23. Worth It

23

WORTH IT

“ H ey,” Jamie said, opening the door to his house five days later. “You look like you’re dragging.”

Laken squinted one eye at him. “You don’t tell a woman she doesn’t look good.”

“I didn’t say you didn’t look good, just that you look tired.”

“Same thing,” she said. “But I’m happy to be here and meet.”

On Sunday she’d had to fly out last minute to meet with a business that West was getting close to finalizing a deal with in New Mexico. She returned home yesterday afternoon and went right to work.

To meet with her here rather than in her office meant that she had to rearrange a ton of things and find time she didn’t have.

He felt bad, but it was important for this to work and he wasn’t about to bring his daughter out anywhere yet.

“Penelope is eating breakfast,” he said. “She gets up around seven but doesn’t eat until eight. She likes to play and watch TV first.”

“Not much different than a lot of people who don’t eat right away,” she said.

“Did you?” he asked.

“I had coffee and a banana running out the door. At least I didn’t have to drive this morning. I had West’s driver bring me here and he’ll wait and then bring me to the office. I wouldn’t have had anywhere to park my car at the office and didn’t want to have to go back home with it and then back to the office.”

“This put you out, didn’t it?” he asked.

“It’s worth it,” she said. “Don’t feel that way.”

“You need to get some help,” he said.

“I’m working on it. Does Penelope know I’m coming?”

Laken took her jacket off and handed it to him, then slipped her ankle boots off her feet since it was a little wet outside. He tried not to grin at the black socks on her feet with the hearts on them. He didn’t expect that with her black dress pants, but her sweater was red with white and pink mixed in.

“She does,” he said. “She’s excited.”

It made him feel like shit that he didn’t have friends over for his daughter. She got to play with kids at the park when Janelle brought her, but they didn’t know who she was either.

It was time to make this public. He knew it. Once production started, they’d get publicity going.

“I’m glad,” she said.

He leaned down to kiss her, then grabbed her hand in his and walked toward the back of the house where his daughter was eating her French toast with a bowl of berries next to it.

“Do you want some breakfast with us?” he asked. “I haven’t eaten yet either.”

He’d done that on purpose to get her to sit and eat with them maybe as a family. To relax them all, himself included.

“I’d love to,” she said. “My banana will only go so far. Hi, Janelle.”

“Hello, Laken. I’m very pleased with the news. Would you like some tea or coffee?”

He hadn’t expected Janelle to say that but was happy when Laken smiled softly back, knowing the “news” was that they were dating. “Thank you. I think tea sounds lovely.”

“I’ll get it with mine,” he said. “Penelope, do you remember Laken?”

“Did you bring more animal pictures for me?” Penelope asked when she looked up in her blue glasses. His daughter had to match her glasses to her clothing daily.

Anything for her to think it was fun so that she wore them.

“No,” Laken said. “I didn’t. I wish I had. But I do know that they are working on the final designs now.”

“It’s not done yet?” he asked.

“Tweaks,” she said. “West has a company producing the final products. You said you didn’t care about the little things like that.”

“No,” he said. “I just want to see them when they are done.”

He’d let Penelope pick them out and he didn’t know the first thing about all the safety issues. That was why West was taking the lead on this. Jamie was more interested in it being fun and something a child would like.

The soap and shampoos had been tested and patented. He did all the work on that end knowing that West would be impressed.

The formula was perfect and shouldn’t give them any issues. It was prettying up the product that he didn’t know the first thing about.

“Not much longer,” she said.

Laken sat at the table and Penelope said, “Sit by me, please. You’re pretty.” Penelope held her arm up. “Remember your bracelet?”

“Ah,” his girlfriend said, her eye landing on the silver cuff she’d given his daughter previously. Penelope had it on all the time, usually over her clothing to keep it on her upper arm. “I think you’re pretty too. And I’m glad you’re still enjoying the bracelet. I love the heart on your shirt. I’ve got hearts too.”

Laken held her foot up and showed her socks. Just a coincidence but a cute one at that.

Jamie always worried how he’d feel if he brought a woman home to meet his daughter in this capacity and he realized now he had nothing to worry about.

To the outside world, Laken might come across as businesslike and maybe stiff, but he had to remember she’d been around children and helping to raise them most of her life. She obviously knew how to put them at ease.

“I have heart socks. Mine are green.”

