Too Much, Not Enough, page 9
This is my chance to get her here and prove to her that she never has to doubt me ever again. A do-over. A second chance.
“Wow, your floor is one of the top ones?” she questions.
“Sure is, and when you see the view from the other side of the building, you’ll understand why I fought for it.”
“You had to fight for it?” she asks.
“Yeah, it used to be the financial department, but they’re all boring bastards who get a hard-on over number crunching and never really appreciated the beauty outside. That and it was a stipulation of me coming to work here.”
She chuckles, and it’s instantly my favourite fucking sound.
The lift dings open on the twelfth floor, and I step out, stopping myself from putting my hand out for her to place hers into. It’s like I’m a horny kid again, for fuck’s sake.
As we walk through the main area, there are offices to each side, but they aren’t your usual shoebox, they are spacious and make for a more relaxing working environment. Everything screams opulence in this place, and knowing Anthony, I would expect nothing less. He formed the company a year before I left, so I wasn’t here long to begin with, after coming from a multinational corporate office, and I hated leaving as I was seeing the place start to grow. But three years later, Anthony has stamped his mark on the business world, and I’m very fortunate to be back here.
Cameron’s eyes take in everything as we go, and I point out the relaxation room for when work gets too stressful, along with the kitchen and coffee station, utilities, meeting room, and finally, we get to the last two doors. One is for the room where projects are worked on as a team, and the other is my office. But this is where she’s going to see the beautiful view that I know she will love.
I open the door to the project room, and her eyes scour the place before going to the walls made of glass.
“Oh my goodness,” she says as she walks over and takes it all in. For miles, all you see are fields and forestry, and just down below there is a beautiful flower garden that Anthony takes pride in keeping up together all year round. He even has gardeners working out there in the winter, to give it the ‘Christmas theme’ as he calls it. But I have to give him props, it’s always stunning to look at, whether you need a five-minute break or inspiration.
“It’s so beautiful.” Cameron is clearly blown away, but she still hasn’t seen my office yet, which has something a little more special, seeing as it’s at the end of the building.
“Come on, let me show you the last room,” I say as I lead her out of the empty project room. It’s empty because everyone is on lunch right now, but it’ll be bustling with activity when they all return. Everyone gets their lunchbreak at the same time, to unwind and keep everything harmonious—so Anthony says. I don’t know, I’m not the boss, but whatever he does works, and he has the lowest staff turnover of any large company I have ever worked for or heard about.
I get to the door to my office and push it open, stepping to the side to let Cameron walk in first. My office is bigger than the rest, and it has its own ensuite and seating area to the right of my desk, but the best part is…
“Oh my God, you have your own balcony?” Cameron gasps as she walks over to the glass walls and looks out.
I smile and go over, unlocking the sliding bifold doors and pulling them across, to give a feeling of inside and outside coming together and combining as one.
“Fuck, this is impressive,” she says as she steps out and leans her arms on the edge of the balcony.
“Now you see why I wanted this floor?” I ask as I take up residence next to her.
“Absolutely. Is yours the only office with a balcony?”
“Mine and Anthony’s,” I confirm.
“How did I not know that this is what you do? I mean, I knew you were an office guy back then, but how have I not heard of you before now at any meetings or anything with any other companies?”
“Because I kept my head down in bigger companies and had no interest in being the top guy of anything, until I came here. It’s different here, more relaxed, more room to breathe and not have your ideas pushed to the side so easily because someone younger and better looking comes along.”
Cameron nods as if she understands what that’s like, but she’s still in her twenties and probably hasn’t experienced half of the corporate bullshit that I have. But I have no doubt that she has seen plenty since she started working for Mr Garrett.
“This sure beats being based in the city,” she says, and I turn to look at her.
“So leave and come work here.”
“Caleb…”
“No, just listen to me,” I say, needing to convince her that this is the right place for her. “This doesn’t have to be weird. Just because we’ve been together, doesn’t mean that you can’t take a job here, and you’re being offered your own department to run. Plus, there are added bonuses and a great pension scheme, work benefits, and the added option of helping to pick who you employ.”
“Really?” she says, her ears perking up a little more at that piece of information.
“Out of all of that, you pick up on who you can employ?” I ask.
“Sure. I’m loyal to those who are loyal to me, and Marcie has been there for me since I started working for Mr Garrett. I wouldn’t feel right about just leaving her there without me.”
“Well, there you go, it’s a win-win for everyone.”
“You really want me to work here?” she asks, and the moment takes a serious turn.
“Cameron, it doesn’t matter where you work, I’ll always find you, but if you’re here, it saves me the hassle of playing detective,” I say, and that gets me a playful slap to my arm along with a laugh. “I promise you, it won’t be weird, and if it is, then tell me and we’ll work it out.”
“I don’t know…” she says as she bites her bottom lip. I know she’s tempted—she bites her bottom lip when she’s tempted.
“Let’s go and see if Anthony is back to discuss pay structure and the work schemes, and then you will have all the information to chew over before you decide,” I suggest.
