Tom’s knees gave out. He had to sink back into his chair and fist his hand against his mouth. “Good Lord.”
“Farris must’ve left something in his office, because he caught her in there looking at it. But instead of blowing up at her, he asked her to return it to the jewelry store for him.”
Ben paused significantly. “Everyone knows about the ring, Tom. They’re all wondering who this girl is that broke his heart. And Farris...” Ben blew out a breath. “That boy growls around the place like a wounded bear. Anyone with eyes in their head that can see he’s sore over...well...everything. It’s made everyone else all the more eager to find out who his girl was.”
Tom suddenly felt very sick. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his desk.
“I didn’t tell them about Lenna though,” Ben assured. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“Thanks,” Tom managed to choke out. “I appreciate it.”
Ben fell quiet before he said, “I kind of feel bad for him.”
Tom lifted his face. Ben winced, apologizing with his gaze. Tom’s gut burned, because, damn it, he kind of felt bad for the kid too. But he still boomed, “Why the hell do you feel sorry for him?”
Ben shrugged and couldn’t quite meet Tom’s gaze. “He looks awful, Tom. Even...even besides the whole ring thing...all you have to do is look at him to tell he’s miserable.”
“Oh, give me a break,” Tom muttered, though now he couldn’t meet his friend’s gaze.
“I’m serious,” Ben insisted. “Farris has changed this last week. He’s moody and short with everyone and bound and determined to find the computer culprit. The kid’s out for blood, I’m telling you. No one,
no one
is brave enough to approach him anymore.”
He sat back in his chair and let out a breath as he swiped a hand over his brow. “I was really sweating bullets there for a while. When I thought it was me he was after. But now that I know someone else was on his computer, I—I feel like I might have a chance to keep my job.”
“What are you talking about,” Tom asked in confusion. “How could he find out? I’m not going to tell—”
“Oh, he’ll find out,” Ben said with certainty. “He’s making charts, for the love of God, noting when everyone was in and out of the office. He’s narrowing the list. No one is above suspicion in his eyes, Tom. No one.”
Tom fell quiet. Ben continued talking, updating him on minor issues, but Tom didn’t pay much attention. His thoughts returned to his daughter.
Braxton had bought her a ring. He had told her he loved her.
It might not have been a lie.
Feeling a migraine coming on, Tom cradled his head in his hand and muttered, “God damn it.”
* * * *
The next Friday, two weeks after he’d suspended Tom from Farris Industries, Braxton called Davenport into the office for a talk. He would’ve preferred to do anything except speak to Lenna’s father. Get his wisdom teeth cut out, pass a kidney stone, be burned at the stake...
He didn’t want to see Tom again for as long as he lived. But the man arrived at Braxton’s office just before noon.
An antsy-looking Tasha showed him in. Since Braxton already knew she’d stand outside and listen through the keyhole, he didn’t bother telling her to shut the door.
Instead, he shot straight to the point. “It was Gloria Benson,” he said before Tom could even sit.
The older man paused, his knees already bent to plant himself in the chair across from Braxton.
He lifted his face and straightened. “What was?”
“The person who broke into my computer and downloaded my sensitive files.”
Mouth falling open, Tom straightened. “Gloria? But...I never would’ve thought she would...Really? It was Gloria?”
Braxton nodded. “I terminated her employment this morning. Farris Industries has also filed a lawsuit against her. There’s a possibility she’ll end up with jail time over this. But the good news is we caught her before she successfully sold any company information or stole enough money to hurt us.” He paused significantly before adding, “So you can stop covering for Ben now.”
Tom’s gaze sharpened. “Ben?” he said with all the confusion of an innocent man, except Braxton spotted the sweat beading his temple.
His eyes narrowed. “Yeah, your pal came clean and confessed he’d been in my computer as well. But he assured me the only files he downloaded were...” he coughed as a look of utter devastation crossed his features before he swallowed and added, “those pictures for you.”
“Is he...” Tom tried to ask, but his voice went hoarse before he could finish the question.
“Fired?” Braxton prompted. When he shook his head, Tom deflated. “No, Hendricks isn’t fired. Neither are you, for that matter. Actually, I’ve revoked your suspension. You can start working again Monday. That is, assuming you want to come back.”
