Page 18 of If I See You Again
Insects crawled beneath the surface of my skin the longer the meeting progressed. I’d been asked to sit it out because Mr. Thomas didn’t want me there to influence David’s decision, but I couldn’t help feeling like he’d be offended that they were trying to shift things to someone else after everything.
As if the universe sensed I needed the distraction, my phone rang. Without looking to see who was calling, I quickly lifted the receiver to my ear to answer.
“Thomas and Braxton Advertising, this is Mr. Fisher. How may I be of assistance today?”
The melodic laugh that filled the line made a smile spread across my face. “Malcolm, I swear, you never need to be so formal when I call.”
I slumped back in my chair, relaxing now that I knew who was on the phone. “I know, Mom. If I had checked the caller ID before answering, I wouldn’t have. It’s automatic.”
She sighed. “I’m so proud of you, you know that. You’ve done so much with your life, despite everything. You never let anything get in your way.”
Except I had. I would never make her feel guilty about how things had gone down with Marcus. It wasn’t within her control. Someone didn’t go into parenthood expecting one of her children to become terminally ill. I’d let what happened with Marcus shape a lot of my adult life, and it had prevented me from having serious relationships. But it had brought me to David, so maybe all was not lost.
“What can I do for you, Mom?” I asked as the line suddenly went quiet.
“Well, the holidays are coming up, and I know you always seem really busy, but your father and I would love to see you this year. It’s been a while.”
My elbows hit the desk the second David’s figure filled my doorway. A quick look at the clock showed that the meeting had been going for a full thirty minutes. He’d lasted longer than I’d expected.
“I don’t know. It’s just really hard for me to get away right now. There’s a really important account that needs my attention. It’s not like I can just… walk away.”
David’s eyebrows raised as he walked into the room and dropped into the chair across from me. He grabbed a pad of sticky notes from my desk, and I watched as he fanned the pagesbetween his fingers. His blue eyes were bright behind his blond fringe, and his beard was trimmed extra short today, bordering on non-existent. I liked him with facial hair, so I hoped he’d never shave it completely.
“When isn’t there an important account? It’s like you don’t want to see us at all. Just because you come back doesn’t mean you’ll be chased by his ghost. Malcolm, you’re the only son we have left. Forgive me if we still want to see you.”
I pinched my brow between my fingers, continuing to watch David. “I know. Please don’t play the only son card with me. It just makes me feel worse. It’s not like I don’t want to see you—”
“Then why don’t you come?”
The phone was snatched out of my hand before I knew what was happening.
“Mrs. Fisher?”
My jaw dropped to see David talking to my mother on the phone.
“Not a problem. Malcolm will be there for Thanksgiving this year. You can count on it. He won’t be alone either.”
I wouldn’t be? Well, that was certainly news.
There was a long pause, and David looked to be in deep thought as my mother spoke to him.
“Yes, yes. I’ll let him know that. I very much look forward to meeting you, ma’am. Your son has been nothing short of amazing.”
It wasn’t until David hung up the phone that I realized what was happening.
“We—we’re going to visit my parents?”
He grinned, a row of straight white teeth staring back at me on his too-handsome face. “We certainly are. And if I have it my way, you won’t be their ‘only son’ for long.”
But… but what did that mean?
Chapter 14
David
Was I coming on too strong again? Probably. Malcolm had implied that something was going on with his boss because I’d sped up my move, but I hadn’t expected to be pulled into a meeting about it the second I got into the offices. When Mr. Thomas suggested I hire another person or even consider having a supervisor for Malcolm, I saw red. There was no way. I meant what I said, that he was the only one I wanted touching this account.
When I’d walked into his office and seen him struggling on his phone call… yeah, I’d crossed a line. His mother had sounded so taken aback when I’d taken the phone.
