do it all, I just want it to be mine and something that I can control.
Something that I can set attainable goals for.
Whether it be startups or established companies. I’m just tired of working for family.”
I blink twice. My face is set. “It was because of me.”
Neither of us can keep a straight face.
His chest starts to vibrate and then I lose it. We both laugh until I start to wipe my eyes and mewl. “Okay, so it wasn’t because of me.”
Now it’s his turn to wipe his eyes and mewl. “No. Not at all. It’s my pain in the ass brothers that drive me nuts.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. I can vouch for the fact that it’s so important to love not only what you do but where you do it.”
“I’m glad that you approve.”
“Here’s hoping that this girl that Halen’s found is as good as you.”
“What’s her rap sheet look like?”
I run down the list of her accreditations and degrees, plus some experience. “If you want to sit in on the interview, I’m sure that Jagger would be cool with that.”
He speaks with a chuckle. “Why the fuck would I want to do that? She can have my job. Hell, she can have everything down to my goddamn stapler. Just now, before you arrived, I was copying all my files into the shared drive, so that this chick, if she’s the one, knows exactly all the shit that I’ve been doing for Jagger. ”
“Are you going to train her at all?”
“If that’s what Jagger wants. But if she’s as good as her rap sheet says she is, then she’ll need little of it. It would just be awkward, seeing as I’m the owner’s brother, and I’ve been given the boot.”
I tilt my head and speak like I’m almost chiding. “Led, don’t be dramatic. You’re leaving of your own accord. And this will be public knowledge, too.”
“Why does the world need to know?”
I speak through a scoff. “Because Lawson Enterprises just signed a contract that will make them a multi-billion-dollar company with the most prestigious automobile engine manufacturer in the world. And the CFO, the CEO’s brother , is leaving to pursue his own career.
Do you think that that’s going to go unnoticed? ”
He smirks, displeased. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess you’re right.”
Time to change the subject. “Do you need any help preparing?”
He winks. “Do you want to hire me some staff?”
I tilt my head. “Your brother Halen can help you with that. What I mean is, do you need help getting the business going?”
He frowns, shaking his head. “I’ve been mentally preparing for this for years, Jinny. And Rush can take over in that department. He and Halen can get the fire going, but thanks for the offer.”
I feel like that was his polite way of saying that this conversation is over for now. “Okay. I’m sure that you have a million things to do.”
“Not anymore.”
I give his hair a tousle as his eyes focus back on his laptop screen. “I’ll see you later.”
He says as I walk towards the door. “Your pool open tonight?”
“Honey, my pool’s always open.”
“Fine. I’ll drop by if you’re home.”
“I should be. I’ll give you the code, so I don’t have to haul my ass out of said pool to let you in.”
He’s so cavalier. I love it. It’s refreshing. “Sure. Text it to me.”
I’ve never given a guy my code before. It’s supposed to be a big deal.
But I guess, in this case, it’s not. As I prepare to interview Led’s replacement, it feels odd.
Very odd. After such a short time working with him, it still feels a little morose the thought of not seeing him here.
No matter how seldom that was. But then I start thinking about the fact that he asked for my code and asked to come by tonight, and I realize that maybe this isn’t such a bad thing.
The rest of the day is a blur with a flurry of things going on around the office, and when I finally pack it in for the day, it can no longer be classified as daytime.
Once I get home, I thaw a bowl of stew and hop in the pool when my belly is sufficiently full.
I’m fully immersed in my own little world as I do laps upon laps, until I can see a pair of feet on the lip of the pool, and I bob my head up out of the water.
It’s Led, looking so fresh and full of life, as the surrounding lamps glow around him, making him look somewhat like a god under them. “You come here often?”
He smiles. “I do now. It seems like this is the place to be.”
“You want to go change into your suit and join me?”
“Sounds perfect.” He says, and begins stripping down, as though he’s stripped in front of me a thousand times. And I have no bones about watching him, either. “You like what you see?”
I want to say, ‘Love. I love what I see.’ But I stop myself. God strike me dead if I sound presumptuous. So, I say nothing, and just smile warmly. He smiles back at me as his briefs come down and his glorious cock, however flaccid, appears in front of me. “You don’t need a suit.”
“Bullshit. I learned my lesson the hard way the last time.” He says, pulling a pair of swim shorts out of his briefcase next to his pile of clothes.
“What else have you got in there?”
He sits down at the lip of the pool. “Well, I brought a change of clothes, you know, just in case I feel the need to warm your bed tonight.”
“I see you had a little celebration in mind.”
He frowns. “Possibly.”
I watch him slither into the pool and start doing laps. I join him even though I’ve already done mine. I’ll never grow tired of doing those. Finally, we stop for air, and he’s winded. “God, that’s such a great feeling.”
I agree. “Isn’t it?”
He leans up against the wall of the pool, holding himself up with his arms draped across the lip, lifting his feet up and treading water with them.
“So, what’s the word at the office? Does the world know about me moving on yet?
” Then he lifts a hand and says facetiously. “Never mind. Because I don’t care.”
The smirk is playful. “Those who need to know, know. But it hasn’t been publicly announced yet. Not until we at least interview this potential new hire.”
“And when does that happen?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“I see Jagger doesn’t want me there, or he would have asked.”
“He knows the drill. He won’t ask you unless you offer. And he knows that I can handle it. Training and all.”
“Of course you can handle it. You’ve got enough people to do it. Besides, I’ve got an appointment with a realtor in the morning. I decided to rent some office space to get the ball rolling.”
My face brightens. “Wow, you’re really on fire, aren’t you.”
“I am. God, I feel so alive. I never thought that I’d ever say that.”
“I’ve felt alive since I quit drinking. That was a long time ago. Once you start living your life for yourself, it makes all the difference in the world.”
“That’s the truth.” He licks his lips. “The best part is that I didn’t have to do it with a fight, either. My brothers knew all along and none of them were upset. Well, I’m not sure about Stevie or my parents, but I’m sure I’ll find that out soon enough.”
“All anyone wants is for you to be happy. It seems like you were the last to know that you were miserable.”
He looks down at himself, almost remorsefully. “It sure seems that way.” Then he changes the subject. “Do you mind if I use the sauna? I’m about waterlogged enough.”
“I’ll join you.”
He lifts a hand and points at me, and through dancing eyes, he looks at me. “No fucking in the sauna this time, okay?”
“I’ll try to control myself.”
I get up out of the pool, wearing my very unsexy bathing suit, knowing full well that I don’t need to impress him with it anymore.
He follows me to the sauna, and I get it going.
We sit in silence, enjoying the calmness, relaxing, and then he finally breathes a long sigh and speaks.
“Do you want to come and see this office space with me?”
I give him a look. “I have a day job, Led. I can’t.”
“No, tonight, I mean.”
“I thought you said that you’re meeting this realtor in the morning.”
“Yeah, just to firm things up, but I’ve already got a key and it’s paid in full.”
“Man, you don’t mess around.”
He frowns. “I already knew about the space through someone at Lawson.”
“Wow. Hearing you say that, and not say ‘through work’, sounds odd.”
He just grins. “You wanna go?”
“Do you mean now?”
He shrugs. “I’m going.”
“I thought you were going to hang out here.”
“I am. I just...I can’t wait to go see it again.”