Accidental Pregnancy, page 4
“Look at that smile,” my mother says with a laugh, reaching out to hug me. “You’re definitely in a good mood.”
“A lot of good things have happened today,” I say.
“Well, come on in, and tell me all about it,” she offers, stepping aside.
I smell the air appreciatively as I step inside.
“Yum, you’re doing a chicken bake?” I ask, pleased.
“I know it’s your favorite,” my mother says, smiling. “I made a lemon meringue pie for dessert.”
Today is amazing. I met a guy who wants to have coffee with me, I kick-started an amazing deal at work and now I get all my favorite foods for dinner.
“Thank you,” I say, throwing my arms around my mother. “That sounds delicious.”
She laughs and pats my arm as I let go. I’m so happy that I could burst.
“So?” my mother asks as we head into the dining room. “What happened today?”
“Dad gave me responsibility for a strategic alliance with Energy Plus Co.,” I burst out.
My mother pauses. Having been together with my father, she knows all about the rivalry between Tech Square Inc. and Energy Plus Co.
She also knows how he’s been digging his heels in about giving me any responsibility over serious matters.
“Well, that’s interesting,” she comments. “Do you know why?”
“He didn’t say, but I’m pretty sure he’s testing me,” I snort as we sit down. The chicken bake is already on the table, and my mouth waters. “Yum, this looks amazing.”
“Help yourself,” my mother offers. “There’s salad here, too. So, what does this collaboration mean for the companies?”
“Energy Plus Co. are wanting to make a move into hardware, starting with cell phones,” I explain.
“Sensible,” my mother says with a nod. “Cell phones are one of the largest commodities in the world right now.”
“Exactly,” I say. “They feel, though, that they’ll be more successful if our two companies work jointly on the project. This way, the prospects for both companies will rise, and we’ll be able to put out an awesome product that will hopefully be unrivaled by anything else. They feel that by using our different successes in the technology field, we can merge our current talents and come up with something that will benefit everyone.”
“And how does your father feel about all this?” my mother asks.
“Well, he said no first,” I laugh. “Then he changed his mind this morning for some reason and gave the project to me. He’s definitely not happy about it, though.”
“He hasn’t been happy with Energy Plus Co. for a long time,” my mother points out. “And especially not since the son took over.” She shrugs. “He’s just being stubborn; the son has taken that company to new heights. His parents would be proud.”
I consider the son for a moment. If I listened to my father, the heir to the company that Jessica and David Thompson built is stuck-up, rude and horrible to everyone. But I don’t know how much truth there is in that.
“Either way, I’m determined to make this work,” I say. “I know Dad doesn’t want the deal to succeed, but I’m going to make it happen.”
“Just be wary, especially if your father has some sort of hidden agenda,” my mother warned. “He loves you, but he’s also a shrewd businessman.”
“I know,” I assure her. “Part of me thinks that he’s setting me up to fail, to be honest. But I’m not going to let him get me down. I’m going to make this succeed, whether or not he wants me to.”
My mother smiles fondly.
“You really are your father’s daughter,” she says. “Just as strong-headed and ambitious as him.” Her smile grows. “The difference is that you got my empathy, too. You’re going to be an amazing businesswoman when you take over the company.”
Tears spring unexpectedly to my eyes. It’s nice to know that my mother believes in me. It’s hard, sometimes, knowing that my father definitely does not. But my mother has always given me her unconditional support, and it’s thanks to her that I’m so determined to succeed.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say.
She simply smiles as we begin dishing ourselves up dinner. We sit quietly for a long moment as I compose myself.
“So, I take it things are going well with the deal then, based on how excited you were when you arrived?” my mother finally asks when I look up.
“Yeah,” I say, my smile broadening. “I went to Energy Plus Co. today. I met Brandon, who was representing their company. Dad didn’t tell me I’d meet a representative, but I wasn’t surprised. The owner probably would have come out if Dad came.”
“Naturally,” my mother laughs. “But your father wouldn’t have done that.”
“No way,” I agree. “I would have had to drag him there, kicking and screaming.
We both laugh at the image. My father is so stubborn that he’ll never do anything he doesn’t want to do, even if it would benefit him and his company. I would never say it, but sometimes I think that this stubbornness is what has affected his business. It’s the reason why Energy Plus Co. was able to shoot ahead and be far more successful. The old owners had an amazing sense of business, and their son has only taken the company to new levels. My father, on the other hand, stuck in his own ways, isn’t going to move forward any further if he doesn’t start accepting that change is a good thing.
I glance at my mother. I was only nine when my parents divorced and, as an adult, I sometimes look back in amazement that they even lasted that long. They were always clashing; my father’s pig-headedness and my mother’s temper often made for explosive arguments. Those arguments, however, would fizzle out as quickly as they began.
But eventually, the stress of the company, raising me and their different outlooks on life was what broke them apart. Interestingly, neither of them remarried, and only ever had short relationships afterward. I often ask why, but neither of them will ever give me a straight answer.
