Page 46 of Hate Wrecked
ROWAN
The receptionist greeted me with a smile. I guess she didn’t know that my possible firing was on the agenda for the day.
My heart ached at how pretty she was, because no matter what, she couldn’t be Riley. And maybe that was okay. Maybe it was time to take her on a date.
“Good morningCammy,” I said, waving at her.
“Good morning, Alastair,” she said. Everyone at the office called me by my first name. Only the people I cared for called me Rowan. I didn’t know if I could let her be someone who cared for me.
I walked down the hallway to the small conference room. My boss, Nigel, waited for me with paperwork spread across the table and a grim look on his face.
“Alastair, sit. I wasn’t sure you would even come in.”
I pulled the seat out. “I’m not the kind of man to run from what he’s done.”
Nigel stood, shutting the door. Shutting out prying ears. “And what exactly have you done? Because, to be honest, I was not expecting this.”
“I…” I hesitated, thinking of my father. How could he have not expected this? The apple doesn’t fall far. “I let myself become friendly, close, with the daughter, Glenne.” I cleared my throat. I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t want to damage her reputation with mine.
“That’s what she said.”
“Ril—I mean…what did Glenne say?”
“You two were just friends. And there was no grounds to fire you. She actually battled with her stepfather to make sure I knew that, and it was put on official record. Just friends. Too close to continue to work there, but nothing untoward. It’s time to reassign you.”
“I’m not fired?”
“You’re not fired, and I’m glad for it. You have plenty of talent.
You’re smart and adaptable. Your training period and the reports from Tom and Allan have been impressive, though I might need to look a little further into those reports because they make no mention of you being alone with the Williams girl. ”
I nodded.
“Which means you were smart about it. Smart about not being caught. And I don’t know whether to note that as a good or bad thing.”
I hung my head, then looked up to Nigel. He was everything I wish my father had been in this profession: professional, hardworking, and a leader. And, I guess my father was all those things; he just lost the plot.
“I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again.”
“I imagine it won’t,” Nigel said. “To be completely honest, it’s not uncommon—something I believe you’re aware of.
We spend our lives protecting them, navigating their worlds, on the fringes.
Depending on the client, sometimes we get close to them.
You have to read the room; it’s welcomed at times and off-limits at others.
In this case, the girl welcomed the relationship, but she wasn’t really our client—Asa was. ”
“I understand.” I understood Asa was a fucking prick, and I was glad I wouldn’t be working for him anymore.
“Good. Now, for your reassignment. This one will be a little less exciting. Do you know the singer Ava?”
I choked on a breath. “As in Ava Ava? As in, she just goes by Ava?” Madonna and Prince were stars who went by one name. They didn’t need another. Ava was known all over the world. And…in her 70s?
“Yes, that Ava. You’ll be joining her team.
It’s pretty laid-back. She doesn’t go anywhere.
She is enjoying the quiet life up in the hills.
She also has an estate in Montana, where she spends a bit of time, and another in France.
You’ll be traveling all over. And she takes her safety seriously.
There will be ten of you. That may seem too overboard, but she likes the security. ”
“I imagine I won’t learn a lot in that environment. It’s not as fast-paced.”
Nigel laughed, shaking his head. “Alastair, there are learning opportunities all around us if we look hard enough. This will be a good job for you. It’ll look good on your resume.”
“This isn’t like sending the naughty child away to boarding school?”
“There are worse things than following one of the biggest singers in the world around while she enjoys her golden years, right?”
I nodded. He had me there. “Yes.”
“You’ll make a good wage. She also has quarters for her team, so if you want, you can get rid of that little apartment you have and save money there, too. Before you know it, you can take that island vacation you always go on about.”
I smiled, though I felt a jolt to my heart, an ache for Riley. When she offered to take me to Elderslie, there was a small part of me that wanted to take her up on it—if only to see her beautiful face on the shores and kiss her in the water. It was a fantasy that would always stay that way.
Because men like me didn’t get those fairytales. They were reserved for the ones we protected. And if our love was doomed here, now, what would it be out there? Away from the world and our roles in it? I needed to leave her how I found her—untouchable, not mine.