“Okay,” she says with a smile, and I feel something akin to joy in my chest.
Chapter Seventeen
Cameron
“Oh my God, Marcie, the place is amazing,” I tell her when she comes back with our drinks and places a glass of wine in front of me.
“See, now I would be more fixated on the hot as fuck dad who so clearly has a hard-on for you but whatever,” she teases with a wink, and I roll my eyes.
“Stop it,” I scold her, but something flutters in my chest from her description… maybe it’s the thought of Caleb with a hard-on? Or maybe it’s the fact that he protected me from his own son? Whatever it is, I need to shut it down, especially seeing as I’ve accepted a job to work there, which I am yet to tell Marcie, but I’ll get to it in a minute.
“Okay, we’ll put a pin in it until you’ve told me all about this so-called amazing workplace.” Her voice changes to one of sarcasm when she says ‘amazing’ and ‘workplace’, because really, most workplaces are just a means to end for a paycheck at the end of every month. But this place is so different… at least, it seemed that way, and when I spoke to some of the other workers there, they had nothing but good things to say. I’m hoping I’ve made the right decision, what with Caleb being there too, but he seemed eager for me to move away from the more corporate companies that I have worked in so far and see what working for a boss who really cares about their employees is like. Time will tell, I guess.
I start to tell Marcie about the place, really doing my best to sell it to her, because I want her to say yes when I offer her a job there.
“Well, it all sounds pretty amazing, but what’s the catch?” she asks. “There’s always a catch when it seems too good to be true.”
“Honestly, there isn’t one.”
“You sure about that?”
“Well, no, but sometimes you’ve gotta take a chance,” I say as I pick up my wine and take a sip.
“Like jumping on the hot dad’s dick kind of chance,” Marcie comments, and I choke on the wine I just took a sip of. I cough very unattractively to clear my throat, while Marcie just sits there and pisses herself laughing.
“Remind me not to call you in an emergency,” I sass when I can finally breathe properly again.
She rolls her eyes over-dramatically. “No need to overreact, you totally had it handled.”
“Gee, thanks,” I respond sarcastically, and she laughs. “Can we be serious for two seconds, please?”
“Sure,” she says with a nod as she puts on a ridiculously serious face, making me raise a brow at her as I stifle a laugh. “Okay, fine, I can be serious.”
“First time for everything,” I comment, and she sticks her tongue out at me. “Anyway, how do you feel about coming to take a look at the place tomorrow?”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve been offered a job running the new ad department and I told them I wouldn’t leave unless you had the chance to come and work with me,” I tell her, putting it out there, and I really wish I’d waited until she’d finished her drink, because she spits her drink out in shock, spraying me in the process. Guess it was my turn for that to happen.
“For fuck’s sake, Marcie,” I say as I look at my wine-splattered shirt.
“Sorry, but you drop something like that and you’re gonna get sprayed,” she says, grabbing a napkin that is to the side of her and mopping up the droplets on the table. I wipe my face with another napkin, more eager to hear her answer to what I just told her than I am to try and wipe my shirt, which is white and going to need to be binned anyway, because white shirt and red wine do not mix well.
“Well? What do you think?” I ask, and she takes another big glug of wine before answering.
“I think you’ve been blinded by that delicious man,” she says with a smirk.
“Marcie… come on, it’s a great opportunity. No more working for Mr Garrett and having to deal with his crap and with Wendy’s fake tits following him everywhere.”
“That is true,” she ponders.
“And not to mention that you’d be working for Anthony Dweller… you know, the hot guy that just so happens to be the one you were commenting on in the presentation this morning…” I leave her with that thought as I take another sip of wine.
Marcie’s eyes sparkle as she says, “What time do we need to be there?” And I have the biggest grin on my face.
Chapter Eighteen
Caleb
I knock on the door and wait for what feels like forever until I hear feet shuffling on the other side. An “Ow, fuck” is shouted out, and then the jangling of keys starts to get on my nerves as I wait for the door to open.
“What the hell do you want?” is the greeting I get when he sees it’s me.
“Charming,” I comment. “I need to talk to you.”
“I ain’t got nothing to say to you, so just fuck off out of here,” he spits as he goes to close the door, but I slam my palm against it and push it back open. I came here to speak, and I will be fucking heard, or at least, I’m hoping I will be.
“Hey,” he shouts as he stumbles back a little, giving me the chance to step inside before he can stop me. “Fuck’s sake,” he grumbles as I push past him and walk into the kitchen, sitting myself down at the table, because I’m not going anywhere until I’ve said all I came to say.
“Go on then,” he says when he walks in a few seconds later, and not for the first time this week, I feel shame as I watch my son take a seat opposite me. I’m ashamed of who he has become. I don’t know this person, and I guess I never really did, because I’ve never been allowed to, but fuck, to look at him now is just tragic. Hair all messed up, bags under his eyes, shitty ripped clothes, and his breath… smells like he’s sunk an entire brewery.