Still, they’re both happy, and that’s all that matters.
“Anyway, I met Brandon, and he was really interested in hearing my thoughts,” I continue. “The beginning contract looks really good, but there are a few things that we need to figure out. For example, we don’t know enough about each other’s staff, so we’ll need to talk about that in order to find the best team for the job. Apparently, however, Energy Plus Co. have started organizing themselves, so we’ll need to do the same if we want this deal to go ahead.”
My mother watches me as I wave my fork in the air in my excitement while I talk, her smile fond and amused. She loves hearing me talk about work. There are, of course, many things that I can’t tell her about, because the information is sensitive company secrets, but I do my best to give her all the information I can.
“What have Energy Plus Co. organized so far?” she asks.
“They’ve already started working on a basic design and thinking about the technology we’ll need,” I explain. “Of course, if the collaboration goes ahead, they want our opinion on how to make the hardware both lightweight and fast, with as much RAM and storage as possible. If this works, they’ve even started noting down the possibility of expanding into computer hardware and software.”
“Impressive,” my mother notes. “From what I’m hearing, your father will be a fool not to take this deal.”
“At this point, I’m of the same opinion,” I say. “Naturally, there will still be many more talks so we can flesh out the details, and there’s still potential for a deal-breaker on either side. But, if it’s all sound, it won’t matter what Dad thinks; I’m the one in control of this deal, now.”
“Completely?” my mother asks, surprised.
“Dad said that the decision regarding this venture is entirely on me,” I reply, shrugging.
A concerned look passes across my mother’s face.
“That means you’re responsible if anything goes wrong,” she points out, biting her lower lip.
“Yes,” I admit. “It does. It’s definitely a risk, especially considering the roadblocks Dad is definitely going to throw in front of me. If it fails, it’s on me.” I grin. “But if it succeeds, that’s on me, too. There can’t be any chance of success without a chance of failure, after all.”
My mother chuckles.
“I remember your father saying almost exactly that to me once, right before he opened Tech Square Inc.,” she says fondly. “Just be careful, okay?”
“I will, “ I assure her.
She still looks concerned, though, and I can’t blame her. She knows what my father is like just as well as I do. He won’t go easy on me just because I’m his daughter. On top of that, being thrown something so large for my first ever project will be hard enough.
But I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a very, very long time. I’ve been trying to convince my father to give me more responsibility for over a year. Regardless of whatever he seems to think, I am more than ready to take this challenge on and succeed.
“I’m not going to fail,” I say. “I want this to happen more than anything. It’s time to bring Tech Square Inc. into the future if we have any hope of surviving. I honestly think a collaboration with Energy Plus Co. is exactly what we need. With the Thompson son at the helm, even if he is as much of a bastard as Dad seems to think he is, that company has made leaps and bounds in the last two years. Dad needs to get his head out of his ass and start following that example.”
My mother giggles.
“I’d love to be a fly on the wall if you actually say that to him,” she says.
I snort.
“Do I look like I have a death wish?” I ask.
We both laugh. My father would definitely not like me saying something like that to him.
“Well, I’m glad things are improving for you at work,” my mother says. “I’m really proud of you, Amanda, and I really hope this all goes well for you. Keep me updated on how you’re going through this, okay? And if you ever need a sounding board, I’m always here for you.”
I smile. I’d never admit it to my father, but, more than once, I’ve run several of my ideas past my mother before I presented them to him. She never helps me more than telling me I need to work at it a little more if she thinks there’s something wrong, making me think of a solution on my own so I can reliably say I thought of the idea. But I trust her thoughts and opinions more than those of anyone else in the world. Her continued support and trust in me is what has kept me going, even as I’m knocked back time and time again by my own father.
“So, any other news?” my mother asks.
I light up.
“Well…I might have met someone,” I say as casually as possible.
My mother almost drops her fork in shock. Romance has never been a huge thing for me, if only because I’m always so busy concentrating on work. I’ve had a few brief boyfriends in the past, but none of them understood my passion for work, and inevitably left because they felt I wasn’t giving them enough attention. I don’t know, yet, whether Lyle will be any different. But it’s nice to find someone who makes my heart pound and my soul sing.
“Really?” my mother asks. “When?”
“Last night, actually,” I say. “I was angry at Dad, so I went to Grande for a few hours. I bumped into Lyle on the dance floor. I gave him my number.”
“He’s that interesting?” she asks curiously.
“Well, I don’t know him very well,” I say, grinning. “But I’m meeting him for coffee on Saturday. I’d really like to get to know him a little better.”
“That sounds wonderful,” my mother says. “Are you sure you’ll have time, though? All your attention will be taken up by this new project. I know the problems you had with your previous boyfriends because you were so focused on work.”
“I know, but it’s just coffee,” I say. “I’m not looking at jumping into a long-term relationship with him. The next few weeks will show me whether he’s willing to accept my life as it is. I do understand what happened with the other guys, and I feel a little bad; it was my fault.”
