The Billionaire Boss Next Door

“I’m sure it has,” Senior confirms. “Hotels always are.”

Trent hums his agreement, and I go from ecstatic to impatient. Okay, boys, enough back-patting. Let’s move this thing along.

I’m about to come out of hiding to give them a reason to wrap it up when Senior speaks again.

“As for the design…”

Ooh, that’s me. My ears perk up, and I lean in to listen harder.

“She’s missing the mark.”

What?

“I don’t say this often, but I think my initial instinct about her was wrong.”

My chest pounds and my ears roar, and oh my God, I think I might throw up.

“What?” Trent asks, and I’m nodding like a fucking lunatic over here, even though no one can see me.

Which, now that I think about it, thank God no one can see me.

“Some of her design is okay, but she’s too eccentric. Too wordy. She makes everything more complicated than it needs to be.”

There’s a pause. Just long enough to make me stop breathing.

“You should let her go,” Senior orders simply, and a crack forms, right down the middle of me. It’s all I can do to hold it together. But Trent’s going to defend me; I know it.

Sure, that probably won’t change Senior’s opinion of me, and it probably won’t even save my job, but at least it’ll save my soul.

I’m practically clawing at the walls in the moments it takes Trent to answer, but when he does, I hold my breath completely to make sure I don’t miss anything.

“I respect you, Dad. Always have, always will. In the past, you’ve pretty much always been right. In fact, I don’t think I can even remember a time when you’ve been wrong.”

Senior hums.

“So, there’s no reason to think you wouldn’t be now.”

No reason to think you wouldn’t be now.

He’s agreeing with him?

Tears sting my nose, and my gut feels like I’ve been punched in it.

The crack that Senior made is gone, and in its place, everything shatters.

I don’t wait to hear anything else.

I can’t.

Instead, I run.

Far and fast, I get the fuck out of there as quickly as my legs will take me, and I don’t look back.

I had it all right before—before stupid Trent Turner and his stupid green eyes pounded on my door and broke in to my heart.

Trent

“No reason, except the only one that matters.”

My father’s eyebrows go up in challenge, but I hold my ground. There’s no way I’m going to let him come in here, and after one day of being with everyone, presume he knows what’s best for the team. He doesn’t know the dynamic, he doesn’t know the details, he doesn’t know Greer.

“You’re smart and successful, and you built this business on your back,” I continue. “Your legacy is a strong one, so you have to know I wouldn’t disagree with you on this if I didn’t believe so strongly that I should.”

He nods. “I’m listening.”

“Greer is the heart of this place. She’s had brilliant ideas, unbelievable work ethic, and is the reason this team is running so smoothly.”

I swallow, knowing I’m going to have to take another bite of humility and give it to him straight if I have any chance of convincing him. “It was a rocky start. I was headstrong and authoritative and going about it all wrong. Without her steady advice and mediation with the team, we wouldn’t be anywhere near on schedule.”

I run a hand through my hair, stand up from my chair, and look directly at my father. “Let go of her, and we might as well let go of the progress we’ve made on the hotel.”

He considers me for a moment, his face stoic and his stance impassive. His hands rest casually in his pockets, and he purses his lips in consideration. Finally, he comes to a decision.

“Fine. If you feel that passionately about her presence, I’m not going to overrule you. But you’re the point man. If you do this, you’re taking responsibility for any and all mistakes she may make.”

I nod. Greer isn’t making any mistakes, and I know she won’t going forward. But that’s not the point. The point is that, for the first time ever, Senior believes in me enough to let me win.

“Understood.”

He nods his head, just once, and then sticks out a hand for me to shake. “All right, then. I’ve seen all I need to. I’m impressed with the change in you, Trent. You’re finally learning that your team is there for a reason. Lean into them, and don’t lose this humility. I’ll see you at the opening at the end of September.”

And just as quick as he came, he’s gone.

I glance at my watch after he steps outside, and I curse.

Greer is waiting on me at Coastal Crepes to have lunch, and I’m late.

I gather my shit in a hurry and jog outside to catch a cab. Luckily, it’s the busy tourist season, and the options are plentiful.