Page 8 of Bargain With The Boss (Crescent Cove: The Moguls #2)

Sydney

I pushed my phone away then started getting ready to meet Jude for breakfast.

My mother had left three voicemails as well as a half dozen text messages asking for updates about Jude’s status.

He was happy.

She didn’t want to hear that part. Period.

I rubbed the center of my chest. That was what I’d noticed first. He was happy here in this small town with the endless lake that seemed to be the focal point on many levels.

The tourism that kept the businesses afloat, the beauty that drew families in, and the prestige of lake property that trumped all of it.

Even Jude had a lake house and he’d sunk a pretty penny into getting it.

Not that he had any problem with the purchase. Between the trust our mother had created for us and our shares in A Home You Love, we were set. The Keller money she’d married into was nearly as impressive as the company she cultivated and grew.

Knowing what I knew now, it made sense why my father had been so hard on Jude. I’d assumed he was just teaching him how to be as driven as he was, but now I had a feeling it had more to do with Jude’s paternity.

Wayne Keller came from a long line of Kellers who had dozens of holdings all throughout Seattle and Portland.

When my parents linked up she’d taken both of them into the stratosphere of wealth with her drive to succeed.

I’d wanted to be just like her for the longest time.

Over the years my mother’s strong-arm tactics had been overwhelming, now she was bordering on obsessive.

Another call came through, this one from Leah, my assistant.

“It’s early for you,” I said by way of greeting.

Leah’s voice was strained. “I haven’t slept.”

“Why?” I stepped into my heels.

“The manufacturer sent me the first looks, and the patterns are a damn mess. I’ve been on the phone with them all night to get the right toile material but the fabric company overpromised?—”

“Okay, breathe Leah.”

She dragged in a breath. “I can’t do this without you, Sydney.”

“You can. There’s a reason you’re my number two. You’re beyond my assistant at this point, you know all of this backward and forward. You know to call Joel and Marianna at our factory in Georgia to get the patterns reprinted.”

“Right.” Leah’s voice strengthened. “Marianna will make sure the right pattern goes out to the manufacturer. Mrs. Keller has just been up my—” She cut herself off.

“I know exactly who my mother is, Leah. And I know she’s going to be micromanaging more than you’re used to. Just let her scream about things and ignore her.”

“How?” I heard a thunk on the other end of the line. “How can you ignore her yelling?”

I’d been doing it all my life. Either she froze me out or made me feel like an idiot—sometimes at the same time. “Are you in the office?”

“Yes. Pretty sure I should just roll in my stackable laundry machine because I never leave this place.”

“First of all, you need to go home before midnight, no matter what. Second, go into my left drawer.”

I heard her getting up and rummaging into my drawer. “What am I looking for.”

“It’s a black case. I didn’t get a chance to give them to you before I left.”

“Looks like headphones?”

“That’s it.”

“I don’t know about blocking her out like that.”

I laughed. “No, there’s no tunes. They’re special earplugs that allows you to hear everything, but it mutes strong noises.”

“Strong noises,” Leah muttered. “How about concert decibels?”

“Exactly what they’re for.”

“No way.”

“Oh, yeah. Just helps when you’re ready to escape to the roof.”

“Thanks, Sydney. I still don’t understand why she sent you to New York. Are you scouting East Coast locations?”

“Something like that.”

“Well, we miss you. Come back like tomorrow?”

I laughed. “Think it’s going to take a little more time than that.”

“It feels like forever.”

“It’s been two days.” On fast-forward.

“Two lifetimes.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

Leah sighed. “I feel dramatic. Actually I can’t even feel my butt right now. I’ve merged with my chair.”

“Go splash some water on your face and make sure you go home for a half day.”

“Yeah right. That’s a dream, but I’ll go wash my face and brush my teeth so I don’t alienate the team.”

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate it. And use those earplugs.”

“Oh, I’m definitely using these puppies for the afternoon meeting with your mother.”

“Good. I’ll check in later.”

She sighed. “Don’t worry about us. I was just having a weak moment. I’m on it, I promise we’ll be fine.”

I knew she could handle it. I should be there with her, not on this ridiculous ego trip of my mother’s.

I gathered my electronics and tucked them into my oversized bag. “I know you will. Now, I need to go. If you need me to talk to the manu?—”

“Nope. You are on this stealth mission.”

