Playing with Power - Book 4: New Adult Office Romance Read online

  It’s occurred to me more than once that as much as I think I do, I don’t actually know Landon very well. This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this and while so far nothing’s hurt me, who’s to say it won’t in the future? That’s something I really need to stop and think about, don’t I? I have to ask myself, is this a person I want to tie myself to professionally? Is he someone I can trust? Is he someone who will always do things that are in his own best interest or will he treat me as an equal partner even if my decisions are different than his? I’ve got so many questions for him it’s ridiculous. On top of it all, while I have no regrets about what happened between us, I have to wonder if our working relationship is already marred.

  I miss Ali. I miss having fun and not worrying about all this stuff. I miss our girlie sleepovers with margaritas and staying up all night and laughing until I’m sure I’m going to wet myself. God, that night we put those green face masks on and went on Chatroulette...I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my entire life! Now we’re both so busy...don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she’s getting consistent work but one of the perks of having an actress best friend is that she’s around all the time! I just miss the silly in my life.

  Maybe this is what growing up is all about? The further away from college I get, the less fun I seem to have. I remember when I was younger I couldn’t wait to grow up. I thought being an adult would be nothing but freedom and no one telling you what to do...but that’s just it, isn’t it? That’s what adulthood actually is, a double-edged sword. All this drama with MyBFC and StyleSpur, Nick and Landon, ostracizing Ali, I’m choosing to live this life. If I wanted to be lazy, to work part time at a minimum wage job and sleep the rest of the day, I could. But instead, because I’m an adult and I have obligations and goals, I find myself here. Somehow that realization doesn’t make me feel any better.

  Ugh, this isn’t working. Writing is only making me more depressed and angry. I’m going to try and read for a little bit and hopefully Miss Restless Elbows over here calms down and lets me relax.

  3.

  As Lauren walked from baggage claim, she spotted the driver holding a sign with her name. The man cordially greeted her, took the small suitcase from her hand, and led her outside. It was a surprisingly warm day in San Francisco and while cooler than the weather she’d left behind in New York, Lauren still appreciated the air conditioning in the black town car all the same. She took the twenty minute ride to compose herself. Checking her makeup in a small mirror, Lauren briefly studied her reflection and decided she didn’t look nearly as tired as she felt. Apparently anger suited her, which was good because she was getting a lot of experience with the emotion recently. The longer she’d sat on the plane mentally running through the litany of questions she had for Landon, the more fired up she’d become.

  After hugging the bay and passing Candlestick Park, the car sped through The Mission. The buildings were in various stages of disrepair and redevelopment, reminding her of the rougher parts of Brooklyn. The gentrification was even evident in the residents mingling on the streets outside. Groups of young hipsters carried heavy Trader Joe’s bags past empty lots. Poor families relaxed outside on the front steps of dilapidated apartment buildings, desperate for a break from the unusual heat trapped in their small apartments. Boutique coffee shops butted against check cashing stores. Master’s Degrees living next to GEDs.

  In the blink of an eye they were careening up and down the steep hills closer to the heart of the city. Lauren wondered if every city would seem quiet and quaint after having lived in New York. San Francisco had a lot of character but it always reminded her of a city just on the verge of waking up or going to sleep. The town car chugged up an impossibly steep hill, stopping half way due to traffic. Lauren’s eyes wandered across the parked cars on the side of the road, completely perpendicular to the incline. A small family looking red and sweaty paused on the sidewalk to catch their breath, the father looking forlornly up the remainder of the hill.

  A moment later the town car pulled around the corner and up to the curb. Lauren stepped out, thankful her journey was over and she could finally stretch her legs. She smoothed the wrinkles from her white blouse and pressed her knuckles into the small of her back, stretching. The heat was subdued slightly by a constant breeze, San Fransisco’s summer just beginning to heat up while New York’s was winding down. Looking around, she realized they were nearly at the top of a very large hill, possibly one of the tallest in the area. She suspected decades before all the high rise buildings had risen to block the view, this spot had provided a sweeping panorama of the bay below. As the driver grabbed her bags out of the trunk, she watched a cable car ascend the hill and click into place right in the center of the four-way junction. The car was packed full with people, a half dozen hanging off the side, all smiling tourists snapping photos and basking in the novelty of it all.

