Page 87 of Final Installment
“You tried,” I reminded him.Memories of that last year of his marriage to my mother flashed before me.“I heard enough of the fights you had with our mother to know you tried.”
“Not hard enough,” he muttered.
Sensing this was a sore subject, I let it go.Instead, I asked, “What are we telling people at work?”
Not looking up from his phone, he said, “You were in a car accident.I thought that was the best option.It explains why you’re injured and why you’ll be taking some time to recover.Zec managed to keep the details of the bombing and the hotel attack out of the media here.There was a little story about a faulty oven and a gas leak at the wedding venue.A drunk who fell off his balcony at the hotel.”
“Just like that, huh?”
“If it keeps people from prying into your business, I don’t care who lies.”
At his mention of business, I thought about my trip to Shanghai.“I didn’t have time to follow up with you about the Jackson and Drake situation.”
“You don’t need to worry about work for a while.You need to rest and recover.”Brett finished with his phone and made sure to meet my gaze as he said, “But I handled it.”
“Handled as in—.”
“Fired Drake.Kicked asses that needed to kicked.Put Jackson on a PIP.His department is under Selina’s purview until I can be sure they’re behaving like grown adults.”
If I’d liked Jackson more, I might have felt bad for him.Aunt Selina had helped build Cartwright Solutions with Brett.She’d raised four boys on her own after her husband died in a car accident, and she demanded the best of everyone, the highest standards, or else you were gone.
“The next time we have a problem like the Tokyo hotel you better come to me as soon as it happens.”Brett seemed upset I hadn’t done just that.“Finding out about the hotel incident in Japan almost a year later is not a good feeling for me, Elona.”
“I wasn’t there.It was hearsay, but convincing hearsay.”
“I need to hear rumors about the company and within the company.”
“I know.”
“Although I expect that’s going to be a bit harder for you once you’re in Shanghai,” he said, a heavy sadness in his voice.
“I don’t have to go.”Like him, the idea of being so far from Dallas, from family and friends, left me feeling homesick and sad.
“You have to go.”He was using his no-nonsense-dad voice.“This is your chance to spread your wings and make a name for yourself.You’ve earned this chance.Go to Shanghai.Show them who you are and what you can do.”
Already feeling emotional from all the trauma I’d survived, hearing my stepdad’s pep talk and knowing he supported and believed in me was enough to make me start crying again.
“Oh, darlin’, don’t cry.You’ll break your stitches.”He reached over and soothingly patted my shoulder.“You’re all right.”
“I am all right.”I patted his hand.“Just tired and emotional.”
“I know you are.”He gave my shoulder a fatherly squeeze.“I need to get you home.You need your people around you.You need to rest and be loved on.”
“That sounds really nice.”I wiped my face.“Honestly, I think a chicken fried steak would solve a lot of my problems.”
“You and me both,” he said, laughing.“Although, I have to say that Drita can cook.”
“Oh, no.You’re not flirting with Luka’s housekeeper!”
“I didn’t flirt!”The tips of his ears turned red.“I was simply expressing my appreciation for her skills in the kitchen.”
“That’s how it starts,” I warned.“She makes you cupcakes.You eat the cupcakes.You start to crave the cupcakes.Suddenly, she’s making more than just cupcakes—in your kitchen, after spending the night.”
He clicked his teeth.“That is not happening.And it wasn’t cupcakes,” he corrected as if it mattered.“It was some kind of pastry thing with spinach and cheese.Reminded me of spanokopita I get at that little Greek restaurant down the street from my office.”
“Byrek,” I named the dish.
“Yeah, that’s sounds right.There was a casserole, too.Lamb and rice.A couple of other dishes.A cake with candied orange peels.”
