I sat at the small breakfast bistro table in my fancy apartment with a cup of coffee and a bowl of fruit. With my laptop open I found everything I could about Luke. Including a picture. He looked just like Gavin. Just a younger, clean cut version of Gavin. I thought about Nikki. Stacey. Ava. Three lives wrapped up in Luke. Gavin being the one who had to harness all that love, pain, loss, and somehow still wake up each day and keep things moving forward in his own life.

In my head I had a number that Gavin could get for the garage and the surrounding land. A number that a guy like Gavin would never expect. A number that would set him up for the rest of his life. But that number wouldn’t be enough compared to what he did for the town and what the town did for him.

I read the small press article about fifteen times. Four sentences as a reminder of a young man who was sent to war and never came home.

I closed the web page and grabbed for my phone. I bit my lip and didn’t text Gavin. It was stupid but I felt like we were two states apart. But he was right at his garage and I was right in the city in my apartment. A folder next to me with the financials of a small insurance company that I was supposed to help convince to allow my father to assist with their growth which would lead to an acquisition from the great and powerful Sterling himself. Me? I’d be the pretty faced facilitator and catalyst and the insurance company would be bought and completely stripped down to just its bare assets.

Sometimes it got really old. Really fucking old.

I looked out the window as I sat alone.

Before any fleeting thought could flirt to enter my mind, my apartment door opened. Like it was an office.

Andy came in carrying the biggest cup of coffee I ever saw, a leather bag over her shoulder, her head scrunched to her shoulder as she talked on her phone.

“You know exactly what the schedule is, Marty,” she said. “Don’t try to mess with anything. We’ve had this arranged for six months. Yeah? You think that’s smart? Why don’t you just call Sterling himself and tell him that. Yeah. That’s what I thought. Don’t be a prick, Marty.”

Andy put her giant coffee down. It was a tower of a to-go cup. She tossed her leather bag to the counter and opened it.

“I’m with her right now,” Andy said. “She doesn’t want to talk to you. Who the hell are you? You’re trading out of a small office outside of the city, Marty. You have no pull. We’re trying to help you. You want to organize this? Or what? We don’t have time to waste anymore.”

Andy grabbed a magazine from her bag and turned, waving it at me.

There was a note sticking out of a page.

I took the magazine and opened it.

It was a two page spread on Abigail’s memorial. A picture of me standing on the stage in the garden-slash-park, giving my speech. Pointing at the picture of Abigail. It was a really nice picture. And the article was actually well written. It focused on the hospital that cared for Abigail, her family, touched on my commitments to help, but did not focus on me at all.

“Well, Marty, I say this kindly,” Andy said. “But I have to go. And you need to either shit or get off the toilet.”

The second picture in the bottom right corner of the second page was of me standing at the back of the crowd. Addressing the paparazzi. And guess who stood behind me?

Gavin.

When he pretended to be a bodyguard.

I smiled.

I wondered what he would think when I showed him the picture.

“Well that was fun,” Andy said.

“You should have gotten the bigger coffee,” I said.

Andy laughed. “I’ve been up since four. Did you go over that insurance proposal?”

“I haven’t looked yet.”

“Your father wants to meet with you at some point today.”

“I’ll get around to him.”

“You’ve been… a little distant. Besides your getaway night.”

“Oh?”

“You okay?” Andy asked.

“I’m fine.”

“What do you think of the article?”

“It’s perfect,” I said. “I want to keep doing this kind of stuff, Andy. I actually think it’s time for a change…”

Suddenly my heart raced a little. I could keep Andy with me and we could move into charity and nothing else.

“Before you say anything else,” Andy said. She reached for her bag again. She took out a newspaper, folded up. Then she pointed to the magazine and right at Gavin. “Who is this?”

“What?”

“This isn’t part of your security,” Andy said. “This guy is smoking hot.”

I smirked a little. “Yeah?”

“Is this a new thing? Or…” Andy then frowned. She opened the paper and showed me the same picture of Gavin behind me. It was a stupid daily tabloid thing that was mostly distributed in the city. But it was also available online. “Is this something we should worry about?”

I looked at the headline.

NAUGHTY PRINCESS?

I scoffed.

The article suggested that I was sleeping around with my security detail. I was seen running with the man in the picture.

I looked at Andy.

“I’m just curious,” Andy said.

I closed the magazine with the newspaper inside it.

“This is my personal business,” I said.

“Sorry, Olivia, but nothing is your personal business. You know that, right?”

“I’m not talking about this anymore.”

“I think whatever this is we should get ahead of it. Issue a statement maybe. We can push it back on the-”

“Andy, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

She closed her mouth. I could see her aggravation. I didn’t blame her. But I didn't want my feelings for Gavin to become headline news. Or become a debate point for my personal assistant and my father. Or to have Gavin become this figure or image…

I stood up, frustrated. “Is there a car outside?”