  “Ma’am? It’s this way,” the driver said, shaking her out of her fog.

  As she followed the driver across the street, Lauren noted that she didn’t feel even an ounce of nerves at seeing Landon again. If anything, she was pissed and ready to confront him face-to-face. Cold anger was apparently the antidote to the fluttering unease she normally felt when he was close. Stepping over the cable car tracks, careful to keep her heels from the loud, hidden mechanism rattling below, she strode confidently to his house. Carrying herself as if he watched from a window above, she wanted to appear composed and relaxed.

  Opening the heavy wrought iron gate, they entered a small tiled courtyard. She gazed up, the four story building seeming to devour the sky above. False balconies skirted the tall windows, each overflowing with plant life, lush ivy cascading down like little green waterfalls. The cream walls and white trim felt homey yet clean, simple. Very Landon, she thought as she walked up the stone steps to the front door. Whoever he really was, he at least had good taste.

  Lauren tipped the driver as he deposited the bags on the top step. Standing on the threshold she hesitated with her finger over the glowing doorbell, steeling herself for the weekend to come. With no expectations and little trepidation, she resolved to make the most of the next two days. The clang of the gate jarring her to action, she rang the bell. Deep within the house she heard the melody sound and waited for footsteps. After a moment she rang again with the same quiet response. Looking around at the windows for any sign of movement, she rapped on the wooden door. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and gazed inside. The interior hall was dark, a bright window illuminating a room on the far end. As she strained to see in, a small Jack Russell Terrier came skidding from the stairs to the left and raced to the front door. It didn’t seem aggressive, just excited to have someone new to play with.

  Double checking the address to make sure she’d been left at the correct house, Lauren tested the latch and pushed the door open.

  “Hello? Anyone here? Landon?” she called out. The little dog sniffed at her toes, wagging his short tail excitedly. She offered her hand for him to smell as she stepped inside, tentatively holding the door half closed behind her. “Hey little guy, what’s your name?”

  Leaving her bags outside, she shut the door and called out again, momentarily wondering what she’d do if she had just walked into the wrong house.

  “Hey!” Landon replied from far upstairs. She heard a big thump and swift footsteps as he jogged down the hall, a flight of stairs, and then the hall above. The dog trotted to the foot of the stairs to greet him, tail wagging. Despite her new-found stoic resolve and temper, Lauren couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit giddy as she saw Landon’s hand slide down the banister. He jumped the last few steps, landing with a thud. He was wearing khaki shorts and a white teeshirt, looking tanner than she’d seen him last. His lips curled into a warm smile as he approached, threatening to melt her yet again.

  “I’m sorry! I can’t hear anything up there. I hope Henry the fearless guard dog didn’t scare you too much,” he said hugging her briefly. T
he way their bodies fit together, even for a fraction of a second, brought an agonizing barrage of memories to the surface. She stiffened in his arms, shoving the memories away. “I didn’t even hear him bark.”

  “He didn’t, actually,” Lauren said crouching down to pat the dog, hiding the pink blooming in her cheeks. “He just came over to say hello.”

  Landon leaned out of the front door and brought her bags inside. “How funny, he almost always barks. He must really like you or,” he grinned mischievously, “you’re smuggling cold cuts in your pockets.” When Lauren didn’t give him the warm reaction he was looking for, he continued, “Why don’t we both give you a little tour of the house?”

  The townhouse was gorgeous. With dark, wooden floors and simple lines, it reminded her of the house in Sonoma but with a family-friendly aura. Every room had rows of casement windows, all open to allow the bay breeze to flow through the house. His bare feet slapping against the floor, Landon showed her each floor until they reached his office at the very top. Passing his long, glass computer desk and cases filled with business books, they stepped out into his private rooftop patio. Even more ivy grew along the walls, making the patio feel like a true garden sanctuary. A thin bamboo fence provided privacy from the neighbors.