“Stealth? Says who?”

“I’m only guessing. Mrs. Keller was very specific that you weren’t to be bothered. I just couldn’t help myself.”

“I can do both.”

“You always do too much. We’ll survive. I hope.”

“I have every confidence. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Glad someone does. Okay, talk soon.”

I hung up and double checked my bag before locking the door behind me. The Sherman Inn was only a few blocks down from the diner. I’d need to find a way to rent a car. I couldn’t be dependent on my brother or Xavier.

The air held a tinge of heat already. I paused outside of Vintage December. I might need to think about a different wardrobe for my time in Crescent Cove. Seattle rarely dealt with this kind of heat even in the height of summer and I could already feel the sweat gathering at the base of my spine.

I pushed on and tried not to be lured by Every Line A Story’s glittering window.

What I thought were simple trinkets created to clutter actually were curated pieces that made me want to slip inside and lose myself.

Like that vintage watch that would be perfect for Pete.

He’d been the one to steer me in the right direction during my internship.

Yes, I’d had to intern in my own family company.

Then Pete had become my most steadfast support, even now.

My mother wanted me to know how to do everything in the company—what she’d really wanted was someone to handle the dirty aspects of A Home You Love.

A woman inside waved me in, breaking the spell of my fucked up past. I gave her a half smile and shook my head. I was not supposed to be lured in by the town. I had one, singular goal.

Getting Jude home.

I quickened my pace, checking my watch before crossing the street. An alarming number of seagulls were clustered around the front of the door to the Rusty Spoon. I slowed my walk, unsure of all the birds.

Then I noticed the scatter of...cereal?

I gave the birds a wide berth and pushed through the door, the tinkling bell transporting me into a postcard of an Americana-style diner.

Deep red vinyl seats and chrome as in your face as the scent of coffee and bacon.

There was even a jukebox spinning actual 45s.

The hiss of a record changing and The Zombie’s “Time of the Season” floated my way.

Jude was sitting in a booth by the window, his eldest son sitting beside him.

I had a feeling he might have been the culprit with the bird’s feast.

Jude waved to me. “Hope you don’t mind Owen crashing our breakfast.”

“No, not at all.” I sat across from them, smiling at the boy. “What’s on the menu today?”

Owen had a crayon in his fisted hand. “Pancakes. Mom makes them in star shapes sometimes.”

I glanced at Jude in surprise.

“Yeah, that’s a new one for us too. Made Maddie sit in a heap and cry last night.” Jude brushed the dark fringe of hair out of Owen’s face. His little tongue poked at the corner of his mouth as he carefully colored a duck.

“Are you sharing time with…anyone?”

Jude shook his head. “He’s mine and Maddie’s. Period.” When Owen looked up at him, the wide smile punched me in the chest.

When Jude made his trip into Crescent Cove, it was supposed to be a temporary one.

Owen’s mother wanted a summer free to chase her dreams of musical theater.

She quickly learned that being a mother was hard work, and she wasn’t up for the task.

My brother, however, very much was. One more root into Crescent Cove.

No.

It didn’t have to be. In fact, it could make it easier to take both children back to Seattle. Jude could easily relocate.

I sat up straighter. “Have you thought of splitting time in Seattle then? It’s much easier to bring them back and forth when you have sole custody.”

Jude opened up the menu, setting the kid’s version in front of Owen who pushed it aside to get back to coloring. “Why would I do that?”

“You still have responsibilities at A Home You Love. With the merger, things are…ramping up.”

“I can fly out for the quarterly board meetings when necessary. Otherwise, I handle things remotely. I’ve been offloading my duties onto Jamie. He’s more than capable.”

I laced my fingers together. “Mother doesn’t see it that way.”

“Mother is just pissed that I can delegate.”

“She misses you.”

“No, she misses having me under her thumb.” He snapped the menu shut as the waitress arrived at our table.

We spent a few minutes on our order, mostly because Owen was trying to explain he didn’t want pancakes unless they were in shapes. I wasn’t sure what to do with that information, so I just let the waitress explain she would try to add that to the order.

Suddenly, Owen turned to Jude. “I hafta pee.”

“Oh.” As if that was an action word, Jude quickly scooped Owen around the middle and hustled out of the booth. “Be right back.”

I didn’t have time to reply, he was already striding down the aisle toward the bathrooms.

