"Tasha, I'm sorry, I have to take this," Stan said. "Just remember, it's all for the best."
I knocked back the rest of my drink and wondered why the best felt like the absolute worst.
Chapter Sixteen
Rainer
Tasha's eyes met mine down the office hallway, and I felt a jolt through my entire body. She looked as if she had something to say, something that couldn't wait, something that might touch on the lava flow I felt when her eyes were on me. Then Stan bustled her off to the executive elevator and my stomach dropped to the floor.
What if our yacht liaison had been found out?
It wasn't much a stretch to think someone at Berger's party had found the entertainment boring and the gossip much more interesting. We could have been spotted heading down that narrow hallway. Or maybe the bartenders had heard us over the thumping of the music.
Stan had frowned in my direction, and I felt sure he was advising Tasha against me. Probably good advice, but it put me on edge. There was already so much between us that caused problems: her career focus, my lack of proper ambition, my last-minute attachment to her billion-dollar project, not to mention our passionate run-ins or my intruding ex-girlfriend. The last thing I needed was our boss and mentor telling Tasha exactly why she should stay far, far away from me.
I was so busy searching for counter-arguments that it took a moment to see the steady stream of junior executives heading for the elevator. By the time I unstuck myself from the doorway of my office, the elevator doors had shut. Seemed like everyone was heading upstairs to the executive floor. I turned to the stairwell and took the steps two at a time. It still didn't burn off my agitation.
What was Tasha talking to Stan about? Would she listen if he told her to leave me behind and never think of me again?
On the penthouse floor, I found the rest of the junior executives skulking around the conference room across from Stan's office.
"There you are, glad you could join the party," one of the junior executives said.
Berger slapped me on the shoulder. "Hopefully, he's more fun than he was on the yacht. Man, you were so serious. And here we all thought you had so much to celebrate."
I clenched my jaw and hoped he didn't bring up Ellison. No matter how much I protested, people still wanted to believe that we were going to get married.
"Maybe it's a side effect of working with Tasha too long. He's been iced!" Berger laughed at his own joke, and the rest of the junior executives joined him.
"You boys just hanging out in here to gossip or what?" I asked.
A few men shook their heads, but Berger answered for them. "There are rumors of rumors floating around, and we're waiting to find out what's real and what's not."
"What kind of rumors?" My neck felt stiff and my shoulders rock hard.
"Some kind of merger or deal that has to do with the whole company," Berger said.
My shoulders loosened one notch. It wasn't about Tasha and I. "There are always rumors like that. Comes with the territory when you work for a successful company," I said.
"But, when your company just made billions of dollars, the rumors start getting real. I mean, I can count on both hands the number of companies just dying to buy us or become part of our branding," Berger said.
I stared at Stan's office door and hoped that was what he was discussing with Tasha. As I wished I could bore through the thick double doors, a wave of beeps and chimes swept through the conference room.
An official message was received by every employee notifying us that Hyperion had been sold to a major local conglomerate. As I read between the lines, I got the uncomfortable feeling that I knew who headed up the sale: Ellison's father. The new owner was not named, but there were too many hints to ignore.
A burst of chatter erupted in the conference room, and I was glad for the din to drown out my suspicions. It let me feel a wild sense of freedom. Hyperion was sold, most employees would be let go, and I was done. I had made my billions, thanks to Tasha, and now I could be free. My family couldn't argue that I'd quit and my fat bank account meant that I didn't have to play their competitive games anymore.
I'd won, and the game was over.
There was anger, worry, and celebrations going on all around me, so I squeezed out of the conference room and ran right into Otto. The head of security stationed himself a subtle distance from Stan's office but was obviously there to check the long line of employees who would have questions.
"Looking at a busy day, huh?" I asked Otto.
He smiled and hooked his thumbs in his utility belt. "Maybe I'm just waiting to see our girl."
I felt a twist in my chest. "Wanna lay some bets on what they're talking about?" I asked.
Otto chuckled. "Son, I can tell when someone is trying to get gossip out of me."