  “Henry will keep you company while I grab us something to drink.”

  She heard him jog downstairs as she reclined on a green lounge chair, the dog jumping into her lap as soon as she’d settled. He wiggled between her legs, belly exposed and tongue lolling. “I don’t know why, but I never would’ve imagined Landon had a dog. But you’re sweet boy, aren’t you? You remind me of Button. Don’t worry, that’s a good thing.” She spoke softly as she stroked the pup, both equally enjoying the attention. Landon burst into laughter when he returned with two glasses of iced tea.

  “Look at you man! Have you no decency?” he said, giving Henry a heavy pat on the stomach. “You’ve already got him eating out of the palm of your hand.” Landon took the chair next to hers, handing her the drink. For a moment the only sound was the faint ringing of the cable car bells and the clink of ice against glass.

  “I really appreciate you letting me stay here. You have a lovely home.”

  “Hey, I insisted. No sense wasting money on hotels and I have plenty of room. I’m happy to have you.” He paused, swirling the tea around with the long spoon. “So, did you have a nice flight?”

  Lauren sighed. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she leveled a serious look at him. “Listen, I don’t want to come across as rude but I think we need to clear the air. I can’t do small talk. That shit you pulled with Sahra was unacceptable.” As if feeling the sudden shift in tone, Henry jumped down and disappeared inside. Brushing the hair from her clothes, Lauren continued, “You put me in an awkward and dangerous position. Why? I’ve had a week to mull all this over. Why should I go into business with someone who obviously doesn’t trust me enough to include me in any decisions?”

  Landon held her gaze, his expression unreadable. Lauren’s pulse raced as she waited for an explanation, knowing that her future hinged on what he said next.

  “You know I didn’t mean for that to happen. I have no control over what she does.” His response measured, calm.

  “But you do have control over what you say and to whom you say it, right?” Lauren spat back.

  “Of course I do. We talked about this a couple days ago and I apologized then. Getting Sahra, and by default Morowitz, sniffing around StyleSpur will keep Parker busy enough to stay off our scent. She pounced at the opportunity to make a name for herself. I just didn’t realize she’d move so quickly. I thought I had time to tell you and with the whole seed funding coming through—” He studied her face for a moment. “What’s really going on here? What are you really upset about?”

  Lauren wavered, looking away and across the patio. Tired, upset from her fight with Nick, her emotions were raw and at the surface. She wanted to stay angry, she wanted to remain strong but there was something about Landon that made her feel vulnerable. He’d unknowingly diffused everything by showing the smallest amount of perception and concern.

  “I guess I’ve just realized recently that I don’t even know you all that well.” Ugh, I sound so pathetic. “I mean, you keep catching me off guard, making plans without me. You have enough money and clout to bowl me over and really, what do we know about each other? I mean, not that I’m complaining but you just surprised me with a million dollars. That’s never happened to me before.”

  “It’s not like we’re strangers,” he said with a dirty chuckle and a small twinkle in his eye.

  “You know what I mean! I’m literally trusting you with my future, risking personal relationships because of your advice and...” she sputtered, not knowing how to finish her thought. “For instance, I didn’t even know you had a dog.”

  “Henry? What does having a dog—” Landon’s eyebrows shot up in amusement.

  “That’s the point! I know so little about you I would’ve never guessed you had a dog. Isn’t that something I should know about my business partner?” Her voice had gone from heated to shaky. Lauren couldn’t believe she was on the verge of tears.

  “Hey, it’s alright!” he said putting a calming hand on her knee. “We’ve got a really busy weekend but we’ll take some time just you and me, okay? I know all this has happened really quickly. It’s easy for me to forget you’ve never done this before. It’s all second-nature to me but you have every right to be freaking out right now. You’re so confident and poised it slips my mind.”

