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Wes
*No Big Deal*
Let’s get one thing straight. Lily is no princess. She never has been. That’s not why I push her. Certain types of plants bloom more vigorously when they’ve been under just the right amount of stress. Lily Barnes is that kind of flower.
She’s the queen of sass, a giant pain in my ass, and she’s the only girl I’ve ever hated.
As soon as I met her, I knew that for better or worse, that beautiful thorn in my side would be the love of my life. Even if she didn’t know it. Even when she wasn’t around. Even when I couldn’t really have her in the way that I wanted her.
She’s mine.
I always knew she’d leave, and I always knew she’d be back. I just didn’t expect her to be back so soon. And I really didn’t expect her to be back like this. But I’ll make it work. I’ll makeherwork. Until both Lily and her dad know that wecanwork together.
That’s why I’ve always pushed her. I pushed her because she wants to be pushed. I’ll continue to push her, because if I do what I really want to do to her, Jasper Barnes will take away everything I’ve worked for. And everything I’ve worked for has always been for her.
His daughter.
The giant pain in my ass and the only girl I’ve ever loved.
This wasn’t the plan. This isn’t even remotely similar to the plan. The plan was: I make myself indispensable to the Barnes Group, position myself to take over the company when Jasper retires, and make it impossible for him to fire me or try to prevent me from dating Lily. I figured by the time she rolled back into town, her dad would be begging us to get married.
But now I’m just a vice president.
A twenty-five-year-old vice president—the youngest non-Barnes VP this company has ever had—but still just the VP of one division. I’m not a partner yet. I don’t have enough leverage.
Lily’s not the only reason I’m doing this job, don’t get me wrong. I like business. I liked studying it. I like doing it. I’m fucking great at this job. Would I rather be getting my hands dirty and work with my own father and plants all day—maybe. If it paid better. I didn’t need a degree in horticulture to learn about plants and trees and landscaping—my dad taught me everything he knew, and there were no hard feelings when I told him I wanted to work at the Barnes Group. I still help my dad out with landscaping whenever he needs it. My dad’s the best. Did I like it when I realized Jasper Barnes respected me and told me he thought I had what it takes to succeed in commercial real estate? Hell yeah. Did I appreciate that he paid my tuition? More than I can say. But I didn’t need a father figure. I have a father.
I know Lily’s always had some weird kind of pseudo-sibling rivalry with me, but that’s all her. I’ve never felt that way. If she needs to cling to that because she doesn’t think she can cling to me, then I’m fine with it. I still can’t tell if Jasper doesn’t want Lily and me to be together because he thinks she belongs with some old-money asshole or if it’s because he doesn’t think she’s right for me. All I know is, he didn’t want us to be a couple, and this feels like some high-level manipulative shit, making her my assistant.
Is he testing us?
Is he testing me to see what I want more—his daughter or his company?
Is he testing her to see what she wants more—his respect or my body?
Because for four years, it was very clear to me that she wanted both, and she was willing to walk away from both of us to prove that she didn’t need either of them.
Jasper Barnes is a good man, and he’s usually a great executive, but this is bad parentingandbad bossing.
But it’s happening.
There’s nothing I can do about it.
Part of me is just so fucking relieved that she’s back. Because I’ve been waiting. Fuck, I can’t even believe how long I’ve been waiting for her.
I just need to stay professional at all times, keep my eye on the prize, my head screwed on tight, and my dick locked in my pants for one full year.
No big deal.
It’s just five long days a week with the most beautiful, exasperating girl I’ve ever known. The one I haven’t stopped thinking about even though I haven’t seen her in five years. The one who left without saying good-bye.
Easy.
What else ya got?
I know I can handle myself; I’m just worried about Lily. She must be tearing her hair out. She’d never show it, I know that. But shit, this can’t be good news for her. I’ll admit it—I laughed in private after Jasper told me she was going to be my new assistant. She had jokingly called me “the help” so many times that first year I knew her. It did feel like payback for one sweet minute.
My outgoing assistant, Kate, knocks on my office door before opening it a crack. “Hey,” she says.
