Page 107 of The Shifting Sands Beneath Us

James

Months slipped away as I tried to find a solution to my problem. I knew if I presented the right deal, I could get Fletcher to buy the company. And I was on the verge of something big, something that could swing Fletcher my way. The rest of the company was thriving, more than I ever could have hoped for. My dad was even leaving me alone, aside from asking if Rose was pregnant yet.

That wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon. I couldn’t even remember the last time we made love. She was slipping through my fingers, and with my focus one hundred percent on solving our problem, I hadn’t been the most attentive husband. Even when I tried really hard, there was a disconnect between us that grew by the day. She hardly looked at me anymore, not the way she used to.

There was a sadness that constantly blanketed her. The only time she seemed happy was when she was talking about her job. I kept thinking that if I just found a way out of this damn contract, everything would be good between us. But as the months went on, I began to think nothing could save our marriage.

“Mr. Langston, Mr. Fletcher is here to see you.”

My pulse kicked up hearing that. I hit the button, wondering what he was doing here. “Send him in, Alisha. Thank you.”

I heard her walking to the door and stood, buttoning my suit jacket. But when the door opened, it wasn’t the elder Mr. Fletcher that walked in. My shoulders slumped in disappointment and I took my seat again. “Fletch, what are you doing here?” I grumbled.

“Can’t I stop by to see an old friend?” he asked, winking at Alisha before she scowled at him and shut the door behind her. “She still doesn’t like me.”

“Nobody likes you.”

“That’s not true. Your wife likes me.”

I sighed, not responding to that. I knew she liked him, and right now it pissed me off that Shane probably had a better chance of making her smile than I did.

“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?” He took a seat across from me, watching me carefully. “Does this have anything to do with my father visiting?”

My gaze snapped to his, narrowing in. “What do you know?”

“Nothing. He mentioned he stopped by the office and saw you. But I’m not stupid. There’s no reason he would stop by or that you would spend time with him.”

“Does anyone else know he was here?”

He shrugged. “If anyone knows, they’re not saying anything. Why was he here?”

I hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about this, and it was driving me insane. “I’m trying to get him to buy the company.”

He sat back in shock, then laughed at me. “Right, you’re going to sell the company.”

I didn’t say anything, just stared at him.

“Holy shit, you’re going to sell?”

“I need to get out of this contract. Rose and I aren’t exactly doing well.”

“I thought for sure that by now you would have worked shit out.”

“Yeah, so did I, but it turns out, I’m just an asshole.”

“Well, I could have told you that. What can I help with?”

I turned in my chair and stared out the windows at the city. I wished he could help, but honestly, I wasn’t sure anything would help at this point. “Do you know how to save my marriage?”

“Isn’t that the point of selling the company?”

“I have the distinct feeling that it won’t solve my problems. Rose and I have become so distant with each other, and she barely looks at me anymore. Whatever we had is slipping away.”

“Even if you manage to sell the company to my old man, how does that solve your problems? You would have broken the contract. I’m not even sure what kind of shit storm you’ll have started.”

“My first proposal was too precarious for him. I have a potential deal in the works that could solve all my problems. I’m looking to buy Constance Media. I think I’ve got them on the hook, but I’m still waiting for final negotiations.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “How the hell did you convince them to sell?”