Page 26 of Scandalous Whispers (Alpha Billionaire #28)

PARKER

I stood as Tony Hitchens walked in. It was late, later than I’d hoped for, but my day got away from me with catching up on work, and he had evening plans.

So here we sat in my office at nearly eleven o’clock.

The city was dark, and so was my mood. I’d read through the lawsuit paperwork brought back to me by Tom earlier in the evening as he left the building.

I ordered takeout and buried myself in the backlog of things I’d missed while away and waited for Tony to call me back.

“Well, Parker, what do we have this time?” Tony didn’t bother shutting the door.

My light was the only one on, and he’d let himself in with his own key to the building, given to him as a means of securing things in the event that I had an untimely demise.

He strutted in wearing jeans and sneakers, his Chicago Cubs ball cap slightly crooked. He looked exhausted, like I felt.

“Tom told you?” I pushed the paperwork in his direction as he shoved his keys into his pocket and sat.

I’d seen him wearing casual clothes like this only once before, when we attended a Bears game early on in our relationship as a means of building rapport.

When he indicated that he needn’t be wined and dined, I took him at his word.

We’d had a pretty decent partnership since then.

“Yeah, he said something about a lawsuit.” Tony picked up the various sheets of paper and organized them, then began reading. I chewed my lip as I waited for him to look up at me.

No matter how hard I’d tried today to shake the anger I felt, I hadn’t been able to.

After hearing the news about Haley seeking employment elsewhere, then the trip and how that had just gone entirely wrong due to my inability to process how I felt, this was a pure kick in the gut.

Everyone knew it was brewing because Jack and Gretchen made that much clear.

I just hadn’t thought they’d actually go through with it.

And half a million dollars was a lot in damages for a simple termination. They were fishing.

“Well…” Tony flipped a few pages, briefly scanning over them with his eyebrows raised.

“This is pretty straightforward. I’m assuming you read it all?

” He looked up at me, and I nodded. “Well, then you see they are accusing you of creating a hostile work environment due to your outbursts and anger. It purports that you were spying on them and having them watched while on company premises.”

“We have security cameras in every corner of the newsroom and in every private office. They are closed-circuit devices to protect against theft and intrusion. What am I supposed to do, take them down?”

Tony sat forward, still looking over the papers. “Well, this seems to indicate that their personal space was invaded and that you were watching them beyond a reasonable means.” He cleared his throat, licked his finger, and turned another page.

“The editor in chief walked in on them having sex on the copy machine. We’d have seen it on the security recording, anyway.

Tom was just going to make copies. That wasn’t’ ‘beyond reasonable’.

That was Tom doing his job.” I was in no mood to deal with this tonight.

I sat there wishing I’d have just pushed the meeting until tomorrow even though it was the weekend.

I wanted to be at home having a drink to calm myself.

Besides, after snapping at Haley, I owed her an apology and I wanted to make it right. I’d just procrastinated calling her.

“Okay, well I’m sure you have a perfectly logical explanation for all of these ridiculous accusations.

They have at least ten other people willing to support their claims here.

The wrongful termination will be easy to beat.

You just have to show the court that Gretchen Kilpatrick did not fulfill her duties as an employee.

That will silence that. However, the hostile work environment is something courts are taking seriously now that there is a huge anti-bullying push. ”

Tony sighed and dropped the papers on my desk. Then he sat back and folded his hands across his stomach and pursed his lips.

“Look, Tony, it’s late. Just tell me like it is.

I’m tired and irritable. I’ve been up since five a.m. I want to go home and not waste any more of our time.

” I glanced at the empty can of energy drink.

I got it from the vending machine just after dinner, and it fueled me for a while, but now I was feeling its effects wear off.

“I think you should settle. Half a million is nothing for a man like you. Sure, the paper can’t necessarily afford a hit like that right now, but you have hundreds of millions of dollars in a savings account somewhere.

You can just fund the paper out of your coffers like an investor.

