So what was his problem?
It wasn’t that he wasn’t good at what he did—he’d been inducted so early, his tendencies hadn’t mattered.
Now, here he was, vice president and a shoe-in for CEO once his dad stepped down one way or another, and he wanted to throw a tantrum about it like some brat.
His father had made sure life was very comfortable and easy for him. Marrying Lucy and taking over the family business someday was truly the least he could do.
He remembered the disappointment on Maribel’s face when she spoke of the job opportunity she thought she had in the bag disintegrating before her eyes.
Jim never had to bounce around searching for a job, and now, what he took for granted daily loomed before him in the face of Maribel’s desperate job search.
He’d wanted to just hand her a job like his father had done for him, and even though she clearly needed to get started sooner than later, she’d refused him.
Why?
“No handouts,” she’d said.
No obligations, she’d implied as if he would expect some sort of indecent favor in return.
But also, underneath it all, she apparently had no interest in the jobs he’d offered her; she wanted to pursue a particular position he couldn’t provide.
She’d been sort of vague about her pursuits, but she clearly had something specific in mind. No one moved to New York for just anything.
He’d press her more about it later.
He stared at his phone again, dreading having to check his emails soon too.
All he knew was that he couldn’t call his dad back just yet.
He flipped through his text messages and discovered that, surprisingly, only his sister and best friend had texted him.
Scott hadn’t called at all, but Judy had, and she eventually left the one message that wasn’t his dad.
“You need to touch base,” was all she’d said.
He dialed her up.
“That was a total dick move,” she greeted him.
Jim grinned, even as he put his hand on his forehead in shame.
Judy always had a way of being forthright.
Her bluntness tended to surprise some people at first, but they ultimately appreciated it.
It was a rare occasion where she held her tongue to spare feelings.
“I know, Judy. I just…”
“Brother, you know I’ll support you in any case, but Lucy deserves an explanation. A phone call. A certified, notarized letter. Something. You can’t just…”
“I know, I know—I’ll call her right now. Well, after we’re done here.” Jim took a deep breath. “How’s dad?”
“Mad as hell,” Judy said. “Like, I was a little worried, considering what you looked like earlier, and your discomfort with the whole thing didn’t escape dad, obviously. He knows your heart wasn’t exactly in it; in fact...well, I won’t repeat what he said.”
“Go ahead; I think I need to hear it.”
“He’s not sure how he managed to raise such a yellow-bellied son.”
“Raise? Is that what he calls leaving care completely up to mom and nannies? Christ, the only way I could see him was when I joined the company.”
“This isn’t about any of that right now. You embarrassed everyone and you must address this whole thing sooner than later. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.”
Jim rubbed his forehead.
“I know—I’ll sort out apologies to the group at large. As for dad and Lucy, I’ll get to them after we hang up. I just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn’t rage at me first.”
“Where the heck have you been, Jim? I was really starting to get worried myself.”
“I found a place to hide out. I won’t say where over the phone, obviously. Just know I don’t plan to stay here forever. I’ll sort everything out between today and tomorrow.”
“Are you still going to go through with it? That’s pretty much the only thing dad will accept, I think.”
“I’ll figure it out. If dad or Lucy had gotten hold of me sometime last night, I might have, and if things didn’t happen the way they did in the hours afterward. Now, I know I can’t go through with it, no matter what the threats.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
He bit his tongue, taking a moment to consider.
Should he tell Judy?
He trusted her, no doubt, and despite her bluntness, she knew how to keep a secret, but he didn’t want any possible judgment with it; after all, how on earth could he explain to her he could no longer be bullied into marrying Lucy because he’d met someone he would much rather tie himself to less than two hours after his scheduled nuptials? How crazy and selfish would that sound?
Judy wouldn’t take his interest in some other woman so quickly seriously, and she would no doubt decide it was just another thing representing his desire to escape his commitment; a way for him to slither out of the deal.
How on earth could he impress upon her that he was serious about this new girl? Did he even know for sure he wasn’t clinging to the idea of Maribel in a desperate attempt to escape Lucy?
Best to keep his mouth shut for now until things were clearer to him.
He chose his words carefully.
“I mean, if dad had found me after I ran out, I might have been persuaded to go back inside and follow through. But getting away from everyone overnight and having time and space to really think about what it all means…I’ve reached the point where it’s pretty damned clear that there’s no way in hell I can marry Lucy. I’ll come up with whatever excuse he wants to hear, but having so narrowly escaped certain unhappiness, this one thing is clear.”
He heard Judy let out a breath.
“I don’t know how you’re going to get out of this unscathed, but whatever you decide, whatever you need, I’m here, brother. You know that. I will help you escape if you need to, and I won’t get in trouble for it.”
Jim chuckled.
“Thanks, sis.”
She was right—perhaps it was because she was a girl, perhaps for other reasons, but their dad was always harder on him.
Then again, even though not at all related by blood, Judy was far more like his father than he was.
She was smart, practical, and a natural fit in the company as its CFO. Who would have thought adopted Judy would end up being his parents’ dream child?
Jim considered who to call next.
He still hadn’t come up with what to say to his father, and even though it was the same case with Lucy, he knew he needed to get to her first.
Lucy picked up on the second ring.
“Hello?” she said as if she hadn’t read his name on her call screen, and it could be anyone on the other line—although she obviously didn’t fear a kidnapper with a ransom message, the way she faked indifference.
“Lucy,” he began quietly, his voice heavy, and that was all it took for her dam to burst, it seemed.
He had to hold the phone away from his ear as she yelled at him, asking what the hell he was thinking, where the hell he was, and how he could do that to her, among other choice words.
He brought the phone back to his ear once she screamed, “Answer me!”
“Lucy, I’m so sorry. I know an apology doesn’t even begin to...listen, let’s arrange to meet up. I would much rather talk in person; we have a lot to discuss.”
“Ya think? Fine. You know where, 6 p.m.”
Jim checked his watch.
He had plenty of time to figure out a change of clothes in addition to sorting out his thoughts.
Hopefully, everything would be clearer once the meeting time arrived, but for now, he was certain of one thing: he wanted Maribel to come with him.
Chapter 8
Maribel
“You’re out of your blue-blooded mind,” Mari said once Jim was done updating her.
An amused quirk appeared on his handsome face, the tension previously tightening it disappearing.