“Only somewhat,” my mother says sternly. “You’re passionate and ambitious. Those other men simply wanted your entire attention, and you weren’t able to give that to them. I know that Ryan, in particular, was quite jealous of your successes simply because he felt inferior.”
I grimace. The less said about Ryan, the better. Of all my old boyfriends, he was the only one that I left first. A small-time actor working at a grocery store, he did not like the fact that I was so successful in my company. After a month, he attempted to tell me that he felt that I should quit so he could provide for us. I broke up with him then and there; there’s no way that I can be with someone who can’t accept my ambitions because they feel insecure about their own position in life. I don’t want to be given anything by anyone; I want to work for it and prove that I earned it.
“Yeah, I remember,” I say. “Look, Mom, I don’t know if Lyle is going to be different to any of those other guys. If he isn’t, then he won’t last very long and I’ll go back to looking for someone who’s right for me.”
What I don’t say, however, is that Lyle feels different from all the others. Maybe it’s the hazy memory of our night together, clouded by the alcohol that we both consumed and the lust that gripped us tightly, that makes me feel that way, but it doesn’t matter. For the time being, I’m interested in Lyle and I want to see where this goes. Meeting him in the light of day, without alcohol, is definitely a good first step to see where we currently stand with one another.
Maybe some of this shows on my face. My mother sighs heavily, but she smiles slightly, anyway.
“As stubborn as always,” she remarks. “In life and love. As I said, just remember to be careful. I hope it works out for you, though. I enjoy seeing you happy.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, smiling at her across the table.
I don’t know what’s going to happen. But it’s never been in my nature to shy away just because something is difficult. One day, whether with Lyle or not, something will definitely change. Until then, I’ll just work at it as I have done with every aspect in my life.
Because failure is never an option…in any aspect of my life.
Chapter Seven
Lyle
In the days before my coffee date with Amanda, I must have changed my mind at least five times. Twice I had my cell out, ready to type a message of apology, canceling the date and any hope of being in a relationship. It would have been the smartest thing to do.
But, every time, I stop myself from taking that final step. I’m selfish; I want Amanda and I want to hide it from her that being together right now wouldn’t be a good idea. If I’m lucky, I’ll get through this intact, both with Amanda and with a deal with Tech Square Inc., and I’ll be able to tell her the truth.
If I’m supremely unlucky, which is far more likely, it’s all going to blow up in my face.
Despite this, I still find myself showing up at a coffee bar on main street, where I decided Amanda and I could meet. I’m a bucket of nerves; it’s daylight, now, and there’s a real chance that she might actually recognize me. Two years ago, as a very young business owner taking over a billion-dollar company from his recently departed father, my face was in a lot of magazines and news articles. While I try to keep a low profile these days, there’s still the possibility that Amanda might recognize me, meaning that this entire ruse would be over before it even got started.
In some ways, that might be the best possible scenario, though. If she does recognize me, then perhaps we could talk it out and come to an agreement. If she doesn’t, however, I’ll end up lying to her until I either tell her the truth or she finds out.
Or, possibly, I could just tell her the truth straight up. I grimace at that thought. While doing so would probably ensure the most favorable outcome, I know that it’ll mean the end of any relationship I want to pursue with Amanda. Why would she want to date the rival of her father’s company, especially since, as the representative chosen to work on this alliance, she has quite a high position within that company?
I drive around the block a few times, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel as I search for a parking spot. As the minutes tick closer and closer to two o’clock, my heart begins to pound and my palms grow sweaty. There are so many ways that this could go wrong.
Finally, I find somewhere to park. I slot into a spot and take in a deep breath, barely noticing as a white car draws up beside me. It’s alright. I can do this. I want Amanda. I want to know her better. And that means just…keeping a few secrets for a little while, that’s all.
I climb out of the car. I can do this.
“Lyle?”
My head jerks up. Standing beside the open door of the white car beside me is Amanda, blinking at me, as surprised to see me as I am to see her. For a moment, no words escape me; I’m struck dumb by her sudden appearance.
Then I rouse myself.
“Amanda!” I say. “Looks like we both got here at the same time.”
Amanda’s face relaxes into a smile.
“Looks like it,” she agrees. “We’re both early, too.”
I glance at my watch. There’s still ten minutes until two o’clock. I smile.
“I just couldn’t wait to see you,” I say, and she laughs, looking pleased. “Ready to have that coffee?”
“It sounds good to me,” Amanda says warmly.
The Parker Bar, an out-of-the-way bar, is one of my favorite places to be. It’s small and warm, the clients are always friendly, and the staff never make a huge deal out of having to break large bills for me. As we walk in, Amanda pauses, taking in the woody décor and colorful paintings.
“This is a nice place,” she says approvingly.
“It is,” I agree. “I come here a lot. The coffee is amazing.” I wink at her. “On top of that, it’s a bar, so it sells stronger drinks if we want them, too.”
Startled, Amanda glances at me, and then laughs.
“Alcohol is why we’re here in the first place,” she points out.
