"Yes, he is," Greg said and turned to give me an icy glare. "Adrian is not here to make copies and lay out snacks. He's here to learn how to run a business, not be your coffee boy."
"Aww," Liam cooed, wrapping his arms around Adrian and picking him up. "Adrian's trying to be a serious business man."
"Stop it, Liam!" Greg said irritably as Liam put Adrian down. "Adrian, has Mace been teaching you anything?"
"I got the whole office smoothies, and they were still frozen!" Adrian said proudly.
Greg shook his head slowly. "Why am I not surprised?"
"He's learning logistics," I protested.
"This ends today," Greg said.
I cut off the tirade that I knew was coming. "I need to start the meeting. Don't want to get behind schedule." I walked to the front of the room, pleased to see my PowerPoint was loaded onto the screen. "Good morning, everyone, and a warm welcome to the representatives from Platinum Provisions. I'm glad that our two companies are able to partner and branch into medical device development. We're currently in the process of locating a site for the new light manufacturing plant. We will also be building more research and development facilities."
I heard athunkand looked over to see Henry, face suctioned onto the glass door of the conference room. He wasn't wearing any pants or shoes.
I shook my head at him, but he pushed the door open and came in, looking around. Some of the attendees giggled.
Go to Liam. Go to Archer, I chanted silently, willing him to hear my commands. Henry made a beeline for me and clambered up my pants leg.
"We offer daycare here, and obviously one escaped," I said, picking him up and glaring at my brothers. Not a single one moved. Adrian finally came over to drag Henry off me.
Henry did not want to go. "I don't like it! They're mean! It's prison!" he wailed. There was more unintelligible shrieking as Donna, one of the daycare workers, ran in.
"I'm so sorry," Donna apologized. It took her, me, and Adrian several minutes to peel Henry off of me. I had to pry each of his fingers out of my hair, all while he screeched in my ear.
My ears were ringing when they finally left.
"My apologies." I checked my watch. "The schedule has a break now anyway. This PowerPoint will be emailed to everyone." Annoyed that the timetable had been disrupted, I walked over to the table and grabbed a bottle of water.
Through a mouthful of cookies that he procured from who knew where, Liam said, "Thank God for the interruption. You really outdid yourself. That has to be the worst presentation you ever gave. I particularly liked it when each letter of 'research and development' came in like a hail of bullets."
Garrett snickered. Then he and Greg exchanged a look.
"I'm going downstairs to check on Henry," I said, scowling at my brothers. "I'm sure he needs his clothes at least."
Greg followed me as I walked through the office. "What are you plotting?" I demanded, picking up Henry's pants. "It better be about finding me help with the kids. I'm the only person who cares about them."
"You're hardly the only pillar holding this family together," Greg retorted.
"Yes, I am! Hunter was supposed to help, and he's never here. He's off running his latest scheme. None of you guys who live in Manhattan ever show up to help. And now you and Garrett are plotting something."
"I don't plot," Greg said, picking up Henry's shoe.
"Garrett plots."
"Garrett has expressed concern about your mental health."
"My mental health?" I snarled at him. Greg raised an eyebrow.
"My company is doing great. We're branching into a new sector. We've never been more profitable. Tell Garrett my mental health is fine. You know how he is when he starts fixating on something. I don't want to be his target." I found the rest of Henry's clothes behind a plant.
Greg followed me down to the daycare to return the clothes. "I know you need help," Greg said, "so I have a surprise for you."
"I don't like surprises," I said as we cut through the lobby to go back upstairs to the conference room. But Greg stopped in the middle of the atrium.
"I know that. That's why I wasn't going to tell you. I hired you an assistant. She was supposed to be here by now, though." He looked around the lobby.
