Here for You (30 page)

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Shit
. Lizzy must have left for lunch. That can be the only explanation for Charlie knocking on my door right now.

“Come in,” I yell even though I don’t really want to see him. When he steps in I look up at him. “What do you need, Charlie? I have a lot going on right now.”

“I just wanted to stop in to see how you’re doing.” He walks across my office and stands in front of my desk. “Ash, are you all right?”

I suppose not eating or sleeping for nearly two days can have an impact on my physical appearance. It sounds like he says it with genuine concern and not to be spiteful. “I’m fine, Charlie. I’ve just been really busy.”

“Are you sure? Because you look really pale.”

Again, I try not to blow up at him because he’s just being nice, but I really want him out of my office. “I’m fine. Really.”

“Okay. Well, I just wanted to stop in and tell you something before our meeting this afternoon. I thought it might be less awkward with just us.”

I take a deep breath. I can imagine the possibilities of what he’s going to say and not a single one of them really matters to me. “What’s that?”

“Um. Amber and I are seeing each other.”

“Okay.”

His eyebrows shoot up and his eyes get rounder. “That’s all you have to say?”

“What the hell do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. Maybe have a small amount of disappointment that our relationship is officially done. I mean, we were together for a decade, Ashley.”

As usual, a headache is forming as Charlie stands here. I circle my fingers around my temples in hopes of preventing it from exploding. “I realize that, Charlie, and of course I wish that a ten-year relationship would also have meant more to you, but the moment I saw you having sex with my sister, all my feelings went out the window. Plain and simple. There was no going back from that moment.” I’m trying not to raise my voice or let my emotions get the better of me but he makes it so difficult sometimes.

“You know if you had paid more attention to me, I wouldn’t have had to search her out.”

Now I’m starting to get pissed and little does Charlie know I have a lot of pent of tension in me right now. I stand up behind my desk and put both hands on top of it. “For your own good, I suggest you turn around and walk out of here right now.”

He throws back his head slightly and laughs. There’s no humor in it and I’m starting to understand this man must have two sides to him. “What are you going to do?”

“Please don’t push me on this today. I’m begging you.”

“All men cheat, Ashley. Maybe you should wake up and quit fantasizing that you’re going to have some perfect guy that doesn’t exist.”

“Screw you, Charlie.”

“Your daddy was quite the cheater, wasn’t he?”

I feel my heart rate accelerate. When my eyes meet his cold stare, I feel absolutely nothing for this man that I spent a decade of my life with. “What the hell are you talking about? You knew he was having affairs?”

The same evil laugh bursts out. “Everyone knew, baby. It doesn’t take a genius.” Charlie walks around my desk, putting himself within inches of me. “My little cold-hearted Ice Princess was just too busy working to notice. You were always trying to please Daddy.”

“My mother is dead because of his mistress! Don’t you feel any remorse about that, you bastard?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault mommy dearest didn’t leave him sooner. It’s not like she was in the dark, like my perfect little fiancée here.”

“Ex, you asshole.”

I’m too stunned to react as his hands circle my upper arms and shake me. “That’s your choice, bitch.”

I have zero fear of his physical intimidation and my hand goes back but before I can bring it forward in a satisfying punch to Charlie’s face, he’s being ripped away from me.

I didn’t even realize someone else had entered my office, but I see Fonz handling Charlie. Charlie’s no match for Fonz’s physical strength, and Fonz has him out the door in less than two seconds. Lizzy is at my side and trying to guide me into my chair.

“Sit, Ash. Come on. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

I’m not even sure what’s happening anymore. Somehow I was totally coherent with Larry, but Charlie just threw me off my axis. My body is so exhausted and my emotions are wound so tight that I can’t possibly be rational anymore.

When Fonz walks back in, I avoid eye contact with him. This is all I need. He’s going to run and tell his master that my ex was man-handling me in my own office. Cam is going to think he still has some right over me and will come pissing all over my walls and floor to mark his territory.

“I’m fine, Fonz.”

