Me
As long as you’re sticking to the plan, baaa all you want.
After chaos ensued on Monday, we had an immediate sibling meeting where Van, with my encouragement and support, reminded the three stooges of the entire reason we are in the situation we’re in: Dad’s health.
Beck can have all the emotions he wants as long as he’s keeping them under wraps around our parents.
I step onto the pavement in front of Vanstone HQ and shut my car door.
Rome’s parking spot is empty.
Figures I’d beat him to work. He’ll probably show up late because the almighty Rome Pierce doesn’t need practice.
He’s taken the last few days off to get settled in, securing a place to live—hopefully temporarily—and collecting his belongings from the moving company. It’s given us time to recalibrate our high emotions, and it’s given Beck a chance to cool down.
If the media hasn’t caught wind of the recent changes within Pierce Racing, they’re bound to find out soon. We have a meeting with the PR team this morning, and knowing Gia, she’ll want to get back to posting on social media as soon as possible.
“Good morning, Tess.” Ellis, our head security guard, nods at me.
I smile. “Morning, Ellis. How was your break?”
“Ah, I spent most of it in the nursing home with Mom, batting away all the old ladies.”
I scan my badge and laugh. “I’m sure you hated the attention.”
Ellis is a quiet, older man who is as stoic as a brick wall. He’s been with the company from the beginning, following my father from Pierce Racing, which means he’s seen me at my best and worst. From awkward haircuts, to braces, to finally filling out a bra and learning how to use a curling iron…Ellis has been there.
He’s practically family.
“Loathed it,” he says. “Got to spend some time with Ariel, though, so it wasn’t awful.”
My chest warms. Ellis rarely sees his daughter, and it kills him. After his ex left town with her, Ellis took her to court, which led to a nasty custody battle where he gained some of the visitation rights back.
I raise my brow. “Did you give her the present?”
Ellis grumbles. “Yes, and you were right. She loved it.”
I smile. “I’m always right.”
He chuckles and turns toward the shuffling of someone else approaching.
The air shifts, tight tension filling every open space there is.
“Name?” Ellis snips coolly.
I peer over my shoulder and bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing. Rome stands with his shoulders squared, a badge that appears small in his large hand.
“Seriously?” A line edges itself in between Rome’s eyebrows, right beneath a lock of dark hair that hangs over his forehead. “You’ve known me since I was five,” he reminds him. “And we already did this skit a couple of hours ago, Ellis.”
A couple of hours ago? And who does he think he is using Ellis’s first name like that? They aren’t on a first-name basis.
“Name?” Ellis repeats.
I fail at keeping my laugh silent.
Rome snaps his gaze to mine, his blue eyes like icebergs, sharp and dangerous.
I sink my teeth into my lip.
