Richard gave me a warm smile. “Then let’s get going, we’re going to have a busy day today.” He hesitated. “I used to staying in my apartment in the city during the week, so I didn’t have to commute back and forth, but with your mother…”
I shrugged, understanding what he was saying. It also made me a little sad because I saw more of why the guys were angry with my mother and me. Richard never stayed at the house to take care of them, but now he was here all the time because of Nina? That had to sting.
Richard shot a grin in my direction. “Traffic is going to be bad this morning because of an event in the city, so we’re going to bypass it. How do you feel about helicopters?”
I smiled back at him. “It sounds like I’m about to find out?”
“I try to avoid wasting resources like this whenever I can, but I can’t afford to spend hours in a car this morning. Plus, I thought it would be fun for you,” Richard told me casually.
I grabbed my bag before following Richard out to the car. We made the very short drive to the helo pad, and I couldn’t help but bounce a little in excitement. This would be my first helicopter ride, and I couldn’t wait to see the city from the air.
The pilot chuckled at my excitement when he handed over my headset and explained some of what he was doing. I was practically glued to the window as we took off, and I watched the small town of Bedford, and it’s million-dollar homes pass beneath us. Bedford Academy looked even more impressive from the air, and I realized that Abby and I hadn’t walked over the entire campus, just a small part of it.
Richard was quiet in the seat next to me, reading something on his tablet, but he glanced up when we passed into Seattle.
“Have you gone into the city yet?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
My jaw dropped when the helicopter passed over the famous spheres and landed on a tall, shiny building. The pilot helped me out, and several people were waiting for us on the roof. Richard introduced them all as his assistants. How many assistants did one man need?
It didn’t take me long to figure out just why he needed so many people around him. The entire morning was a whirlwind of activity, and I couldn’t believe just how much went into running this company. Person after person came up to Richard with problems and questions that needed a decision from him. I was amazed at how decisive he was and how he could analyze a situation from only a two-minute summary. It became very clear to me that Richard was a force of nature. I doubted that anyone else could have gotten this company to where it was today. My respect for him grew exponentially. He was so focused and determined, not just to be successful, but also to make the world a better place. I also understood why he was so controlling – he had to be. He was also used to issuing a decree and having it put into action immediately – no one questioned him.
“Clear the room,” Richard said assertively. Everyone moved to get out except his head assistant. When he motioned his head towards her, she looked surprised, but gave a slight nod before leaving the room.
Instead of sitting behind his desk, Richard gestured towards a round table. “Let’s sit here and eat.”
I followed his lead and sat. “The grilled chicken Caesar salad is yours,” he said with a smile. I nodded gratefully and reached for the container he passed my way. I let out a breath of relief when I saw the dressing was in a little container on the side and not mixed in. I couldn’t afford to eat an eight-hundred-calorie salad, but just the chicken and the lettuce should be okay. Maybe I’d even indulge and have a crouton.
“I’m going to be honest,” Richard told me as he opened his own salad. “I asked you here for more than just a consult.”
I nodded. “I kinda guessed that.”
“You’ve impressed me,” Richard said bluntly.
“How’s that?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
All I’d done today was follow Richard around. He was so focused on running his empire that I thought he’d forgotten about his invisible shadow for most of the day.
“I watched you all morning. One of the most important measures of a person is how they react in a position of power.”
He smiled at the look of confusion on my face.
“A lot of kids get a big ego because of who their parents are. I’ve seen quite a few teenagers walk in here with an attitude because their mother is the Vice President of whatever.” He waved a hand to illustrate his point. “I like that you’re humble, down to earth, and respectful of everyone regardless of their position here.”
I turned red at the compliment and ducked my head to take a bite of lettuce.
Richard leaned forward. “But I’ve been watching you for a lot longer than today.” He paused to take a sip of his water before continuing. “I had my people do a background check on your mother after we first met. Nothing major flagged, and most of her adult life was documented in the media.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, she left home when she was around my age to start her career.”
Richard nodded. “I knew she dropped out of high school, supposedly to start modeling, the timeline didn’t add up.”
“Because of me,” I said softly. “She dropped out of school when she was about four months along, but she only gained twenty-five pounds her whole pregnancy, so it was easy to hide behind baggy clothing.
