Ned does remind me that I’m upper management now, and I head straight to the executive desk to check in. I expect to be sent to my new office, but instead, I’m redirected to Darryl Peterson.
As I walk up, my heart beating, he pulls the door open and ushers me in.
It’s routine to check in with the new Finance Director of Audits, especially on his first day, I remind myself. But after the press conference, he did suggest my employment was conditional on the publicity fallout.
His office blinds are open, and the sun glares behind the tall windows that occupy the rear wall. The rest of the room is stuffed with file cabinets and bookshelves, and there are framed papers on the few blank wall spots.
He stands stiffly beside his desk, hands behind his back, and nods for me to shut the door.
When it clicks, I turn to him. He doesn’t offer me a seat, so I stand and try my best to look confident and not guilt-ridden.
“Your health is fine?” he asks shortly. “You’re capable of returning to your responsibilities?”
It’s not the question I feared, and I quickly answer.
“Yes, thank you. I’m eager to start.”
“I know you’ll be busy catching your team up. And you’re high enough up in the company now that I’m sure you’ve heard that we’re dealing with several complications at the executive level.”
That must have been what Ned was referencing.
“There’s nothing for you to concern yourself with,” he continues. “From you, Hansley, I need only discreet professionalism. I need your name out of the news, and the extra scrutiny turned away from the firm. Do you understand?”
“Yes. That’s all I want as well.”
He frowns. “I can’t expect you to control my son. God knows I never could. And I’ve heard all the rumors that are spreading. I’ll chose not to believe any of that filth, and grant that you were only trying to keep him out of trouble. But I insist you distance yourself from him going forward.”
I feel sick to my stomach. There’s no way I’m about to promise something like that.
“I understand,” I tell him, thinking fast. “But might I make a suggestion?”
He looks at me expectantly, even a little impatient. It makes me think of Elliot’s stories, how it must have felt for him to grow up with this man.
“Elliot is also trying to move on,” I tell him. “I agree—your son and I both need to stay away from the spotlight. But I believe I can offer him support during this uniquely challenging time.”
Support that maybe you should be offering, too, I think, but don’t add.
He shakes his head. “You must not have heard me clearly. Your responsibility at this moment, Hansley, is to put the media circus to rest. If you cannot do that, we can find someone else who can. I’d hate to have to spread word around town that you’re unreliable. Understood?”
Chilled and feeling the sting, I nod. “Yes. I understand.”
“Good. That will be all.”
My heart pounding, I exit. I’m in a daze as I pick up the keys and move into my new office, which is very small but private. There’s a cardboard box with my stuff sitting beside the desktop computer.
I shut the door and sit behind the desk. “Shit.”
I toss through my emotions, trying to make sense. An indignant part of me pushes back against Darryl Peterson, but I’m also checking myself. I need to be cautious here. Elliot and I cannot be seen together, and it would be unreasonable of me to expect my boss to simply accept an employee seeing his son.
Once all of this nonsense has passed, the attention off and the firm past its crisis, then Elliot and I can consider going public and talking to his father. The consequences will fade withtime, and if this really is love, the eventual turbulence will be worth it.
My head spins when I consider that.Love.I’m not ready to declare my love for Elliot, but despite the brief time we’ve known each other, I do feel something that I’m not sure I’ve ever felt before. When I think of him, I feel hopeful, ready for whatever comes our way next. Eager just to see him again, touch him.
The phone on my desk rings, and I’m pulled into my first meeting. My team catches me up quickly, and the morning continues full-pace. I barely have a moment to refill my coffee between reviewing spreadsheets and signing off on documents, although curiosity does lead me to take a moment at lunch to check the casino boat budget.
I’m surprised to see the entire event budget riddled with inconsistencies. It all falls under the purview of our COO, but I know he’s out of town this week, so I flag a few things before sending along to Mr. Peterson, not wanting to leave any loose ends.
The avalanche of numbers does me good. Sorting everything out and feeling useful proves therapeutic, although the routine meetings of upper-management wear me back down. It’s not until the afternoon that I finally have a moment to breathe.