But I’m actually not sure if I am at this point. The realization that so many people knew about my father’s affairs and no one put a stop to it makes me want to blame the entire company for my mother’s death.

“No. You’re not. Please let us take you home.”

“I have a company to run. I can’t just run home every time someone upsets me.”

He doesn’t say anything, and I finally look up at him. His features are so tight that I shrink down in my chair. “Listen. I know I’m just a kid and I have no right to tell you what to do. But like it or not, I care about you.”

When he walks over and squats down in front of me I almost start crying. Again. He looks so sincere and heartbroken that I hurt for him. “I just need to be here this afternoon,” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “No. You need to go home. Lizzy is worried sick about you, and taking into consideration what just happened, I think it’s best for you to leave today. Where is Quinn?”

“She’s out of town.”

“Okay. We’ll take you.”

“But I have an important meeting.”

“Can you push it back? You need to rest. Have you slept at all?”

I shake my head and the unwanted tears fall. Lizzy hands me a Kleenex and then holds her hand out. “Come on, Ash. I’ll reschedule your meeting with Charlie and Amber.”

“Your meeting is with that asshole?”

I nod. “Yeah, and it’s important.”

“It’s going to wait. Unless you want me here for that meeting, you’re not going to sit down with him this afternoon.”

I take Lizzy’s hand, and she pulls me out of my chair. “I’ll reschedule for first thing Monday morning. Okay?”

I nod. Fonz must sense that I have nothing left in me, and he knows I’m not going to fight him anymore. “This is for your own good.” He hooks his arm under my legs and hoists me into his arms with ease.

Why I allow him to carry me I have no idea but right now I just want to be home in my bed, and I will take whatever option gets me there the quickest.

“What was that about?” he asks.

“Nothing you need to be concerned about. I promise. Please don’t tell Cam about today.”

“I can only promise you that I will not call him to tell him right now. If he asks about you, I’m not going to lie. Okay?”

I have no energy left to even talk, so I close my eyes and let my head fall against his shoulder. We take the elevator that goes straight down to the parking garage. Thankfully no one else gets in with us.

I’ll never admit it to him, but I’m glad Fonz is forcing me to go home. I need to rethink my approach and who will be in on the early phases of this sale. I can’t avoid the board, but I may have to request a meeting without Amber and see if the rest of the board will agree. Even if we have her sign something, I know she will run to Charlie. Now that I know he’s a very different person than I ever thought, I can’t take the chance of him doing anything to sabotage the deal or, more importantly, the company.

My eyes are burning, and all I want is to be at the beach house. But there’s no way I can drive myself.

“Lizzy, if I give you the afternoon off, will you drive me up to the beach house? After your lunch?”

She turns in her seat. “Of course. I don’t have to go to lunch if you want me to take you now.”

“No. You guys go ahead. I need time to pack.”

“Are you sure? I can help you.” I watch her glance over at Fonz and they exchange some sort of unspoken communication.

“Guys, I can see you. I’ll be fine until you get back.”

Lizzy turns back to me. Apparently satisfied with what she sees, she finally nods.

“Hey, how was your date on Friday?”

My ears perk up at Johnny’s question to Fonz. Even though Fonz seeing her assistant actually has nothing to do with Ash, I can’t help but think of her at the mention of Lizzy. Fonz glances my direction before he answers.
What the hell was that look about?

“Good. I just took her to dinner but I was home in time for my curfew. I only had one drink.”

Johnny starts laughing. “You take the rules serious. I give you credit, kid.”

Fonz smiles back at him, obviously proud of himself and soaking up the praise.
Goofy kid
. But I smile inside at how well he’s done this season with everything.

“Why didn’t she come out to dinner last night?”

Fonz’s eyes flick to me again, and I sense he’s nervous about something. I don’t know if he’s concerned that he shouldn’t be talking about having a good time with his new girlfriend or something else. I’m happy for him. I really am, so I don’t want him to think it bothers me.

“Um. She had somewhere to be.”

“That late?”

