“Goodnight, Lance. Thanks for listening.”
“You’re welcome.”
With that, she hung up, and his face disappeared. Chantelle reclined in bed, nuzzling her face in the pillows.
Chapter 16
Sounds muffled under the carpet as the room cleared of the board members. Lance blew out his cheeks as he gathered his papers and placed them back inside his briefcase. Mr. Bramble stalked over to him. His thick salt-pepper eyebrows rose and his smile grew.
“Outstanding presentation, Lance,” he said, extending his hand. “Your father would be proud.”
He bobbed his head, though the churning in his stomach didn’t go away. The contract he presented called for twenty percent in cutbacks. Almost half of the employees at Bramble Inc. would lose their jobs in order for the deal to close.
“Mr. Bramble, you trust my judgment?” Lance asked.
“Your father says this deal can take us further than we could ever imagine.” His sea-foam green eyes lit up.
Lance cleared his throat. “I’m all about closing deals, and even though I’ve presented this to you and the board, is it something you’re willing to go through with?”
Mr. Bramble chuckled. “Your father warned me about this.” He patted Lance’s back. “Don’t worry. Our employees will receive their pension. Business is business. It’s nothing personal. You know that.”
Lance swallowed back the snarky comment that danced on the tip of his tongue. “I understand. Thank you for taking time to see me.” He left the stuffy room.
Coming to the elevators, Lance’s skin prickled. He never enjoyed closing deals on behalf of his father without a care of who lost their employment. Sure, he grew up with money. He had been the envy of his classmates growing up, but he took it upon himself to see how the average person lived.
Lance worked through college, only using his trust funds to pay for school and supplies. Anything else, he paid on his own. Watching the rest of his classmates in work-study programs and sports scholarships, Amelia’s foundation was born. His father, though reluctant to the idea, agreed to invest in the first winner of the grant and scholarship money. Ever since then, Lance appreciated the value of a dollar.
Exiting the elevator to the main lobby of Bramble Inc. didn’t ease the twinge in his chest. Once outside, he heard the hustle and bustle of New York. Multi lane traffic, horns honking, along with food trucks and cart vendors. Heels clacked on the sidewalk and he called for a taxi.
Directing the driver to his hotel, he settled into the worn seat. Local music played on the radio, and Lance pulled out his cell to check his messages. He had a voicemail from his father. He didn’t want to listen to it. How could the man mistrust him to the point of giving Mr. Bramble a heads up about him? Were morals and integrity so bad in business?
Lance shut his eyes for a second once back inside his hotel room. He didn’t fit into the corporate world. It was becoming clear as parts of a tree in the morning sun. Where was his heart? Amelia’s Foundation.
BUZZ. BUZZ. Lance grabbed his phone. Andrea. He gave a slight smile. “How are you?”
“I talked my agent into giving me some time off.”
He sat up on his bed. “That’s great.”
“I can’t confirm dates yet, but I’ll be able to visit soon.”
“Thanks Babe.”
“I didn’t realize my career was getting in the way of us. I do love you.”
“I know.” He sighed. “I love you too.”
“I couldn’t sleep last night. All I remember as a kid was my mother’s film career drove my father away. She told me she was ambitious, and he just didn’t understand her.” Andrea exhaled. “I don’t know why I compared you to him.”
“You thought I would leave you?”
“It crossed my mind, but I don’t want to bring baggage into our relationship. Lance... my mother didn’t teach me how to be in a giving relationship. She was too afraid of others taking from her that—”
“She taught you to do the same.”
“Exactly. I... I don’t want to do that. Not with you. You’re right. If we’re going to do this, we both have to be committed.”
Lance’s chest fluttered. “Thank you.”