Chapter Fourteen
Sam slid through the front door, carefully closing it behind him. He’d disarmed the alarm from his phone, and usually Becky slept like a rock. She was the only other one who lived there and definitely the only one who would be there at two thirty a.m.
He slid off his shoes, picked them up, and headed toward his office.
Although maybe it shouldn’t be his office. Maybe it should belong to Lucas, who had saved the day, or Eli, who was technically two minutes older and should have rightfully taken over. Or hell, maybe a woman needed to be in the position. Becky was done with school. She could handle this and anything else that came along.
Running the company by committee seemed the perfect solution right now. He was going to lose the bet anyway. It was in everyone’s best interest that he not be in charge. Something his father had known all along.
He’d failed today. Nearly cost the company everything. Because Ellis Industries had been built on the promise of safety and treating its employees with respect.
He. Was. Flighty. Just like his father had predicted.
Something new had caught his eye, and he had jumped ship, forgetting the important things, like a company his family had worked hard for their whole lives. A family who depended on it. Employees who depended on it. He’d let his life become narrowly focused on Whitney almost to the exclusion of anything else. Maybe he wasn’t someone who could do balance. He worked himself into the grave and when offered an alternative obsession, he jumped on it.
He dropped his shoes on the floor outside his office door and rubbed his eyes. He should go to bed, but he needed to do a few things. Put some things into motion.
Figure out what the hell to do about Whitney.
Firing her had been a rash thought and not one he would actually follow through on. That had been a desperate thought by a desperate man.
She hadn’t done anything to deserve firing. She was kicking ass and taking names, and he was not that kind of jerk. Even if he hadn’t lived up to his responsibility, he wouldn’t fail when it came to treating employees with respect.
And Whitney deserved respect.
Plus she was moving on to a different project. Her job was complete on this one except for some follow-through. That had always been the plan for the position.
But he would have to do something, because he couldn’t work side by side with her again—day in and day out and not remember two things: that she was amazing, and he had loved every minute he’d spent with her.
And that he’d almost blown everything because of her.
Guess that was three things to remember.
Opening his office door, he stepped through. Turning around, he swore.
Lucas sat in his chair, feet propped up on the windowsill, fingers steepled. “I figured you would be back about thirty minutes ago.” He looked at his watch.
Sam sighed. “I took the long way around the pass.”
Lucas spun and speared him with a gaze. A gaze that said, dude you are placing way too much on your shoulders.
“How did you even know?” He was tired and hurt and angry and about ten other letters of the emotion alphabet. A late-night soul-bearing talk with his brother was not on his agenda.
Lucas smiled. “Whitney texted me.”
“Of course she did.” Sam dropped into the chair across from his desk and leaned his head back. He’d slid a short, curt note under her hotel room door, telling her to take the jet home today, that he was driving.
“Don’t get mad. I had texted her first to see what had happened.” Lucas waited until he met his gaze. “Sam, what happened?”
He didn’t want to be doing this. Not now and especially not with Lucas. He couldn’t bullshit Lucas. He was the one sibling who none of them could get anything past.
Then again, he wouldn’t be in this damn mess if it hadn’t been for Lucas.
“Why did you pick her for the first bet?” If he hadn’t gone back to talk with Whitney for that ridiculous bet then he wouldn’t have learned about her job needs and he wouldn’t have offered the job opportunity.
Lucas’s head snapped back. “What? I asked you what happened?”
“I don’t know. I left, as you can clearly see.” Sam sat up. “Why. Did. You. Pick. Her?”
Lucas snorted. “You know why I picked her.”
“Dammit, Lucas, I don’t have the energy for these games. I can’t do this.” Sam jumped up and paced the room. “It all came crumbling down today.”
“Did it?” Lucas leaned back and crossed a foot onto his knee. “From what I can see in the media outlets and from the brief report from Whitney, it was a rousing success.”
“Not because of me, because of you.” Sam pointed at his brother.
“Why, because I answered two questions from Stan?”
“Yes. You answered. Because I was so damn caught up in Whitney that I failed.”
“You didn’t fail, Sam, you were human. And it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“Not running the coaster because of a safety issue on media day is a big deal.”
“No. The issue was not that big. You know Stan. He overreacts. He’s probably more of a damn perfectionist than you are and works twice as many hours. That’s what makes him the best in the business but also a little paranoid. Do you see him with a wife and kids? Has he ever been excited over anything but the coasters he helps design and build?”
“This is about me, not Stan. He’s not responsible for an entire company. For a legacy our parents built. For proving that I deserve to run the company, which in case you noticed, I don’t.”
