Chapter Sixteen

Landon's POV

An hour later, I'm sitting in my office. I've dialled my mother's number, and I'm just waiting for her to pick up. The phone is on speakerphone, and I'm typing an email as I wait.

"Hello Landon." I hear her voice as she answers my call. She sounds tired.

"How are you, Mum?" I ask as I finish off an email to Andrew Contius about the new accounts he is taking on in the interim.

"I'm very well, son. I understand you went out to dinner last night with your father."

"Yes."

"And he told you?"

She's worried; I can hear it in her voice.

"He didn't give me details just said he was dying."

"I wanted to know if you wanted to get lunch," I ask her. "I don't mind sending Henry to pick you up if you are in Surrey."

"No," she replies quickly. "I'm already in the city. Where should we meet?"

"How about Thorpe's? I know Jarrod will be delighted to see you."

I can hear her smiling. My mother has always been very maternal, and Jarrod didn't have the same upbringing I did. Mum was always impressed by his drive to succeed regardless of his limitations, and so she had been his first investor when he told our family that he wanted to go into the catering industry. She was like a mother to him; something he had never had.

***

Come midday, I'm sat in my favourite booth at Thorpe's waiting for my mother to arrive. She's a few minutes late, and so I take advantage of the moment to check my emails.

From: Catherine Jenkins ([email protected])

To: Landon Peters ([email protected])

RE: MS Keenley's Replacement

Time: 12:04

Attachments: advertisement.doc

Sir,

Please find attached the advertisement we have designed to find a replacement for Ms Keenley. The ad will be put on the website, in the local paper and on relevant career search engines. Let me know of any adjustments you want made.

Pending applications, we would like to set an initial interview date for the 27th November.

Catherine Jenkins

Head of Human Resources

TRW Advertising

From: Landon Peters ([email protected])

To: Catherine Jenkins ([email protected])

RE: re: Ms Keenley's Replacement

Time: 12:06

Ms Jenkins,

Everything seems acceptable. I am unavailable on the 27th. However, I am available on the 26th.

Landon Peters

Chief Executive Officer

TRW Advertising

I hesitate for a moment before typing out another email.

From: Landon Peters ([email protected])

To: Aurora Stone ([email protected])

RE: Last Night

Time: 12:09

Aurora,

I'm looking forward to our dinner date tonight.

Thank you for inviting me round last night.

It was... intense. ; - )

Landon Peters

Chief Executive Officer

TRW Advertising

Just as I am pressing send, my mother joins me in the booth.

"Hello darling."

"Mum."

I stand to my feet and kiss her on the cheek before sitting back down opposite her.

"How are you?" I ask her as I pour her a glass of the wine I've ordered for us to share. I know how much my mum is partial to a glass of red.

"I've been very busy."

She smiles as she takes a sip.

"Plans for the fundraiser are going very well. Michelle and I have been working tirelessly over the last few weeks. You are coming, aren't you dear?"

"Of course." I smile at her.

"I wish your brother were as keen on coming." She frowns, but to the rest of the world it wouldn't be visible. "I've got Abby trying to talk him into it."

"You shouldn't be encouraging that relationship."

"Is it a relationship?" She shakes her head. "I thought it was more of a friends with benefits sort of situation."

If I were a teenage boy, I would be groaning in embarrassment right now. Fortunately, I'm not. Instead, I look down at the menu.

"Do you know what you want to eat?"

"Whatever the chef recommends," my mother says without so much as a glance at the menu.

"I shall personally inform the chef." Jarrod grins as he approaches our table and plops a kiss on my mum's cheek. "How are you, Mrs Peters?"

"Very good Jarrod. How are you?"

"Fantastic. Thank you." Jarrod nods his head, looking around the restaurant with pride. "Business is running smoothly. I recently bought a new club."

"That's great news, Jarrod, dear."

"Is there anything else I can get you, Mrs Peters? Landon?"

"No thank you." I smile at my best friend. "Just two of whatever the chef recommends. Thank you."

As the last of our food is placed on our table, I lay my napkin across my lap and turn towards my mother. She sighs heavily.

"You want to talk about your Father?"

"Please," I gesture with my hand for her to eat, "but it can wait until we've eaten."

"He's asked you to take on the business again, hasn't he?"

"Yes." I don't know what else I can say. He hasn't really asked. He's given me a bloody ultimatum.

"You said no?"

"Of course I did, mother." I feel like we are covering old ground. "I have no idea why he is insisting upon it. It's not my area of expertise. I would make a terrible CEO for P and P."

"He has his reasons," mum replies quietly. "He is very protective of the company; it's been his life's work."

"Ayden would make a fantastic CEO," I tell her. "He's great with tech, he pays attention to the markets; he wouldn't have to learn to succeed. I would. I have my strengths, but technology and technological advancement have never been on the list."

"Your father will never make Ayden the CEO of P and P International."

"Why?"

I'm missing something. There's something she's not telling me.

"You don't need to know." She looks distressed as if this conversation is hurting her.

"I do." I'm cross now. I'm fed up of my parents trying to control me. "If you expect me to take on this company then I want a reason why."

My mother, always the society woman, puts her best smile on her face and crosses her legs, before taking a deep breath.

"Very well."

I give her a moment.

"You'll hate me."

I'm confused. I can't imagine anything on earth that could make me hate my mother.

"Mum, I doubt that very much."

"Two years ago, your father learnt about an ongoing affair between myself and one of his business associates."

"Who?" I ask, not that it matters particularly.

"Thomas Thorpe."

👔 Did I tell you there was scandal? What would you do if you found out your mum had an affair with your best friend's dad?