“Well, that went better than I expected,” the vice-chairman says. “Let’s get on with our meeting.”
I listen to the new CEO lay out his plan for restructuring the company and then adjourn the meeting.
The second it’s over, my new cell phone rings.
“Well, hotshot, what’d ya think?” Grandpa asks. “By the way, Garrett Smith and your Cooper are conferenced in on this call.”
“I thought it went well,” I lie. “What’s your take on it, Garrett?”
“He reacted as we suspected he would. Was royally pissed off. Cooper, do you feel that your location is still safe, given all that’s been going on this week?”
“Yes,” Cooper replies. “We’ve been very careful. And I’ve made Keatyn start wearing her tracking necklace at all times, just in case.”
“I’m more worried about my family, Garrett. You have to make sure they stay safe.”
“We’re doing everything we can.”
“And you’re still following him?”
“Yes.”
“Do the people who follow him have to send you reports?”
“Yes.”
“May I get copies of those reports? I need to know what he’s up to. Where he is at all times.”
“I’ll have my assistant email you the reports,” Garrett agrees.
“Sounds good,” I say cheerfully. “Anything else we need to discuss?”
“I don’t think so,” Garrett says. “We’ll take it from here. What he does in the next forty-eight hours should give us a good indication of what’s to come.”
When he ends the call, I turn around to find Aiden, who pulls me into a hug.
“I shouldn’t have done it, Aiden,” I confess. “I shouldn’t have done it.”
“Why do you say that? You said you wanted to push him. To make him mad. It looked to me like you accomplished that.”
“I wanted him out of control,” I reply as Cooper, Damian, and Peyton join us in the dining room.
“He yelled at you. I thought he was going to punch that guy,” Damian says. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I lie. “It went well. I’m just worn out. Not thinking straight.”
“Why don’t we let Cooper and Keatyn talk?” Peyton suggests, herding Damian and Aiden back upstairs.
Cooper sits down and motions for me to do the same. “He wasn’t out of control, was he?”
“Nope.”
“The way he was able to go from pissed beyond belief to completely in control was interesting to watch.”
“Did Garrett not notice it?”
“I’m sure he did. He’s good at what he does.”
“So, why didn’t he say anything?”
Cooper’s cell rings. He looks at it and says, “I think he’s about to.”
After his conversation with Garrett, he says to me. “He definitely noticed. And he’s worried. He’s got the house in France on lockdown, which takes care of your mom, sisters, and grandparents. They talked Tommy’s mom into staying for a while too.”
“That’s good.”
“Tommy will have another man with him full-time, starting tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“That leaves you.”
“What does he suggest I do?”
“He wants you to stay here. He would prefer you not leave the loft at all.”
“You know that’s not part of my plan, Cooper. And I promised B that I’d go to Malibu tomorrow. I know the timing sucks, but we’re going to have to do it. Quick. In and out. Just like those nights we visited the club. We’ll come back here so I can say goodbye to Aiden before he goes back to school, and then we’re going to live on the move. Tomorrow won’t be our only trip back home.”
“Vincent is right. You’re playing a dangerous game.”
I go upstairs and tell Aiden, Peyton, and Damian goodbye.
“Where are you going?” Aiden asks, following me down the stairs. “I thought we were going bowling?”
“You are going. I can’t. I just took over his company. I have to be seen out and about. I’m meeting Knox for lunch, going shopping, and then having dinner with Tommy.”
“But . . .”
Aiden doesn’t look happy with me. I probably shouldn’t have just sprung this on him. But, honestly, it’s starting to get hard to remember who I’ve told what to. And as much as I will miss him, I’m glad he has to go back to school. I need to be able to move around quickly. That’s hard to do with a group of people. Now, I just need to figure out what I’m going to do with Damian.
“Damian is coming to Connecticut to say goodbye to Peyton. I sort of thought you’d come too.”
“He is? How long is he staying?”
“Uh, I’m not sure. He said something about needing to go to Miami. I think he leaves Saturday afternoon, maybe.”
“I don’t think I will be able to come, Aiden. I wish I could, but I have to keep going. And I’ll be honest, I’d rather have you back at Eastbrooke.”
“I want to be with you.”
“I know you do, but it has to be this way. I’m sorry.”
“What if I refuse to go back to school without you?”
“You promised to do what I asked regarding your safety, remember?”