“Sam, the legacy is fine. The company is thriving. You are not. Distraction is normal. Dropping the ball every now and then is normal. It’s okay to be normal. You don’t have to be superhuman. You can’t be. No one can.”
“I guess I proved that today.” Sam resumed pacing.
“Yes, you proved that the crash we all knew was coming, finally came…but in the grand scheme of crashes, it was a ding from a shopping cart. Whitney might have been a distraction on some front, but you wanted that distraction. You needed it; in fact, I daresay you craved it. You want to know why I chose her? ’Cause that first night in Monsoon’s you woke up. You noticed something other than spreadsheets and emails and your desk. Your eyes lit up after a thirty-second encounter with her.”
Sam stopped and stared. “You’re crazy.”
“No. I’m right. And I knew you wouldn’t do a damn thing about it. So the bet was born. Not only for your health, but for your future.”
“The joke is on you. I don’t have a future. Not with Whitney. I lost the bet. Relationship is over. You win.”
“Does Whitney know that?”
“It was fake, Lucas,” Sam roared. “The whole thing was fake. She knew about the bet from day one.”
“Of course she did.”
“What?”
“I bet the others you would tell her. Besides, she isn’t a very good actress and honestly, neither are you, which is why I also know that maybe the damn thing started out fake, but it wasn’t fake at the end.”
Sam swallowed his response. No, it wasn’t fake. Hell, it hadn’t been fake for him since the kiss in the garden at the first family dinner.
But fake or not, it was over. He couldn’t trust himself not to screw up again with possibly disastrous consequences. He’d managed to skate through today with the help of Lucas and Whitney, but a relationship with Whitney was a guaranteed way to lose everything he’d worked so hard for this past year.
“And what do you mean about proving you deserve it?”
“I don’t. I never did. Dad knew that.”
“Sam, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Dad said I was flighty. He never planned on letting me have a place at the head of the table. He didn’t believe I could do it, and obviously he was right.”
“Flighty? I’m sure you misheard him.”
“Lucas, one does not spend more than half their life trying to prove something wrong if they misheard it.”
“You were never flighty, even as a boy. You were excited and obsessed and you wanted to conquer everything. You jumped from one thing to another because you had conquered it and no longer felt the drive to achieve. We all saw that.”
“Not Dad, and clearly I cannot conquer this. I’ve spent twelve months trying, and in one fell swoop, a woman, an amazing woman, led me right off the cliff.”
Lucas sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “You’re wrong about everything.” He paced the room. “You didn’t answer me. Does Whitney—the amazing woman—know the relationship is over?”
“There’s nothing to know. We’d never spoken about anything being, well, anything. So there is nothing to tell. The bet is done. I will accept my losses. Draft whatever announcement you and the others deem fit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to do some work before hitting the bed.”
Lucas circled around the desk. “The bet was to get you to slow down. To take a break, find a balance. No one wanted you to actually step down. At worst we expected to have you on the committee, if that was what it took. We hoped you would see the benefit in slowing down. Besides, we all have jobs, even Becky. It was all about balance.”
“Well, not being the head of the company will allow me all that, won’t it? But I left something in a lurch today, and I need to clear it up. Not having a job will allow me all the slowing down in the world, once it is official.”
“There’s no talking to you right now, is there?” Lucas clapped him on the back. “And if you’re serious, I bet Whitney could help fill that free time.”
“No. I don’t think she could.”
Lucas shook his head and left Sam to the dimly lit office. He circled the desk and his gaze rested on the wedding picture.
His parents—all their love beaming out to the world. Theirs had been an epic whirlwind. Love at first sight, his father had said. His mother had been dating someone else, Charlie Winston, hence part of the not-so-happy relationship between the families, but she, too, had said that from the moment they met, his father became her sole reason for breathing.
Sam understood now.
It might not have been as clear to him, but Whitney had shot his heart in the same way. Only theirs would not be a fairy-tale ending. Why would she even want it now? He’d been an idiot, and he couldn’t see how their happy-ever-after would work, or rather could work. No, theirs would be memories. Beautiful memories. But no future.
…
The wheels touched down and Whitney said a small prayer. Gathering her stuff on the seat beside her, she picked up the copy of the resignation letter that sat in her draft folder. She was ready to send it. Ready to cut all ties with the Ellises and especially Sam. And yet every time her finger went to hit send she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t bring herself to sever all ties.
After the success of the evening and the many requests and questions, Whitney had stumbled back to her room and found Sam’s hastily scribbled note under her door. Anger had alternated with concern, and she fell asleep not knowing which would win.
