Page 85 of Best Kept Vows

Of all the people I had to talk with about leaving Boone Metals, this group was the one I knew would be hardest hit.

Lia had called in the morning to wish me luck.

“I feel like I’m ruining their lives,” I confessed. “I mean, Bryce running this place?”

“They’re adults, and they’ll make their own choices, Sebastian,” she reminded me.

After a week-long assault on my father by Mama, he’d given up and told me that he’d be appointing Bryce as the new CEO. He tried to assure me that this had nothing to do with my competence, and I assured him that I didn’t care what this was about—I was happy thatIwas done.

These were words I never thought I’d say, but thengrowing up is all about altering dreams, reordering priorities, and accepting that we change.

At forty-four, I didn’t think I had more to learn about myself—and yet, each time I went to therapy, I found that aging wasn’t merely about getting gray hairs or losing your eyesight; it was about uncovering your blind spots so you could see who you were that much clearer.

My vision had never been sharper as I waited for my leadership team to gather in the conference room—a space as stale and outdated as the company itself. I’d once promised myself that when the business turned around, I’d invest in upgrading the offices—swap out the beige walls, the stiff-backed chairs, and the harsh, seventies-era lighting.

But now, standing in the dim, uninspired room, I realized it was the perfect reflection of what Boone Metals had become—a relic of the past, weighed down by obligation and my misplaced pride.

Marek was the last to arrive. “I'm sorry. I had an important phone call.”

“No worries.” I hoped he was talking to a headhunter. I’d told him what was happening a week ago, and he’d assured me he would be fine. He fielded offers all the time. He had stayed for me, and if I wasn’t at Boone Metals, he wasn’t going to be, either.

Once he was settled, I placed my palms flat on the table.

Stacy was also relaxed. She also knew this was coming and was going to retire. “I’m going to get an RV and travel the country. It’s what retired people do.”

The others, however, didn’t know. They’d heard rumors, I was sure and suspected what I was going to announce.

I looked at them—my team. The ones who had held this company together with me through every lousy quarter, every supplier issue, every fucking fire we had to put out. This was the last fire, and I was finally walking away from it.

“Since we’re all here?—”

“Bryce isn’t.” Elliot Grayson, the director of operations, a sharp, no-nonsense guy who had been the backbone of factory efficiency for over a decade, looked around the table.

“Yes, I know.” I gave him a tight smile. “I wanted to let you know that, effective right now, I am no longer the CEO of Boone Metals.”

I waited for everyone to digest that.

My EA, Kayla, looked pale at the news. I had wanted to tell her and prepare her, but I also didn’t want this to leak far and wide before I was ready to announce it. Right after this meeting, a company-wide email was queued for automatic delivery, and then…I’d leave.

David Song, our head of procurement, ran a hand down his face, looking as if I had just told him he had three weeks to live. “This sucks.”

“Ah, Sebastian, don’t tell me Bryce is taking over, and that’s why he’s not here?” Morse Bricknell, our head of contracts, asked tentatively.

I nodded. “Abraham and the board have decided to place Bryce as?—”

“I quit!” David announced. “Do I need to write aresignation letter, or can I just leave a Post-It note on this table? No offense, I know he’s family, but Bryce is a douchebag, and I won’t work for him.”

“I thought you were selling.” Morse huffed and gave his head a quick shake. “I mean, we don’t have the capital to invest in upgrading machinery and…look, I was here because of you, and as David said…I’m out.”

Marek let out a chuckle. “You know what? I think this is good news.”

Everyone looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“Think about it. We’ve all been busting our balls, no one more than Sebastian here—and sometimes you just have to walk away.” He looked around the room. “You’re all awesome and…I just accepted a job as president of a fabrication company…can’t tell you which one right now…they need to make the announcement.ButI will have openings, so let me know if you’re interested.”

I exhaled softly, relieved that there was some safety net for the team. They all had bills to pay, and unlike me, they didn’t have investments to get them through. I’d been lucky to have my own business, and I’d had some family money to get me started as well, but they didn’t.

“About fucking time!” Stacy announced.

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