Brazen Bossman: A Hero Club Novel, стр. 42
Oliver stands and claps his hand on my shoulder. “Word of advice, pal. The worst thing you could do is hurt my sister. Not only would I kick your ass, but also so would my brother. But really, Piper would take care of you before we could even have our turn.”
“I don’t doubt that for even a second.” I gather my suit coat that was long since discarded. “Rosa, dinner was incredible. Thank you for having me and being so gracious. I apologize for how it ended.”
“Nathanial. Wait a moment. Let’s talk outside,” she says, sliding from the booth. “Boys, go help your sister and the rest of the crew in the back finish up. I’ll be along soon.”
They don’t grumble for a moment before bidding their goodbyes to me and heading off in the same direction Piper went.
I motion my hand outward, allowing Mrs. Kingston to walk out ahead of me onto the sidewalk.
“Now, Nathanial, I don’t know what your intentions are with my daughter, and frankly, I’m not sure I want the dirty details, but here is what I do want to know. You do understand the risk in dating or having a fling with a subordinate? While I know there is little to no risk for you, especially since you are leaving your company, there is massive risk for my child.”
“With all due respect, Mrs. Kingston…”
“Rosa. I told you to call me Rosa.” She places her hands on her hips just as Piper does when she’s fired up.
“Rosa, with all due respect, I am completely aware of the repercussions of my relationship with your daughter. I have told her many times that I want to shield her from any blowback, but as I’m sure you’ve noticed in the twenty-six years you’ve known her, she is stubborn and does what she wants.”
“To say the least. I do need a favor of you though…” She looks down at the ground then back up at me.
“Okay…”
“Whoever you sell to, or whomever steps into your role, please put in a good word for Piper. Publishing is her dream career. She’s good at hiding it because she doesn’t want to seem desperate, but it is. She has always wanted to be in that industry. She’s passionate about the authors and their work. And now with the situation with us, she’s even more nervous about keeping her job. When you dropped the bomb in there earlier, I saw the light leave her eyes, and my heart broke. So, if there is any care in your heart for her, if you would please, make sure she’s safe once you’re no longer in the picture professionally.”
“I care for her, Rosa, as an employee, and as a friend. She’s been keeping me in line since the minute I stepped into the office. I promise you I will try to lessen any blow she may feel.”
She reaches out to give my arm a squeeze before turning on her heel and heading back into the restaurant.
I lean against the brick wall, hands shoved into my pockets, staring up at the sky.
I broke her heart in there without even realizing it. She depends on her job with me to help with her mother, and I know she thinks if she loses it, they’ll lose every shot they have of keeping Kingston’s alive and well.
One option races through my brain, but it almost seems too crazy to even consider, but since when does crazy stop me?
I pull out my cell and fire off three text messages, hoping one of them works out the way I need it to.
Chapter 16
Piper
Ida,
So, turns out, I may be losing my job. What a turn of events, right? Everything was going so well, albeit really fast. He came to dinner with my family, but he was in such a sour mood when he got there, and then he drops the bomb that he’s selling the business I work for. Can you believe that? He hasn’t said a word to the staff. What are we supposed to do if we all lose our jobs? Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised. It would be in typical asshole fashion. He hadn’t shown his face in a while. I guess it was time.
P.
I fire off the email to the Ida account and toss my phone into my bag as the train seat vibrates underneath me, which is packed, as usual on a Monday morning.
I didn’t speak to Nathanial at all yesterday, and to be fair, he didn’t try to contact me either. I just needed my space. From what, I’m not even sure; it just felt like the appropriate reaction to have given the circumstances.
My mom told me not to jump the gun and buy anger for something that may not even be true, but this is my career, my life, we are talking about here.
I remember when my father lost his job at a manufacturing plant in Queens when I was a little girl. At the time, Kingston’s was brand-new and Mom was the only one working there full time because they weren’t making enough for ends to meet.
I lay in the hallway, hiding in the darkness, listening to my father cry, terrified he wasn’t going to be able to provide for us anymore. As an adult, I think I know now that very moment was when his addiction to money started. That moment in time created a butterfly effect that ultimately lost my mother the last piece of my father: Kingston’s.
Now I’ll probably lose mine in some sort of fucked-up vicious cycle, putting the nail in the coffin.
My phone buzzes in my purse, and I pull it out, seeing an email response from Ida.
Piper,
I say this with love… You need a reality show or a soap opera based on your life, my dear.
Holy God, the drama that finds you is