Romance: Assistant to the Billionaire (7 page)

Chapter 13

I press the code for Rhett’s penthouse door and rush inside.

He’s sitting on the couch and when he sees how distraught I look, he rushes over towards me.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“My father is getting out of prison soon and my Mom is taking him back in. She’s taking him back! That’s what she wanted to talk to me about tonight,” I sob into his chest.

“What? I thought that your Dad got twenty years?” he asks.

“He did but he also has good behavior and Mom said that he was parole eligible and they approved him. It’s not fair. The guy ruined my life and hers and here she is wanting to make things easy for him.”

“You know how parents are. They never see things our way. And is it possible that even after everything that he’s done that she still loves your Dad. Love can be a very powerful drug, you know.”

“But I don’t see why she would want to involve herself in his messiness. Let him find another place to stay is what I say.”

He laughs. “You’re really upset this about this, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and it’s not funny. I was teased relentlessly because of this man. I lost all of my friends. Couldn’t get any new ones and, worst of all, I was forced to move away from you. In my book, he’s a grade A jackass,” I say.

“And how does it feel to get all of that out?” he asks.

“It feels fine. I guess I just needed to vent, although I still really don’t approve of the situation. I think that he can find someone else to stay with,” I say.

“Maybe your Mom is all he has. After all, he did lose everything.”

“I guess that you’re right. If I had no place to go I know that my Mom will always be there.”

“See now there you have it. How about I run you a warm milk bath so that you can relax a little and then I’ll order us some pizza or something?”

“You have no idea how nice that sounds right now.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” he says as he kisses my forehead.

His chair is calling my name so I sit down on it and begin to flip through the channels when something catches my attention.

I hurry to turn up the TV to hear what the reporter has to say.

“We have just found out that John Jacobs will be released from federal prison in just a few days. You may remember Jacobs from the high profile case over fifteen years ago in which he was given twenty years for conspiracy to murder, fraud and embezzlement. Jacobs smuggled over 3 million dollars from his company but due to good behavior and a good parole board, he will once again be amongst us. All I can say is that I hope this particular leopard has changed his spots,” says the reporter.

I turn the TV off and bury my face in the pillow. Now the whole world knows that my father is getting out of jail.

And how would this look on Rhett?

After all I was his personal assistant.

Maybe his partners didn’t need to know that we were an item for them to use this information against him. I just really want to curl up in a ball and cry somewhere but I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn around and see Rhett standing there.

“I heard the news report and you’re going to be okay. Trust me. I have your back on this. I won’t leave you alone. We’re not kids this time,” he says. “Now I ran your bath water. Take as much time as you need and I will order the pizza for us.”

I nod my head and head towards the bathroom.

My whole body is drained and I know that this soak is just what I need.

I slide out of my clothes and into the water and immediately, my body starts to relax.

I don’t think about my Mom or my Dad and just focus on myself with what’s going on between Rhett and I.

Once the water gets cold, I let the water out of the tub and wrap a fluffy white towel around me. I know that the pizza hasn’t arrived yet so I collapse on his bed for a much needed nap.

Today has been an extremely draining day.

****

I wake up the next morning with the sun blaring in my eyes.

One quick glance at the clock tells me that I’ve slept through the night.

I wonder why Rhett didn’t wake me?

Maybe he knew that I really needed to rest.

I see that he has an outfit laid out for me and I pull it on and go out in search of him.

As I get closer to the living room, I begin to hear voices and I realize that his mother is in there.

Damn.

She is not the person I want to see right now – especially with everything that’s happening with my father.

I start to panic because she doesn’t know that we are an item but then I remember that I’m his personal assistant, so I have a perfectly good reason to be in his place this early in the morning. 

I go into his office and grab some files and head out to the little place in the kitchen where I usually do my work if I’m here.

“Hi Mrs. Williams,” I say as I enter the room.

“Hello Jessica. Lovely to see you. I hope Rhett isn’t working you too hard,” she says.

“No ma’am, he’s not,” I say as I take a seat at the table.

I glance at her one more time and realize that she hasn’t changed that much over the years.

She still has long and curly brown hair and the brightest blue eyes.