“Of course.”

“Then lets get to the office and get through this day.”

Andy grabbed for my arm. “For the record, Olivia, I’m not her.”

“Her?”

“Whitney,” Andy said. “I’m not a backstabbing two faced bitch. You’ve stuck up for me for years and I can never thank you enough. I can see that you’re not happy with everything and I can see the way you looked when you saw that picture. I’m not trying to pry into your personal life. I just hope you’re happy and if I can do anything to keep things from mixing, please let me know.”

I stared at Andy. I nodded. “Thank you. Andy. Thank you.”

We didn’t speak another word of it on the entire ride to the office.

Once there, I went into my oversized office and started to collect my thoughts, answer emails, research into more charitable causes across the city.

It was right around lunchtime when Andy came into my office. “Just got a call. Bill and Sarah are looking for you.”

I stood up. “Bill and Sarah… Abigail’s parents?”

“Yes. They want to talk.”

“Let them up here. Of course.”

I walked out of my office, smiling.

I grabbed my phone and decided to text Gavin.

What excuse can I come up with to see you again?

I didn’t need an excuse but it was fun to flirt a little. I didn’t expect him to reply, but he did.

Your car seems to be making noise. Oh, wait, does the princess even have a car?

I rolled my eyes.

To see you again I’ll steal a car and break it.

I looked around the open floor plan of the office and didn’t see Andy or Abigail’s parents.

Gavin then text me back.

I guess that means you really like me. If you want to see me darling you know where I live and work. Not hard to find.

I started to type back but then I spotted my visitors.

I tossed my phone to a chair in my office.

The first thing I did was hug Sarah. She clutched me tight and burst right into tears.

Bill rubbed his wife’s back.

“Andy, can you get us some coffee and water?” I asked.

“Of course,” Andy said.

“We don’t want to take up much time,” Bill said. “We were in the city and…”

“Anytime you want,” I said. “You just call me. Show up. I don’t care. I’d ask how you are… but I think we’re past formalities.”

Sarah broke away and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I probably got your nice clothes messy.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said.

“We wanted to tell you about someone else,” Bill said. “A boy named Michael. He’s in Abigail’s room.”

“Oh,” I said.

“We’ve been in contact with the hospital,” Sarah said. “We can’t stay away from the place. Because of you, Olivia.”

“Me?”

“All you’ve done,” Sarah said. “She’s gone but that hospital was her last home. We can’t just walk away. So we’re going to keep helping. Bill has been going there daily to talk to the kids. The parents.”

“I know a few magic tricks,” Bill said. He tucked his right thumb into his hand and then pretended to use his left thumb to give the quick illusion that he could remove his own thumb. “Nothing good though.” He laughed. “Kids would rather have a tablet thing.”

“Of course,” I said.

“I can’t blame them,” Sarah said. “Bill’s magic is terrible.”

We all laughed.

“Abigail loved it,” Bill said. His voice cracked.

“What can I do to help?” I asked.

“We want to do something in her honor,” Sarah said. “For the hospital. Every day. There are so many people who help. We want to do it too.”

“We were thinking of giving…”

“Anything you want,” I said. “Tell you what…” I looked for Andy. She was on her way back with someone else. A young man who was pushing a cart with coffee and water. I didn’t ask for damn catering, but whatever.

When Andy got close enough, I pulled her into the conversation.

“This is Andy,” I said. “The best… friend… possible. Andy, this is Bill and Sarah. Abigail’s parents. I want you to set them up in the hotel room I have. Book another two nights. Make sure they have full access to the room, the hotel, everything. Make sure they have transportation to and from the hospital. Make sure they have contact with the president of the hospital.” Then I looked at Sarah and Bill. “And I want you two to make a list of everything you think you’d like to have for the hospital. Let’s make this happen.”

“This is… too much,” Sarah said.

“Never,” I said. “Abigail is going to keep living on.”

Bill touched his chin. “You know, you’re bigger than any image you have, Olivia.”

“Why don’t we all get in for a picture?” another voice added.

I turned my head and was shocked to see Parker standing there.

Andy looked at me, wide eyed.

I purposely left my phone in the office so this wouldn’t end up online.

“We’re okay,” I said.

“No,” Parker said. “I insist. This is such a great thing to witness. Right, Andy?”

“Uh…”

“Yeah, sure,” Bill said. “Can’t hurt, right?”

I forced a weak smile and stood between Bill and Sarah.

Parker took a picture with his phone. “I’ll make sure to get that picture to spread like fire.”

I thanked Bill and Sarah for visiting. I hugged Sarah. I shook hands with Bill. I had Andy escort them out to go to the hotel to get set up.

That meant I was alone with Parker.

