Page 14 of Rescued By My Best Friend's Brother

“Excuse me. Sir?” Greg, my assistant, pulls me from my thoughts.

I look past my computer screen at him. In his hand is a large yellow envelope. “The background check has come back, sir. You wanted to see it immediately.”

I nod. “Yes. The background check.” I stand up and make my way around my desk to grab the paperwork.

Greg hands it over. “Is this for a new employee?”

I shake my head. “I’m looking into—" I pause, trying to find the best description for Elena, “a prospective babysitter. Just ensuring my daughter is in the best care.”

“Of course. You can never be too careful who is around your daughter,” Greg agrees.

“Thank you, Greg. I’m just going to look over this.” I give him a curt nod, signaling I no longer need him. He returns the nod and walks out the door without another word. “Please shut my door too,” I request. I want privacy while looking at these papers. I feel in my bones that something will show up that will prove my suspicions correct. Greg returns to the doorway and pulls it closed quietly.

I move to the small seating area to the right of my office door. There is a couch on either side of a small coffee table. I like to take my personal meetings with clients here. It makes them feel more comfortable. When they are comfortable with me, it is easier to trust me.

I lay the envelope on the table and stare at it for a moment. I wonder what I am going to find. Should I really be doing this? I mean, I may never have gotten along with Elena, but…no. This is about Lily. I need to know that Lily is safe, and a simple background check will help me with that. I have done many before on clients, employees, and even some of the guys Josie has dated in the past. None of them had ever turned up anything really terrible, a speeding ticket here and there, one had a DUI, but nothing that made me confront Josie about who she was seeing. Even though I know she can handle herself, I just want her to be safe.

I grab the envelope and take a deep breath. Yes, this is all about safety. I pull out a single piece of paper. My eyes scan the words for anything that looks like red flag, but nothing does. Elena doesn’t even have a parking ticket. I sigh. Maybe what she was saying about how I misperceived her growing up is actually true. I shake my head. How can that be? Am I really being too hard on her?

I sigh and throw the papers back on the coffee table. So, my daughter is safe in Elena’s hands. I know that still doesn’t mean I should trust her completely. There are plenty of bad people out there without a record, but there are also good people who do bad things. So far, things are looking like Elena isn’t so bad.

I think more about our conversation last night, how she claimed that Josie’s boyfriends were sleazy. She wasn’t wrong. In high school, and even in college, she chose some unsavory guys, the kind that liked to play the field. Did I really misconstrue what I’d seen, all because I was mad that Elena chose my best friend, Adam, over me? I run my hand through my dark hair and look out the window into the main office at my employees working. Nothing seems out of place, except my thoughts about Elena.

I stand up and leave my office. Greg’s half-circular desk sits across from my office door. The name of our company hangs on the wall behind him. Anyone who comes to my office will remember our name, and that’s what I’d intended when I decided to install his desk. The little details are just as important as the bigger ones. This is what helps me win over the more suspicious and meticulous clients.

Greg looks up at me as he continues to type on his computer. “Yes, sir?” Sometimes he is awkward to talk to, often trying to make conversation when it isn’t necessary, but he is a great worker, diligent and efficient.

“Did Mr. Matheson’s assistant send over the documents we requested from him?”

He shakes his head. “No.” He looks at his computer and clicks on a few things. “I checked my inbox again and refreshed it, but nothing.”

I curse to myself. I hope Mr. Matheson’s delay of the documents doesn’t mean he may be rethinking signing with my company. “Thanks, Greg.”

“Would you like me to give them a call?” He picks up the phone and begins to dial.

I reach over to the desk and end the call. “No. I will take care of it. Let me know if you get the documents.” We still have a few hours until the end of the workday, so there is still time. Mr. Matheson said he was a man of his word and would get it to me today, but I’m always cautiously skeptical. People often change their minds last minute. I tap the desk. “Thanks again. I have some calls to make.”

“Yes, Mr. Branson,” he replies before going back to what he was typing.

I go back to my desk and sit down. I really need Mr. Matheson to sign with us. If he does, then all the other companies he works with will fall in line. It would mean being set for years and years. It would put my company on the map.

Lily smiles as I toss her on the couch. She squeals with laughter and jumps off, running to me to toss her again. This is something I did more when she was a little smaller and I had less years on this body. Now, tossing her on the couch like this makes my back creak in ways I never thought it could. I really need to start working out again. I have been slacking off these last few months, spending more time at work than hitting the gym.

“Again, again!” she shouts with her hands raised towards me.

I exhale. “One more time, and then you need to work on your assignment for school” I say.

“Okay!”

I grab her and toss her on the couch again. Her whole body shakes with laughter. “You’re so silly,” I say as I walk around the couch towards my office. “I have to do some things for work. You work on practicing writing your letters, and then Sheri will call when it is time for dinner.”

She nods and chases after me before I make it to my office. She wraps her small arms around me. “Love you, Daddy!”

I give her arms a little squeeze. “Love you too, baby girl.”

She releases me and takes off towards her room. I hear her heavy footsteps going up the stairs. How can someone so little be so loud? I never understood it.

I go to my office. Yes, I have work to do. I want to check if Mr. Matheson sent over the paperwork, but I also want to take another look at that card. Although it doesn’t concern me too much, I just want to see if my fresh eyes will provide more clues as to who may have sent it.

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