She doesn’t have a wrinkle on her face but it’s been rumored that she dabbles in botox, and from how her face doesn’t move that much I can see that rumor might have a little truth to it. I act like I’m into the file and doing some work while slightly eavesdropping in on their conversation.

“So Rhett, sweetheart, I hear that you are making quite the impact around the office these days,” she says.

“Yes, I decided to clean up my act,” he replies.

“That’s good because I was worried about you honey. I didn’t know if, or when, you would ever come to your senses.”

“Yeah, me either. But like I said I’ve decided to turn things around. But what I really need is a business manager. One who has my best interest in mind because I still think some of the partners are trying to get me out.”

“Really? Even after you’ve been showing change?”

“Yes, Mom. I know that they want me down and it’s not going to happen but I think I may have someone to come on my side. I just have to see if I can convince them to come on board.”

“And why wouldn’t they?”

“It’s complicated, Mom.”

She nods her head. “I see. So when are you going to settle down with a nice young lady?”

I almost choke but I pull it together really quickly and continue to listen.

“Mom we’ve been over this. I’m not interested in talking to anyone you have in mind for me.”

“I have someone else who is very pretty. Her name is…”

“Mom. I’m not interested.”

“Come on, honey. Don’t tell me that you’re still thinking about that piece of white trash that you dated.”

“Mom! Emma was not ‘white trash’. And we haven’t been dating for two years!”

“I’m just saying that you should meet some of the girls…”

“I’m not interested Mom.”

“They’re all nice girls Rhett. I think anyone of them could make you happy.”

“Or make me miserable,” he mumbles under his breath.

“I just think that you need a strong woman. One that will help you build up this company and not help you tear it down. A nice girl from a nice family. That’s all that I’m saying.”

“Those girls are not my type.”

“Come on Rhett. You have to find someone.”

“Look Mom, you want me to date the perfect girl. Well, I am dating the perfect girl…”

“Oh, she’s not trash, I hope?”

“She not trash. She’s perfect,” Rhett takes a glance at me. “And she’s sitting right there at the kitchen table.”

“Oh…” Vivian takes a look at me and I can do nothing but smile.

“Yes, Jessica and I are dating and I really don’t care who knows about it right now,” Rhett states firmly. “She has been there for me in my darkest hour and has pulled me up. She’s the reason why I am able to run this company as well as I have. Without her, I’m pretty sure that the partners would’ve had me out already. So excuse me for not wanting to date any of the plastic girls that you keep sending my way!” he yells.

A shocked expression crosses my face as I stare from him to his mother.

I wait for her to get mad and yell at him for making the biggest mistake of his life but a small smile spreads across her face instead.

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that,” she says.

“You are?” I ask.

“Of course. I knew that you would be the right girl for Rhett the moment your Mom asked me to help you land the interview. You’re outgoing, smart, strong, and I knew that you wouldn’t take any crap from him. I knew that you were just what he needed and I’m just glad to see that I wasn’t wrong,” she says.

“So you really aren’t mad?” asks Rhett with a look of confusion.

“No sweetheart, why would you ever think that I would be?” she asks.

“Oh, I don’t know, because of the types of girls that you try to push off on me,” he says.

She shrugs. “So, I didn’t want you lonely and those are the only types of girls that I know, so cut me some slack.”

I laugh.

She is as down to earth as she was when we were younger. “So are you sure about this? I know that you know my father is getting out of jail in a few days and I don’t want to harm Rhett or the company’s reputation.”

“You won’t do any such thing, sweetie. You aren’t your father and anyone can see that. As a matter of fact I think that Rhett should bring you on as his business manager. You have the degree, the ability to stand up to this man and obviously you have the personable skills,” she says.

“Actually that’s what I was planning on doing anyway,” Rhett states before turning to me. “Jessica, you are one of the smartest people that I know and I know that you will always have my best interest in mind, so what do you say?” he asks.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” he replies.

“Well in that case, yes,” I say as I kiss him on the lips. “I would love to be your business manager.”

“Great, we can announce it this week, as well as the fact that we are an item,” he says.

“And I will be right there supporting you,” says Rhett’s mother.

I smile and hug both of them.

Finally, my life is changing for the better.

Rhett, nor his mother, will be sorry for taking a chance on me.

Chapter 14

One week later…

Cameras are everywhere and my nerves are starting to kick in.

