Bennett

"Have you come to a compromise with the construction company for the cancellation of the Wailea project?" I asked Lee, dropping a manila envelope on his desk. "I heard some of the managers talking about it earlier."

Complaining about it was more accurate, but Lee didn't need to hear that. He already knew.

Lee didn't look up from his laptop as I spoke to him, fingers moving rapidly across the keys. "Yes. In their favor. What is that?"

"Results from the employee satisfaction survey."

Lee paused, glancing up at me. "And?"

"It's about what we expected. The higher up management is split between low and high, but the lower positions have higher satisfaction rates than before."

"They're that unhappy about us trying to give everyone proper wages and insurance?" Lee said bitterly, snatching the envelope off the table, and flipping through it. "This is ridiculous. We should just fire them."

His words made me pause. That wasn't like him. He wouldn't talk about firing anyone that casually— no, he wouldn't even think about firing anyone. At all. "You know we can't do that. They're on the board."

"We need to do something about them."

"If we're lucky, they'll become so unhappy they'll leave on their own."

Lee threw the file back down on his desk. "This company is such a fucking mess."

I tensed, his tone startling me. I didn't think I could remember a time where Lee swore before. I almost couldn't believe my ears.

"The worst part of this all is that despite how that woman treated us, she kept this company running," Lee continued, clenching his hands into fists. "I'm just screwing everything up constantly."

"Hey," I said, walking around Lee's desk to his side and gripping his shoulder. "You're doing fine, Lee. We're changing the entire way this company works. It's not going to be easy. There will be people who are dissatisfied no matter what we do. And they'll criticize every move we make. But that doesn't matter. We just need to focus on what we believe is the right thing to do."

Lee didn't answer, glaring down at his desk. "Maybe the right thing isn't me being here."

A sudden cold spread through my body. "...What?"

"Maybe we should combine our roles back to one position and have you take over it."

Oh. That's what's what he meant. My chest still felt tight as I tried to get myself to calm down. "Lee," I started, trying to keep my voice neutral. "Are you still seeing your therapist? You haven't been yourself recently and I'm worried. Is it the stress? Do you need a break?"

Lee ran a hand through his hair wildly, messing it up. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't focus on anything and I keep getting anxious about everything. There's too much going on. I keep telling myself we'll go see her soon, but I can't take this."

"Then let's go today," I said, checking my watch. "Let me say goodbye to Henley and we can head out. I'll have her cancel the rest of our schedules today."

Lee looked up at me, eyes widening. "Really?"

"Yes. Call the prison and make sure visitation can be granted. I'll be right back," I told him, my own anxiety beginning to creep through my chest.

I tried to ignore it. Taking a deep breath, I headed toward Henley's office, focusing on the sound of my footsteps on the polished floors. I didn't have anything to feel anxious about. It was my mother. I'd dealt with her a hundred times before. And she couldn't do anything from prison.

I had to keep myself steady— for my sake, for Lee's sake, and for Henley's sake.

I knocked on Henley's door before trying to enter, surprised to find it unlocked. She'd been keeping it locked for some reason lately. I figured it was to try to keep me out as much as possible because she claimed I distracted her.

I didn't blame her for that, though. Who wouldn't be distracted by me?

Maybe her leaving the door unlocked was an invitation for me to come bother her. I smiled a little as I swung the door open. The lights were on in her office, but she was nowhere to be seen.

My eyebrows furrowed as a noticed a giant vase full of flowers on her desk. It was so big it was more of a centerpiece than a bouquet. It was all roses— pink, white, peach. I knew something like that had to be expensive. No way Henley would have wasted money on it.

The scent permeated the office, almost overbearingly so. I stepped up to the vase, inspecting it. A tag dangled from one of the stems and I lifted it up, curious.

Henley,

I'm sorry.

I flipped it over, but those were the only words written on it. Who would be apologizing to her? And why? And with something so expensive?

The door opened behind me and I turned to see Henley coming in. "Bennett? What are you—" she cut herself off abruptly, a hand going to her mouth as she gagged.

Worried, I dropped the tag, crossing the space between us. "What's wrong?"

She covered her nose with her hand, shaking her head. "Ugh. It's just the smell. It's making me nauseous."

I glanced back at the flowers and then moved to one of the windows, cracking it open. There wasn't much ventilation in this office. Especially since they were fixing the vents. It would take a while for the scent to dissipate. "Why don't you move to my office for the rest of the day?"

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, her face pale and sweaty, her hand falling back to her side.

Were the flowers really affecting her that much? I had to remember not to buy her roses. I gestured toward the vase. "Should I move this somewhere?"

