Merger (29 page)

Chapter 25

Kasey

My legs were as shaky and my gym clothes soaked through
. I felt like a heel for letting Josh cook, but my body was beat. It felt as if I’d just trained for some Olympic event, but couldn’t decide on which one. I’d lifted, jumped, squatted, and ran my literal ass off. No wonder Josh was my Adonis, he worked his ass off for it.

I heard the glass door
open behind me and turned to find my gorgeous man making his way to me with a steaming cup of what I hoped was coffee.

“Hey handsome
.” I reached for the cup, purposefully grazing the bulge in his gym shorts on the way. “Is that for me?” His eyes widened at my touch. He and I were both aware that my comment held more meaning than just my need for coffee.

“Yes, they are both for you
.” He said and handed me my latte then bent down and kissed my head. “Breakfast is almost ready.” He turned and walked towards the open door, Daisy hot on his feet into the kitchen.

I took a few lovely sips of coffee and lifted my
heavy limbs from the lounge chair, making my way inside to the counter, where Josh had set up all of the food.

“God you’re amazing
. I feel like such a slouch. You’re always taking care of me.” I said.

He slid the stool out next to me and with his signature move, grabbed my stool
, and pulled me within inches of him. We were elbow to elbow when he grabbed my chin and pulled me to his face.

“I love you
. That’s what I’m supposed to do.” I kissed him deeply and my heart skipped a beat. I’d never grow tired of hearing him tell me he loved me.

“I love you too.” I replied, never more content.

We finished eating and I sent Josh to shower while I picked up the kitchen and washed the dishes. I heard the faint sound of my phone, but continued to finish the dishes. I was sure it was a text and probably from my Dad. He was a morning caller and texter. It was funny how far he’d come with the texting. It was so broken and barely understandable in the beginning, but as he gained practice his messages were less cryptic.

I dried my hands with a towel and went to my purse to retrieve my phone
.

I MISS YOU ALREADY. CALL ME WHEN U CAN. I LOVE YOU. HOPE JOSH IS TAKING CARE OF MY GIR
L


I started to walk back to the bedroom so that I could shower and get ready. I dialed his number and he answered immediately.

“How’s my girl?”
he said.

“Great
, Daddy. How are you?” I asked.

I knew that we’d all had so much going on with the merger that we’d barely talked about any other aspects of our lives
. Now that the merger was behind us, I felt bad that I’d neglected just hanging out with my Dad.

“I’m good
, honey. Have you been to the office yet?”

“No
. Yesterday we just hung out at Josh’s place and went to dinner. His place in Malibu is incredible. You’d love it. Why don’t you get the jet to bring you out for a few days? Jake is flying Beth in on Friday, why don’t you come too?”

“Gosh
, honey, that sounds great, but I have a few things that I need to take care of here.” I could tell I was missing something in the tone of his voice. It was if the cheery disposition was forced and there was something else hidden there I couldn’t see.

“Is every
thing okay?”

“It will be honey
. I just need to have a few tests run. I’m sure everything will be fine. I was having some chest pains a couple of weeks ago and my doctor thought it would be prudent to run a few tests. I’m positively fine. I don’t want you worrying about anything. Enjoy L.A. Get to know the board and delve into Crawford with both feet. I did all this for you, K.K. You know your ole pop’s not going to live forever.”

“I know
,” I said.

I felt the weight of his words on me
, full and weighted like a heavy blanket, one where my head was covered and no light could penetrate. I’m sure my father would be fine, but the way he talked about his mortality scared me. I’d lost my mother in my late teens and hadn’t ever considered I’d lose my ‘rock’ as well. My Dad was a strong man, a fighter who never gave up, or gave in, and no matter what he’d be fine. I needed to believe in that and be strong.

“I’m sure you’re going to be fine
, Daddy. Do you want me to come home? I think it would be better if I were home.” I didn’t want him to be alone and was second-guessing the length of my trip. I didn’t want to leave Josh, but wanted to be there for my Dad as well. This sucked. I was in love with a man in California and I lived in New York.

“Absolutely not
. I’ll be mad if you do. I promise you that I’ll have the doctor call you with any results. Take care of our new company and show them why we’d kicked their asses for years over contracts. I love you, baby and I know you’ll take us where we need to go.”

I smiled at his proud statement of me
. “I love you, Dad. You have to promise me you’ll call me the minute you get out of the doctor’s office.”

“I love you too
, sweetie and I promise.”

“Great
. We’ll talk later. I want to go over the pipeline deal in Texas with you anyway, so call me when you get to the office.

“I’m already here K.K., I suggest you do the same
,” he said with a chuckle.

“Okay, boss.” I
glanced at the clock

“I think I’ll just let you be the boss, honey
. Call me later,” he said before hanging up.

I sat on the end of the bed
. I was aiming for cheerful and upbeat, but now that the call had ended, I felt less than jovial. My Dad was having some heart issues and even referenced that he wouldn’t live forever. I knew he wouldn’t live forever, but the thought of him gone felt like a crushing blow. I’d be alone.

I looked from the bed and Josh came out of the bathroom looking incredible with only his towel wrapped around his waist
.

“Everything okay?
” he asked, then sat down next to me and instead of looking at him. I leaned over, put my elbows on my knees, and grasped my forehead. He stroked my back and I knew I needed to share my fears about my Dad, but didn’t quite know how to express the unknown. Was my Dad sick? Was there more than he was telling me? He’d never lied to me and I could only hope that this time was no different. I lifted my head and wrapped my arms around the strong man beside me. I felt bad that he was clean and I was still a sweaty mess, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Talk to me baby
. I caught the tail end of your conversation with your Dad, but you seem upset. Is everything okay?”