Concern, it seemed.
She hadn’t been able to sever ties because she needed answers. But even more so, she needed to know if Sam was okay. The more she thought about everything, the more worried she became.
If I slow down, I might drop the ball…
The ball had been dropped, but also recovered.
Midge came over and offered her a smile. “Thank you for the fudge and taffy.”
Whitney smiled. “You’re welcome. A little birdie told me they were your favorite.”
“Thank Mr. Ellis for me.” The unspoken question in the tone of her voice.
“I will.” Whitney exited the plane and was greeted with the driver taking her bags and placing them in the trunk and opening her door for her.
Sliding into the cool interior she dropped her head back and once again thought about Sam and what might await her when she returned to The Lodge.
And the cabin.
In the midst of the whole ride debacle, she had received a text from Becky saying that they’d moved her into the cabin. She wouldn’t even have a place to run to that wasn’t full of Ellis essence when the ax came down.
Sam had been a no-show at the single most important event since the death of his sibling and father. Just walked away. What on earth could have prompted such a thing from a man who was so entrenched in his company, so buried in work that his family had resorted to a bet to get him to wake up?
A bet of which she was a part.
A bet she had no idea where she stood.
And the unease tripled. Her own two feet were suddenly very unsteady and, despite knowing she would be okay, she didn’t like the prospect that something had happened to Sam. Something so damaging that he might not recover.
Forty-five minutes later she pulled up to The Lodge. The driver unloaded her bags and she tipped him and waved him off. She stared at the house. And that was what it was right now. A house. From what she’d learned, it had been a home for many years, but now it was just a house. It could be a home again. Should be a home, with children running about, family gatherings, and dinners.
But that would require change from Sam. Change that he didn’t seem ready to make.
What had driven him to leave? Deep down she knew. Deep down she knew he blamed himself for the almost-mess-up. But what she didn’t know was why he blamed himself and why he’d dismissed what had been several clear requests for help. She’d witnessed firsthand how thorough he was with everything. Why hadn’t he been thorough with this?
“You going in?”
Whitney jumped and spun to find Eli carrying one of the twins in a front carrier thing. She searched his face, finding the similarities to the man who caused so much upheaval in her life, but immediately also knew the differences.
“A man carrying a baby is kinda hot.”
Eli smiled. “Don’t I know it. Alas, this hot uncle has eyes for only his equally hot wife.” He leaned closer. “But don’t tell her that. A man has to uphold his reputation.”
“Got it. Lips are sealed.” She waggled her fingers at the little girl who smiled but kept her head close to her uncle’s chest.
“You didn’t answer my question. Are you going in?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I know I need to go in. That I should go in. But really, I do not want to go in.”
Eli laughed again. “Don’t I understand that. Wants are a tricky thing. Needs even more so. Let me ask you this. If you don’t go in, despite knowing you need to, where will that leave you the rest of the day?”
“A hot mess, downing half the display case from Sugar Grin’s, and trying very hard not to picture a very smug cousin telling me he told me so.”
“Clearly you have thought this through.”
“Yes. I’m not dumb, just a little self-preserving.”
Eli clapped her on the back. “Well, good luck. If it makes you feel any better, I saw him this morning around ten and he’d just woken up.”
“He probably got in late.”
“About two-thirty, but Becky said he was in bed by three-thirty.”
Seven hours. According to Sam he’d been existing on three or four a night for almost a year.
Now she was even more worried.
“I’m going in.”
“Good luck,” Eli said and saluted her before heading toward the barns.
Whitney marched through the front door like she owned the place. Dropping her stuff to the side, she headed down the hall toward Sam’s office. The door was open, and Sam was on the phone smiling.
“Well, of course I’m going to miss her. She’s been a godsend to us here at Ellis Industries and to me, and a staple in PR, but I also recognize when things need to change.”
Whitney froze cold. Surely he wasn’t talking about her. Talking about changing her position before even discussing it with her. He wouldn’t do that.
I also didn’t think he would walk out on the ride launch, but he did that, didn’t he?
Sam looked up, and the color drained from his face. She had her answer.
She would be damned if he pulled the rug out from under her. She pulled up the draft of the resignation letter, even as Sam was ending his call with a little less enthusiasm than he’d started it, and she clicked send.
She heard the ding on Sam’s computer five seconds later.
Satisfied and riding the own-two-feet mantra, she spun around and headed out the door. She would go to the cabin, pack up what little things she had, and then she would start looking for a new job. She would not let the sadness and devastation simmering below her anger overwhelm her. They’d had a good run. A fun run of a little more than a week.