"Just throw it out."

My gaze snapped to hers. "What?"

"I don't want it," she said, shaking her head. "Go give it to the front desk, or something, if you don't want to throw it out."

If I didn't want to throw it out? It wasn't a gift to me. Why did she want to throw it out? "Who gave this to you?"

Her eyes were trained on the flowers, her expression blank. "I don't know. I don't want them, though. I can't stand the smell."

I lifted the vase up, the tag brushing against my fingers. She didn't know who gave her this, but this person was apologizing to her? I sniffed the flowers. They smelled like normal roses. "It seems like a waste to just throw it out, so I'll put it in the lobby."

"That's fine. I'm going to take you up on your offer to use your office," she said, going to her desk and quickly stuffing her belongings into her purse, and picking up her laptop. "It has a better view, anyway."

We left her office and I watched as she locked and unlocked the door three times and then tested the lock three times more after. I furrowed my eyebrows. But before I could say anything, she turned away from the door, giving me a small smile. "Okay, let's go."

As we walked to my office I passed the flowers off to a maintenance worker walking by. Henley didn't seem bothered by them anymore and was ranting on about how Brandon scratched his Maserati as he was pulling into the parking garage this morning. It was cute how upset she got for his car.

Part of me wished she felt that way about my car... but it was fine. We had our differences.

"I think I'm going to buy a car," she told me, waiting as I opened my office door for her.

"You are? Why? I could buy—" I immediately closed my mouth, freezing. "I mean. That sounds like a good idea."

She grinned at me. "Nice catch. My door is having problems shutting now. I don't think it's worth the hassle of fixing it. It's an old car. And I kind of want a new one."

"What were you thinking of getting?"

"Something cheap," she said, giving me a knowing look. "I don't need a fancy car."

"Let me know when you plan on going car shopping. I'll go along with you. I'm pretty good at bargaining," I said.

She put her hands on her hips. "Bargaining? Or having connections to literally every place somehow?"

Her movement attracted my attention to her hips and I couldn't help but sneak my hands through her arms, grabbing her waist, and pulling her against me. "Both."

"I'll take you with me," she said, her voice muffled by my shoulder. "Are you staying here, too? Or are you leaving?"

I released her waist, wrapping my arms around her back instead. She hugged me back, adjusting her head so her chin rested on my shoulder instead of her face pressed into it.. "Lee and I are going to go visit my mother today."

She went still. I stroked her hair soothingly. "Why?" she asked.

"Lee is having a hard time."

"Oh." She pulled back a little, swallowing. "Should I clear your schedule?"

I tucked her hair behind her ear, nodding. "We're going to leave now."

"Okay," she said, stepping back from me.

She avoided my gaze and I knew she was worried. "Henley, it'll be fine," I assured her, putting my hand on her cheek and making her look at me. "I'll keep you updated, remember?"

"Yeah. I know." She adjusted the collar of her shirt, trying to appear at ease. "I'll cancel everything for you guys now, then. You're supposed to have a meeting in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you."

She stared at me for a moment before standing on the tips of her toes to kiss me, her hands going to my face to hold it still. "I love you."

I cupped the back of her head, kissing her again. "I love you, too."

"If something happens, let me know. I'll be there within the hour."

"Then I'll count on you," I told her, smiling.

We kissed one more time and then I left, a weight settling in my gut. I hated making Henley worry. But Lee needed to do this. Lee already had his jacket on when I returned to his office, and I assumed we were given the go-ahead to visit. He fiddled with the buttons on his sleeves as we walked out to my car.

"Bennett, I want to talk to her alone," Lee said as we drove to the county jail.

"Lee, I don't think—"

"I know," he cut me off. "I know. But I need to."

My hands tightened around the steering wheel, but I didn't try to talk him out of it. Lee could make his own choices. I didn't need to give him permission.

When we arrived, he went ahead of me into the visitation room after we were searched, as decided before. I stood back, arms folded over my chest, waiting with a warden. The yellow glow of the overhead lights reflected off the off-white tiles that made up the floor. The tiles were scuffed and broken in some places. The air smelt stale.

I felt so out of place. It still amazed me that my mother had swindled her way out of a federal prison and into the county jail. But should it really? I didn't think anyone would have been surprised if she had avoided jail time completely.

The door to the visiting opened, startling me. Barely five minutes had passed. Lee came out, looking stricken. I stepped toward him and he gestured with his head toward the door. "She wants to talk to you."

"What did she say to you?"

"Enough."

"Are you okay?"

"I will be."

I could have said no. I didn't have to talk to her. But my feet moved before my thoughts, guiding me into the visitation room.

