Almost Perfect: A BWWM Billionaire Single Parent Romance (2 page)

“
This
conversation is supposed to be helpful dad, not a lecture on what I
already know. The challenge is how to change it.”

“
Well
my boy, I have no other wisdom to share at this point. Keep trying
and the right bed warmer will come along. Speaking of which; I have
an important date with some rum punch and a particularly tasty
caramel morsel from the casino. We will have to chat later.”

“
Thank
you father, for giving me too much information yet again, I did not
need to know that…”

The
screen had already faded to a familiar blue, indicating he had
disappeared in pursuit of pleasure, leaving Richard alone to ponder
his fate.

Never
visiting the office more than twice a week had its advantages; it
allowed him time to write the novel he had pondered over for years,
and dote over the apple of his eye; Jasmine. Alternately, the
disadvantages included resolving the many company issues that would
arise in the boss’s absence.

Today
was no exception, and as he thought about his father and his senior
escapades, the door knocked announcing the most pressing challenge of
the day. The Human Resources Manager had something to discuss with
him as a matter of urgency and he couldn’t delay it any longer.

As
he entered the office and took his place in the vacant chair, Richard
could tell he would be in for a difficult one.

“
Good
morning Richard. You know I wouldn’t usually bother you if I
could help it, but with the unsteady climate in the marketplace I
thought it best we handle this matter as soon as possible.

“
Go
on Alvin, I’m listening.”
“The company lawyer,
Travis Swindley… he has been missing for a few days now, and
then a messenger arrived this morning with a letter of resignation.
It appears he feels overwhelmed with this last lawsuit, and is no
longer interested in being a member of Tabletop Industries. He
specifically asked that we arrange his separation package before
Friday. He’s also asking that we don’t call him, as he
has no desire to engage in discussions about retaining his position.”

“
Please
tell me you are joking! This is the worse time he could possibly
choose to pull this act! As the internal lawyer, he was the only one
dealing with this shit… this can’t be happening.”

“
I
totally agree with you and I always think it best to have a
contingency plan for situations like this one so, anticipating the
backlash, I’ve already gone ahead and placed an advertisement
for suitably qualified corporate lawyers. The emails began coming in
from this morning, and I should have a short list by tomorrow. I can
start to interview Wednesday and once we find the right one, they can
start on Monday… that is, if it’s fine with you.”

“
Fix
it Alvin, do whatever needs to be done to get us back on track.”

As
the door clicked close, Richard’s head felt as though it would
combust and that was never a good thing. The plush carpet and
intricate carvings that decorated his office brought no solace in
times like these.

The
cool water from the faucet helped him wash away the frustration of
being lonely, and the sting of what he considered to be
insubordination from the lawyer. At twenty nine years old, Richard
was certain he could see bags under his eyes, and everyday he
searched for grays in his silken black mane.

Of
course, none were ever there, but inside, Richard felt fatigued from
his failed marriage and the burden of managing this company. He
forced a smile, and his reflection in the mirror complied. Richard
was kind to the eyes, the old secretary in the sales department had
said. Too old to be flirting, but still young enough to notice, Marge
chided him on his handsomeness every chance she could.

If
old Marge could see it, where were all the women who should be
knocking down his door? It seemed that after ‘The Richest’
magazine published his net worth, every single woman in America
wanted him, but after hearing about how his marriage died due to
neglect, they all fell into the background and he was once again very
alone.

He
liked designer clothes, but never dressed up; an oxymoron to say the
least, but it was Richard plain and simple. The shirts were all
button down and the slacks looked like they could be rolled up for a
surfing expedition any moment. His haircut was sleek, but allowed
enough length for him to look mysterious; something he enjoyed.

Barbara
had said his sad brown eyes were what attracted her to him, but when
they became cold, she could no longer stay. It wasn’t his
fault; he simply couldn’t handle the weight of managing his
business and a family at the same time. Ultimately, his family life
died a slow and painful death.

He
came home to an empty house, and no dinner one evening two years ago;
things had never been the same since. Barbara was never nasty during
the divorce and never fought him when he petitioned for joint custody
of Jasmine. It was a pity the marriage could never be mended, but his
daughter was the torchlight in the darkness of their union, and she
was the primary reason he, and his ex-wife were friends today.

Jasmine
was learning dance and they often practiced together after school. A
natural artist, just like her father who had designed many of the
products for what was now his furniture company, she excelled in most
artistic things she did.

It
was in the weeks that Barbra took Jasmine that he was especially
bored and lonely. It was getting to be overbearing and burdensome to
watch TV alone, sipping expensive wine.

Walking
back to his desk and plopping down on the sofa, Richard pondered a
prolific statement running through his head, ‘money can’t
buy love.’

*****

Kimberly
was thinking that maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to cuss out
the secretary and leave her well paying job, but there was no time to
lament over the past now. She was relishing in the liberty of waking
up and doing nothing, and doing it all the way until bedtime.

As
a woman who spared no time for fun and adventure before, she now
found herself in the awkward position of not having many friends or
extracurricular activities to participate in. She had already been to
the spa for two facials, and her nails were just fine as well; what
was a girl to do now?

