Mid Life Love: At Last (Mid Life Love #2)(36)

My board members are nervous because they know that the second I marry her, she’ll automatically be entitled to a twenty six percent share of Statham Industries, which—next to mine is the largest share for any individual person. They don’t trust her because she didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth, because they think she’ll turn on me once the ink on our marriage papers dries.

But I don’t believe that at all. I trust Claire completely.

Sure, she tests my nerves like no one has ever tested them before, but she’s real—frustratingly real, and that’s what I love most about her.

Chapter 7

Jonathan

“Do you think I won’t fire you because you’re family?” I narrowed my eyes at Hayley and shook my head. She’d been showing up late to meetings, turning in subpar work, and asking my secretary to cover for her almost every day.

“I think you won’t fire me because your fiancée won’t let you.” She smiled.

“What makes you think Claire has any control over what I do with my company?”

“Because she does.” She laughed. “I’m not being lazy, Mr. Statham. I promise. I’m still adjusting to the West Coast and working here...And to be fair, I redid all those reports hours after you marked them up. You’re just being extra hard on me because I’m your sister and you know it.”

“Okay.” I shut my folder. “Who’s the guy?”

“What guy?”

“The guy that turns you into a blubbering idiot at every board meeting. The guy who fed you that bullshit line about me being extra hard on you. I put an eighty thousand dollar bonus clause in your contract just for showing up to work every day. I’m pretty sure that means I’m being the most lenient with you. ”

“Did you just call me a blubbering idiot?”

“You have forty eight hours to re-do that mess of a presentation you gave this morning. And since you don’t want to tell me who this man is, I’m going to find out and then I’m going to—”

“Have a few words with him, i.e. ruin his life. You really have to wonder why I don’t tell you who I’m dating anymore?”

“So you are dating someone?”

She sighed and stood up. “Is there anything else you need from me today? I have a thirty page presentation to redo per the CEO’s ridiculous request. Word around the office is that he’s an ass.”

“He’s also brilliant and extremely sexy.”

She rolled her eyes and walked out of my office.

I picked up my phone to call Corey so I could get to the bottom of her secret life, but I spotted a strange red envelope on top of my mail stack. I put the phone down and reached for it, noticing that there was no return address—just a simple “To Mr. Statham” written across the front.

Is this the Red Ball invite Angela told me about? Did I forget to reserve tickets for me and Claire?

I opened the envelope and pulled out the plain white notecard:

Mr. Statham,

As amused as I am about you feeling “threatened” by my presence in San Francisco, please be advised that I am a lawyer and can press necessary charges against you for the following criminal offenses: Stalking, mail tampering, and being an ass**le. Well, that last one isn’t necessarily an offense, but as soon as it becomes one, I’ll be sure to serve you with the proper papers.

Since you seem to enjoy hijacking my letters to Claire, I thought I’d send you one of your own so you can feel just as special.

Enjoy your day,

Ryan Hayes

I crumpled his letter into a ball and rolled my eyes as I tossed it into the trash can.

I didn’t feel “threatened” by him at all.

Annoyed? Absolutely. Irritated? Definitely.

The fact that he was a lawyer didn’t mean shit to me. I had the district attorney’s number on speed dial and a team of high profile lawyers that would make his accomplishments look like a high school student’s.

I really hope I get to see this man in person one day...SOON...

His pathetic letters to Claire still came like clockwork, although they were a lot shorter now: “Can you join me for just one cup of coffee?” “You can’t give me five minutes? That’s all I’m asking for, Claire...” “I was once your best friend...Remember that.”

Before I could call Greg and ask him if there were any new updates, Angela’s voice came over the intercom.

“Mr. Statham?” she called.

“Yes, Angela?”

“Your mother is here. Are you available to speak to her today?”

I hesitated. “Sure...”

I leaned back in my chair and watched as she stepped into the room with her shoulders slumped. For some reason, she looked sad—an emotion I wasn’t used to seeing from her.

“You don’t look too good.” I raised my eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Besides the fact that my only daughter still won’t acknowledge my existence, and I have to ask my son’s secretary if I have permission to see him every time I show up to his office?”

I sighed. “What do you want?”

“I um...I was just doing some shopping today at the Farmer’s Market and I...I was wondering if you wanted to join me for dinner at my place tonight...I’m making your favorite.”