Page 74

Nan curved her lips into a small, secret smile. “I don’t know about you yet.”
“Don’t know what about me?” he asked, trying to avert her stare by picking up the larger pieces of glass.
“I don’t know if you are good enough for her,” Nan said, bringing Derrick’s head up in frustration, “but the more I see you with her, the more I think you just might be.” She nodded. “Now get out of here and go put some bloody clothes on. This isn’t the beach,” she instructed and got up, heading for the broom closet.
“I love her, Nan,” Derrick said to the older woman’s back.
“Yes, my boy. You always have, but that hasn’t always been enough,” she remarked, continuing on her path the get the broom. “But we shall see,” she said. “Now go. You’re going to cut an appendage!”
Derrick left, but he was hurt from the words. Seemed everyone thought he wasn’t good enough for Taylor. He was spending more energy trying to prove to Taylor that he was good enough for her than he ever had trying to track her down. And now here he was, showing her he would give her space, staying away from her, and he still was getting flak from other people.
It was totally true what they say: nice guys don’t win. He was better off going back to his spoiled rich kids ways; he always got what he wanted then.
Well, everything except Taylor.
* * *
Taylor wassurprised when Henry opened her door in the garage of Preston Corp. She hadn’t even noticed they had plunged into a darkened garage from the bright daylight. Her thoughts were totally with Derrick, the thought of living with him, and the decree. She had meant to check her emails on her phone during the ride in, but her distracted thoughts had kept her from them.
As she was shuffled in like the day prior, Taylor focused her attention on her phone screen. When they stopped outside a door, Taylor walked in ready to tackle the paperwork she had left in the boardroom the day prior.
But they weren’t in the boardroom.
Taylor looked around and found herself in her grandfather’s office.
“What are we doing here?” Taylor asked, waiting for one of the men behind her to answer.
Behind her, Henry cleared his throat. “Mr. Hammel said you would be working in here today, Ms. Preston,” he answered.
Taylor swallowed, “Why—”
“Because we need the boardroom, Taylor,” Todd’s voice chimed in, and then he was next to her. “You are the CEO, and this is your office now.”
“I don’t need an office,” Taylor said through her teeth. Todd always got her unhinged, always pushed her buttons. Just the sound of his voice, the smell of his cologne, or even the thought of him had Taylor edgy and mad.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Taylor, of course you need an office. You can’t just work in the boardroom. Besides, that is the main boardroom—it is needed to conduct the daily ins and outs and to accomplish all the things you have set in motion,” Todd reminded her.
Taylor was beyond irate with Todd, but as she looked around at the familiar space, she just couldn’t stay mad. She could smell Poppy in here, she could see him pacing the carpet with his silent footsteps and thoughtful gaze, and she could hear him on the phone, his quick and crisp tone getting things done. It should have made her feel sad, but instead Taylor felt peace, calm, and at home.
Taylor stood and took in the huge desk before her. It was a monstrosity of a desk to her even now, but as a child, it had been the best place to play under. She used to pretend she was in a cave, or play there with her dolls. It was hand-carved mahogany with intricate patterns and designs carved along the edges. Behind the desk were floor-to-ceiling shelves, in the same mahogany as the desk, lined with pictures. There were pictures of the Preston family, workers, and factories. Some were old and restored prints; others were more recent candid photos.
Between the shelves was a large glass window. Memories flooded Taylor of coming into this office and finding her grandfather rocking in his chair and looking out that window. She was never forbidden from coming in, never told that she had to wait; the door was always open for Taylor. And when Poppy was deep in thought looking out the window, she could run and jump into his lap, and he would jump in surprise.
“Didn’t Charlie talk to you about this?” Todd asked. “He was supposed to tell you yesterday before you left.”
“She was overwhelmed,” Charlie said, striding into the room, sending more memories to the front of Taylor’s mind. Charlie used to come in with the same serious expression to talk to her grandfather. And when his gaze met Taylor’s, it softened the way it always had. “Hello, Taylor,” Charlie said to her. “I’m sorry we sprang this on you. I thought maybe we could redo it—”
“No,” Taylor said, shaking her head and turning her attention back to the desk. “It’s perfect just the way it is,” she said in a tone just higher than a whisper. The emotion of the office and of the connection she had with her family was overwhelming.
“Are you sure, Taylor?” Charlie asked, coming in front of her and meeting her stare, his face a mask of concern. “You are taking on a lot.”
“I’m sure, Charlie. This room,” she said, spreading her arms and gesturing around, “it makes me remember why I am doing all of this.”
Charlie nodded, but he still looked unsure.
“Is, uh, is Dad’s still—” Taylor let the question hang and swung her eyes to a door on the side of the room.
Charlie and Todd nodded in tandem, and Taylor turned and left them, walking through the door. It was her father’s office. Her grandfather had added the door to his office after he had passed away and closed off the main entry one. The design in her father’s office was sleeker, with off-white tones and glass accents. They had never spent a lot of time in his office; he had always worked more with Taylor’s grandfather, done almost everything except hold meetings in there. He had meetings in his own office.