This Changes Everything, page 8
He closed the door behind him and took a seat, confused. She’d already let him know that the campaign had been stopped, the past two days had been about budget cuts to weather the financial loss to come. “What worked?”
“I did what you said and it worked.”
“I forgot what I said.”
“I had a meeting with Marshall and first he didn’t listen, but then when he found out how serious I was he did.” She sighed pleased. “I feel so refreshed.”
“I’m happy for you.”
She shook the shoe and he heard coins clink together. “I even made some money.”
“Money?”
“Every time Marshall made an unflattering personal comment he had to put in a quarter.”
“Bet he ran out of them.”
Karen looked at him surprised. “How did you know?”
“Just a guess.”
She set the bank on the table with a flourish. “It’s yours.”
“Why? Treat yourself. You deserve it.”
“I think you deserve it. I wouldn’t have done this without you.”
He shook his head. “I only made a suggestion.”
“Use it to buy Olivia something. Please.” She pushed it towards him. “I won’t take no.”
He felt guilty taking it. “I’d feel silly going around with a shoe like that.”
“Oh, right. Fine. I’ll give you the money later.”
He nodded hoping she’d forget. “Thanks.”
“He’s seeing me in an entirely different way.”
“When are you going to tell him you love him?”
She stared at him stunned. “How did you know?”
Joshua softly swore. What had made him ask her that? It was a question he’d sometimes wondered about but had the good sense to keep to himself. What had made him blurt it out like that? Usually it didn’t bother him how her gaze grew hazy and soft when she spoke about Marshall but today something about the tone in her voice irked him.
And what did she mean ‘How did you know?’At times her naiveté stunned him. How could a woman so smart, be so daft sometimes? He was embarrassed that she thought her feelings were a secret. It wasn’t like him to be so reckless. He should have kept his mouth shut. “Sorry. Not my place.”
“You probably think I’m a coward.”
“I don’t think anything.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Karen said with a laugh.
“I’ll rephrase that. I don’t think I have anything to say that I want to share with you.”
“Fair enough. But if we were friends.”
“We’re not.”
“If we were—”
“And you weren’t my boss and you didn’t have the power to retaliate with—”
She lowered her head and held up her hand. “I would never retaliate because of an honest opinion.”
“Let’s change the subject.”
She lifted her head, eager to share. “There’s so much at stake you see. I don’t want to ruin what we have.”
Joshua shook his head, resisting the urge to plug his ears. “I’m not listening.”
“But I know I can’t live like this forever. I have to face my fears.”
“Still not listening.”
“I’d always wanted to walk into Marshall’s office one day and surprise him by—”
Joshua jumped to his feet. “I’m definitely not listening to that.”
Karen laughed. “I’m kidding. Sit down.” After he cautiously did she said, “I know, I’m being unfair. But you’ve got me curious since you discovered my secret.”
Joshua sat back and sighed. “Karen?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not a secret.”
She blinked several times. “It’s not?”
“No, everyone knows how you feel.”
She widened her eyes. “Even him?”
Joshua hesitated. She looked so devastated he regretted his honesty. But he hated her living a delusion. “I can’t speak for him, he may not see it, but I just thought you should know.”
“You think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” She held up her hand. “Wait, I don’t think I want to know the answer.”
Joshua paused and clasped his hands together, studying her. “Are you sure?”
“No.” She folded her arms. “Okay, tell me the truth.”
“Even if it hurts?”
She nodded.
“I think Marshall’s an idiot.”
She stared at him. For a moment he thought he’d gone too far. She adored Marshall. Would she shout at him for insulting her beloved? She always got defensive anytime he said anything less than complimentary about him. But she’d wanted the truth and he felt she deserved it. Before the silence became painful Karen covered her mouth and started to giggle. Joshua breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s the sweetest thing someone’s ever said to me.”
He didn’t understand her reaction. Sweet? He wasn’t trying to be sweet. “It’s true.”
“Yes, I guess you’re right. He’s an idiot for not noticing how great I am.”
Joshua paused. No, he truly thought Marshall was an idiot but if she preferred to see it that way, that was fine too.
“You’ve really made my day. I’ll pay for dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes, we’re going to have to work overtime if we want to get this project in a suitable shape before the new year. I know you like working late hours.” When she saw him hesitate she quickly said, “Oh, I’m sorry I forgot. Olivia.”
“Right.”
She bit her lip. “Is it really just you?”
He didn’t misunderstand her. He knew she wondered if Olivia’s mother was in the picture. “Yes, it’s just Olivia and me.” At least that wasn’t a lie.
“I realize it’s hard to find someone in the day let alone at night.”
“I have someone who’s helping me out.”
“Good, but I’ll try to be more considerate. Do you think we could meet tomorrow afternoon for a working lunch? Anything on your schedule?”
“No,” he said annoyed with himself for how much he looked forward to it.
