The Boardroom (New Adult Contemporary Romance) (2 page)

Maggie took a seat beside her sister, but didn’t speak.

“I know you want something. I can see it in your eyes.”

Maggie glanced at her, and then looked back towards the bedroom door, as if contemplating escape.

“Come on,” Peyton said. “Tell me.” Peyton braced herself. Maggie always got like this when she wanted something that cost money and she wondered if they’d be able to afford whatever it was that Maggie wanted.

“I want to try out for cheerleading,” Maggie said hurriedly, desperation in her eyes. “Can I, Peyton? Please?”

“Money is really tight right now, Maggie,” Peyton said, hating to say no, avoiding it until there was absolutely no choice. Being in charge was so damn hard. “I’ll see what I can do. No promises, though. Okay?”

Maggie nodded her head, a smile etched on her cherubic face as she left the room. The crisis had been averted… at least temporarily. When the door closed, tears slid down Peyton’s cheeks. She quickly – angrily – wiped them away as she made her way to her desk and looked over the bills, shaking her head. She knew the household budget by heart, knew where every penny had to go and when. Coming up with a way to pay for cheerleading would be hard, but she would do it… somehow. She just didn’t know how just yet.

Peyton slipped on her fluffy house shoes and made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. After pouring herself a cup of coffee in her favorite mug, she sat next to her friend, Jade. “I have to find a way to make some serious money… fast.” Tears welled up in her eyes again.

“I know,” Jade said, a concerned look on her face. “We’ll help you think of something. I promise.” She patted Peyton’s knee.

Peyton nodded. Jade was the eternal optimist, always knowing just the right thing to say, always showing support. She barreled through life, finding the good side of everyone and every situation, and Peyton appreciated that quality at times like this.

“The bills and tuition are coming due again,” Peyton said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jacob and Maggie are wanting to do more school related activities… and I just can’t afford it.” She bit back a sob, her bottom lip quivering.

Brianna and Victoria strode into the kitchen, catching the end of the conversation. Worry stretched across their faces. The two of them were thick as thieves, although they were as different as night and day. Brianna was adventurous and free spirited, up for any challenge. Peyton had been like that at one time, before life crashed down on her. She envied her friend and wished she could be like that again.

Victoria, on the other hand, was the shy type, difficult to read but always there when you needed her.

They were wonderful friends, and Peyton was thankful to have them in her life. They’d been through a lot together over the past several years, their friendship enduring through good times and bad. Her life was richer because they were part of it.

Brianna hugged Peyton. “I have an idea. You probably won’t like it, but it’s worth a shot.”

“I’m afraid to ask,” Peyton said, wiping tears away. “But go ahead and tell me. What’s your idea?”

“Victoria and I heard a few girls talking about this club that pays really well,” Brianna said. “Business is supposedly really good, and they’re always looking for pretty girls.”

“I don’t know,” Peyton said, shaking her head. “Sounds like a strip club to me… and I’m NOT taking my clothes off for anyone.”

“No,” Brianna said, patting Peyton’s shoulder. “It’s not like that. The girls just go on dates with rich, eligible bachelors. What’s the harm in that?” She shrugged. “You could use a little excitement in your life anyway… and the cash, too.”

“Maybe I’ll look into it,” Peyton said, not sure if she could date for money. However, it might be an easy way to earn the money she needed if there wasn’t anything more to it than just going on dates. “What’s the place called?” she asked shyly, her cheeks getting warm at the thought of going out with a rich, handsome guy.

“The Boardroom,” Brianna said, heading to the coffee pot. “It sounds like an exciting place to me. I’ll get the details for you today.” She looked back at Peyton. “I mean, if you want me to, that is.”

Peyton shrugged, still not sure but definitely curious. “Sure. Why the hell not?”

She finished her coffee and headed upstairs to get the kids off to school. Could she really go out and get paid for it? She remembered the hopeful look in Maggie’s eyes and sighed.

