“You want to go gallivanting around,” he had growled when I’d questioned him. “Then you can stay here where I can watch you.”
I feel like a child again. I know there’s no point in arguing, though. I simply set myself up at the desk and do my work quietly, trying to ignore the way my father glances at me every now and then.
Maybe this will end up being a good thing, I try to tell myself. My father can see for himself how much effort I put into my work, and then he won’t be so hard on me anymore.
I snort softly to myself. That will be the day.
No, this is just an extremely transparent attempt to control me once more. He doesn’t want me to leave the building without him knowing, on the off chance that I might find my way to Energy Plus Co. I scowl down at the papers in front of me. I would fight against this, but I know better than to try when my father’s in this mood. If I don’t step carefully, I could very much end up being fired.
And that would make everything I’ve done up to this point completely pointless.
On the desk, the phone rings, the sound loud and obnoxious in the otherwise quiet room. I glance up quickly and then look away. For once, I don’t care who might be phoning my father. I’m not interested in what’s happening with the company. I’d rather just stew here and do my work. And if he attempts to ask me for advice since I’m sitting in the room, I’ll probably snap at him.
“How dare you think you have the right to call me,” my father suddenly growls.
I look up, my attention was caught by the tone. That’s not normal. As brisk and stern as my father can be, he would never talk to clients or business partners like that.
So who is on the other end?
A deep scowl settles on my father’s face. The expression in his eyes is almost terrifying. I’ve never seen him so angry before, and I feel my shoulders tensing. I don’t know what’s going on.
Then I remember Lyle’s promise. He was going to do something. He asked me to trust him. Could it be him on the other end of the line? It would certainly explain my father’s attitude.
Surprisingly, however, my father has settled. He still looks very angry. But his lips are simply pressed into a thin line and his eyes are narrowed as he listens.
“Fine,” he spits. “We will see you tomorrow.”
Without bothering to say goodbye, he slams the phone down. I jump at the suddenness of it, stunned.
“What…what was that about?” I ask cautiously.
My father looks up at me. His eyes are burning.
“That was Lyle Thompson,” he says.
So, it was Lyle. I eye my father. What the hell did Lyle say to him?
“He wants to know about the alliance?” I guess.
“Naturally,” my father grunts. “He would like you and I to go over there for a meeting tomorrow. He said his company has not changed its stance, so he would like to have a formal meeting to determine where we go from here.” He snorts. “Didn’t know the kid had it in him.”
Is it my imagination, or did my father just sound grudgingly impressed by Lyle?
“Tomorrow at one,” my father barks. “We’re going over to Energy Plus Co. We will decide then whether this alliance is worth our money.”
In other words, my father wants the chance to turn Lyle down in person, which is likely the only reason he has agreed to this meeting. I look down. I’m not an idiot. I know where the cards are about to fall. My father doesn’t want this alliance anymore, and he’s using my apparent transgression as an easy out.
Well, I think sardonically, at least he won’t be able to accuse me of a conflict of interest anymore.
I almost called Lyle to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. Surely he realizes that this is the quickest way to wreck everything that the two companies have tried to achieve in the last month?
I’m half through a message when I remember Lyle’s plea.
“Trust me.”
I told him I did. But it’s surprisingly difficult to remember that as I worry about what’s about to happen next. I’ve always been independent; my father taught me to rely on myself and to never trust anyone to do something that I can do myself. Even my mother’s influence wasn’t able to get that idea out of my head once it took root. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t need to lean on anybody; I can get by in life on my own.
Yet, suddenly, here’s Lyle, asking me to trust him as he takes care of a situation that I have no idea how to get myself out of. I don’t want to leave it to him. Knowing that I don’t know what Lyle has planned leaves me twitchy and anxious. I want to be involved and know that any plan that is being devised will definitely work.