Page 36 of Bargain With The Boss (Crescent Cove: The Moguls #2)

Xavier

The elevator opened and a pint-sized brunette strode out wearing a serviceable if drab suit, but her shoes didn’t go with the rest of her. Sparkly purple flats that definitely did not match the beige of her ensemble.

It seemed as if Duchess wasn’t the only one repressed here.

Lynn and Jared seemed to be wearing a uniform of sorts—this part of the company seemed to be a bit more laid back. The room was deceptively large. It felt like a movie set with the tricked out faux rooms, but I could see that it was a testing area.

Pretty remarkable in its scope.

And all Syd’s doing. Her people instantly gathered around her. While they all wanted to know what the hell was going on, they gave her the space to tell them when Sydney was ready.

“What’s going on?” Leah was a little out of breath. “I came down as soon as I could. The whole office is buzzing.”

“Doesn’t take long,” Syd muttered.

“Well, it was a seismic moment.” I brushed a kiss over her forehead.

Leah’s eyebrows shot up. “What did I miss?”

“Everyone, this is Xavier Hastings.”

Everyone waved.

“Xavier, this is my team. Leah is my assistant, Jared is our product tester and designer. That’s Lynn, our head designer and you’ve met Pete.

He’s keeps the whole thing running. The second and third floor is marketing, copy writing, and the sales teams. The fourth floor is the executives, financial, and you’ve been on the fifth. ”

“Definitely memorable on that floor.” He laced his fingers with mine.

“Okay, before the word gets out I wanted to talk to all of you. There’re been some things happening with my mother. I want you all to know that none of this is your fault. You’ve been invaluable to me in every step of the product line delivery.”

“Oh, God. We’re losing our jobs.” Lynn bent at the waist and started breathing heavily.

I squeezed Sydney’s hand, letting her know I was here.

Jared went to her. “Hey, are you okay?”

“No!”

I barely resisted the urge to laugh. It wasn’t a funny moment, but I always appreciated a dramatic woman. Reminded me of my sister.

Sydney gave me a panicked look.

“There’s been some family strife and unfortunately it has overflowed into Du—uh, Sydney’s direct team.” At their similarly panicked faces I quickly went on. “But, I wanted to let you all know that you’re welcome to come with us.”

“Go with—” Leah spun and grabbed Sydney’s free hand. “Are you quitting?”

She nodded. “I still own part of the company, but my mother and I have come to...an understanding.”

“Understanding? What does that mean?” Leah swung to me, then back to her boss.

Sydney squeezed my hand back. “I’m moving permanently to New York. I’ll be working with my brother and his friends.”

“Oh, God.” Lynn swayed a little.

“But we want you to come with us. If you want to that is. I’ll certainly help you find a job if you’d prefer to stay in Seattle, but I can’t leave you here with my mother. Not in good conscience anyway.”

“You want to take us with you?” Pete grabbed the back of his neck.

I nodded. “We’ll pay for your relocation and help you find a place. I just so happen to have quite a few properties at my disposal.”

“I don’t expect you to come with me.” Syd’s voice was small. “But I want to build the newly-renamed Rooted in Love on my own. And since it would be my own company I’d be willing to give you all stakes in the company for coming on with me.”

Leah straightened. “Say what?”

“You heard me.” She looked at me and I nodded for her to keep going. I would back her, whatever she did. But now it was her time to shine. Watching the uncertainty slowly fall off her shoulders was something to behold.

She took a fortifying breath, her voice strengthening.

“You all helped me with the proposal. Listened to me go over it, gave your advice, and believe in it just as much as I do. There’re no other people I’d rather have on my team.

” She swallowed hard. I nodded for her to go on. “I know it’s a lot to ask?—”

“Yes.” Lynn ran over to Syd and grabbed her free hand. “You’re the only one who has ever listened to my ideas and fought for me when your mother made my ideas sound like junk.”

“She just wanted the ideas to be hers.” Syd squeezed back.

Her mother was a real piece of work. The greatest part of a business was collaboration. The fact that she didn’t see that was sad, but I knew Sydney was well aware that her greatest asset was her people.

Pete kept rubbing his neck. “I need to talk it over with my wife.”

“I understand.” Syd turned to him. “My mother understands how important you are. Of any of you, my mother wouldn’t make your life hell if you stayed.”

“I’m leaning toward going with you, but if I made my decision without Caroline, I’d be a dead man.”

She laughed and leaned into me. “I definitely understand that.”