She had applied for every scholarship she could find, only to get a small one that barely covered anything at all. Something was better than nothing, though, and she was thankful for what it provided. Financial aid had turned out to be just as hard to get. She had been turned down every time she had applied. She sighed again, the weight of all her responsibilities threatening to crash down on her again. She was screwed and she knew it. “The Boardroom,” she whispered to herself, a chill running down her spine as she thought about it. It was a crazy idea, but she had no choice, and she was determined to do whatever it took to make things work.

Chapter Three -- Avery

Avery entered the boardroom, shaking his clients’ hands and welcoming them. Mr. James Davis had once again come to the aid of his rebellious son, Dawson, who had gotten himself in a real pickle this time.

The Davis family was known for their wealth. They were old money, living off the wealth and financial planning of those before them. That’s what was wrong with Dawson. He had been given everything from a young age and now expected the world to fall to its knees before him.

“Good to see you again, Mr. Davis,” Avery said, his professional smile firmly in place. He glanced at Dawson, who was already sitting down. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Better circumstances would be preferred,” James said, taking a seat next to his son. “But at least we have you in our corner so things could be much worse.” He folded his hands on the table. “So what are we looking at?”

Avery sat down across from his clients. “I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be a long road with this one.” He nodded towards the younger Davis. “Dawson’s gotten into a lot of trouble over the years. With his history, it’s going to be difficult to sell him as an innocent kid to a jury.”

“I figured it would,” James said, looking over at his son. He didn’t look happy. “Just do your best, Avery. That’s all I ask. I know at this point…,” he sighed. “He’s had plenty of chances to straighten up. I know at this point it will basically take a miracle to keep him out from behind bars.”

Avery could tell James had no idea about what to do with his trouble-making son. A little tough love was needed, but Avery didn’t think James had it in him to lay down the law. It might be out of his hands now. Dawson would be lucky to avoid jail with this one. He flipped through the file, although he didn’t really need to. He had the details memorized.

The case was pretty cut and dry; a textbook example on how to end up in jail. Dawson had gotten drunk at a party, got bored, and then proceeded to drive around town.

He didn’t give a rat’s ass about how his actions affected others. His daddy and the family’s money had always insulated him from the consequences of what he had done in the past, and he assumed this would simply be how it always was., so he had raced down the streets of Houston, blasting through red lights as if he were at home playing a video game. And then he had hit a car full of teenage girls on their way to a movie.

The wreck was one of the worst Avery had ever seen… and he had seen a lot. The photographs taken by the police had shown the twisted wreckage in all its horrendous glory. Dawson had T-boned the car going more than eighty miles an hour. The girls didn’t stand a chance.

Only Dawson survived.

The girls’ families wanted Dawson to answer for the loss of their beautiful daughters, and Avery was in a terrible spot. He felt for the parents, knew they deserved justice, deserved to see Dawson behind bars. But it was his job to defend the irresponsible punk. Dawson deserved whatever the jury threw at him for killing those poor girls, and it was Avery’s job to make sure he wasn’t punished… or at least not punished as much as he should be.

Avery looked pointedly at Dawson. “There’s no way around it. You won’t walk away from this one without doing some time. Do you understand what that means?”

Dawson’s hands trembled. “I can’t go to prison, Avery. You got to do something, man.”

Avery sighed. “The thing is, Dawson, your father and I have bailed your ass out so many times, and there comes a time when you have to pay the piper.” He shook his head. “You’ve done more than your share of dancing, boy, and you’ve reach your limit. The piper wants to be paid.”

He leaned forward, nailing Dawson to the spot with his eyes. “All I can do on this one is try to make a deal with the district attorney; lessen the time you’ll serve.” He shrugged. “And even that might not work. The DA might not want to work a deal.” He resisted the urge to smile when he saw the fear in Dawson’s eyes.

Considering the doom and gloom that hung heavily in the air, the meeting went surprisingly well, at least by Avery’s standards. Probably not so much in the opinion of the Davis’. They said their goodbyes to Avery, trying to look positive and upbeat, and left, leaving Dawson’s life in his hands.

Chapter Four -- Peyton

After talking with her friends about The Boardroom, Peyton felt like a failure. Was this what life had reduced her to? Thoughts as to what kind of job The Boardroom could possibly offer her raced through her mind.

