“Don’t tell anyone I told you this, because we’re all supposed to be mad at you, but I’m rooting for you.” He shrugs. “Truth is, I don’t want you to leave. Yeah, sure, you’re good for business. But I don’t care about that.”
“You care about Cat.”
He nods. “I think you’re good for my sister.”
“Even though I’m a flight risk?”
He laughs. “Aren’t we all until we find the person we don’t want to leave?”
It’s a good point. I have to ask the question—maybe it will provide me with a clue. “Why do you think I’m good for Cat?”
He studies me like he’s searching for a sign I’m worth it. I guess he finds what he’s looking for because he says, “I love watching her demand what she wants. I love watching her finally carve out a place for herself and claim ownership of her life. Since she was doing none of that before you came along, I think you deserve part of the credit.”
It pleases me—and maybe that’s wrong, but it does. “She’s doing those things all on her own.”
“Yeah, but you made her want something more, and I’m happy about that.” He picks up a pen and looks down at the stack of papers on his desk. “I’ll deny I said it, though, if I need to.”
“Fair enough.” I close the door behind me.
One step down.
A million more steps to go.
Iknock on the door, and when she answers, I say, “Meredith.”
“Caden.” Her blue eyes widen in surprise, and as lovely as she looks, I feel nothing for her. Cat might not understand, but my infatuation with Meredith Hayes died well before I ever laid eyes on her. Meredith holds the door open. “Come in.”
No way in hell am I going to be seen walking into a motel room in this town. It will reach Cat like wildfire, and I’m trying to learn from my mistakes, not make new ones.
See? Progress.
I shake my head. “I’m only here for a few minutes, and what I have to say can be said right here.”
She leans against the doorway and kicks one foot over a slim ankle. “Suit yourself.”
I meet her gaze. “I’m not sorry I left. I needed to leave. But I am sorry about the way I did it. It was wrong of me to take off like that, and I owe you an apology.”
She blinks, her thick lashes fluttering. “You think that makes it okay?”
“Nope.” I shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “But it’s all I have to give. I hope one day you see you didn’t really want me. You wanted the power you thought I’d bring you, and that wasn’t good enough for me. I should have handled it better, though, and that’s on me. I accept responsibility for that.”
“Well, that’s not good enough for me.” Her expression sets into that obstinance I used to hate back when we were together.
“I didn’t think it would be.” I take my keys from my pocket. “I called your father and told him everything. I apologized for leaving the way I did and tried to explain as best I could. As restitution, I told him at the end of the month I’d be willing to offer training on my techniques for two weeks since I failed to provide notice.”
She looks at her nails, unimpressed. “I’m sure that made him happy.”
It did, and now I’m going to tell her something that should make her happy. “I also told him I thought you were the better person to take over the company.”
She straightens, her entire demeanor transforming from bored to excited. “You did?”
“I did.” I smile. “I told him you have in your pinky finger more ambition, drive, and passion than Mark has in his entire body. Although I also said you needed a strong, seasoned second-in-command to curb your rasher impulses.” I say the next words with all the sincerity I have. “I don’t know if it will make a difference, but it was the least I could do. It also happens to be the truth.”
Her whole face relaxes. “Thank you, Caden.
I meet her eyes. “He’s sending a plane to get you.”
She studies me for a long, long time before saying, “You won’t come back with me?”