I stroked a hand down her hair. “I echo that statement.”

“I know it’s quick and you can definitely take time to think it through—oof.” Leah pounced on Syd. “Please tell me I don’t have to wear these ridiculous suits.”

I laughed. “Considering my uniform switches from Marvel shirts to dress shirts, you don’t need to worry about that on my end.”

“Thank God. I’m so in. I was just about to sign a new lease on my shitty apartment.” Leah laced her fingers under her chin. “I’ve always wanted to go to the East Coast.”

“Just make sure all of you buy some winter boots. Things are a little different in New York.”

Jared grinned. “I’m down for some good powder.”

“You’ll find it in Crescent Cove.” I laughed. “I’ll be in town a few more days if you have any questions.”

They all nodded.

“There will also be a severance package from here. You’ve all worked too hard to be let go without one. I’ll make sure of it.”

The way Syd’s eyes glittered made me shift behind her. I loved when she got all badass boss.

“Now, all of you get out of here for the day. We’ve locked down the holiday line and I refuse to let my mother get anything else out of you. I’d like to have you all over to my place for dinner.”

Surprise showed on all of their faces, but they all agreed.

I rubbed Syd’s back as her team gathered their things. When the room was empty she turned to me. “I can’t believe we did that. That you did that for all of my people.”

“They’re yours. Of course I did.”

Her golden eyes sparkled. “They are.” Her fingers fisted at her sides. “I hate that they got caught in the crossfire.”

I took each of her hands and shook them out until she relaxed.

“Maybe it was just what was meant for all of them. We can definitely use Leah’s organizing skills as your assistant at FHK.

Jared and Lynn are perfect for staging houses and businesses for leasing.

But it’s just a stopgap for your business.

” I cupped her face. “Your dreams are just as important. I want you to have that garden center.”

“I want to do it on my own.” She lifted her chin.

“You wouldn’t be the woman I love if you didn’t.”

Her eyes closed. “Say that again.”

“I love you, Syd.”

They opened again, the burnished gold swimming in tears. I caught one of her tears on my thumb. “I’m so sorry I reacted like such an asshole in Lake George. It wasn’t fair to you.”

“I lied. You had every right to get angry about that.”

“But not about the medication. That’s not for me to make you feel bad about.” I pulled her into my arms. “My college girlfriend had an abortion and didn’t let me know until after she did it.”

“Oh, Xavier.” She pressed her cheek to mine. “I’m sorry.”

“We were far too young and she was probably right to do it, but I was more hurt that she didn’t tell me first. She just sideswiped me with the information like she’d gone to the dentist or something.”

She wrapped her long arms around my shoulders and I sunk into her warmth. The old hurt didn’t sting quite as badly. I let it go as part of my past. Part of a what could have been that didn’t belong to me any longer.

She laid her cheek on my chest. “I didn’t take it.”

“What?”

She stepped back enough to look up at me. “I didn’t take the pill. I couldn’t bring myself to. I don’t know if there’s a baby, but there could be.”

“I know it’s not the best time for it, but if it is...”

She rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to mine. “It would be so loved. Just like I love you. Even if it’s illogical to love you already, I do.” She kissed me again. “I love you beyond measure.”

Hearing it back drained all the words out of my head.

I’d never expected someone like Sydney, but she was exactly what I needed.

Who I’d never dared to wish for.

“Take me home, Duchess.”

She nodded. “I can do that.” She stepped away from me, but our fingers still tangled. We bumped along one another as she led me out of the workroom to her office. “I have a few things I want from my office.”

I nodded. I wouldn’t put it past her mother to destroy her things in a petty rage.

The office suited her. It was filled with plants and smelled of the spicy orchid I associated with her. A fresher version. As if the plants pulled all the corporate stillness out of the air and replaced it with everything she was.

Here, she’d been the most Sydney I’d ever seen.

And seeing her space, I knew I’d do anything to make her dreams come true.

“Think these will survive in New York?”

“With a little love and attention.” She carefully placed all the pots that had been scattered around her room onto her desk. “I’m not sure how we’re getting all of these out of here.”

“Maybe a delivery place. Not quite U-Haul, but you do have a lot more than will fit in a car.”

She sat at her computer. “I know of someone.” Then she swore. “She locked me out of the system already. Unbelievable.”

“Kind of tracks, doesn’t it?”

She sat back in her chair. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

I went around her desk to crouch next to her. “I’m sorry, Duchess.”

“I know. All I ever wanted was her to see me. She never has.”