  Lauren nodded and weakly smiled at him. The genuine compassion he showed made her feel silly for even thinking he could be anything but honest. She patted his hand to show she was alright. Really, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck but then she’d be in a whole different world of emotions.

  “It’s not like I think you’re a serial killer or anything. I just think we need to set out some ground rules so no one gets upset.”

  “Completely fair. I wish we could do it now but,” he said consulting his silver watch, “we need to get going in a minute. I’ve arranged a meeting with the venture capitalist who gave us the seed funding. I’ve been talking about you so much he really wants to meet you. Do you need to get changed or anything before we go?”

  Lauren smoothed out her white blouse, the tiny silver pinstripes sparkling in the sun. “No, I’m fine. I wouldn’t mind stopping in the bathroom before we go. I’m sure my stupid, cheap mascara needs a touch up.”

  As Landon led the way back inside, he abruptly halted at the top of the stairs. He stopped so quickly she nearly ran into his back. Before she knew it, she was wrapped in his arms, face pressed against his chest. The hug was so quick Lauren didn’t have enough time to react or respond. She looked up at him in shock as he gently rubbed her shoulders. The gesture was brotherly, comforting.

  “Please, try not to worry. I hate that we’ve had to start all this from a distance and I haven’t been there to reassure you. You should be excited!” He beamed down at her.

  “Okay, I’ll try not to stress too much,” she stammered.

  “Good. Okay, sorry. I just had to say that. I’ll take care of you, I promise.” Lauren believed him when he said it.

  A few minutes later, she and Landon stood on the sidewalk in front of the large gate.

  “Do you want me to call a cab on my phone?”

  “No, I have a better idea,” he said with a sly grin as he looked up and down the street. “Perfect timing! Come on.”

  He stepped into a small circle painted below the corner of the sidewalk and waved to the conductor of an approaching cable car. Throwing all his weight behind the movement, the conductor yanked a long lever back and the cable car slowed to a stop. A few tourists clambered down trying to orient themselves while Landon waved her over.

  “Come on!” He greeted the conductor as she briskly joined. “How’s it going, Jake? Alright if we hitch a ride down?”

  “Sure man, jump
on the side there! We got space for ya.”

  Landon stepped to the side so Lauren could squeeze in front. The platform for her feet was only a few inches wide and a pole her only handhold. The heels of her shoes dangled precariously off the edge adding to her lack of balance.

  “Is this safe?” she whispered harshly. The older couple sitting in the seats directly in front of them were kind enough to feign deafness, sparing her even more embarrassment.

  “Just hang on, you’ll be fine. People have been riding these for decades,” he smiled.

  “Right, here’s another example that we don’t know each other.” The conductor rang the bell and gave a final shout. “I’m not exactly...graceful. I—”she yelped as the cable car lurched forward. Landon’s hand shot out to steady her, firmly pressed against the middle of her back.

  “You’re alright. Just relax and enjoy the ride,” he reassured her, stroking her back.

  Lauren looked forward and almost cried out again as the car rolled over the edge of an incredibly steep hill. Looking like something out of a roller coaster, the road plummeted down, leveled out at an intersection before plummeting again. The pattern continued for nearly a mile. Somehow it seemed ten times steeper and faster riding on the outside of the car than watching it. Knuckles still white on the bar, the cable car wheeled to a controlled stop as the road leveled and the conductor rang the bell. Noticing a child around ten or eleven years old happily hanging off the right side, it dawned on Lauren that she might be acting a tad ridiculous. The second hill was much more fun than the first and by the time they reached the bottom, she was all smiles.

  As they strolled the wide streets toward the office, Landon coached her. “Seriously, there’s nothing to get nervous about. Gary and I go way back but, to be fair, he can be a bit abrupt. Any questions you don’t feel comfortable answering, just look to me and I’ll take over. I think he really just wants to have a chat with the brains behind the operation.”