Silly, really, to be mourning something so quick and short.
She stepped into the sunshine and froze. The car was the company’s. She’d resigned. Could she, in good conscience, take it?
Hell yes, she could. She would leave it at the cabin and send a note to Lucas that he could find it there after she’d moved out.
“Whitney, wait.”
Sam’s voice washed over her, and she closed her eyes, willing the confidence to return.
She stayed put but refused to turn around.
“What the hell was that?” Sam asked, a low growl to his voice.
“I think my letter was very detailed and factual.” Thatta girl Whitney. Nice calm voice.
He circled around her and stared. “I understand the damn letter. I want to know why you sent it.”
“To beat you to the punch of firing me, although from the sound of your damn phone call, I would say the word has already gotten out.”
His eyes bugged. “Fire you, Christ, do you really think so little of me?”
“Gee, Sam I don’t know.” She ticked off her fingers. “You walked out on me yesterday, putting the blame on me for something that had nothing to do with me. You left me to handle the biggest night in your family’s company in a year, with hardly any direction, other than ‘give me fifteen minutes.’ And you know what? I did it. I stood up there and ensured Ellis Industries had another stellar coaster on their hands and a safe one, to boot. After only five days on the job! Why wouldn’t I think a man who would leave me like that wouldn’t then fire me behind my back?”
Sam stepped closer, his heavy breathing sending puffs of indignation her way. “Because you know me. Because you trusted me with your secrets, with your body.”
She jabbed his chest. “No. You don’t get to throw that night back in my face. That has nothing to do with this. Did you fire me or not?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Well then, good. My resignation stands.” She pushed by him and climbed into the car. Lowering her window, she added,” I will leave the car at the cabin with the keys in the console. I will move everything out by tomorrow evening.”
Sam threw his hands up and stomped back into The Lodge. She backed around and headed down the driveway, tears coursing down her face.
He hadn’t fired her. She’d jumped to a horrible conclusion, and now she had no job, no prospects, and she doubted he would give her a glowing recommendation. She had no place to stay. She was back where she’d started three weeks ago.
Worse.
Because her heart had been broken in the process. He may not have fired her but he hadn’t fought for her, either.
The drive to the cabin took less than two minutes, and in that time frame she had climbed and dropped through every emotion listed in the dictionary.
She ended on disappointment. In herself. In Sam. In everything.
Entering the cabin, she looked around and collapsed, crying. It had been decorated. Little touches everywhere. A pillow on the couch, a throw on the back. A vase of flowers in the middle of the small dining room table.
Stumbling to the kitchen, she found a little card siting on the island.
Sam’s sister had done this. Had known her less than two weeks and managed to pick things that perfectly suited her.
And she would have to leave it all behind.
Even if she hadn’t resigned, she would have had to leave. She’d known accepting it was wrong but at the time had ignored her better judgment.
The job she could justify, even the car. But the cabin had been selfish.
And now she would have nothing.
A knock sounded on the door.
She really didn’t want to see anyone, especially anyone named Ellis, but as if her wishes didn’t matter, the door creaked open a bit.
“Whitney?”
It was Lucas.
“Lucas, I really don’t think now is a good time.” Her voice cracked, and that was all it took for the younger Ellis to push through the door and shut it behind him.
“What happened? Are you okay?” His gaze searched her face.
“No. Yes.” The tears started back up and she moved to the sink to splash water on her face. A paper towel came into view and she sobbed and thanked him.
“Come sit. I’ll get you a drink.”
“There’s nothing here,” she managed between sobs.
Lucas laughed. “Knowing Becky, the whole place is stocked.” He opened the fridge. “See.”
Whitney watched him pour a glass of tea and carry it over to her.
“Drink.”
“Are all the Ellises as bossy as you and Becky?”
“Not Sam.”
No, he wasn’t. He just did things. Probably part of why he was so overworked. He hadn’t learned to delegate. Although he’d delegated with her. He’d trusted her.
But not enough to talk with her instead of running off.
Lucas sighed. “I hear you’re leaving.”
“Lord, he already told everyone?”
“Actually.” He took a deep breath. “You kind of sent it to all of us.”
“I what!” She downed the tea and held the glass out. “I need something stronger.”
Lucas laughed, got up, and found the Brodie whiskey. Becky had apparently also stocked that. It took half the glass before she could even manage to look at the Ellis in front of her.
“I was upset,” she explained.
“Clearly.”
“And in a hurry.” Lord, could her explanation sound any lamer.
“Of course.”