As his father, I want nothing more than to help him, get him on the right path, so he can see how great his life could be, but he won’t allow me to do that. I’ve tried so fucking hard, but to no avail.
And for me, putting your hands on a woman, hurting her, abusing her, is just something I cannot forgive.
“God, you’re a fucking mess,” I tell him, and he freezes for a moment, his eyes widening a fraction. “And yes, you heard me right.”
“What the fuck do you know?” he spits as he lounges back on the chair, one arm hanging over the back. Does he think that makes him look badass or something?
“I know that you’ve lost control and you need help,” I tell him.
He rolls his eyes. “Here we go again. Always with the fucking help.”
“Because I care about what happens to you.”
He scoffs. “Funny way of showing it. Where were you when I was a kid, huh? Where was your help then?”
“I’ve told you a million times, your mother wouldn’t let me be a part of your life, not like I should have been.”
“Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah. Stop lying to make yourself feel better,” he says as he gets up and goes over to the side, opening up a cabinet and pulling out a bottle of vodka. He unscrews the lid and takes a swig, his face screwing up as he swallows. “Woooo,” he shouts out. “That shit fucking burns.”
Christ.
“Want some?” he says as he thrusts the bottle towards me. I shake my head. I’m not here to get fucked up with him. “Suit yourself,” he says with a shrug, taking another sip.
“What happened to you?” I say quietly. I mean, Jesus, fuck, how did my son end up like this? It pains me to witness it.
“Apart from a deadbeat dad who wasn’t bothered with me? Absolutely nothing,” he says, sitting back down, bottle in hand.
“I’m never going to get you to believe me, am I?” I say, finally seeing that all of my efforts are totally wasted. I mean, I had hoped for a little sliver of something, but I’m fooling myself. The fucking pain I feel in my chest hurts.
“Hey, I have a question,” he says, slamming the bottle on the table and putting his arms on the table, his fingers locking together. “Why were you at Cameron’s work today?”
“For a meeting,” I say. I don’t need to expand, it’s nothing to do with him, and I sure as shit am not going to get into a conversation about her.
“Huh. And you throwing me out of the office, that was just standard employee behaviour, was it?” he questions, slugging some more vodka.
“You were acting like a prick,” I say honestly.
“Wow, finally, an honest opinion from daddy dearest,” he says sarcastically.
“You’re lucky you weren’t arrested,” I tell him.
“You’ll be pleased to know that I was, but they let me go with a warning.” He sounds like he’s almost proud of that. “And that bitch will get her comeuppance.”
“Stop it,” I scold.
“What? She fucking used me, and she won’t get away with it,” he fumes.
“Used you for what?”
“Sex.”
I had to fucking ask. Now I wish I could take it back.
“She fucking had her way with me and then went all cold turkey on me,” he says, his eyes glazing over.
“So what?” I say, because none of this adds up.
“She can’t just give me the goods and then leave. No one leaves me. No fucking one unless I want them to,” he says, raising his voice.
My God, the way he’s speaking is like she’s in danger… but he wouldn’t be that stupid, surely? Either way, I’m not taking any chances, and I’m fucking glad she’s working in the same building as me now. A blessing in disguise. I can’t let anything happen to her, it would break the final part of my heart that is whole.
“Danny, please, let me get you some—”
“Fuck off. I don’t need you.” He gets up, grabs the vodka bottle and turns away from me. “You can see yourself out.” And then he’s gone, leaving me sat at the table.
I hear a door slam somewhere in the apartment, and I presume that he is going to drink himself stupid and pass out. And with a heavy sigh, I get to my feet and leave.
As a father, you always want to do the best for your kids. I always wanted to have a close bond, be there for the milestones, be there for everything, but I wasn’t. I even got arrested myself once because I wanted to watch him in a play, but his mother called the cops and said I was harassing her, and they carted me off. I was questioned for a short while and then let go, because she had fuck all evidence of her accusations. I missed the play, and a part of my heart cracked that day. His mother is poison, evil, and she’s passed all of her traits onto our son.
I’d go and speak to her, but the damage has been done and there is no reasoning with crazy.
So with my heart heavy, I walk away, knowing that all I can do now is be there for him when he falls. Because he will. It will come, and then maybe, just maybe, he might accept the help I’m offering him.
Chapter Nineteen
Cameron
“Fuck me, this is like some type of next level shit,” Marcie says when I take her onto the marketing floor at Elite Enterprises. “Elite indeed.”
“I told you this place was amazing,” I reiterate.
“You sure did, and I’ll be sure to not doubt your word again… most of the time,” she says, earning her one of those eye rolls I seem to do a hell of a lot around her. I show her around the entire floor, including the two offices that sit adjacent to the project room—and Caleb’s office—that will be ours. Or rather, will be hers if she takes the job, because mine already has my name on the door, which I was not expecting when I walked in here, but they are certainly on the ball with everything considering I took the job less than twenty-four hours ago.
