Chapter 8

Geoffrey

I never expected for it to happen. I didn't think she’d come to my front door drunk, and I wasn't entirely sure, at first, what to do with her. Any man in his right mind would probably take advantage of the situation, after all, she was young and beautiful. I couldn't do that. It didn't keep me from wanting her but even as I heard her beg my son, thinking he was me, I knew I couldn't give in. There was a lesson to be learned from this.

It was time to face the trouble that was coming from the situation I had helped create. I entered the guest room where she slept and studied her curled up in the bed; it was endearing. She was a mess with her hair tangled around her head like a halo and her makeup smeared on her face. Even though I would normally find something like that distasteful, this time I didn't.

I couldn't put this off anymore; I shook her awake. "Missy." I kept my voice hard so she wouldn't try to worm her way out of this. She was a girl who was used to getting her way, but it was going to end with me. "Wake up," I demanded as I gave her a hard shake.

She blinked awake and it immediately became clear she was more than a little drunk the night before. "Mr. Hollister?"

"Yes." I straightened my back to glower at her. "You're not in your own room, you're at my house. I don't know what kind of night you had but it's time I take you home."

"What?" She looked like she hadn't quite woken up yet, and I didn't have the desire to wait for her to catch up.

"Come on." I clapped my hands together. The loud sound seemed to startle her awake. "Get a move on. I'll let you take a moment in the bathroom but that's all you're getting out of me."

She got out of the bed and shakily nodded. I didn't give her more than five minutes in the bathroom before I hurried her out. She had taken the time to clean her face and I could see the growing dread there.

Good. She needed to realize she messed up. I guided her to my car and counted my blessings as she didn't seem to put up much of a fuss. The ride to her home was quiet and I found myself glancing at her in worry. Had she fallen asleep?

No, she looked as if she were in shock. Maybe she was awaiting the impending consequences for what she had done. I wondered if Ross really intended to cut her off if I were to fire her? It's not something I planned on doing unless she forced my hand, but I was curious. He didn't seem like the type of person to do that. Granted, he wasn't the father of the year either.

We pulled up to her house and I made a gentleman of myself, opening her door for her and helping her out of the car. She had become pale and I hoped that her hangover wasn't so severe I would have to watch her puke.

I knocked on the door and waited for an answer. "I live here," she said sullenly. "I have keys; we could just go in."

"We will wait for someone to answer the door," I said, so there wouldn't be any confusion as to what I planned to do.

I heard her whimper and the moment the door opened I saw her mother standing there looking between the two of us, concerned. "Geoffrey? Missy? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, Linda. Ross available?"

"Of course, he's in his study." She waved us in and led the way. It was clear that she was confused about what was going on but she didn't bother to question me. "Missy, you look horrible. Go get changed and cleaned up."

"No." I was quick to stop the girl from having an out. "I need her to stay in here with me while I talk to Ross."

We entered the study and my friend stood from behind his desk. "Is everything okay?"

"Missy turned up on my doorstep at about three this morning," I informed him, trying to decide just how much I should divulge. I turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. Should I tell him how she begged for me?

No, no that would be too much.

"What?" I turned to see Ross's reaction. He looked surprised and I watched as he floundered, his mouth opening and closing. "Why would you do that?"

Missy shrugged helplessly beside me. "I was drunk." She didn't make any other excuses and I waited to see if she was going to tell her father the real reason behind her showing up at my door so late. "It's not an excuse," she started weakly. "But my judgment was impaired, and I didn't make a good decision."

It was an adult response. I expected whining or something of that nature. "How could you do that?" She looked decidedly dejected as she shrugged again. “If you decide to fire her,” he looked at me, “I completely understand. She and I will have to make arrangements about what will happen now.”

“That’s not necessary.” I raised a hand to make sure he was looking at me. “I’m not firing her. I just wanted her to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” He looked back at Missy. “I will be sure to give her a proper reprimand on Monday, don't you worry about that."

"Are you sure?"

I could tell he didn't think I was serious.

"I feel like this is something I should handle. I can only imagine that if this was anyone else the police would be involved." He glared at Missy as he spoke. "Then she would ruin herself by putting something on her record."

"Don't worry," I told him as I turned to look at his daughter. "I will handle her on Monday, you have my word on that." I watched as she seemed to quiver. She didn't speak, though she looked fully cowed by our talk about her. I couldn’t help but be amused by the situation. I expected this to be awkward, confronting my friend about something like this. But I felt more entertained by it than anything else. I only expected that it would be better come Monday, how she would feel having to face me after all of this.

"I'm beginning to think this drinking she has been doing is turning into a problem," he complained out loud, right in front of her. "If this happens again," he growled at her but stopped the threat there so he could give me his full undivided attention. "I owe you more than one with this. We were at our wits end with her."

"It's a pleasure dealing with her." I couldn't help but smile at him with that one. He wouldn't know that I meant it literally.