FUENTES STARES across the boardroom table. He’s wearing a white shirt, sneakers and a neutral expression. There’s no hint of which way he’ll swing.
“You said you needed to talk,” I wave my hand, “why don’t you get to
it?”
He pushes his chair closer to the table. “The two months are up.”
His words hit me with a small dose of shock. I wasn’t keeping track of
the days. Didn’t even realize.
“Is that why you’re here?” I take a sip of the coffee my assistant brought in a moment ago. “To inform me of your decision?”
“Actually, I’m here to give you one last chance.”
I regret giving this young pup so much power. Now, he’s staring at me like he controls my world.
“You remember our agreement?” Fuentes says, rapping his knuckles on the table.
I stiffen, every bone in my body coiling with annoyance. To collect myself, I glance out the window. The view from the boardroom is different than the one in my office. Sunshine dances past the blinds, laughing at our paltry attempt to keep the room dim. Beyond the glass is a sweeping view of the city.
I adjust my necktie. A nervous tic that I thought I had a handle on. “Get to your point, Fuentes.” My eyes find his and harden. “Tell me what you’ve decided.”
“I haven’t yet.” “So?”
“So I’m offering you a chance to push me off the fence.” His frown is thoughtful and I want to smack it off his face. “Your wife said all those nice things about you at my welcome party.”
The reminder is bitter. So is the taste of the coffee on my tongue. “I can’t trust that she won’t put on a show just to save you.”
“What then? You want to sneak into my home and listen to us without her knowledge?”
“I’d like permission to bug the place. Yes.”
I burst out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’ve thought about it and that’s the only way I’ll know for sure that you aren’t lying to me.”
“Listen up, Fuentes.” The sunshine skitters out of the room when my voice drops to an icy tone. “You can take your ultimatum and shove it. I’m not bugging my wife without her knowledge. I’m not putting her through that stress just to keep you.”
He leans back in his chair. The bolts croak and moan, protesting the weight of him. Brown eyes burn a little brighter when he looks at me. “Are you saying you’re willing to give me up?”
“I’m saying you can do whatever you want. It’s a free country.” I rise slowly. Take my time to button my blazer. Stare him down. “I may have started out trying to keep you from leaving, but it’s gone far beyond that now. My wife is not a litmus test for your amusement.”
Fuentes rises, his gaze burrowing into me. “Are you saying you’re going to break the contract and lose all that money? You’re saying you don’t care what answer I give when interviewers come knocking on my door, asking why I left your agency after I barely started?” He leans forward and presses hairy knuckles into the table. “You’re saying you won’t care about losing all the athletes who are clamoring to join this agency because of me?”
It’s funny how much I cared about all that before Doc got ahold of me. Before I started listening to what he said instead of fighting it. Before I realized how much I’d hurt my wife and how much my selfishness had caused me.
My heart beats steadily.
My fingers relax at my sides.
What he’s offering doesn’t compare to what I’m building with my wife.
“Maybe you didn’t hear me the first time.” I face him and straighten my shoulders. “I will not lie to my wife or deceive her just to keep you here.” The thick carpet swallows the thump of my footsteps when I march to the door.
“Is it because you’re scared of what she’ll say?” Fuentes asks. My fingers tighten on the doorknob.
“Is it because she’ll say what she really thinks about you? And none of those thoughts are close to the positive things she said at the party?”
My temper ignites despite my best attempts to keep my cool. I whirl on him, bristling at the cocky look on his face. “No, Fuentes.” I hiss through gritted teeth. “I’m not going along with your foolish plan because my wife means more to me than anything in this world. I love her and I’ve hurt her enough. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that I will use her for my own gain, even if you threaten to burn my building down.”
Fuentes’s lips curl up in amusement. “Is that clear?” I bark.
“You sure about this, Bradley?” His eyes narrowing to slits, Fuentes whispers, “Are you willing to lose everything?”
I throw the door open. One more second and the room will turn into a boxing ring. Since Fuentes is a professional, I’ll be lucky if I get one good punch in.
Pushing the fury inside, I fling a goodbye over my shoulder. “See yourself out.”
The door nearly rattles off the hinges when I slam it shut.
Patrick slides into my path as I’m marching to the elevator. He’s been keeping his distance ever since our conversation about my marriage.
There’s a worried crease between his brow. “What was that about?
Fuentes looked like he was going to war when he walked in.” “Fuentes is pulling out of the contract.”
His eyes nearly pop out of his face. “What? What do you mean he’s pulling out?”
“I mean he’s no longer a part of our agency.” I shove the elevator button. “Effective immediately.”
Patrick hauls on my arm, jerking me back. “The hell is going on, Bradley?”
“I’ll explain later.” I check my phone. “I need to pick up Harriet for lunch.”
A vein bulges in his forehead. “You’re about to set our entire company on fire and you’re worried about your wife?”
“I promised her I’d be there for lunch.” Agitation clips my words. “I’ve been breaking my promises to her for years. I’m not going to do that again.” “It’s a damn dinner, Bradley. Reschedule. We need to calm Fuentes. I
don’t care if we have to sell our left kidney to do it. We need that kid.” “He’s gone, Patrick.” I stare into my best friend’s eyes. Let the gravel in
my voice tell him what he doesn’t want to hear. “Fuentes is out.”
Patrick curses so loudly the windows shatter. “You need to get your head back in the game, J.” He points a dark finger at me. “Ever since you’ve started hiding under your wife’s skirt, you’ve completely changed. I wasn’t going to say anything about it because it’s your life and you can do what you want to, but this is getting out of hand.” Patrick digs his fingers into my arms. “You need to get your priorities straight, man.”
“For the first time in my life,” I push his hand off me and step into the elevator, “they are.”
“Jerrison,” Patrick growls, his eyes burning like twin flames.
“I will find a way to fix this,” I say as the doors close. “I will. But first, I’m going to take care of my wife.”
Obscenities fly from Patrick’s mouth.
My hands shake as the elevator goes down. Patrick has a point. This might not be the right time to run after Harriet. I just destroyed a contract with the ace of our company. But I’ve spent most of my life putting my own interests in front of my wife. I’m done with that.
I call Harriet when I get to the lobby. It goes straight to voicemail.
I call her again.
This time, she answers. “Jerrison.”
“Hey.” I skate to a stop when I hear how husky her voice is. “Baby, are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She clears her throat.
“I was just letting you know that I’m coming to pick you up.” My fingers dip into the car handle. Pull. Release. “I’ll be there soon.”
“No. Don’t.”
I freeze, one leg in the car and the other on the pavement. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not that hungry.”
I tilt my head. “Harriet, are you sure you’re okay?” “Yeah.”
Why don’t I believe her? “Alright. I’ll pick you up after work and take you to dinner.”
“I can’t. I’m busy.”
There’s something beneath her words. A huskiness. Has she been crying?
Settling a hand against the hood of the car, I lower my voice to a serious tone. “Harriet, tell me what’s wrong.”
She breathes out. “I saw Ashley.”
An invisible hand shoots out and grabs me by the throat.
“I saw her and I… remembered all the pain I felt when I found out about you two.”
“Baby…”
“I know you’re doing everything you can, Jerrison. I feel that. I see it. I just… I need some time, okay?”
“Harriet-”
She hangs up.
I press my fists against my mouth to keep from exploding. My heart is a whirlpool of emotions-regret, frustration, helplessness.
How do I fix this when everything I’ve tried still hasn’t healed us?