Chapter 13
“So what’s on your mind?”
His father seemed to have a sixth sense when something was wrong. Marshall never regretted one of his surprise visits. They sat in a private booth at his father’s favorite Indian restaurant, the fragrance of curry and masala floated through the air. He told him about Karen and the canceled marketing plan and the changes to the performance review. As much as he wanted to he didn’t tell him about Akibu. That was a private matter he never wanted his father to know about.
His father sat back after Marshall had finished speaking and Marshall waited in anticipation for the advice he would give him. His father was a good listener but an even better strategist.
“Karen is a very special woman,” he finally said.
Marshall frowned disappointed. That’s it? That was all he had to say? He’d expected more than that. “I know.”
“One who needs to be handled with care.”
“I think she’s being influenced.”
His father shook his head. “No, I think she’s telling you something.”
“She’s telling me she wants to take over the business.”
“No. She’s telling you that she’s not being valued.”
“I value her,” he mumbled, scooping up his basmati rice.
“She wants a bigger role, to stretch her wings. It’s in your best interest she doesn’t stretch them too far and fly away.”
His heart began to pound. That was his greatest fear. “I know that.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’m letting her show me some new project she’s working on.” He didn’t mention the silly challenge he’d offered her. “I think she’s bored.”
“I think you need to rattle her a little more than that.”
“Rattle her?”
His father nodded. “It’s about time you settled down, don’t you think?”
Marshall shifted in his seat not understanding the new direction the conversation had taken. “I’ve been considering it.”
“Stop considering it and make it official. She’s telling you that she’s starting not to trust you. You can’t be the carefree bachelor all your life with a woman like that.”
The fog finally cleared from his thoughts. Of course! His image. He needed to shake it up so that she could start respecting him more as she had in the past. “I see.”
His father measured him with a look. “I hope you do. You’re the captain. Don’t let her forget that you’re the one who came up with the raw idea and backing.”
“Right.” His father’s words gave him the courage to share more. “There’s this man.”
His father’s voice sharpened. “Is he a threat?”
“Yes.”
“How long has she been seeing him?”
Marshall laughed. He found the thought of Karen dating amusing and that his father would make such a mistake was charmingly old fashioned. A woman like Karen didn’t do things like that. “She isn’t seeing anyone. The man I’m talking about works for the company, but she’s taken a shining to him. He’s clever and persuasive.”
“Then it’s important that you make your move now before it’s too late.”
Before it’s too late. His father’s words echoed in his ears as he left the restaurant. He had to make his move. He had to rattle her. He had to do something now. Akibu was going to destroy his life if he didn’t stop him.
Akibu could topple all he’d built. Marshall sat in his car and looked up at a holiday wreath decorating a pole. He didn’t feel in the holiday spirit. He felt cold inside. Today was the third time Akibu had gotten Karen to act out of character. She would never have stopped the campaign otherwise. His hold on her was tightening. He was trying to steal her away and once he did, he’d get his hands on the business next.
Before it’s too late.
What if he already was? What if he wasn’t able to rattle Karen enough to change her mind about what the company needed?
Don’t forget that you came up with the bulk of the idea and the backing. Marshall remembered his father’s words with guilt. Because it wasn’t true.
Chapter 14
Eighteen years ago...
He felt like he was dying. He couldn’t come up with any ideas and he’d waited too late. The project was due tomorrow. He knew his father was spending money on this private school and his grades hadn’t been stellar. He’d hoped things would have changed by his junior year, but he was still struggling for every grade he got. He really didn’t think it was fair that he had to pick up his niece from daycare just because his sister couldn’t get off work in time.
But his mother had promised him his favorite banana pancakes if he did and he wasn’t above being bribed.
He’d been to the tiny daycare on the third floor of an apartment complex before so when he entered the room he wasn’t surprised to see the owner’s serious looking kid wiping the face of some wailing toddler and his nerdy friend sitting in a circle with five little kids who were hanging on his every word.
The owner smiled at him. She was a foreign looking black woman and Marshall guessed that was why his sister had chosen her. She was efficient and cheap.
Two hallowed words in their family.
The owner let him know she’d get his niece ready to leave. She’d been doing finger painting and needed to wash her hands. He was glad the owner would do it since he had no interest. But to his surprise the owner called out, “Joshua, Marie’s ready to leave,” then went to another room. The serious looking kid said, “Take a seat, she’ll be ready in a minute,” then took his niece over to the sink.
Marshall pushed aside a black backpack and sat down at a table in the corner. He glanced at his watch then noticed a bunch of papers on the table. He was about to look away when he saw something that made his mouth grow dry. He saw something that could set him free. An idea for recycling fabrics. He quickly scanned through every page.
“Okay, she’s ready.”
