Arrogant Boss

It was exactly what Dad had intended when he not only put me in charge but wrote a letter detailing how he wanted his affairs taken care of. That he didn’t trust Ryan’s mother with these decisions or to make the tough calls.

He’d been right on both accounts.

“I understand that you’re upset,” I tried. “I know what it’s like to be twenty and think you know everything. What I’m saying isn’t-”

Ryan slumped in the chair and pushed his cap down further. “I get it. My ideas are stupid.”

I sighed and prayed for patience. “No, they’re just a bit underdeveloped sometimes. If you have something real you want to do, something you’ve thought through, I’ll be happy to hear it. But I don’t think opening a diving school off the coast of Costa Rica is going to be your big break, nor should it be paid for by your trust fund.”

“It’s basically a done deal, Julian. Why don’t you believe me?”

I crossed my arms. “I can imagine that it might feel that way. But under no circumstances will I wire transfer 40, 000 dollars to your friend ‘Jacko.'”

Ryan rose, animosity clear in every line of his body. “Fine. I guess I’ll see you around or something.”

“Come over for dinner this week.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m probably heading to Mammoth to ski with some friends.”

My heart sank. “Alright. Text me when you’re back.”

He gave a noncommittal nod and headed towards the door of my office. His anger was so palpable that I almost felt like checking my head for horns.

“Ryan, you know I care about you. That’s why I’m doing this.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The door shut behind him.

I sank down in my chair and rubbed my temples. That went as well as I’d been expecting, which was to say disastrous.

Ryan and I had never truly been close, something I blamed about a hundred different people for, including myself. Attempts I made as an adult to rectify that sometimes went very well and other times… like this.

It was as if he wanted me to be a fun-loving big brother-a part I usually played gladly-but who also indulged him in a way that Dad never had. I knew that my step-mother mainly saw me as a financial asset, and it pained me that some of her perspectives had been passed down to Ryan.

The one good thing on my schedule for the day was a meeting with the press and marketing team. The yearly LA tech industry event was happening this week, and Hunt Industries was scheduled to hold one of the seminars and introduce a few new updates.

But the meeting meant I’d have a chance to see Emily for the first time since she blew me a drunken goodbye kiss on Saturday night, heading into the cab with Denise. I was 99% sure that she’d blush with embarrassment when she saw me. Hell, I would bet on it if I could.

The team was already gathered when I arrived at meeting room C. Faint traces of laughter and discussion could be heard through the glass window and I paused just out of sight.

Emily was deep in conversation with Rachel and Trent, her hands moving as she spoke. Her dark hair was loose and long, and now I knew just how silky it felt through my fingers. Sasha slipped them a newspaper article and the entire group broke out into laughter. Emily’s eyes glittered with happiness.

She was beautiful, truly, from the inside out. A heart-shaped face framed by her long dark hair, eyes that switched from beguiling to angry to teasing faster than clouds during a storm.

I wanted her in my bed.

I wanted her in my life.

As if she read my thoughts, her gaze found mine through the glass and on cue her cheeks flushed a lovely, blush pink.

I couldn’t help it-I grinned at her.

Rachel looked up to see what had caught Emily’s attention and, always insolent, rolled her eyes at me. “Will you join us or continue standing outside like a weirdo?”

“Wait a moment,” I told them, raising a hand. They all watched me as I pretended to inspect them all, my eyes narrowed. “You passed.”

Press and Marketing was one of my favorite departments, after the technicians and the software developers. They tended to be quick thinkers, witty conversationalists, and creative thinkers. Just like Emily.

As opposed to the, ahem, accounting department or our in-house lawyers. Though thank God they exist, as I shuddered at the thought of having to work in Excel on a daily basis.

“Do you want to start?” Trent asked, but I shook my head.

“No. Go ahead, run your drill.”

Emily was two chairs down, too far for me to reach under the table. I glanced her way but her attention was staunchly on Trent.

“Alright. Well, this will be the LA Tech and Industry Conference sixteenth year. It’s a massive event, attracting both national and international companies as well as hundreds of investors, web developers, and contractors. I know that not all of you were on the team when the conference came around last year, so I recommend that you use the coming two days to read up. Naturally, the event also draws considerable media and press coverage. We’re going to be there for two full days, and by full, I mean busy.”

Rachel leaned forward. “And by busy we mean the don’t-drink-too-much-water-because-you-won’t-have-time-to-use-the-restroom kind of busy.”

I cleared my throat. “Our HR rep would frown on that. Please, everyone, I encourage proper hydration.”

Trent ignored our interjections. “Most of what we’ve been working on for these past few months will be displayed. The rebranded interface, the new colors and logo-it will all be there. Hunt Industries will run a monitor and a workshop.”

Trent turned to me, expectation in his gaze.

I rose and braced my hands on the table. “This year we’re releasing a 2. 0 version of the software we developed two years ago but had to pull from market. It’s essentially video chat for doctors.”

I pulled up an image on the connected projector so they could all see. “It connects doctors with patients in their own homes. Naturally, this isn’t meant to replace actual hands-on healthcare, but it allows for people to call and ask about things that don’t require a visit to the hospital. Parents might want to ask about a rash on their kid’s arm, what to do for a bee sting-that sort of thing. It will save enormous amounts of time and resources for both the patients and the medical staff.”

I flicked through the different images, showcasing the interface and the testing rounds. Emily was in the back, watching me with large eyes. While I didn’t suffer from stage fright, I was intimately aware of her eyes on me.

“A trial version is available in select areas around the US at the moment, but we want this system to go national. The aim is to get buyers, investors, media-we want everyone to get involved.”

Trent nodded. “We have prepared a long line-up. These are going to be busy days, folks, with interviews and articles. I want you to check and double-check your emails continuously these coming days.”

I took a seat, and Rachel cleared her throat. “Let’s go through the roles. I’ll be joining Julian in LA to handle the press section of things-his schedule is packed from morning to evening. Josef, you’re following along as well to help with the set-up of the workshop. Trent, Sasha, and Emily will hold down the fort here. Constant communication between us during this time will be crucial.”

I frowned. “Just two from the press and marketing team?”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Trent nodded. “We figured that was the best division of labor. Do you disagree?”

“Emily should join as well. She works with press, and this tends to be our largest event of the year. She’ll need to know what to do for next year. Let her shadow you, Rachel.”

I could see Emily’s piqued interest from the end of the table. The conference would be the best place for her to meet people and learn more about the industry she was new to.

And it would let her see you in action, a small voice whispered in my mind. I couldn’t help it. I wanted her to see me as someone she respected, and not just as some rich playboy almost-billionaire, as she kept reminding me.

Rachel nodded thoughtfully. “It makes sense. What do you think, Emily?”