Quiet Angel (10 page)

As he got older, he wanted something steadier and without a lot of drama. But the women seemed to always bring the drama with them. They were always falling in love with him, always wanting to get married, thinking he was the perfect guy to father their children. His most recent relationship, like many others, ended after about a year when the woman started hinting about rings and biological clocks.

Gage had no time for that. He was married to running Southern Wings, spending as much time as possible in the office. He put in the hours because he loved what he did and wanted to honor his father’s company, and also because he was pretty young to be in charge. He wasn’t about to give anyone any reason to believe he wasn’t fully committed and fully capable of doing the job—and doing it better than anyone else could.

So his work ethic didn’t help his dating life. It also didn’t help that when he wasn’t working, he was spending so much time in Savannah with his family, his mother now living alone, his sister and her kids going through a divorce. And perhaps most of all, it didn’t help that he’d recently spent a lot of time thinking about Layla—how good she looked, how sweet she smelled, how sweet she was to the kids, how things ended between them.

He didn’t like being so indecisive about her. It’s not the way he operated. As an executive, he liked making decisions quickly and then going full throttle to execute them. He wished he could stop obsessing over her and figure out what to do. He needed a night out to clear his head, to get away from work, to decompress. He arranged to meet Dash at a downtown bar. As it turned out, Dash himself had a lot on his mind.

Before Gage could pop open his beer, Dash launched into an idea he’d been thinking about—that the FAA should require any baby who screams more than 10 seconds on a flight to be anesthetized before ever flying again. Dash said he wasn’t trying to be mean—just thinking about crew safety and sanity—and didn’t think there’d be any detrimental effects on the baby. Then he launched into another, suggesting changes in the way flight attendants dress.

“If they’re in good shape, the FAA should require them to wear more revealing uniforms—shorter skirts, midriff tops,” Dash said. “But if they’ve let themselves go, they should be required to cover up a bit. There would be a sliding scale in terms of fitness.”

“What about male flight attendants?” Gage asked.

“It wouldn’t apply to them, of course. I’m not sure we should even have male flight attendants.”

Gage took a drink, spotting a group of women by a pool table. It occurred to him maybe he’d been thinking so much about Layla because he hadn’t had sex in a while. Maybe his dick was getting in the way. It was time to rectify that.

Dash followed his friend’s line of sight. “What ever happened with that hot piece a few weeks back?”

“Which one?” Gage joked.

“The one from the flight?”

“Layla? Been there, done that. I was just helping her out.”

“She was pretty hot,” Dash said. “Think I’d hit that a few times. Do you think she likes black guys?”

Gage narrowed his eyes. “Let’s not talk about her.”

“Seems like she’s under your skin a little.”

Gage looked back towards the pool table, renewing his search for the right woman. She needed to be hot and preferably with light hair. He didn’t need any reminders of Layla. And she couldn’t be looking for a commitment of any kind. He didn’t need that, either.

“Maybe it’s time to dust off your dick, G-man.”

Gage downed his beer. “The easiest way to forget about one woman is to screw another.” He headed towards the pool table, a platinum blonde with come-hither eyes waiting for him.

*

A new workday
was just what Gage needed. It was time to focus, and not on women and their drama. He headed inside the eight-story corporate office of Southern Wings, greeting the receptionists and security guards by name. Built by his father years ago, the office was ahead of its time, with an open floor plan bearing the electric blue and white company colors, and glass windows and doors offering a team-oriented work environment, if not a particularly private one.

Gage rode up the elevator to the executive offices, chatting up some employees along the way. He loved talking to them, taking their pulse, getting their input. After all, there’d be no company to run without them, and he didn’t want them to feel unappreciated. He reached the eighth floor and headed out, walking down a few hallways then through double glass doors into his corner office, pinching the bridge of his nose along the way.

His gray-haired secretary, Mary, greeted him with two aspirin. “Your father used to do the same thing when he had a headache coming on.”

Gage politely thanked her. Mary was like a surrogate mother to him. Having worked for his father, she’d known Gage since birth. He was certain she could run the entire airline by herself from her desk. He popped the pills in his mouth and took a stack of messages from her.

“And your godfather called confirming lunch with those political consultants,” Mary said, “the ones you keep ignoring.”

Half-listening, Gage flipped through the messages then wrinkled his nose, the slightest hint of lavender in the air. “Do you smell that?”

Mary crinkled her forehead. “What?”

Gage shook his head, apparently losing his mind. “Nothing.”

“By the way,” Mary said, “your sister wants to see you in her office first thing.”

Gage rubbed his temples. “I can’t handle any of her PR garbage right now. I mean. . . .” Then he caught himself and pushed out a smile. “I’ll go see Emerson right now.”

“Do you need more aspirin?” she teased.

Gage rolled his eyes and walked to his sister’s office, the lavender scent getting stronger with every step. It was beyond aggravating. Layla was consuming his every waking moment, and now he was smelling her at work. He was clearly going crazy. Even the blonde from the bar couldn’t help; he’d lost interest in her after one drink.

Gage flung open his sister’s office door and discovered the reason for the lavender scent. The entire office was covered in book bundles from Layla’s shop.

“Good morning, baby brother,” Emerson said, sweetly lifting her glasses to her head.

“What the hell is all this? I thought I told you to stay out of it.”