Half hoping he’d decline—Brax could live out a full, peaceful life without ever setting eyes on Davenport again—and half hoping he’d accept—Farris Industries really did need the bastard back—Braxton waited a tense moment while Tom contemplated his answer.
Finally, Lenna’s father gave a brief nod. “Yes,” he said, his Adam’s apple jerking. “Yes, I’d like to come back.”
Braxton exhaled a small breath he’d been holding. “Okay,” he said, trying sound as monotone as possible. “We’ll see you Monday. Your co-workers will be relieved to relinquish your duties back to you.”
With his dismissal made, Braxton turned away and flipped open his organizer; he’d have to schedule another meeting once Davenport returned. He realized Tom stuck around, watching him, but he didn’t care. He ignored the older man until Tom spoke.
“What about compensation pay for my leave of absence?”
Braxton slowly lifted his face. Weeks’ worth of pent up rage must’ve shown on his face because Tom took a leery step back.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Braxton said. “I hate you.”
Tom’s eyes widened.
“I hate you more than…than…Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever hated anyone before. But I fucking hate you. I’d be happy if I never had to see you again. You took away the most important thing in my life.”
Slipping a little too close to his raw emotions, Braxton paused and took a second to breathe through his nose. “If I were you,” he started again, calmer this time. “I wouldn’t ask for any favors or special treatment from me. Ever. You’re lucky you got your job back.”
“Why did I get it back then?” Tom’s gaze was confrontational, but his face had paled to pasty and sick.
Braxton snorted out a derisive laugh.
“Haven’t you caught on yet, old man? You’re her
father
. I couldn’t have fired you if you’d been the fucking embezzler.” To his own horror, his voice cracked.
His face turned hot. “Get out,” he snapped, hoping the man would scram before he lost it.
Thankfully, Tom stumbled backward, reaching blindly behind him for the exit.
* * * *
Braxton stopped by the liquor store on his way home and had the bottle open by the time he staggered through the front door.
He hadn’t nearly reached that happy place where nothing hurt anymore when his phone rang.
He had no idea what hour it was. Time had no meaning but pints and quarts, and his bourbon was three-fourths empty.
He checked his caller ID, not quite social enough to talk to anyone. But when he saw his parents’ number, he answered.
“Yeah?”
“Guess what?” his dad’s cheerful voice echoed through the line.
“Hmm?” Braxton muttered.
“You know that new doctor we started taking Savannah to a month or so ago? We haven’t seen Clara once since she’s started with him.”
This information actually had Braxton sitting straighter. “Really? That’s great, Dad. Do you think she’s cured?”
“No,” Spencer was quick to answer. He paused to clear his throat. “No, Doc says Clara’s still in there, inside Savannah’s head. But this treatment she’s going through is actually working. In another four to six years, she should be herself again.” He sucked in a breath. “God, Brax, you should see her. It’s like we have our old Savannah back.”
“Wow. That’s...That’s really amazing. I’m happy she’s better.” He meant his words, and actually felt guilty for drowning his misery about something so trivial when his sister had been struggling through serious problems.
“So, I was thinking,” Spencer started.
“You’re ready to come back to Farris,” Braxton finished for him.
His father remained quiet a moment before he sighed. “Yes. I am.”
Braxton nodded. “Then, I’ll tell the crew tomorrow.”
“Wait. Are you sure you’re okay with this? I know we talked about it before you took over, but since you’ve been in charge for a while—”
“Dad,” Braxton cut in, “it’s perfectly fine. You have to be going stir crazy at home with nothing to do. Your employees miss you and, well, Greg keeps begging me to return to ProTech.”
“He has?” Relief filled Spencer’s voice. “That’s great. I’m glad everything’s going to work out. And maybe Tom will ease up on you over his daughter since you’re not going to be his boss anymore. You two kids could get back together.”
“Yeah,” Braxton murmured. “Maybe.”
When Hell transferred to the North Pole
.
He and Lenna were over. The end. And there was no way he was going to torture himself by returning to ProTech, where he’d see her every miserable day he went to work. Damn it, he’d shot himself in the foot for getting her that job.
Braxton hung up with his father a moment later and stared at the phone thoughtfully.