She stomped her foot. “Stop acting like everything is normal.” His tone had been simple, even, like they were discussing the weather. Not like her entire world was once again upended.
“What isn’t normal? Your reasons sound valid. Emotions are valid. Resignations are valid.” Lucas held out his hands and shrugged.
“They aren’t normal. Not for me. Not now. Things were supposed to be on track. I am supposed to be standing on my own two feet. And I might be worse off than three weeks ago.”
“Might be. I would say you’re even.” Again, with the nonchalant tone.
“I’m not even. I’m heartbroken.”
“Ah.” Lucas joined her on the couch and slung an arm around her shoulder. “Again valid. If it makes you feel any better, Sam is, too.”
She took another sip of whiskey. “No. He isn’t.”
“Did you ask him? Did you look at him? Have you even talked about what happened?”
“No, I tried to, and he was on the phone firing me.”
“What?”
“Well not exactly firing. I mean I thought he was and I…”
“Hot, angry, and in the process of resigning?”
She dropped her head. “Yeah.”
“Did he see you?”
She nodded.
“Did he attempt to talk to you?”
Again, the nod.
Lucas cocked his head. “But what he said didn’t matter?”
“No. I just…”
What? I what? Couldn’t risk it? Didn’t want to risk it? Am still angry? Upset? Hurt?
“I was a mess. I had just lost everything.”
“No. You’d given everything up. And I bet you could get it back. If you want to.”
Do I?
Yes. No. Maybe. There was so much to be said.
“And FYI. I would bet you overheard Sam talking about the head of PR and marketing for Gatlin Falls retiring. She’s been with the company for more than twenty-five years and decided spending time with her grandkids was her new focus in life. The paperwork hit this morning.”
The words she had heard Sam say? They took on a different context. One she would have recognized had they not already had so many muddled emotions between them.
“Oh. That must be hard losing someone like that.”
Lucas got up. “Yeah, she will be hard to replace. Although I can think of one person who could probably do one hell of a job there.”
It took Whitney a few moments to catch up. She’d abruptly resigned from Ellis Industries, could she apply for a different job? And even if she did, why would she expect that anyone would take her seriously? Then again, one of the main board members was basically encouraging her to do so. He always had a plan; his siblings had told her.
She stood. “I knew about the bet.”
“I figured you did,” Lucas responded, clearly unfazed by her revelation.
“And yet, if nothing had happened, if we had made it the thirty days, you would have called it a win?”
“Yep. Cause Sam would have won. He would have seen the wisdom in slowing down.”
“Then why make the bet in the first place?” Although she had seen firsthand why such drastic measures were needed.
He crossed his arms. “Why did you go along with the bet? Not that it matters with the end result. Sam has already admitted defeat and told me you’d known all along.”
Her jaw dropped. “He lost the bet.” She hadn’t thought much about the bet and the repercussions of her leaving, but it didn’t matter. That part no longer hung over them. Sam had removed it.
“We were willing to overlook your coconspirator status for the same reason I bet you accepted the bet. We knew Sam would be up front about it. He would never try to weasel a girl into a situation like that, especially after he hired you.”
He had been up front. From the very beginning. Asking for her help and making sure at every step she was comfortable and okay and had even tried…
She smiled. “He tried to back out twice, and I wouldn’t let him.”
Lucas rocked back on his heels. “Maybe a lot of the answers you’re seeking can be found when you answer why you wouldn’t let him.”
He opened the door and tapped the frame. “By the way, family dinner Friday night. We’re making Sam host and everyone will be there, including Tabitha’s family. You should come.”
He left before she could answer. Before she could ask why he thought she would be welcome.
Because she knew why she’d never agreed to end it. She hadn’t wanted to. She and Sam had connected that first night in Monsoon’s. She might not have recognized it for what it was, or maybe she had but wouldn’t admit it. But being with him, working with him, colluding on the bet with him had seemed as natural as breathing.
She thought they’d built trust in each other.
Only he hadn’t trusted her.
Then again, had she trusted him?
She sighed. Not especially. Hadn’t that been the most heartbreaking part of their conversation earlier? He’d questioned how she could believe he would fire her behind her back.
She hadn’t. She’d jumped the gun and sent her resignation.
Whitney paced the small cabin and eventually went out onto the porch. The trees surrounded her, hugging her, welcoming her emotions and questions without judgment.
She judged herself. She’d handled everything wrong. Yes, she’d needed to resign. Even if things hadn’t ended the way they had with Sam, she couldn’t have continued working for him. It wouldn’t have worked for either of them. But she could have handled it better.
But did she want to fix it? It being them?