Dirty Red (Love Me With Lies)(25)

Chapter TwentyPast



Daddy called me his right hand. It should have been considered an honor, but it felt more like I’d pinned a scarlet letter to my dress. Everyone knew his rigid policy on not bringing family into the company, so my sudden appearance was a cold, drizzly raincloud over the other employees. Had my father recruited a spy? Was he downsizing the company, using me to report who was and wasn’t doing their jobs? They shuffled papers when I walked by, pretending to be busier than they were. Some were radically pleasant, hoping to gain my friendship to secure their jobs, while others were openly hostile. The Why is she here? question was the ever-ringing bell that preceded me down the halls. It was miserable. What was more miserable was the size of my office. Other than Daddy’s, mine was the most coveted in the building. One wall made entirely of glass; it offered a view of downtown Ft. Lauderdale. If I stood just right, facing the ocean, I could see Caleb’s building in the distance. Its previous owner, who was well loved by everyone at OPI, was fired a week before I arrived. He’d been with the company for twelve years and had earned the office I’d been handed. My door plaque might have just read Entitled Brat in pink, bubble letters. I was making five times the money I’d made at the bank. On the surface, my already privileged life had just landed down Licorice Lane. On the inside, under the shiny new office and title, I was warping.

My father gave me a prestigious job at his company to prove how little he thought of me. My boyfriend gave me smiles that didn’t reach his eyes. My mother gave me love so thin it felt more like sugarcoated contempt. If someone had cared enough to say: Leah, it’s all in your head ... all I would have to do was refer them to the three people in my life who didn’t really want me there.

My assistant peeked her head in. “Ms. Smith, everyone is waiting for you in the conference room.”

Shit. I’d forgotten about that. I grabbed my MacBook and Jamba Juice and bolted out the door. I was so wrapped up in my pity party that I was ten minutes late for an uber important meeting. I hated that. I strolled in casually, avoiding my father’s eyes, and sat down in my seat.

I looked up, expecting to see Bruce Gowin, who normally sat next to me, but instead I was greeted by a blonde with blindingly white teeth.

Where was Bruce? Bruce was my partner in snark. My head swiveled around the table looking for him, until my father caught my eye.

“Leah, I’m so pleased you finally decided to join us. If you are looking for Mr. Gowin — he is no longer with us. Cassandra Wickham is his replacement.”

“You can call me Cash,” she said, extending her hand. Cash … how Hollywood.

Cash had edgy, trying-too-hard chin length hair and lips that had seen about five rounds of the collagen needle. She was striking … sexy. I immediately felt threatened. I gave her the most genuine smile I could muster and turned back to my father who was watching me closely. Cash was his new pet, I could already tell. I wondered if Bruce had been fired just to make room for her.

“Let’s begin, shall we…” He turned on the projector and every head swiveled toward it, like we were programmed to do so. And we were. Charles Austin Smith verbally berated anyone who dared speak or nod off during his meetings. He verbally berated my mother for speaking her opinions so often that she no longer had any. King Smith. Formerly Smitoukis, but that was part of his poor life. When the King spoke, his subjects lost their tongues and listened.

The meeting was a way for all of the OPI Gem departments to touch base. Since I was head of internal affairs, it was my responsibility to coordinate Cash’s new position as Pharmaceutical Formulation Chemist. Since most formulation chemists were either self-taught or had in essence been apprenticed under experienced researchers, Cash was an immediate important person in the company. A pharmaceutical rock star, if you will. I didn’t know how I felt about my new charge. I wanted Bruce back.

After the meeting, I headed to my father’s office to find out where he went. Closing the door behind me, I took the only available seat opposite his desk. I waited for him to look up from his computer before speaking.

“What happened to Bruce, Daddy?”

My father took off his reading glasses and set them on his desk. “Mr. Gowin was not performing. I have big projects emerging that are going to set us on the map as a pharmaceutical company. We needed a new set of eyes. I trust that you will take Ms. Wickham under your wing.”