Marshall glanced up and saw the serious looking kid standing with Marie. The kid was foreign looking, like his mother, and spoke English without an accent like she did, but there was still something unsettling about him up close. He seemed older than he appeared and looked as if he could spout a hundred mathematical theorems by memory. If Marshall hadn’t been desperate he would have thanked him and hurried out as he usually did. Instead he stayed seated and pointed to the papers. “What’s this?”
“A project to help the environment,” the kid said.
Marie grabbed his arm and he winced when he felt her damp hands against his skin. “Uncle, I’m ready to go.”
“Just give me a minute.”
“But I—”
He dug in his pocket and gave her a bag of Skittles. His sister didn’t like him giving her sweets, Marie was on the chubby side, but candies, cookies and a chocolate bar or two, were his secret weapon. He’d planned on giving it to her in the car. It kept her quiet. Otherwise she’d tell him every detail of her day and bore him to tears, but he’d sacrifice his silence for this opportunity. “Eat this quietly in the corner. Okay?”
Her eyes lit up and she nodded with joy before she cautiously glanced around, in case anyone else saw her (his niece didn’t like to share) before she took her sacred stash to the corner and tucked in.
Marshall turned his attention back to the serious kid. “Is this for school?”
“Yes, I have to present it in class.”
They didn’t go to the same school and the kid looked like a freshman so no one would know if there was an overlap. “Are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“You can practice on me.”
He hesitated. “But I have to watch the kids.”
Marshall nodded. “Right of course. I only wanted to help you. I could look at what you have and give you some pointers.”
The kid folded his arms. “Really? Why would you do that for me?”
Marshall silently swore. Did the serious kid have to be skeptical too? He’d have to charm him.
He flashed his most engaging grin, the one that had gotten Latasha to forgive him for standing her up twice and convinced his Chemistry teacher to shift his D to a C through extra credits. “That’s just the kind of guy I am, but if you don’t want my help I understand.”
The kid looked at him for a long time before he said, “Sure. Tell me what you think.”
Marshall seized on the papers like a scavenger digging for gold. The kid’s research was impeccable, the idea amazing. He spent several minutes taking notes. He had never taken so many notes in his life. And what he couldn’t write down he memorized. He could replicate anything visual like pie charts and graphs and diagrams like a forger, without understanding a thing.
This kid didn't know what he had and with some improvements this was the kind of project that would get him the A he needed. He gave the kid some cursory advice before he left and then worked all night finishing his paper.
He got a C for his efforts, but he didn’t care. At least he hadn’t come up with nothing and he got some points for creativity. However, the average grade had dampened some enthusiasm for the project and he started seeing it with a more jaundiced eye.
He was stupid to think that some kid knew about the realities of business. How could he have thought his project would have done better?
Marshall tucked the project away, but it made its way back into his life while in graduate school.
He’d been clearing up his apartment after a bad breakup, wanting to torch any image he could find of the girl who’d broken his heart, and desperate for inspiration for the capstone project proposal he had to hand in to his professor. He had barely a week left to finish and submit it. The final project was to represent all that he’d learned so far while in graduate school and would dictate the direction of his next two semesters. He toyed with the idea of dropping out of school and saving himself the misery when he saw the paper again, tucked inside an accounting book.
He didn’t care about reusing the idea; he wasn’t into school. He knew that he just needed an MS degree to please his father and then he’d be welcomed into the business so his future was set. But he didn’t know how to make the paper college level ready so he went to the library hoping to figure out a way to expand it so it didn’t look like he’d stolen some high school kid’s homework.
That’s where he met her.
“Are you all right?” a woman said.
He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting alone at the table scouring the stack of books in front of him, hoping by magic everything would make sense. But when he looked up there were fewer people in the library and the sun had disappeared.
He looked up at the woman, wondering why she seemed vaguely familiar. He had a sense he knew her from somewhere but couldn’t place her. Not that that was a surprise. She was cute but not much of a looker. She wore a quirky, but stylish top and jeans. A design student, maybe? He saw concern in her brown gaze and he was too sad and tired to lie. “No, I’m not all right. I’ve got to work on a proposal for my professor and I can’t put together all that I’ve learned into one simple idea.”
She pulled out a chair. “Mind if I helped?”
He shrugged. He didn’t care. He didn’t see any way out of this. He already knew he wasn’t as smart as his father and he’d never be a success like him. Plus, he didn’t see how a C project could help him now. “Sure.” He held out his hand. “Marshall.”
She smiled. “I know. We took Budget Formulation together.”
Ah...yes. She’d been in one of his boring classes. That’s where he remembered her from. Too bad he didn't remember her name. But she didn’t offer it, instead she started reading over his work.
He pretended to do the same, but covertly played a game on his phone waiting for her to finish.
“You came up with this?” the woman finally said with awe in her voice.
It was her awe that surprised him. He looked up at her. “Uh...yeah.”
“It’s incredible.”
