Mae

Donning my navy-blue Chiara Boni skirt suit, I approached the elevator with an obvious bounce in my step. I’d never been one to let my emotions surface, but this was one of the most important days of my life. And after the year I’d had, it was not just a relief to finally reach the finish line—it was exhilarating. All of my hard work was about to pay off—the years of dedication to Fall Capital Associates, disregarding every other aspect of my life to build a reputation for being the most effective and ruthless principal player this company had ever seen… Now, I would finally step into the legacy my father had been grooming me for. My heart ached for only a moment with the realization that he was not there to see it.

I pressed the elevator button, my perfectly manicured nail producing a pleasant tapping sound in the otherwise quiet lobby. As the doors opened, a fleeting thought sailed through my mind that the quiet was a bit unusual, considering I was heading to a board meeting—the meeting we’d all been waiting for, where I would finally be announced as the new president of the company.

I stepped inside the elevator and reached for the button for the top-floor executive suite just as a loud voice called out, “Hold the door, please.”

Rolling my eyes, I pressed the button and willed the doors to close faster. You want in, you better run for it. The doors started to close, but just before they could meet a hand slipped between them, and they rebounded open.

I sighed as a man stood at the entry, panting and slightly hunched over. He mumbled an apology to the floor before stepping in next to me. A brief glance at the tag around his neck told me he was one of those useless mailroom guys. Mental note: implement more automation at the lower levels to reduce workforce.

When the doors closed, it was as if it signaled me to get into the zone. Nothing was going to ruin this for me, and although it was nothing more than a formality, I wanted to set the tone with the board the moment I took the reins. Which meant I was mentally reviewing my speech to them after the vote. Most of the execs were, of course, on my side not just because I’m the logical choice but also because the politics of business made it necessary for me to do some courting with a few of the old-school players who might still be stuck in the eighteen hundreds and want a man to run the company—not that my fair-haired, coattail-riding stepbrother could be considered a real man. I’d die before I let him run the company.

***

I’d almost forgotten mailroom guy was in the elevator with me, when his incoherent mumblings interrupted my thoughts. When I glanced his way and caught his knowing grin, I realized he must have foolishly been speaking to me.

“Can I help you?” I asked, my tone short and icy.

Seemingly not fazed by my response, he shrugged before slipping his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels. “Just wishing you a good morning…miss.”

Miss? And what the hell was he smiling about? A slight lift of his brows told me he was either sucking up and hoping for a positive response, or he was flirting—both fruitless endeavors and both equally annoying. I noticed he was tall and built beneath his drab white button-down shirt and khaki pants, so at least he had that going for him. I supposed if it hadn’t been Joe mailroom guy and it was any other day than this one, I might have been up for a little harmless flirting, especially since I’d basically ignored my love life for the past year, mourning the death of my father and keeping this company running.

I scoffed and glanced up at the number progression just as the elevator dinged. Mailroom Joe exited, and I noted his hands were empty. If he wasn’t delivering something to this floor, he was probably wasting company time. Another note for another time…

I reached for the “close” button to speed things along, then just as the doors closed, he turned to face me with a confident smirk that felt out of place. “Good luck,” he said. The hint of question in his tone was a bit unnerving, but I shook it off. There was no way I’d be distracted—not by him or anyone.

When the elevator once again rose toward my floor, I drew in a fortifying breath. This is it. In some ways the past year seemed to have flown by, but it also felt long and arduous. If I were being honest, it was part therapy, as well, helping me move past the grieving process. I still missed my father, but his passing changed me, hardened me…well, more than I already was.

My dad was the one person who could see through to the real me. And he had such faith and pride in me. Which was why he’d chosen me to carry on his legacy. He’d taught me everything he knew, and unlike some powerful men, took my advice, trusted me, appreciated my unique insight into the business. That man believed in me one hundred percent, and now my champion was gone. Sure, he’d been vocal about me being the one to succeed him when he was ready to retire. But he’d never gotten the chance to sit back and watch me shine, to enjoy days on the golf course and nights relaxing with a glass of whiskey. Instead, he’d had a heart attack and was gone in a heartbeat—before I could even make it to the hospital to say goodbye.

The elevator ding sounded louder than usual, making me suck in a quick breath as I was pulled from memories of my father. When the doors opened, I strode out, straightening my spine and forcing myself to focus, my expression turning neutral; my presence in front of the board personified strength and professionalism, and this was not the time to change any of that. Appearing too eager at this point likely wouldn’t change their mind about me, but it was more about only allowing them to see one side of me.

Up ahead I spotted the boardroom doors already open, which wasn’t unusual per say, but as I drew nearer, the monotone voices of the members floated through the hall. A niggle of unease worked its way down my spine, but I kept it at bay as I reached the door and stepped inside the room.

At a glance, it appeared everyone was present, including the two other people in my life who understood what I’d been going through—my stepmother, Harriet, and my stepbrother, Clinton. Of course, neither of them could have felt the loss as deeply and completely as I had.

Harriet gave me a small cordial smile, and I nodded as I made my way around the table. Once I took my seat near the head of the table, I gazed across at Clinton, who shot me a small, awkward wave. He was only a few years older than me, but over our lifetime together, he’d perfected the annoying older brother roll. When my dad and Harriet married, I’d only been three years old, but I’d been excited to have an older brother and a new mommy. And although Harriet was the only mother I really knew—mine had died before I could form solid memories of her—I wouldn’t say we were mother-daughter close.

Harriet stood immediately, as if they’d been waiting for me to arrive. She’d been acting as the interim head of the company since my father’s passing and had done a passable job keeping the status quo, but those days were over, and they would all see just what I could do at the helm.

“Thank you again, for being here…” Harriet said, clasping her hands in front of her.

Again?

“Losing Joseph was a huge blow to not only our family but this company.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’ve done my best to navigate this role he left us with, but it’s finally time to put a permanent solution into place.” Glancing down at me, she grinned and I returned it, my heartrate picking up speed.

“Mae, we actually voted just before you came in.”

A protest was on the tip of my tongue as heat flashed across my skin. What the hell?

“You and I are the last two left to cast our votes,” she continued. “Who do you vote for to step up as president of the company?”

Narrowing my gaze at her, I replied matter-of-factly, “I vote for myself.” I let out a quiet laugh as I gazed around the table. Some of the members gave me a tight smile but others avoided my gaze. Pushing past the warning in my gut, I added, “Everyone in this room knows I deserve it, and I’m the most logical choice.” I turned my attention back to Harriet, who gazed down at me with something that looked like sympathy.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose. “What’s happening here? Why—”

“I’m so sorry, Mae.” She shook her head. “My vote is for Clinton, and that means he has the majority.” As if disregarding me completely, she turned back to the board. “Clinton Palmer is our new president.”