No Strings
I internally groan. “I graduated high school, and I did attend college. It’s where I met your mom.”
“Yeah, but then you dropped out and bought a strip club,” he argues, making me choke on my coffee. Shit, I never realized how much kids pay attention.
“Brody,” I warn, ready to strangle him. It’s not that I’m embarrassed. I don’t own them anymore, but at the time, it was a damn good investment. After I renovated and sold them, my return on investment was fifty percent. I used that money to open Lush after paying Lucas back in full with interest.
“What?” he asks, oblivious to the problem with his word vomit. “I don’t see why it’s a big deal. My friends think it’s awesome.”
“You don’t go around telling people your dad owns strip clubs. Besides, I don’t even own them anymore.” I look at Savannah, who’s hiding her grin behind her cup of coffee, obviously amused at the direction the conversation has taken. “I own several nightclubs called Lush.”
“Oh! I’ve heard of that place. Bri mentioned it when we would talk. I’ve never been to a nightclub before, but the pictures she showed me were gorgeous.”
Before I can think about what I’m doing, I say, “We should go some time.”
Savannah’s eyes lock with mine. “That would be fun. Bri and Lucas will be back next week. We can all go.”
My phone rings, reminding me of my morning meeting that I’m late for. “We need to get going. I’ll walk you to where you need to go.”
“Is your school over here?” she asks Brody.
“Um, no.” He shakes his head, actually looking ashamed. “I got into a fight and got suspended.”
She frowns at him in concern. “You’re on quite a roll, huh?”
“I guess,” he mutters with a shrug.
“Hopefully, he’s not going to make this a habit,” I add in, glaring at my son, who makes it a point to avoid my gaze.
After we leave Savannah in the reception area of Sharp, Brody and I take the elevator upstairs to where my company’s offices are housed. I set him up at my desk to do the schoolwork he needs to have finished before returning next week and then head into my meeting.
Chapter Four
Savannah
“This will be your office,” David says, stepping into the spacious room. To the left is a large window that overlooks the city, and in the center is a beautiful mahogany desk. There’s a comfy yet elegant-looking couch in the corner with a coffee table and several rows of bookshelves lining the walls. Near the window is a small round table with four chairs, and behind it is a little nook with a Keurig machine and a mini fridge.
“This is mine?” I splutter in shock, taking it all in. When I finished filling out my paperwork, I ran into David Sharp, Brianne’s dad. He said since I was here and he wasn’t busy, he would show me around himself. After only two minutes into the tour, I quickly realized how different Sharp is from the company Neil and his dad run. For starters, Sharp is warm and inviting. The people actually seem happy to be here, and instead of shitty cubicles, everyone has their own little—or in my case, big—space.
“Of course,” David says with a genuine smile. The entire time he’s been giving me a tour, I keep looking for a hint of calculation or fakeness, but I’ve yet to see any. “You’re a vital part of this company and will be treated as such. This floor houses the finance and accounting department. We’ll hold a meeting on Monday so you can meet everyone and get brought up to speed.”
“Thank you. I can’t wait.” I step farther inside and run my fingers along the smooth top of the desk, excited to make the space my own. While I was in college, I dreamed of having my own office one day, but when I went to work for Neil, he stuck me in a small cubicle. Not only did he claim he didn’t want to play favorites, but it was also pointless because I wouldn’t be there long. Once I got pregnant, I was expected to quit and stay home with the baby. It turns out, he was right. I wasn’t there long… but it wasn’t to stay home with a baby.
After letting me know he’ll be around if I need anything, David excuses himself. I walk around the desk and slide into the comfy plush leather chair. This is mine, all mine. All those years of my parents, and then later my foster parents, telling me I’d never amount to anything only made me want to succeed and work that much harder, and it paid off. I did it. I really freaking did it. I’m a CFO.
I can’t help the squeal that escapes my lips as I spin in my chair, fist-pumping the air. When the chair swivels back to the front, I find Brody standing in the doorway with a grin splayed across his face.