It’s how you got this place started. It’s not worth the public court battle unless you have something to prove. ”

I thought of Haley and how she would feel when she realized that the rumors of our relationship had finally pushed Jack and Gretchen to file this lawsuit.

She would blame herself and be upset that I had pushed it.

The staff were already talking about us as if they knew details, despite our being very careful, and now Tom knew too.

She acted entirely professional today, cold even, as if she had already felt the shame of the gossip.

But none of that mattered. She’d endure a tiny amount of embarrassment over this, and then she’d leave.

She’d made up her mind, as far as I was concerned.

The minute she decided to interview with Global, she’d said loud and clear that she wasn’t happy here.

I wasn’t sure if that meant she wasn’t happy with me or just with the job, but either way, no matter how I handled this situation with Jack and Gretchen, Haley wanted to move on, if not the Gazette, then some other prestigious paper she would help flourish and put on the map.

“I’m going to settle.” I leaned forward, elbows on knees, and rubbed my face. My eyes were tired. “I mean, it’s the right thing, isn’t it?”

“It will certainly keep your name out of the papers. You’re trying to build your brand here.

Based on the paperwork I’ve seen coming across my desk for approval, it appears you’re acquiring new small presses and growing.

It’s only a matter of time, or the perfect story that helps really break The Vine into the world of serious journalism.

You don’t need any roadblocks or hurdles in that race.

” Tony’s nonchalance calmed me. If he wasn’t worried, then I shouldn’t be either.

“I… Well, I think maybe I should just take your advice.” My heart stung, and I instantly felt horrible for just wanting to make the accusers shut up.

I loved Haley. Paying them off would be like throwing her under the bus.

It would be admitting that I knew I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have been dating her. Only, I wasn’t wrong.

“You don’t look so sure.”

“I’m not.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Let me just think on it for a few days. We’ll decide Tuesday once this long weekend is over. Is that too long to let this fester?”

“Not at all.” Tony smoothed the front of his pants legs and stood.

“We have time to decide what we’ll do. You make the choice, and I’ll follow your instructions.

I think settling would be smart, but you have a strong case if you want to fight too.

” He yawned and covered his mouth. “I’m going home to sleep now. I’ll wait to hear from you. G’night.”

As he walked out the door, I decided I had to see Haley.

She needed to know what was happening and why it was happening.

The paperwork of the lawsuit didn’t expressly name her, but Jack had all but admitted to me that they filed the lawsuit because I was seeing her.

This meant blowback on her and her career too, potentially, and I didn’t want that to happen.

I pulled out my phone and noticed it had a notification flashing.

It was a voicemail. I swiped right to listen, not even remembering I’d turned my phone on Do Not Disturb mode at closing time.

The message was from Haley. She sounded very upset and recounted how someone had poured paint all over her car.

My heart broke. It was just one more thing to add to the list of shitty things that had happened today.

She left this place probably upset with me for snapping at her, and who knows what happened or where it happened, but she was upset and her car was vandalized.

I didn’t even waste time calling her. I dialed Gordon’s number instead.

“Yeah, Boss?”

“Gordon, I need you to bring the car around. I need a ride to Ms. Spencer’s home.”

“Sure thing, Boss.”

Gordon hung up and I pocketed my phone, tidying up my desk quickly before letting myself out. I left my office light on but locked the door. The light would guide me toward the elevators. Gordon was waiting out front when I got to the ground floor, and I locked up behind myself.

Traffic was light for a Friday night, and we pulled up to Haley’s building in only a fifteen-minute drive.

The doorman smiled at me as I passed through.

He’d seen me a few times and recognized me, and I didn't even have to tell him what I was doing. I used the elevator to rise to Haley’s floor and turned that direction, but when I got to her door and knocked, there was no answer.

I checked my watch—after midnight—and knocked again.

She had left the voicemail around ten p.m., so she had plenty of time to have gotten home.