She wasn’t a virgin, but taking her clothes off for a stranger was not something she had ever envisioned herself doing. Brianna had assured her it wasn’t that kind of place, but what other kind of place could it be? Just go on dates with rich guys? Since when did rich guys have to pay to have someone go on a date with them?

“Dear god,” she mumbled to herself, “please help me... help us. If I have to resort to…” She couldn’t even bring herself to finish the sentence. Her brother and sister deserved to have all the opportunities life had to offer, all the opportunities fate had deprived her of. She wouldn’t let them down.

After spending the afternoon buying groceries – what little bit she could afford – Peyton raced home. The bills were piling up.  She needed to make a move before she was buried so deep in debt she couldn’t see the light of day. Sitting in the driveway, she snatched her phone from her purse and called Brianna.

“Hey,” she said, hoping she didn’t lose her nerve. “I was thinking about what you said this morning. I’m going to check out that job at The Boardroom.”

“That’s great,” Brianna said in her usual upbeat tone. “I got a business card for you from a friend of mine. She’s actually worked there.”

“Good,” Peyton replied, a little relief flooding through her. The place couldn’t be too bad if Brianna was friends with someone who worked there, could it? “We can talk about it tonight. See ya later… and thanks, Brianna.” Peyton said, before disconnecting the call. Tossing the phone back in her purse, she got out of the car, grabbed the groceries from the trunk, and headed inside.

Chapter Five -- Avery

The day moved along at a snail’s pace. Phone calls, meetings, and a seemingly endless flow of message after message kept coming until Avery had finally had enough. He needed a stiff drink. The lack of sleep was doing a number on him, making it difficult to concentrate. Every time he closed his eyes, even for the briefest of moments, he saw the faceless beauty. She beckoned to him, almost seeming to taunt him, daring him to find her.

Sitting at his desk, he closed his eyes yet again and welcomed the woman of his imagination, letting her enter the meadow within his mind to chase away the pressure of the workday. She danced through the meadow in a sundress, her skin glowing in the sun. Just like every time before, he was engulfed with the powerful urge to reach out and touch her, to rub his hands over her body and hold her close. He could almost smell the sunshine on her skin.

“Damn, I want you,” he whispered into his quiet office, silently begging her to reveal her face, pleading for those hidden features to take form before him. She continued to dance and twirl, her identity remaining hidden, a mystery that refused to be unlocked.

Avery opened his eyes, pushing his chair away from his desk. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he stood and made his way to the little bar built in to the wall across the room. He plucked a crystal decanter off the bar. He had received it as a gift from his college buddies years ago. It was unique and classy, with a diamond pattern that refracted light in an ornate rainbow of colors.

He pulled the stopper and poured a generous portion of amber liquid into a matching glass that had the same diamond pattern, breathing in the rich aroma of the spirits within. Replacing the stopper, he took a sip, enjoying how the liquid burned his throat, warming him as he swallowed.

Voices in the reception area broke the silence he so desperately clung to. His longtime friends and business partners, Chad, Mike, Damon, and Derrick were flirting with Alice. She was a lovely, middle-aged woman who had lost her husband to cancer two years earlier and hadn’t felt the need to enter the dating scene again. He was jealous of the peace that filled her life and wanted so much to have the type of relationship she had with her husband. The guys flirted respectfully, knowing she would never give them a chance. If she was attracted to them, she never let on about it.

Avery’s office door opened and his friends entered. “Avery, my man, what’s happening? Want to head to the bar with us?” Derrick asked, falling onto the black leather couch in the center of the office.

Chad raised his eyebrows knowingly, “Derrick, you know Avery isn’t going to come with is. Although he would have a good time for a change.”

“I’ll go,” Avery said, shocking the group. “Seems I really need more than one drink to loosen up tonight.”

“Dude, you never give in. What’s up with you lately?” Mike asked, eyebrow arched. He glanced at Damon, wondering if he knew anything since they had known each other the longest. Damon returned the look and shrugged.