As I walked to his oversize desk in front of a breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline, it was easy to remember who he was—the son of the owner of one of the largest chocolate companies in the nation. I could hear his feet pad toward me, but I didn’t turn around. I stayed, feet planted on the floor, until Connor swung around his desk, sat down, and steepled his fingers by his lips. I fiddled with my hands in front of me, walking slowly to the chair in front of his desk as though I were walking the plank of a ship.
“Have you made a decision, Charlie?”
“This is the thing: what if I can’t do what you want me to do?”
“All I’m asking you to do is try. Brainstorm with me, sketch up some initial plans, just do what you were born to do and give me ideas with that original vision you had in mind.”
I sighed, unsure.
He reached into his desk and pulled out the sketch of my imaginary chocolate that I’d drawn out at the bar. “I’m sorry. I stole this from you. But this is something I can work with. My marketing team can proceed this with vision.” He waved it in the air and smiled so beautifully that it made my heart hurt. “If you help me, we can work together to save my family’s company. We employ thousands of employees nationwide, and I can’t fathom failing them, unable to pull through. We need to give this company a fighting chance to succeed in this market and against our competitors. To do that, we need a whole new look, a whole new vision. Charlie, I’m asking you to help me.”
It was the kind of speech that took place on top of a podium in front of thousands of people, and it hit something deep inside of me—family.
I had to admit, it would be fun. It had been a fun thirty minutes at the bar, thinking with the girls on branding this imaginary chocolate bar—what the name would be, what the packaging would look like, what the logo would be. I hadn’t seen it as work because it was enjoyable.
When I didn’t say a word, he walked to my side, sat at the edge of his desk, and crossed his ankles, facing me directly. “Charlie, seriously, I need you.”
When I still didn’t speak, he stood and dropped a little, getting in my line of sight. With the lightness of his fingertips, he placed one hand on top of mine. My skin was set aflame at his touch, and a jolt of electricity surged through me. I decided if he were the sun, then what I had just experienced was solar energy.
“Charlie, please.” He paused, mulling something over in his head. “I’ll make it worth your time. I know people in the industry. I have connections in New York with influencers who can get your work noticed. Just help me save my family’s company.”
I rolled his words over in my head. Shit, this could be huge. One major blast, and I’d be all over social media. I’d seen it spiral for other creatives. I could possibly be the next big thing, but that wasn’t my next thought.
“Why do you call it your family’s company? You are the son of the CEO. Doesn’t that mean it’s your company too?”
He reeled back, seeming surprised by my question. After a long sigh, he stood, anchoring himself against the desk again. “It’s complicated.”
It’s complicated. Wasn’t that the saying of the century? Life was complicated in general.
Curiosity ate at my insides, and I pressed him further, “I was talking to Alyssa and Casey. You are temporarily working here. So, you’re leaving?”
He sighed and rustled his hair with one hand. “The relationship with my family is complex. Beyond complicated. I knew the company was failing, yet I wasn’t gonna let it fail. The selfish part of me is very bitter toward this company. See, you don’t become this successful”—he paused, looking past me, above me—“without giving something up in return. Without sacrificing something.”
I wanted to press him further, but I knew now wasn’t the time.
The mood turned somber.
He stared blankly above me and slowly shook his head. “I really don’t want to get into it, but pushing all that selfishness aside, because my brother, because of Nana, because of the thousands of people we employ and their families and how they are so dependent on my family’s company to survive, I’m determined to save Colby’s. Not for my legacy, but for them.”
I wanted to cry. It was a heart felt speech with utter and gut-wrenching feeling.
It was then I decided I would help him.
After releasing a slow breath, I said, “If there is anything I can do that will make a difference, I’ll help you.”
His eyebrows shot to his hairline, and without thinking, he brought me in, squeezing me so hard and so fast that I nearly fell over. I for sure would’ve fallen over if I wasn’t sitting down.
He cleared his throat and backed away, visibly embarrassed, but not before our eyes locked in a gaze so intense that I could feel it, taste it, bottle it up.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice shaky and so soft that it vibrated like silk against my skin.
I nodded, unable to breathe for a second as goose bumps pebbled along my arms.
He ran one sexy hand through his hair and stood, turning to go back to his seat. “We can start this weekend.”
Holy mother heat wave.
I placed a trembling hand on my neck. “Okay, this weekend.”
Chapter 8
Charlie
I drove slowly in the right lane because I didn’t want to go home to Mommy dearest and my super stepdad.
As far as stepdads went, he was pretty perfect—for now at least. He was smart and owned his own company, and he doted on my mom left and right. But part of me wondered how long this facade would last. I mean, they had known each other and dated for six months, and then they had gotten married.
Or maybe they’d last forever. Maybe he’d make her happy. Maybe I was thinking the worst because he simply wasn’t my dad.
My father had died right before I graduated high school, right before I’d made the decision that would change the trajectory of my life—going to computer tech school. I knew that if my father had been alive, my career path would have ended differently.
When my father passed years ago, my mother had been devastated. We both were, but for once, she turned into someone I had to take care of, as she went through bouts of depression. One thing that my parents had instilled in me was the importance of family, and because of that and because I loved my mom, I had known that wherever she went, I’d follow.
After going around in circles, I entered the new McMansion that I now called my home. Richard had bought my mom this house, so they could start a new life together even though his paid-off, older mansion was in the same city.
They’d bought the place months ago, wanting to start a new life together. Now, here we were—me, mom, my new stepdad, stepsister—all in one big, fake happy, blended family.
It was odd, driving to this place. Given my parents had been blue-collar workers, we’d only been able to afford a modest home with two bedrooms and a one-car garage. It was as if I had gone from rags to riches overnight.
My new place of residence was huge. My temporary room had its own bathroom and walk-in closet fit for a queen. When I’d mentioned that I wanted to move out, my stepdad had hired construction workers to remodel the pool house as my own personal apartment. Currently, it was my art room, where I was working on my pieces for the exhibit.