“You are somehow my favorite person right now,” I mumbled as I continued to sip at the delicious brew.
Rome chuckled, “On a scale of 1-10, how hungover are you right now?”
We made our way into the elevator and started our familiar journey down, the floors ticking by. “Solid eight. Scale of 1-10, how mad at me are you right now?”
He looked me up and down, his dark gaze assessing. “I’ll be mad at you when the hangover is gone, deal?”
I sighed in relief that I didn’t have to deal with a lecture just yet. “Deal.”
Luckily for my pounding head, the conversation stopped as we left the building and hopped into the town car. Even my driver, whose name I still didn’t know, somehow knew to stay quiet.
I chugged my coffee in the short car ride to the office, and fashioned my sunglasses on my face in the hopes of hiding my slightly bloodshot eyes. I couldn’t be going into work looking as hungover as I felt.
Walking into Bly Enterprises felt like coming home.
From the moment I could talk, I wanted to take over the business. Throughout college and law school, I knew I could successfully run the company. I served as CFO for a time before finally being promoted to acting CEO.
I was self-aware enough to know that I only held this position because of nepotism, but I also knew I could grow this company to new heights.
“Your messages, Ms. Bly,” Andi greeted as she handed me a stack of papers right as the elevator door opened up to the executive office floor.
“Give me the rundown,” I instructed as she followed me towards my office.
Andi had been working with me since I started law school. She had just dropped out of veterinary school after her family business had failed. She had no path forward and no plans, but she was brilliant.
When looking at Andi, everyone underestimated her. She was always dressed in a way that resembled a stereotypicalgrandmother and had a timid voice, but she could have been a spy with the CIA given her ability to obtain information for me. She was sneakier than anyone gave her credit for. She had become my secret weapon.
“Beckett Industries released their yearly financials, and it’s nothing we didn’t expect. They’re doing well, but still nothing to worry about. The board needs to meet with you about the most recent acquisition in Italy… and we may have a bit of a PR crisis,” she explained as she did her best to keep up with my long strides.
“A PR crisis?”
Andi nodded as we veered off into my office while Rome wandered into his own. He was my technical head of personal security, so wherever I went, he went. I would have gone crazy if every waking moment was spent with him. My office was my safe place, away from demanding male egos, and Andi was amazing enough to find an office for me to stick him in while I worked. She also had a great view of him from her desk, so she was quite pleased with the arrangement.
“Melissa, from the public relations department, is coming to meet with you about it. Also, your brother called and wanted to have a conversation with you about something important. He didn’t elaborate.”
I nodded and set my purse on the oak desk that sat in the center of the room. I looked around my office, realizing it matched my home. There was no color. It was all black, grey, and various wood tones.
When did I lose all of the color in my life?
“Ms. Bly?” Andi asked tentatively.
I shook away my thoughts and focused my attention back on her. “Thank you, Andi. I’ll call my brother back now. Tell Melissa we can meet at noon.”
Andi nodded, grabbing my purse and shutting my office door behind her as she headed out. I sighed and slumped in myoffice chair. Two of the four walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, showing off the New York City skyline. But my current headache wouldn’t fare well with the sunny skies, so I shut the electric blinds and popped two painkillers before dialing up my brother.
He and I hadn’t always been close. It was only in recent years that we worked to maintain consistent communication. Between our busy schedules and his reluctance to come back to New York City—worried that he would face our father—I almost never saw him. However, we made an effort to talk at least once a week.
“What?” Will asked when he finally answered after what felt like the hundredth agonizing ring, reverberating through my aching skull.
“Do you always answer the phone that way?”
Will chuckled on the other end of the phone, a sound I still wasn’t entirely used to hearing. My older brother had always been more reserved and moody. I used to joke that he was a stereotypical grump. Since meeting and marrying his wife, Jackie, he could almost be mistaken for a happy person. I swear, I nearly caught him smiling last time I went out to visit.
“I didn’t know who was calling,” he explained over the receiver.
“How are you? How’s Jackie?”
I could hear the smile in his voice as he answered, rambling on about Jackie, their life in Oregon, and something about a new cat. If my count was correct, it was their third. I couldn’t help but feel jealous as I listened… but mostly I felt joy that my brother found someone who was perfect for him. He had found the family we had been deprived of as children. It’s all I had ever wanted for him… and for me.