Our waitress returned with my coffee and glasses of orange juice for everyone. I smiled my thanks and wrapped my fingers around my mug.

He wasn’t wrong about the thumb comment.

Our mother required control just as much as the spotlight. When she didn’t get either of those things, she lashed out.

And my team was in her current crosshairs.

If it had been just me, I wouldn’t have cared. I was used to her tactics and had learned how to mitigate them. I wanted the chance to make A Garden You Love a reality, but I’d waited this long.

I was also used to stuffing down my own needs.

But my team had worked too hard to be unceremoniously fired and left without a reference. Because my mother wouldn’t just be happy with terminating them, she’d make sure they never worked in the field again.

I lifted the mug, sipping at the black coffee.

It was surprisingly good. One thing about Seattle was the superb coffee. A hint of chocolate balanced the bitterness of the standard fare.

When Jude and Owen returned they were both laughing. It struck me that I couldn’t remember Jude ever being that happy in my whole life. We’d both been focused on school and work—on excellence and trying to survive the stifling home that worried more about image than nurturing.

He came from it as much as me, and still found happiness.

Because of the Hamilton genes we didn’t share? Or the rarefied air of this lakeside town?

They slid in just as the waitress came back with plates full of buttery pancakes, fluffy eggs, and my own egg white omelet with spinach.

Owen struggled until he could kneel on the booth, giving him a few more inches. He reached for the syrup, and I saw my brother reach to help, only to drop his hand and let him do it.

When the bottle bobbled a little, he reached over to steady the heavy bottom, but let him continue to pour until there was a river of golden syrup on the plate. Owen grinned over at him, then pushed the plate toward my brother’s Saville Row suit.

Jude just caught the edge and narrowly missed a lap full of sticky mess. He quickly cut up the star shaped pancakes and pushed it back in front of Owen as if they’d done this dance a million times.

Owen did a little wiggle before picking up his fork. “Thanks, Dad.”

Jude leaned over and kissed him on the top of his head.

My throat literally seized.

Such easy love between them in so little time.

Owen turned his attention to me, then my plate, and he scrunched up his face. “What’s wrong with your eggs?”

Jude huffed out a laugh. “Don’t be rude, Owen.”

“What? It’s...white.”

I cleared my throat. “It’s an egg white omelet.”

“Why?”

I glanced down at the completely adequate food. “Because it’s better for me.”

“If you say so, Aunt Sydee.”

I opened my mouth to correct him, but found I liked the sound of his version of my name. I forked up a bit of my egg and chewed. Adequate, if underwhelming.

Owen held out a forkful of dripping carbs. “I think mine is better.”

Without thinking, I leaned in and accepted the offering.

It was incredibly a bit on the soggy side, but my tongue sang with the mix of sweet and savory.

I’d always had a weakness for sugar. Probably because my mother had always denied sweets in the house.

And had looked down upon gaining weight of any kind.

Even if my body tended toward a lusher line through the hips, and no amount of denying myself would ever correct it fully.

“See? Good.” Owen grinned and scooped up another mouthful with utter glee.

I finished chewing. “You’re correct.”

He stabbed a star that Jude hadn’t cut up yet and plopped it on my plate. “I’ll share.”

Undone, I looked up to see Jude smiling at both of us. “Thank you,” I said quietly.

Owen nodded as if he’d done his good deed for the day.

I had to agree that the pancake was far better than my choice and decided half of mine and a bit of Owen’s was an acceptable balance.

“I talked to X last night. He said you had some ideas about seasonal leases. I confess that I’ve been distracted lately with...” He glanced down at his son. “The kids and my Maddie.”

“Understandable.”

“Yes, well, I should have thought of it myself. I’ve let X and G do the heavy lifting lately. I appreciate that you’re here to help.”

I’m not. I pushed my plate away and folded my hands. “Why do you use letters for your friends?”

He shrugged. “When we started the business it just sort of became a short speak. All of us were juggling so much it seemed easier. And I’ve never had friends like them.

I’ve always been Jude Keller, son of the great Michelle and Wayne Keller.

Here I’m just J. Just Maddie’s husband and dad to this guy and Nessa.

” He hugged Owen into him. My nephew squirmed a little, but didn’t try to break free.

“I see.”

I didn’t want to see it, but it was so incredibly clear.

Happiness practically poured out of him.

And I was the one who had to take it from him.