I nodded … too eagerly. He frowned. “You will be working closely with her while we formulate and test a new drug. I’m putting you in charge of the entire project.”

My jaw dropped. I quickly recovered, wiping the silly smile from my face, trying to be vice president of internal affairs.

It was a big deal. Whatever my father’s motives were for bringing me into the company were all cast aside by this one bit of news. He trusted me with the launching of a new drug. That was huge!

“Thank you, Daddy. I’m so honored.”

He dismissed me with a wave of his hand, and I had to restrain myself from skipping out of the office. The first thing I did was call Caleb.

He was breathless when he picked up the phone. I imagined he’d just come back from a run.

“Wow, Red. I’m so proud of you. I’ll pick you up from work tonight and we’ll celebrate.”

I glowed under his praise. I agreed to be ready by seven. I hung up the phone and smoothed my skirt. I was going to have to take a trip down to the lab where Cash would be setting up her office. Since we were going to be working together, it was in my best interest to get to know her. When I turned toward the door, she was already there.

“Leah,” she said. “May I come in?”

I nodded and motioned for her to take a seat.

“I thought we could maybe get lunch, get to know one another a little bit.”

I decided not to tell her that I was about to do the same thing. Let her think she was chasing me. I was the boss; I should maintain a professional air. I studied her features as she sat across from me. We were around the same age. She was a little leathery, like she’d been best friends with a tanning bed for the last few years. And, I could respect a nice C-cup, but when you delved into the double D’s you were emulating a little too much Jessica Rabbit. Cash was definitely double D’ing it.

“I don’t really know my way around,” she said, crossing her legs. “I just moved here from D.C.”

What did one say to something like that? I really didn’t care where she was from. I smiled.

“You can ride with me. Tomorrow?”

She nodded and stood up. She had a tattoo of a dolphin on her ankle. Strange for someone from D.C.

“Great, see you tomorrow.” She lingered at the door. I thought she was going to say something else, but at the last minute she sped out and turned the corner as if she were running from something.

I watched her walk down the hall and push the button for the elevator. There was something so shady about her. Caleb would probably be able to figure her out. He was good at shit like that. I was almost tempted to let them meet, but then I thought of the way women reacted to Caleb, and I trashed the idea. The last thing I needed was that bottle blond flirting with my boyfriend. I’d just have to keep a close eye on her myself.

When six o’clock came, I slipped into the bathroom to freshen up for my date with Caleb. Luckily I was wearing my new, white Chanel suit. I pulled the pins from my hair and let it tumble down my back. The red was striking against the white. I was beautiful. I knew that, men told me all the time and most women were jealous of me. So jealous it was almost impossible to maintain friendships.

Caleb walked into my office ten minutes early, smelling of pine needles and looking edible. He was always early. I acted surprised, like I hadn’t spent the last twenty minutes primping in the bathroom. I stood up to kiss him and my stomach fluttered when his tongue slipped into my mouth.

“I like this,” he said, running a finger along the material that topped off my cleavage. He was referring to my suit, but with Caleb there was always underlying meaning.

“Why don’t you take it off and see if you like what’s underneath,” I said into his mouth. I liked the idea of christening my new office.

He was considering my offer, when there was a knock on my door.

I pushed away from his chest, annoyed.

“Come in.”

Cash opened the door. Her face flushed when she saw us.

“My God, I’m so sorry,” she said, backing away. “I was coming to ask you if you knew how to get to the nearest Panera.”

Her eyes traveled over us, pausing on Caleb’s face.

I didn’t like the way she was looking at him. I pressed myself closer, wrapping my arms around his neck like a possessive sloth.

Mine.

She seemed to understand my body language. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. There was an uncomfortable pause, during which I was waiting for her to go away. Caleb cleared his throat. Introductions, of course.

“Cassandra Wickham, this is my boyfriend, Caleb,” I said, giving the mandatory introduction. Caleb broke away from me to shake her hand. I didn’t want him touching her. She held onto his hand for a few seconds too many, smiling coyly.

Did she not see me standing right there?