Page 41 of Handling the CEO

I did eagerly open what she forwarded me on shrew—a damaging email chain from Anya’s personal account where she got requests for information from a random email address. There was also an audio recording in which I recognized Miranda’s hushed voice inquiring about which supplier is unhappy with us, and how much she should bribe them with, in conversation with my former assistant.

What really made my attorney happy were the pictures of the guy who picked up the latest fax from the convenience store and Miranda together. There are clear images taken by my PI of him handing her over documents at a restaurant nearby. Unfortunately, as with the recordings that did not have two-party consent, the photos would not stand up in court, as we can’t show that the papers my former stepmother received are the same as the ones that were faxed.

But what my lawyer set up for Tuesday night is more of a private meeting with Miranda and Ramsay on a subject which matters more to me than my company—Tabitha. He thinks the scare of a press release and bad publicity would make them agree to partial custody, at least. Perhaps seeing what his wife has been up to will also force Lexington to rein her in a bit, as it’s his name and reputation she is tarnishing.

However, now I have another critical ‘meeting’ I am quite anxious about. Unsure why, as I have met parents of previous girlfriends before, but somehow, I am like a kid trying to make a good impression in a new school. It is probably because I was an only child growing up and there are three of them, and they have years of banding together against a common target. It doesn’t help that I have a small circle of friends. Circle may be optimistic. It’s just Nathan, really, and maybe Mike at times.

So, I brought reinforcements, and as Tae steps out of her Uber looking cheerful, I feel I can take on the Jara clan... at brunch.

“Hey big brother, how is it you are still so tall?” my sister teases as I get up, give her a kiss on her cheek, then pull a chair out for her. Her hair is up and she is wearing some loose overalls, making her look far younger than she is, reminding me lot of the times she was a little girl running around.

“Tall? He’s like a f… fudge-ing tree!” I hear a woman’s voice behind me. “Lil D you forgot to say you are literally dating a Hemsworth brother! Or was it a Skarsgård brother?”

“He is hot I give you that, but let’s not compare him to a Hemsworth, or he’ll get too smug,” my girlfriend intervenes, and I roll my eyes at her as she gives me a PG13 kiss and starts doing the introductions. She is as stunning as ever even in a Blink82 t-shirt, with her curves on display in those black skinny ripped jeans which will grace my bedroom floor later.

“This one,” she points at a tall brunette with red ends wearing a red pantsuit and leaning on a black cane, “is Laura, my older sister, and overall blabbermouth. You already met Marcus, and this is Tabitha, Jon’s younger sibling, and, as you can already see, a future heartbreaker.” My sister blushes and my woman goes and hugs Tae, which makes me appreciate her even more.

We all shake hands and although the brother glares at me enough that he has to get elbowed by DJ, we manage to sit down and order our drinks.

“Well, how about this sibling outing?” Laura appears to be the extrovert conversation maker. “So, Tabitha, DJ tells me you just moved to Florida—did you do it to torment Jon with endless conversations on boys and fashion?”

“Definitely the only reason,” Tae deadpans, causing the Jaras to start laughing. “My mom moved back here for work, but I am glad I can see my brother more now. My new school is so much better than my old one.”

“Yeah, from what you said the other day, the girls were a bit spoiled,” Dahlia comments as I touch her knee under the table and I get a raised eyebrow. She knows she is irresistible to me when I can reach her skin, in this case through the tears in her denims.

“Jon,” Marcus pipes up, changing the subject, “tell us a little more about yourself, besides running an aviation company—like how long was your last relationship?”

“Oh, here we go,” the older Jara mutters. “Hermanito, you could at least let us have a drink—or three—before you start interrogating the man. We apologize, Jon. My brother thinks he’s our dad nowadays. He forgets I literally changed his diapers, and that DJ read him to sleep.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I chuckle. “I can take a grilling, and I would also expect to slow roast any guy who even looks at Tae. Maybe show him my gun collection—once I get one.”

“Jon! No way!” my sister gasps, but I see Marcus looking a bit less stabby, slowly measuring me up. I knew after that conversation in the shop he wasn’t going to be my biggest fan, but I respect him for trying to protect his sisters, so I can only tell him the truth.

“But now you ask, my last relationship lasted about three months, but we weren’t right for each other.”

“Yeah, as she wasn’t old enough to buy a drink in a bar,” DJ whispers for my ears alone but continues out loud for the families, “met her, lovely girl, nice shade of orange.”

Laura and Tae giggle behind their glasses while I pinch Dahlia’s side, and she squeals and pinches me in return, but I laugh at her.

“She who dresses like an early 2000s skater should not be throwing the first stone.” I give her a pointed look, reminding her of her own fashion choices.

“Oh my word, that was that one time! I may also recall you weren’t that… upset,” my girlfriend throws back and her brother’s face turns a bit yellow.

“Uh, DJ was a skater?” Tae asks curiously, completely oblivious to the innuendos.

“Not so much a skater, but she had to wear some old clothes. That is the first time these two met, from what I understand,” Laura fills them in. “And ‘meet’ they have,” she continues in a lower voice, clarifying that both of the relatives know what happened in the shop. Just hoping they haven’t read her mother in or that will be an awkward meeting.

“Moving on!” Marcus saves the day just as our drinks are brought over. The woman in red downs half her gin and tonic as the rest of us start sipping at our beers and Tabitha has a virgin mojito.

As everyone knows attack is an excellent form of defense, I attempt interacting with DJ’s brother, hoping he will stop sending evil vibes, or at least just send less of them.

“So, Marcus, how is the shop going? Any big orders, or is it all individual customers?”

“Actually, I have some news on that—I got an order for new suits from the Kerrington Typhoons—our local football team. They want me to make custom outfits for all their players!”

Oh’s andah’s from all the ladies and a ‘congrats, man’ from me appeases him even more. He is proud of his store and recalling the quality of his work, he has reason to be. Even the shirt and vest he has on now, in a deep burgundy with golden buttons, showcase his style and skill beautifully.

“I know it’s not easy to run your own business, but it is a great acknowledgment of your technique to get an NFL team to employ you—congrats again, well deserved.” I give him some honest praise and he nods at me, a level less combative. I feel a squeeze of my hand under the table from the lady next to me, and the validation that I said the right thing fills me with warmth.

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