“You have more than one pair of socks with hearts on them,” Janelle said. “I believe you have at least five pairs.”

He grinned since Janelle did most of Penelope’s shopping for him.

“I like the green ones the best,” Penelope said. “Can I put them on?”

“I’ll go get them,” he said.

“Nonsense,” Janelle said. She put the last of the French toast she’d been making in front of them. “I’ll do it and you two eat. I know you’ve got a meeting after and Laken is short on time.”

They both helped themselves to the food. “Sorry,” she said. “I am short on time and hate that.”

“Don’t be. I know it’s hard. Maybe this is a step in the right direction.”

She turned her head and winked at him. He was dying to lean in and kiss her but knew that would be pushing it for his daughter.

“I think it is.”

When breakfast was done, they went to his office.

“Sorry about that,” Laken said. “I didn’t think she’d be that upset.”

“I didn’t either,” he said. His daughter didn’t want Laken to leave and wanted them to go play upstairs together. “Maybe if you can come back soon, not for work.”

“You mean as your girlfriend?” she asked.

“Something like that,” he said.

“I get it. No signs of affection in front of her. But maybe this Saturday for a few hours. I know it’s your day with your daughter before you leave for work.”

“I have to fly out on Saturday night,” he said. “My flight leaves at five.”

“Oh,” she said. “Then another week.”

“We can do Saturday morning again,” he said. “If you want. A few hours and maybe have lunch together.”

“I’d like that,” she said. “I’ll make it work.”

“Good,” he said. Before Laken left he’d make sure they went to see Penelope and tell her. His daughter would be upstairs with Janelle now playing anyway.

Janelle was good at keeping it structured with play and learning time.

“As I said at the table, West has the test models almost set. Nelson and he met last week and once they are done, I’ll show them to you for final approval.”

“Can I show them to Penelope?”

She laughed. “If she is the final approval, of course. I figured she could be our test subject. On the design and maybe the usage.”

“She’d like that,” he said. And he didn’t want to have his name attached to anything that he wouldn’t let his daughter use anyway.

“HR is weeding through applications and resumes. I believe they’ve got a few first interviews set and Nelson and I will sit in on second interviews next week to get you a Director of Operations lined up. Then we are going to start checking boxes with that person to get staffing for the floor. Construction should be done by the end of this week on the floor and machinery installed after. Nelson and some of my team are looking at supplies and figuring out what needs to be ordered to get started. It’s going to be trial and error and best to get those tweaks out before we hit the floor running.”

“Agreed,” he said. “It doesn’t take long to make everything.”

“No,” she said. “With the equipment, we can get enough soap and shampoo in stock to hit retailers quickly. We are just waiting for the finished sponges and bottles to be completed. West is going to want to do that right about the time you make it all public. I know you might not be ready, but there is a timing to all this. If there is enough notice with you and him out there, the retailers are going to love it and sell out fast.”

“I’m going to follow his lead on this,” he said. “If it’s before my time, I’ll adapt.”

Things were moving much faster than he thought they would. In more than one aspect of his life.

That didn’t mean it was a bad thing.

“I’m glad to hear you say that,” she said. “I think within two weeks the goal is to start production. Close to the end of February, West is going to try to get a slot on a morning show for you and him. It’s possible contracts could be signed by retailers by then too.”

“You’re joking?” he asked. “My agent normally does that.”

“Your agent can do all he wants after. The first time has to be in conjunction with West. If you think you have a preference over what morning show, talk to him. I know one of your broadcasting friends is pretty popular.”

He laughed. “This is where both West and I have a lot of contacts.”

“That’s right. But since West owns sixty percent, you signed a lot of documents allowing him to make the decisions to get going.”

“I know,” he said. “Everyone will understand. So you’re telling me within a month, I’m going to be letting the world know about my daughter?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry if you’re not ready for that. I can help you through it.”

“Personally or professionally?” he asked.

“Both, or either. This will be your decision,” she said.

“Will I be letting the world know about us at the same time?” he asked.

She angled her head. “Don’t you think we should focus on work first?” She held her hand up. “I’m not mixing the two and it shouldn’t be part of any of this. My feeling is, this is about Penelope Plush Soap. If it gets out that you and I are more than working colleagues, I won’t fight or deny any of it. But I just don’t think any official statement needs to be made.”

Which told him that as much as she hated eyes on her, she wasn’t hiding either.

He couldn’t ask for more than that.