The
yoga class she passed in the park looked inviting; it was the only
new activity she committed to, and she was glad she did. Who knew the
grass was this green or that birds chirped so loudly when you were
caged in an office all day? Granted, it was a nice office and all of
that, but with so many people acting like commanding soldiers, she
could no longer force herself to continue working there.

Yoga
poses looked easier than they actually were to perform, and as
Kimberly recuperated from the deceptive exercise, sipping her water
bottle, she wondered how she ever lived without enjoying nature’s
gifts. Ruining the moment, a sneaky gust of wind swept by in a flurry
of plastic cups and newspapers, discarded by people who obviously had
no care for the environment.

Detangling
a particularly dirty blanket of paper from her feet, she did her duty
as a good citizen, and balled up the mess in her fist, heading for
the nearest trash can. As she deposited the once strewn refuse into
the bin, she saw the words ‘lawyer wanted’ on another
sheet that had already made its way into the can.

Swapping
one handful of paper for the other, she read carefully. The vacancy
for a lawyer needed to be filled urgently and the qualifications
required all spelled her name. There was only a two day window for
application and she felt moved to apply.

Picking
up a tip for a vacancy in a garbage can wasn’t exactly the norm
for Kimberly, but sometimes the most valuable things were found in
the oddest of places. Tearing along the frame of the ad, she removed
it and jogged to her apartment to try her luck with the treasure of
the trash bin.

*****

The
building was shinier than the law office Kimberly had worked at, and
for some reason, she didn’t associate it with a furniture
company. As she approached the reception area, she reminded herself
that this wasn’t the industrial age, and that main offices and
factories no longer had to share the same quarters.

She
was definitely confused as to the type of furniture this company made
because the lobby was beautifully decorated with pieces that looked
antique, contrary to the plastic Lego like contraptions she thought
it produced.

The
response to her application was almost immediate. Sending off her
particulars before washing away the sweat from yoga and her rummage
in the bin, Kimberly remained optimistic that things may go in her
favor. Seconds after emerging from the bathroom, her laptop alerted
her to new mail. The interview would be at three in the afternoon to
be precise and rushing to make it across the city prevented her from
doing in depth research on her prospective employer.

Alvin
Petterkin was the man who would determine her fate with this company,
and even though she had no idea of the salary scale or what exactly
they were offering, she had a positive feeling about her possible
success.

Kimberly
declined the coffee the secretary had prepared and sat, staring at
the hallway in anticipation of getting the matter over with. A
naturally confident woman, she still got butterflies when answering
questions from strangers while they jotted notes on yellow legal
pads.

A
short African American man sauntered up to the receptionist and
whispered in private tones, while a slender man of Hispanic decent
walked past with his head dropped in disappointment. She could only
assume he was unsuccessful.

Motioning
in Kimberly’s direction, he summoned her to his side and the
two shook hands vigorously as introductions were exchanged. Walking
to the office in silence, Kimberly peeked through several open doors
at employees who seemed content.

The
office they entered looked a lot like the others and in courtesy, she
was invited to have a seat in one of the chairs adjacent Mr. Peterkin
while he assumed his position.Typical interview questions were
wielded in her direction, and she was honest in her responses about
ambition and career goals. Personally, admitting at twenty seven that
she was childless and unattached to any man, was somewhat of a sore
point for many reasons that were inappropriate to discuss in a
business setting such as this.

Mr.
Peterkin was asking about her time management skills and her strategy
for managing stress. Considering the working conditions at Goldman &
Parks, as well as her dramatic exit, she answered with a confident
half truth.

Painting
a story of a woman who was able to carry the entire legal load of a
company with finesse and accuracy, Kimberly hoped her explanation was
convincing enough.

As
Kimberly finished her sentence, the heavy oak door, she had entered
through cracked open, and footsteps silently moved in their
direction. Not wanting to interrupt, a voice said, “Please
continue Alvin, I am just here to observe.” And so they did.

Resisting
the urge to look around at the visitor, Kimberly responded to the
most recent question about her availability, stating jokingly, that
she could move into her office immediately.

The
deep voice behind her chuckled, and curiosity overtook her train of
thought as she finally twisted in the chair to meet the deep blue
eyes and bow tie mouth laughing at her comedic attempt. He sauntered
forward to the Manager’s desk and authoritatively picked up her
file.

Reading
for what seemed like an eternity; the man nodded and made pensive
sounds before he spoke again. There was something interesting about
this person and she sensed he was higher ranked in the company than
the man conducting the interview.

“
Kimberly
Walsh… that’s you, am I right? You seem pretty
accomplished for a lady your age and I can see you are headed for
greatness. I hope Alvin here doesn’t feel too horribly that I
intruded on his interview, but I would like to offer you the
position. If you like, we can go straight to your new office and I
can brief you on the details. I trust you’ve been told of our
generous remuneration package?”

Unintentionally
foregoing professionalism by nodding her head, she communicated that
she had been briefed on what the company had to offer but his eyes
trapped her and she was rendered speechless. The Human Resources
Manager cleared his throat and her head jerked around.

“
Ms.
Walsh? Do you want to accept the position? It seems it is yours after
all!”