He leaned back. “Livy never had a chance at life. She never got to live, never got to experience anything other than the compound and taking care of us. I’m never going to forgive myself for not rescuing her.”
“Maybe she’ll turn up,” I said after a moment. “From what I’ve seen of you Svenssons, you all are extremely difficult to get rid of.”
He smiled at me. “The billionaires club, stupid name, but they produce a lecture series for newly minted billionaires. Most of it is just bullshit, old boys’ club stuff. They never liked me and my brothers. But one thing they did say was that if you want to stay successful and keep your edge, you can’t surround yourself with yes men. You need people who will call you out on your shit.”
He tipped my chin up. “You’re one of those people for me, Tess. You’re invaluable. It’s a rare gift to speak the truth to a powerful person, even when it’s something they may not want to hear.”
I raised my glass to him. “I am more than happy to call you an idiot any time, any place.”
32
Beck
“But why do we have to go back to school?”
“You want to show off your new haircuts, don’t you?” Tess said to the girls as we stepped out of the car in front of the four-story brick school building.
“Please try not to fight,” I begged my sisters.
“I want to stay and do CEO classes with you.” Enola grabbed my sleeve.
“We have to work on our app,” Annie added.
“You can work on it after school,” I promised them. “Maybe you can brainstorm if you get bored in class.”
Tess and I waved to them as they walked into the building.
“I bet you a box of cookies they don’t last the week,” Tess said when we were back in the car.
I settled an arm on the back of the seat behind her.
What are you doing? She’s your assistant.
But it felt like more.
I had never wanted to date, had never really envisioned myself with a family. My father had been obsessed with dating and finding new sister wives. Part of my aversion to dating was that I didn’t want to be even remotely like him.
But between my sisters showing up and Tess moving into my house, it felt like we were an instant family unit, and I sort of liked it.
You can’t date your assistant.
But could you make out with or hook up with your assistant? Tess had been flirting with me off and on. And at brunch, she had hugged me and stroked my face.
That still doesn’t change the fact that she works for you. You are literally paying her to act that way.
But what if she did want more?
Tess leaned back and rested her head against my arm.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Tess said. “I’m so behind on work that I do need them to try not to cause a riot at school.”
I thought about lifting my arm, running my hand through her hair, pulling her close to me, kissing her.
But I didn’t.
It’s illogical. You simply can’t act that way with your assistant.
But I wanted to. I wasn’t sure why.