Emerson got to her feet. “I don’t have to run these decisions by you.”

“Is this shit why you wanted to see me?”

“It’s not
shit
. And my job is just as important as yours.”

“That’s why you come into the office once a week.”

“Just because I usually work from home doesn’t mean what I’m doing is unimportant. Dad knew that.”

Gage shook his head. “Look, I don’t want her in my life. I don’t want to do business with her.”

“Then go tell her that yourself.”

“
Go tell her
? What are you talking about?”

“She’s getting coffee in the kitchen.”

“Layla is
here
?” Gage slammed the door shut, his whole body trembling. “What the hell did you do, Emerson?”

“I went to her bookstore. I told her you were my brother, and I liked the bundle she put together for Connor.”

“And now suddenly she’s in Atlanta? In our offices? In our kitchen?”

“Yes. She brought me some book bundle samples. She had a layover on a flight to Houston. She’s working up some prices for me.”

“Jesus Christ!”

She reached for her brother’s hand, but he pulled away. “I know she’s the girl from that summer.”

“You weren’t even there.”

“I didn’t have to be,” she said. “That was the only time you’ve ever been so tied up in knots over a girl—the same way you are now.”

Gage flashed a look that his sister could go to hell. “It’s none of your business, Emerson.”

“I really like her if that helps,” she said.

“It doesn’t. And you shouldn’t be talking to Layla—about me, or at all really!”

“
At all
? Two women can’t talk business?”

“Come on, that’s not what I meant! You’re interfering in my life! Just because your love life is shit, you can’t interfere in mine!”

*

Layla poured herself
a cup of coffee. It was nerve-wracking being in the corporate headquarters. This was Gage’s castle. He could pop into the kitchen at any moment or see her in the hall. She wondered if Emerson really cleared the idea with him like she said she did. Or maybe Gage was behind this whole book bundle thing. She smiled slightly thinking maybe this was his way of fixing things between them.

She saw some photos on a bulletin board, corporate officers and employees at various charity events, one of Gage at a Teach for America event sponsored by Southern Wings. She focused in on his eyes. He was a born leader. And he looked so good—as good as he did in her store. She spotted a photo of Emerson, a huge smile on her face, presenting a $10,000 check to an inner-city school.

Layla made her way back down the hall. Emerson’s door was closed. She gently knocked and opened it, finding Gage and Emerson staring daggers at each other. “Oh, I’m sorry I interrupted.”

“Not at all, Layla,” Emerson said, faking a smile. “My brother was just leaving.”

“Right,” Gage huffed then snarked to Layla, “I don’t want to intrude on your meeting with my sister.”

“Um, I can see you’re both busy,” Layla said. “I’ve got to run anyway.”

“Yeah, you’re good at that,” Gage said under his breath.

Layla bit her tongue, trying to stay professional, though it hurt to have someone she loved hate her in return. “It was wonderful to get to know you, Emerson. Take your time to think about the bundles. You can keep all the samples.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Emerson said. “I’m quite sure the company will place an order. You do beautiful work.”

“Thank you. Keep in touch,” Layla said then walked out, careful not to look Gage in the eye.

Gage could feel Emerson looking at him with disgust. His sister had the “mother” look down pat. His heart yelled for him to stop Layla, to call the receptionist and security guards and have them shut down the elevators and lock her in the building. But his head reminded him of the heartbreak. He managed a few steps down the hall and saw her step into an elevator, their eyes finally meeting as a few silent tears rolled down her cheeks. He felt his weight shift towards her slightly, but then the door closed.
She’s gone again.
He slumped back to his sister’s office.

“God, you’re an asshole,” Emerson said.

“I’m sorry I said that about your love life,” Gage said. “I’m really sorry.”

“Not just that. You were an asshole to
her
.”

He lowered his head. “I know.”

“You’re right that my love life is shit. It’s been that way for years.”

“No, you don’t need to. . . .”

“For years, he just hasn’t seemed real interested in me. He just stopped talking to me, really talking to me. We were all business and schedules and kids. The few times we’d go out, I’d always plan whatever we did. We only ever kissed when it was during sex, which frankly was only a handful of times a year.”

“You don’t have to tell me all this.”

“I don’t have anyone to talk to. I don’t want Mom to worry, and my girlfriends all thought he was the best. He just showed no interest anymore. I mean, I’ve had three kids. I know I’m not as toned as I was. I know gravity hasn’t been kind.”

“I never saw him glance at another woman.”

Emerson reached for a tissue. “That’s what makes this so hard. He’s a good man. He worked hard to give us a great life. I just don’t think he enjoyed being with me anymore. It’s like he didn’t think of me at all except as the person he provided for and who took care of his house and kids. That’s all I was.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I tried everything to keep him interested. I watched sports, dressed nice, smelled good, waxed everything—and I mean
everything
.” Gage stuck his fingers in his ears. “Lingerie, dates, trips, giving him space, snuggling with him. Nothing worked.”

“Maybe there’s still hope?”

She shook her head. “I screwed up bad. There was this guy in my bootcamp class I do a few mornings a week. He flirted with me. It made me feel good, pretty.” She looked in her baby brother’s eyes and saw her father’s disappointment. “First it was just talking after class, then coffee, and then one day he walked me to my car—and kissed me.”