I peeled pulled back and went to stand
. I didn’t know if there was anything to say and I didn’t need anyone worrying about their new CEO and his potential heart condition. In that moment, I worried that my business partner would leak the news of my Dad’s condition only days after one of the biggest mergers in U.S. history. Stockholders, board members, employees all had a stake in our success and while my father believed in me, would everyone else? My Dad was powerful and succeeded in making Blakely what it was, but I was the Ivy League daughter, yet to truly prove myself at this magnitude.

“It’s nothing
. I just miss my Dad, that’s all.” I walked into the bathroom with Josh hot on my feet.

“Look at me K.K.
” I turned to look into his concerned blue eyes. “There is nothing you can’t tell me, you know that right? No secrets between us.” I faked a smile and felt like shit, but really didn’t know what I was supposed to say. I prayed that whatever was going on with my Dad’s heart was just due to the tremendous amount of stress from the merger, and nothing more.

“Really it’s nothing.
” I reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek before jumping in the shower.

I emerged from the shower refreshed and hurried to get ready
. I’d wasted more time than I’d planned on the phone, so I’d have to go for a more natural look, which suited me fine. I heard Radioactive by Imagine Dragons coming from the living room and knew Josh was ready and waiting on me. I blew out my hair, pinned it up loosely on my head, and grabbed my favorite DVF dress and Prada’s. I loved the sway of the dress and with my footless tights, I knew I looked great. I grabbed my phone and made my way out of the bedroom to my waiting man.

“Ready
,” I said trying to get his attention over the music. He was sharply dressed in a dark navy suit and light blue pinstripe shirt with a dark blue tie. He’d obviously stepped out of the pages of GQ and man did I love looking at him. He was smoking hot and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him.

“Wow K.K., you look beautiful
,” he said.

“Thank you
, baby. You look pretty incredible yourself.” He hit the remote and the music went silent.

“Come here for a minute and then we’ll go.
” I walked to the couch and stood in front of him.

“I don’t know what’s up with your
Dad, but if it concerns you, it concerns me. My love for you doesn’t stop with just you. Your Dad is a special man and he’s your father. Loving you means he’s part of my life too. I told him I’d never give him reason to not trust me with you and I meant it.”

I felt like I was going to cry, but held it together
. I pulled him to his feet, wrapped my arms around his waist, and put my head against his chest.

“Don’t ever quit loving me Josh
. I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I said I was worth it and I am. I’m just not all that good at expressing myself sometimes. I promise you, that if there was something you needed to know, you’d know it. My Dad just hasn’t been feeling all that well and I feel like shit that I’d not noticed.” I pulled back to look at him. “I hope it’s nothing. He’s going to have a few tests run, but told me not to worry. I just feel far away right now.”

“K.K., we own more than one corporate jet
. We can be in New York today if you want to go back. But know this…we’re in this together. I’m not letting you go to New York without me and I don’t intend to be in L.A. with you. If you want to go home, just say the word baby and were there.” I looked at him and didn’t think I could love anyone or anything more.

“You’d do that for me?
” I asked.

“Of course
. I love you.” He kissed the tip of my nose. I pulled him tighter to my chest hoping our bond was so tight we’d stay permanently attached.

“He doesn’t want me to come back
. He’s stubborn like that. He said that there’s nothing to worry about and that I need to go into Crawford and kick ass.” Josh started to laugh and I laughed with him, our chests bouncing off each other’s.

“We’ll if it’s my Crawford ass you’ll be kicking, I look forward to it
. And while you’re at it, you can give that same speech to the board at ten o’clock. My Dad has set up the meeting for a formal introduction to the chief ass kicker, so we better not be late.” He kissed me passionately, and I was grateful that I’d waited to apply my lipstick.

We arrived at Crawford at 8:45
. I hadn’t considered where I’d be working from and walked behind Josh towards his office. There, dead ahead of me was a beaming Megan. Her bright, white smile was gooey and overplayed.

“Good morning
, Josh. Don’t you look dapper today?”
Hello, he’s holding my hand dumb shit.

“Thanks
, Meg. Do you think you can show K.K. to her office?” I looked at Josh in shock. A) I didn’t think I had an office, B) I really didn’t want to be lead there by the blonde bimbo who you’d kissed three years ago, and C) its Megan, not Meg.

“Sure
,” she said and I put on my best fake smile.

“Wait, I have an office?
” He reached down, gave me a kiss on the lips, and then kissed my hand before releasing it.

“Of course
. Were you planning on sitting on my lap every day?” He smiled down at me. “On second thought Megan, scratch taking her to her office, she’ll just join me in mine.” I nudged him with my shoulder and he hit me on the ass. It felt totally inappropriate at the office, but I loved him so much I didn’t care.

Our flirtatious moment was broken with a few short words, “Aren’t you two cute.
” We both looked at Megan and Josh kissed my head and turned for his office, leaving me with his overly processed assistant.

“So, lead the way.
” I motioned her forward with my hand and waited for her to take the lead. She attempted a fake smile, turned, and walked down the hall. Her overly high heels looked like stilts beneath her. We didn’t walk far before she stopped at an open door and leaned against the doorframe.

“This is it
. If you need anything just dial Janet, she is Mr. Crawford’s assistant. He wanted her to take care of all your needs while you’re at the L.A. office. Her extension is one-eight-one, but she’s right across the hall if you need her. I’ll be just down the hall with Josh,” she said, turning on her heels.