Maybe she was sleeping, or maybe she was dealing with the police filing a report.

Either way, she wasn’t coming to the door.

I tried knocking again, but an older woman leaned out in the hallway, hair disheveled and a sleep mask clinging to her forehead.

“Look, buddy, that girl ain’t been home since supper time.

” She rubbed her eyes and looked down at her feet where a little dog started yapping at me.

“She causes all sorts of noise up in this hallway.” The woman adjusted the strap of her too-revealing nightgown.

“Why on earth are you knocking at this time of night?”

I scowled at her and rolled my eyes. “She never came home tonight?”

“Alright, Prince Charming, I get it. You’re doing the whole romantic, come to her rescue thing.

She’s not a damsel in distress. She’s an annoying twenty-something.

You’re too old for her, anyway.” The woman’s eyes widened.

“Oh, wait. Are you her father?” She covered her mouth with her hand and grabbed her nightgown, pulling it up higher over her chest to make herself more modest.

“I—” I started, but she cut me off.

“Haley is such a sweet girl, really. Just a little loud.” She batted her eyelashes and pushed some hair out of her face. I could see where this was going. She thought I was Haley’s father and probably knew he was available. I scowled.

“I’m not her father. I’m dating her.” I turned and headed for the elevator, not stopping when she called after me.

“Try to keep it down next time, then!”

I rode the elevator back down to the ground floor and stepped out. As I passed through the lobby, I thought to ask the doorman where she was. I stopped, and he looked up from his book.

“Yes?”

“Hey, did Ms. Spencer come through here this evening? I stopped by but she didn’t answer.” I leaned on the counter and noticed he was reading an old classic.

“Yeah, Haley was through here just at dinner time. Said she was going to a club. She hasn’t been home since. Should I leave her a message? Tell her you stopped?” The man picked up a pen, poised to take a note should I be so inclined.

“Uh, no. That’s alright.” I tapped my fingers on the counter and strolled away.

She was out having a good time not even thinking of me, and I should be doing the same.

The way things were, I was beginning to think maybe I’d put too much stock into her interest in me.

I’d expressed my affection for her, and though she said she was developing feelings for me, I wasn’t sure she knew what that meant.

I waved Gordon down, and he pulled the car up.

I didn’t waste time waiting for him to open my door.

I just climbed in and sat down. I wasn’t angry anymore, just tired.

Haley seemed to have wanted to talk to me, so I dialed her number, but the call went straight to voicemail.

She was either on the phone or it was dead.

Or maybe she had shut it off, too upset to talk to me since I hadn’t answered when she called.

The day wore on me. I reached for the mini-fridge and pulled out a beer, cracking it open and downing it quickly.

Things had seemed to have gone wrong ever since I started pursuing her.

It was like she was a bad luck charm that attracted only challenging or difficult things toward me.

But I wanted her. Despite the problems at work, despite the age difference and being mistaken for her father or chided by my peers for how young she was.

And in spite of her wanting to leave The Vine , I still found myself thinking about how she was feeling and whether she was okay.

It was tormenting, not knowing what she was thinking or if she was too angry with me.

Had I messed everything up? I knew I had handled the entire situation poorly.

At my age, I should have known better, but here I was making stupid mistakes and risking the relationship over a damn job preference.

I almost told Gordon to turn around and go back.

I could sit at her door and wait for her to come home.

I didn’t care if it was three a.m. when she came home.

But I was tired. Exhausted, really. I didn’t have the emotional energy to argue with her tonight, and following what was probably a very traumatic evening for her, I knew that is what it would be.

In the interest of loving her the way I knew I needed to, I just let Gordon drive home.

I was in no place to have important discussions.

I was too tired and emotional. I knew I would respond badly or say things I didn’t mean.

I just needed to go home and sleep it off and call her tomorrow.

Maybe then, we could get to the bottom of the real issue.

Maybe then, she’d be honest with me about the job and I could tell her I was sorry.

Maybe…