Novel Update
14 The Board Meeting
14 The Board Meeting 14 The Board Meeting (Winona)
It's Friday afternoon again and a week has passed since the ridiculous incident at our welcome party a week ago. All the paperwork is done for the adoption and has been lodged. I feel better now after Ashlyn saw Abby because I know she will be trying to find out about her.
I'd never listed a name for the birth father. Mostly because I was trying to leave Jayden and all that pain behind. But also because I didn't want his mother to use it against me somehow.
There's a stack of work to get done today and my first board meeting. I'll need to work back again to catch up. Phillip left earlier to go meet with the podcast crew.
I need to double down on the social media site marketing. But I'll present both Phillip and my recommendations to the board and to the CEO Jayden today. My nerves are a little shot.
I'd gone to speak with Jayden on Monday about some recommendations but found out he hadn't come Into the office that day. Apparently, he hadn't been in all this week. I doubt he'd miss the board meeting though. He'd never miss a board meeting.
haven't seen Ashlyn or Judy either this week. While I probably should be happy about that, it feels like the calm before the storm. There's no way Judy has just let this all go. Maybe Jayden and Ashlyn are spending some time together to get their relationship back on track.
I hope so, because I'd love to just move on with my life and raise a healthy, happy daughter.
I pick up my
my tablet and a stack of print outs and head for the boardroom. Please let me sound like I know what I'm doing. This is dealing with millions of dollars not thousands and that is added pressure for me because my little company had never gotten to this level of expenditure.
The shareholders always want to make good profit, so I need to make a brilliant pitch. My palms are a little damp from nerves. I hit the elevator button to head up to the top floor where the boardroom is.
"Hey, Winona! Glad I caught you before the meeting started." Lance gives me a smile as I come out of the
elevator.
"Hey there, Lance. Is everything okay?"
"Are you kidding me? These recommendations are the best I've seen in years. I've given you and Phillip my full backing with finances."
I let out a deep breath. "Phew. Now I just have to get it past the suits in there." I nod to the boardroom, encased in windows which already has most of the members sitting.
There's a notable empty space at the head of the table where Jayden should be.
"You'll do fine. I don't suppose you've heard from Jayden this week?"
I give a small laugh. "As if. No. If you don't know where he is, no one knows. Except maybe his mother."
"She's on vacation. Can't say I'm sorry. Nice to get a break from her getting about here spying and telling us all what to do. She's like a damn guard dog, only less friendly."
I do laugh out loud now. Lance could always make me laugh with his irreverent observations on life. "I am
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14 The Board Meeting
hearing you."
"She never goes on vacation at this time of year, so who knows what she's up to. Probably honing all her knives for people's backs."
This makes me very suspicious. I've just gotten back here and now Judy has taken a supposed holiday. I won't be surprised if she's snooping about mine and Phillip's life somehow.
"Anyway. Knock 'em dead in there. You got this. I'm standing in for Jayden and you have my full support. Some of the board members, well most of them, will remember you being Jayden's wife. Don't let anyone under your skin, okay?" "Thanks, Lance. I'll keep my cool, don't worry."
"They are just a bunch of suits with cabbages for heads. Don't forget that. They may be able to vote things down, but it's Jayden who has the final say."
I giggle at the thought of cabbages in designer suits. "That fact doesn't help, the way Jayden and I have been lately."
"Give him some time. I think he might be getting some inkling of his past with you back."
Really? I'm not sure."
"Well, he hasn't said so directly but a few things Ashlyn has said lately made me think he might be."
I shrug. "Honestly, I just want to move on. He and Ashlyn can deal with the memory thing. I want to build my own life. I have no intention of having my heart smashed by either of them again."
Lance nods. "He was very hard on you. Don't think I didn't notice. I'm not sure his mind is quite right yet, you know? I mean as far as the business stuff goes, he's unflawed. Personal stuff is another thing. He finds it frustrating he can't remember and flares up. He doesn't feel like he's in control, I think."
"He definitely isn't in control of me and never will be again."
"Come out tonight. We still go to the same club. Well, not Jayden and Ashlyn so much now, but quite at few of us do every Friday. We've missed you."
"I don't think so."
"Come join us, please, you were always the life of the party, dancing all night. Driving the guys wild, especially Jayden..." he grins and then realizes what he's said. "Oops, sorry. Not a reminder you need. Come on. Bring Phillip. He's a cool dude." "I'm really not interested, thanks."
"Just come for one drink. Don't be soft."
"Thanks, but no thanks, Lance. I'll be working late."
"No way! Not on Friday night. Do it for Lisa, she's felt shitty about how she never called you enough."
I guess it's now or never, and this might get him off my back. "No, Lance. I want to get home to my daughter."
"Wait! What!?" Lance is wide-eyed now. "You have a daughter?"
15 The Club