He was typing away on his phone. He then looked up. “It’ll be viral in an hour. Sent it to all my contacts. Including your father. He’ll be interested to see. I’m sure he didn’t approve this meeting.”

“Not his job to approve everything I do.”

“Actually, it is,” Parker said with a cocky grin. “I want to show you something. Come with me, please.”

I got my phone from my office and reluctantly followed Parker. I hadn’t seen him or spoken to him in a little while, which was okay with me. I knew in my father’s dream world it would be myself and Parker married. A kid. Then the eventual divorce. My father was borderline genius the way he was able to look so far out into the future. But everything in his life was just part of the business.

I didn’t want to live that way.

I rode the elevator down with Parker next to me.

“Busy?” he asked.

“Always. Yourself?”

“You know how it goes,” he said. “We need to arrange a night out soon.”

“Parker…”

The elevator dinged.

That’s when Parker grabbed my hand, interlocking his fingers tight.

The doors opened and I was faced with at least a dozen cameras. All flashing.

Parker then held our interlocked hands up. “I told you… everything is fine.”

I was attacked with questions.

That tabloid article had set off a storm.

All because of Gavin.

And now Parker had set me up.

To make it look like we were together.

The questions kept flying at me.

I stood there, shocked, angry, wondering if there was a chance any of the pictures could get back to Gavin.

Parker let my hand go but then made another move. He turned and grabbed me by the waist.

And he kissed me.

 

* * *

 

The angle we were at worked to benefit Parker because even though I pushed at his chest and broke the kiss, nobody else saw that. I touched my lips. I thought about smacking him across the face. Instead, I put myself halfway back into the elevator, keeping the doors from shutting.

“See?” Parker said. “You all need to find something else to focus on. Stop reading that garbage they print. It’s all lies to stir up nonsense.”

“So are you two engaged yet?” someone called out.

I was wide eyed like I had never seen a camera before.

I grabbed for my cellphone. That was my ticket out.

I glanced down at the screen and sent Andy a text.

XX

That was our code. When I sent that, that was her cue to quickly call me. That I was stuck in a situation and needed a phone call to get out of it.

“We are happy,” Parker said. “Very busy. As you know, Olivia has been working with the children’s hospital and the parents of…”

My phone buzzed.

I looked down.

Andy.

I took the call and put a hand up. “Hello?”

“Everything okay?” Andy asked.

“Not at all,” I said. “But you need me right now?”

“Are you coming up or do you need a car?”

“Yeah, the first one,” I said. I tilted my phone away and stepped back into the elevator. “I need to go. This is a very important call.”

“Told you she was busy,” Parker said. He looked at me and blew a kiss.

“Was that Parker’s voice?” Andy asked. “He’s still there? What happened?”

“Okay,” I said. “No need to worry. I’m on my way.”

The elevators door finally shut.

I exhaled.

“Olivia?” Andy asked.

“He brought fucking cameras here to prove we weren’t broken up. We’re not even together.”

            “Not according to him and the rest of the city.”

“I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore.”

“Oh, I like this new attitude,” Andy said. “Does it have anything to do with your super sexy fake bodyguard?”

“I’m going to have to fire you soon,” I said.

“Do you want me to meet you in your office?”

“Yeah,” I said. “ I have to figure something out here. Thanks for answering.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Andy said.

The elevator stopped and I was back where everything started. As I stepped off to the carpeted floor and the fluorescent lighting wearing a fancy outfit with shoes that were uncomfortable and probably too much makeup for my own good I thought about Gavin. His house. The way it smelled. The comfort of the used and beat up couch. The look of the trees. The smell of the air. The crackling of the fire in the fire pit. Being in his arms.

I looked around and felt like I was the stranger.

I walked to my office and opened the door expecting to find Andy.

Instead, I found my father standing there with two men.

I gasped. “Hello…”

“There she is,” my father said as he clapped his hands together. “Come here. Come in.”

It’s my office…

But it was his building.

“Shut the door,” my father said.

I did.

“Olivia, this is Jack and Christopher.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” I said. “I didn’t know you were…”

“We were just talking,” my father said. “Over in my office. They asked a few questions and I figured, why mess around? So we jumped into my helicopter and flew over to this building.”

“Great,” I said. “What can I help with?”

“See, you’re going to love working with her,” my father said. “She’s called The Princess, but in the boardroom? She’s a bitch.”

“Sterling,” Jack said. “That’s your daughter.”

“Not here,” I said. “And he’s right. So what do you need from me?”

Christopher put a bag on my desk and took out some large papers.

“Those are the plans,” my father said, smiling.

“Oh?” I asked.

Then put a hand to my shoulder. “Those are the plans for what I’m going to do to that shit hole of a town… and you, Olivia, are going to give us an exact update and plan as to when we can make our offer and move in.”