Owned by Fate (Serve #1)(53)

The beating in Caroline’s ears grew louder, but she forced herself to stay calm. Her father meant well, but they were in a time where everyone thought outside the box. Advertisers didn’t throw their lot in with a sinking ship, either. When he said he wanted to move Preston’s into this century, she wasn’t sure anymore if he meant it.

Caroline cleared her throat. “Let’s dispense with the formalities, first of all. I think we both know you and Oliver stand on opposite sides of this decision. It comes down to me.” She looked at her brother. “I’m voting for Oliver.”

For one brief, dramatic moment, silence reigned. Then Philip’s fist came down hard on the table. “Are you out of—?”

“Excuse me.” Her voice rang with authority, surprising even herself. Jonah’s words in the jazz club came back to her then, soothing her like lemonade in summertime. You’re going to be a force, Caroline. You have the ability to accomplish it in your little finger. She sat up a little straighter in her chair. “This is my meeting, and I’m not finished speaking.”

Philip seethed but kept quiet. When she turned to Oliver, there was a mixture of pride and disbelief on his face.

“I believe you were going to ask me, Father, if I’m out of my mind. The answer is no. Far from it.” She pulled a sheaf of papers from her briefcase and slid them across the table. “Oliver’s research into our potential new demographic is impeccable, in addition to the limited financial risk of this pursuit. Asher Laurie’s company is on the way up, and we are damn lucky they want to take us along.” She waited until Philip picked up the paperwork and actually looked at it. “You’re retiring. This will ensure you can make that transition comfortably while leaving me and Oliver with a thriving business venture to cultivate ourselves.” Caroline softened her voice. “You built an amazing publication here, but it will always be yours. This is something we both feel strongly about, and I’m asking you to trust us. We’ll proceed without your vote, but it’s important to me that we have your blessing.”

Her father hung his head a moment, staring down at his hands. “I just keep asking myself how your mother would feel about all this.”

Caroline felt her throat tighten. “I think she’d be proud of Oliver and me for working together to create something new, whether she agreed with it or not.”

Oliver spoke for the first time, his voice sounding rusty. “She always used to say if we believed in what we were doing, then she’d double that belief.”

Philip exchanged a poignant glance with Oliver but still looked unconvinced. “I don’t…I don’t know if I can.”

Disappointment tinged with sadness flooded Caroline’s chest, but she kept her features schooled and nodded resolutely. “Okay. I understand.” She accepted the paperwork back from him and filed it into her briefcase, giving herself time to recover before dealing her final card. “I have one more order of business before we end the meeting.”

Looking slightly dazed, Philip nodded.

“Apart from this initial vote, my first order of business as president will be to make Oliver my equal partner.” Her brother looked stunned. “While our areas of expertise differ, we’ll make every decision together. We’ve more than proven we’re capable of that.”

Her words hung in the air without a response until Oliver broke the silence. “I don’t know what to say, Ro, except…” He blew out a breath. “Let’s bring the house down.”

Caroline smiled, never more positive that she’d made the right decision. “I voted your way because you nailed it. I’m sorry it took me so long to see that.” She swallowed heavily, thinking of Jonah. “It seems to be a running theme for me lately.”

Before Oliver could question her cryptic statement, Caroline stood to address Philip one last time. “The announcement will run on Monday on the front page of Preston’s. Oliver and I will begin work on the transition immediately.” She started to leave, but then turned back. “Oh, and…there might be some press coverage involving me in the upcoming days. Might want to lay low.”

“Wait.”

Caroline and Oliver stilled, watching Philip rise slowly to his feet.

“I, uh…I must say, I’m torn between pride and melancholia right now,” he said. “It’s hard to watch something you’ve built and loved turn into something you can’t recognize. Not only is my business growing and changing, but so are my children, apparently. Wonder how I missed that?” He locked eyes with each of them. “You have my support. Don’t f*ck it up.”





Chapter Nineteen


Jonah stepped out of the distinctly girlie bedroom he’d finally completed with the help of a Pottery Barn Kids catalog and turned off the light. Next time he was in the apartment, Gabby would also be there. Renee would accompany her…their daughter on her first visit, but after that it would just be the two of them. After meeting Gabby, he was even more certain that pink was an ill-advised choice, but they’d work on it. If she wanted posters of Disney Channel stars or superheroes, he’d get them for her. He’d give her whatever she wanted.

Knowing he shouldn’t, Jonah walked the short hallway and entered the master bedroom. He’d paid the delivery guys extra to assemble the bed, not feeling capable of it himself at the time. It was pathetic, really. He’d held Caroline as she slept in a bed—not even this particular one—for a mere five minutes, and he’d somehow ruined himself for all beds. For sleep. Dreams. They all consisted of her. Every f*cking one. Caroline looking at him from over the rims of her glasses, those lips pursed and smug. Caroline standing in his bedroom wearing nothing but a red thong, vulnerable and brave. Caroline staring at him from the back of a cab as she drove away.