Page 26 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

“Alistair, how are you?” I asked the manager of the textile manufacturer my grandparents had used since they started their company fifty years earlier. And who was like a grandfather to me. He and his wife Lynnie had been in my life since I was a baby.

“Wonderful, Jess. And you?”

“Oh, you know. Living the life.”

“Well, live your life closer to here and come visit us,” he responded. I had a soft spot for their facility since it was the first my grandparents had opened. And while most of the manufacturing places treated me with respect, Alistair treated me as though I was capable of running the family business even though I wasn’t in charge.

“I will soon. How was the party today?”

He laughed. “At some point you need to stop throwing parties for every single birthday or special event. We’ll never get any work done.”

I chuckled. “Please tell Islenny congratulations and I’m sorry I can’t make the wedding.”

“She said to tell you thank you for her gift and that she appreciated the note of caution to open it at home.”

I snorted. I’d chipped in with a bunch of the other girls at the factory and we got Islenny an appropriate bridal shower gift of toys from an adult store along with sexy lingerie. “It wasn’t just from me.”

“Of course not. She doesn’t know how to thank you for her other gift though.”

“It’s nothing,” I said.

“Jess, $20,000 for a down payment on a new home isn’t nothing. You can’t keep doing this every time someone gets married.”

“Yes, I can. She knows the rules, right?”

He sighed. “Yes, she has to keep it to herself about where the money came from. I’ll send you the signed NDA today.”

“I want to help, Alistair. And right now I’m stuck at home on house arrest.” I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. It was a pretty jail cell, but a jail cell none-the-less.

“You okay? Alden keeping you safe?”

“He is.” I didn’t want to talk or even think about him. “Oh, before I forget. I’m mailing a sample fabric and business card for a local textile crafter. I’d love for you to get in touch with her. She has beautiful designs. I think she might be able to take us to the next level in our upcoming lines.”

“You know that’s not my department, but I’ll keep my eyes open for it.”

“I’ve already reached out to Maria, but I know she respects your advice.” I grinned. Alistair had more sway than he thought he did in the company.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you just brushed off my comment about your safety.” I pictured him scowling into the phone.

“I’m safe.” There was no way I’d worry him over the presents I received. As much as I protested Alden being here, I knew he was right. Something was off about the gifts and how well this person seemed to know me. I know the only reason I pushed Alden away was to protect my heart. I needed to stop basing my decisions on my emotions.

“I’m here for you if you need me, Jess.”

“I know.” Alistair was sweet, but I wasn’t going to drag him into whatever mess this was. He was a former boxer in his heyday, but knowing he was soon to retire from the factory at seventy-four, I didn’t want him to have to utilize those skills for me any time soon.

“Okay.” He sighed, knowing the subject was closed. For now. He would continue to bug me about it next time we talked. “Do you want to have any say in how we deal with the textile applicant or her contract?”

“You know I don’t have any power in the business side of things. I can’t sign off on anything. Just make suggestions.” Tears pricked at my eyes. My grandmother used to talk about how proud she’d be to have me at the helm one day, and then to find out she left it all to my parents was a blow I’d never gotten over.

“I don’t know what your grandmother was thinking,” he muttered, saying exactly what was on my mind. He and my grandparents had been friends and the two of us always thought I’d take over one day.

I wondered for the millionth time why my grandmother left it all to my parents instead of me when she died ten years ago. They didn’t care about the company, and often let others make important decisions. It was why they hired Jareth to help them manage everything.

“You and me both,” I responded. Alistair acted more like a dad to me than my own and looked out for me the best he could.

I ran my hand over Reina’s soft fur to calm myself down. There was nothing more I could do besides make myself available and show our employees someone cared about them.

My phone beeped. “I need to run, Alistair. I’ve got another call coming in.”

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