Without her face full of makeup, my mother looked older and more worn out. But her eyes still sparkled with that look of thinking everything was in her control. How could she think that? Even here? But I knew she did. Even as she sat on the dingy plastic chair, she could have convinced anyone it was made of gold.

"I thought you wouldn't be coming," she said as I took a seat in the chair across from her. A flimsy plastic table was the only thing between us.

"I only came for Lee."

She gave me a derisive look. "I see the news hasn't changed your opinion on him."

I grit my teeth. "You really thought it would?"

"No. But if you were smart, you'd use this opportunity to rid him from our company."

"My company," I corrected her. "And Lee isn't going anywhere."

"He's taking what is rightfully yours."

"Rightfully mine? He's the one who put in all the work for all those years. He's the one who should have the most right to it."

My mother scowled at me. "No. I have no doubt he's much different than your useless father. You'll lose everything if you trust Lee."

"How could you say that? Lee did everything he could for you his entire life."

"He was just repaying what he owes me for raising him. He doesn't deserve anything from me or the company. I gave him all that work for you. Since it was too much work for you to handle, I passed it along to Lee. He was more than willing to do it. He doesn't deserve anything for being a good worker. That's not how it works."

I couldn't believe my ears. I had to take a steadying breath before speaking again, or I would have yelled. "I can't believe how twisted you are."

"You're walking down the wrong path, Bennett. First with that worthless girl—"

"Shut up."

My mother's eye twitched, lips curving into a disapproving frown. "Still so defensive of her, I see. You'll realize it one day, Bennett. And you'll regret never listening to me."

"The only thing I'll ever regret is letting you come between Henley and me once. It will never happen again. And you'll never come between Lee and me."

"I don't need to come between you two. That will work itself out," she said confidently, leaning back in her chair. "I'm willing to bet both will. You're different than them, Bennett. I've been telling you this from the start."

"I'm not."

"Believe what you will. But know that I'm not letting my company go this easily. I won't be in here forever. Remember where the loyalty in the company lies. It's not Lee. And it's certainly not you." She leaned toward me, eyes narrowing. "It's me. It will always be me. No matter how much you two try to change things."

I didn't move, my lips pressed together. "We'll see about that."

"Yes, we will, won't we?"

"I'm leaving now," I said, standing from my chair. "There's no point in talking to you."

"Yes, I'm sure you have work to do."

Turning my back on her, I glared at the door, irritated.

"Oh, Bennett," my mother said, making me pause. "Keep an eye on Lee. The poor thing seems stressed out."

I exited the room, somehow resisting slamming the door behind me. Lee wasn't in the hall and the warden informed me he'd already left.

Lee waited outside of my car, resting against the side, eyes closed.

"Lee."

"I'm fine."

"Did you find out what you wanted?" I asked.

He gave a small nod. "Yes."

"...Do you feel better?"

He pushed himself off the car, looking out into the distance. "I will. Let's go."

His answers unsettled me. I unlocked the car and Lee climbed in, not saying anything as he put on his seatbelt. What could he have asked my mother? What answers did he get? And in such a short amount of time?

I glanced at him as I put my own seatbelt on. He didn't seem too upset. In fact, he seemed a lot calmer than he had been earlier. Actually, calmer than he'd been all week.

"Bennett," he said, startling me.

I immediately tore my attention away from him, pretending to focus on the rearview mirror. "Yeah?"

"I'm going to take some time off."

I adjusted the mirror. "We can make that happen."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Lee. I can manage. If you need time, you can take it."

Lee finally looked at me and he smiled. "Thanks."

His smile soothed me. That was more like Lee. Maybe whatever he had heard from my mother really had helped pacify whatever was brewing in his mind.

"Oh, and don't tell Henry we came here today."

"What?"

Lee's head was turned away from me, his hands clenched in his lap. "I don't want him to worry unnecessarily."

"That's..."

"I'm not asking for relationship advice, Bennett."

I grimaced. Okay. Maybe he wasn't quite calm yet. "I won't tell Henry," I said. Maybe Lee had a plan.

"Thank you. I'll put in my leave of absence when we get back to the office."

"Okay. I have that business trip next week. Are you planning on working until then?"

"Yes, I'll finish up what work I have now before I go."

Go?

Lee didn't elaborate and I didn't ask. I drove us back to the hotel, trying not to let my nerves get to me. He had a plan. And I would trust in him.

But my mother's words rang in my head. I don't need to come between you two. That will work itself out.

I pushed her voice away. No. That would never happen. Lee and I trusted each other. Nothing would come between us.