Lenna
was
still at ProTech, wasn’t she? He hadn’t heard any news about her in two weeks.
Maybe she hated her workload and wanted to quit. Maybe she already had. Or maybe Greg didn’t like her performance and had fired her.
Thinking there was a chance he might be able to return to his old job, Braxton glanced at the phone still in his hand and dialed Greg.
“Brax, man,” his boy answered on the third ring. “Wuz up? You ready to come back to ProTech yet?”
Yes, please, he was so ready.
But Braxton merely snorted. “You never give up, do you?”
“Hey, how do you think I get all the chicks?” was Greg’s cocky answer.
“Oh, ho!” Braxton replied and grabbed his stomach as if he were having a normal, everyday, carefree conversation with his bud. “So, your big secret is to harass a girl until she gives in, huh?”
Greg was quiet a moment before he came back with, “Well, I like to think of it as persuasive coaxing.”
Braxton snickered. God, he missed the sound of his own laughter. “Look,” he told Greg as he scratched the back of his neck. “I was wondering if you were up for some climbing.”
Yeah, that sounded good. He needed a nice laboring, sweaty day full of rock climbing. Maybe if he was lucky, he could fall off a mountain and put himself out of his misery.
“Am I up for rock climbing?” Greg snorted. “Dude. You name the time and place, and I’m there.”
Braxton bit his lip. “How about this weekend? Rose Ridge?”
“Sold.”
“Good,” Braxton said. Great. Now, how was he going to work his way into asking about Lenna without raising any flags? “How’s it been?” he asked. “Haven’t seen you in a few.” Okay, that was a lame attempt, but hey, he had nothing here.
“It’s going,” Greg replied. “Actually, I was starting to think you’d gotten yourself into a relationship or something since I hadn’t heard from you in a while.”
“No,” Braxton lied. “No, I haven’t been seeing anyone.” He cleared his throat. “But speaking of ladies...” Yeah, it was a bad segue, but he’d lost his patience. “How’s that girl doing? The one I recommended to you for the translating position. She told me she got the job, but I, uh, I haven’t heard from her since.”
His fib actually sounded believable. When he’d become such an accomplished liar, he had no idea.
“Lenna,” Greg sighed her name, making Braxton’s teeth clench. “Pretty Lenna is awesome, man. We’ve yet to send a website her way she hasn’t been able to translate.”
“Is that so?” Braxton said, hearing a smidgeon of disappointment slip into his voice. “She’s doing well, then?” Damn.
“She’s doing fantastic. You can tell she really likes what she does too, because she thanks me for hiring her, like, every day.”
Braxton slid into a chair, his chest burning.
That sounded like Lenna. Always so thankful.
He wished Greg would go on, tell him more about her. He was glad she liked her job. He really was. It’d been important to her to find something she would enjoy. Her happiness at ProTech made his inability to return almost worth it.
Jesus, he missed her.
“Yep,” Greg continued. “So, you should really give yourself a pat on the back, bro, because I never would’ve hired her without your approval.”
“Hmm,” Braxton murmured.
“Don’t you just feel like her fairy godmother?” Greg teased.
Actually, he felt more like puking.
“So...” Greg asked, almost evasively. “When are you coming back to ProTech again?”
Sure. Why shouldn’t he return? Then he could work alongside Lenna where they could be one big, happy family...and then he could shoot himself in the head.
“I really need to form a partnership with you now,” Greg went on. “That way I can put Lenna under
your
supervision, and it wouldn’t be weird for me to ask her out.”
Braxton’s vision grayed. “Say what?”
“What do you think?” Greg asked. “Is it wrong to ask out one of your employees?”
“I...ah...” Braxton couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe.
Greg wanted Lenna?
Of course, he wanted Lenna. She was
Lenna
.
“She’s been majorly bummed lately. I think I’m just the kind of guy to cheer her up, you know. She’s really hot too.”
Touch her and die
, Braxton nearly growled.
He caught himself at the last second and forced a deep, calming breath. But his nausea only intensified. He couldn’t take this. Just imagining Lenna with
Greg
—
“Brax?” Greg called after a second. “Yo, you still there?”
“I...I’m sorry. I have a call on the other line,” he lied. Again. It was some kind of phenomenon. “It’s the office. I should take it.”