Rhett is making the announcement of my promotion via a news conference. All the big business magazines are here, along with the board of directors.

Talk about pressure.

The press love Rhett’s company. Any news from his business can have a profound effect on the stock market, so they watch his every move very closely.

“It’s going to be okay,” says Rhett as he kisses me gently on my neck.

“I know, but it still doesn’t stop the nerves. There are so many cameras and there are going to be so many questions. Especially since my father is now home. I just know that it’s going to be crazy,” I say.

“Yeah well, if it gets too crazy then we can always stop it. We’re in control here. Remember that. You don’t have to answer anything that you don’t want to,” he says. “Besides I’m going out there first. So therefore you can pull yourself together a little more.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

He kisses me one more time before he heads out to the stage.

As he walks away, I feel a tap on my shoulder.

I turn around and am face to face with my father.

Damn.

I haven’t seen this man since he’s been home, but not for my mom’s lack of trying though.

She has been calling me every day since he was released and I have been avoiding her calls at all cost.

I stare at the man that I share genetics with.

Jail hasn’t been good to him. He’s gotten old, fat and bald. He used to be handsome but now it looks like he’s swallowed the man that he once was.

“Uh, hi,” I say. “Now is not a good time.”

“Hi sweetheart,” he says. He tries to hug me but I pull back. “So how have you been?”

“I’m fine,” I reply. “Really, now is not…”

“I see that you are doing pretty good for yourself,” he interrupts me. “You’re working for Rhett now?”

“Yes I am.”

“I could give you some advice if you want it.”

“Advice? I don’t want any advice about business from you. You couldn’t teach me anything.”

“I could teach you how not to get caught.”

A look of shock crosses my face but then I realize that men like him will never change. “Really? That’s what you’re here for? Look, buddy, you don’t need to teach me how not to get caught because I’m not doing anything to get caught.”

“Yes but the temptation…”

“Not everyone is like you! I will never be like you Dad!” I snap. “There is not one thing that you can say to me that will make me want to do what you’ve done to people. You may have smooth talked your way out of prison but you’re still the same selfish man that you were when you went in there. You did what you wanted to do without ever thinking how it would’ve affected me or Mom. Do you know the shame and ridicule that we had to endure because of your mistakes?! And you have the nerve to come at me hoping that I will follow in your footsteps?! Well you have another thing coming to you!”

I know that my face is red because that’s how pissed I am but I don’t care.

What a bastard.

Just as the rage builds, I hear applause sound out from behind me.

What?

I slowly turn around to see that everyone has been watching me. Rhett has opened the curtain.

They must have heard everything.

“And that’s her ladies and gentleman. My new business manager - Jessica Jacobs. Come on up here, sweetie,” he says.

I throw one last glare at my father before I go on stage with Rhett. The crowd’s applause grows louder and I smile.

“Uh well, for starters thank you all for coming out here today. I am honored to be taking over as business manager for Williams Investment and I am especially grateful to Rhett for taking the chance on me, knowing my family’s history. I have no intentions of being anything like my father and I know that I can help build and grow this company into something even more wonderful than what it is now. I know that I will make everyone proud because I love to succeed in everything that I do. Now if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”

All the reporters started talking at once and it was hard to distinguish one question from another.

“Jessica, are you nervous about what fellow investors will think now that you’re a business manager?” asks a blonde reporter.

“I am but I know that I can change their minds about me. My father and I are two completely different people and their business will always be safe with me,” I reply.

“Do you think that you will ever talk to your father again after what just happened today?” asks a bald guy.

“No, I don’t have any words for him. It’s clear that he’s still the same man that he once was and there is nothing that I can do about that except accept it and move on.”

“How did you and Rhett manage to find love?” asks a man with a French mustache.

“I don’t know; I guess that it just sort of found us. But our relationship has no affect on our working environment. We are completely professional and it will remain that way.”

“Okay ladies and gentleman, that’s enough questions. Just be prepared to see what she does with this business,” says Rhett as he leads me away. Once off stage, he pulls me to him and kisses me deeply. “You are an amazing woman.”

“You are an amazing guy,” I reply.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Good. Now, let’s go make us some more money.”

I laugh as we walk off with each other hand in hand.

Who ever thought that business could be this much fun?