“She left before the game was over.”

“Why?”

He glances my direction again and shifts on the bench. “What the hell is your problem, Fonz? Spit it out. Whatever you have to say, man up and say it.” I know he doesn’t deserve my perpetual bad mood but I just can’t help it at this point.

“Fine.” He looks straight at me. “You know it’s not my fault this is happening. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

I see the hurt in his expression, and I actually feel a little bad that I take everything out on the kid. “Sorry, Fonz. I just miss her.”

“I know you do. But being an ass isn’t going to bring her back to you.” He turns back to Johnny. “She wanted to get up to the beach house. Someone is staying up there, and she’s worried about her so she went to check on her.”

See. Now I don’t feel as bad about yelling at him. He’s obviously holding information back. “Why is she so worried about her?”

“Dude, do you even have to ask that question?”

“Yeah, Johnny. I fucking get it. I know I hurt her. You don’t have to remind me of that, but it sounds like there’s more to it. Just let the kid talk.”

Fonz looks back and forth between us, obviously debating which way he’s going to go. Finally he starts talking again. “Well, I will say when I saw her Friday afternoon, she did not look good.”

I’m off the bench and in Fonz’s face in less time than it takes him to take his next breath. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you saw her?”

He’s sitting straight up with his back against the wall, and I’m standing less than a foot away from him waiting for his response.

“Wills. Back up. Don’t scare him or he won’t tell you.”

I look at Johnny. “I suppose you knew this.”

He throws his hands up in defense. “No. Actually I didn’t.”

We both turn back to Fonz. “Come on. You’re just going to get mad at me if I keep going.” He shakes his head and starts to get up from his spot. My hand meets his chest keeping him seated in his spot. “Come on, man. Johnny, he’s gonna kill me!”

I look at Johnny, and he has the nerve to smirk at the kid as if saying ‘it's your life.’ I don’t see one thing funny about this situation and by the look on Fonz’s face he knows I’m not going to find anything humorous about whatever he has to say.

“Fine. But when my body parts are thrown around this dugout, please tell my mamma I love her.”

“Spit it out!”

“First of all, she made me promise not to say anything. Can you just remember that and respect her wishes?” I give no indication that I’m going to do anything of the sort. He throws his arms up in the air. “She looked terrible. All right, you happy? And by terrible, I don’t mean a thing against how beautiful she normally is. You know that. It’s just I don’t think she had slept since she got back, and Lizzy was pretty sure she hadn’t eaten anything either in those two days.”

I sit back down on the bench and let the information sink in. I’m probably going to be responsible for killing a second person in one year. Although I wasn’t physically present for either one, they will both be my fault. I swallow the lump in my throat as I think about how hurt Ash must be.

“Did you talk to her?”

He glances up at Johnny again. “What do you want me to do? I wasn’t there.”

“Can you just stop him if he comes at me? Please!”

“Shit. What happened?”

“Well, she didn’t want to see me. I asked Lizzy if I could say hi to her, and Ashley was adamant that she didn’t want to see me. But when I arrived, her door was open and I saw her ex with his hands on her. And I don’t mean in a good way. He had grabbed her and was shaking her. So I ran in to grab him and threw him out.”

I’m back in his face again and now I’m seeing red. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“She made me promise. Hell, I didn’t know what to do. I drove her home so I was sure she was safe, and then Lizzy drove her up to the beach house that afternoon.”

I feel Johnny’s hands on my shoulders pulling me back. “Come on, Wills. Fonz did the right thing. Don’t take it out on him.”

I pick up the first thing I can find, which is someone’s helmet, and whip it against the wall. I want to kill that guy and then myself next for putting her in this position. I just wish he had told me her ex was bothering her again. I felt so much better when she was traveling with me and staying at my condo. I didn’t have to worry. Now I realize not only did I hurt her, but I also can’t be there to protect her.

“What has Quinn said?”

“Not my place, Wills. You’ve got to understand that’s her best friend. I know you’re my best friend too, but I can’t do that to my girl.”