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Chapter no 6

Kiss the Sky

CONNOR COBALT

This is a shit waste of an afternoon.

The thought runs on repeat as I listen to another Cobalt Inc. board member drone on about advertising and angel investors. I have the urge to stand up and let everyone know that they have successfully battered the conversation.

But I donโ€™t.

These are the highest ranked employees in the company. If thereโ€™s any hope of taking the reins to Cobalt Inc. without looking like I undeservingly inherited it, I have to bite my tongue. The company owns brands like

MagNetic, Smith & Keller paints, and other profitable subsidiariesโ€”things that have lined my pockets since birth.

I feign interest as best I can, but Iโ€™m sitting at the head of a long conference table filled with twenty middle-aged men. During these

meetings, Iโ€™m my motherโ€™s interimโ€”a position she granted me two years ago. It means nothing really.

On paper, Iโ€™m still just her son. This is merely a test.

My mother has never been quick to let go of the empire she built from the ground up. In order to be a board member, become the CEO, and

acquire her shares, I have to prove myself. Like these meetings or certain

tasks she gives me at the least opportune moments. My cellphone is always in my pocket, threatening to go off.

I keep waiting for the sudden demand to entertain her business partners or a family friend. And Iโ€™m always grateful when sheโ€™s decided to leave me

alone for the night.

I type โ€œnotesโ€ onto the small tablet in my lap. Really, Iโ€™m outlining an assignment I have to complete tonight for one of my business courses at Wharton. I may have graduated from Penn last year, but now Iโ€™m in the big leagues. Grad school. I want an MBA. I donโ€™t need it. Not really.

Iโ€™ll be CEO of Cobalt Inc. with or without the degree. But the respect I crave wonโ€™t be handed to me so easily.

My phone buzzes in my pants, loud enough for Steve Balm, the COO and my motherโ€™s most respected board member, to pause his discussion on finger paints. Steve has been ranting about primary colors and the hearts of children everywhere. He wants to fuck over Crayola. Not his words, but I read between the lines.

โ€œAre we interrupting you, Connor?โ€ Steve asks, his gray brows furrowing critically. Steve and I have a long history. I suppose it began at birthโ€”when he was dubbed my godfather.

I donโ€™t make a move for my phone. โ€œDid I say anything?โ€ I refute. I hit the mute button before it can vibrate again.

โ€œArenโ€™t you going to answer that?โ€ Gary Holmes, a stocky-built board member asks a few chairs down. โ€œCould be Hollywood. Youโ€™re a movie star now, arenโ€™t you?โ€

Light chuckling filters across the room. They jest because they knew me when I was seven years old, when my mother carted me through the hallways.

I am a boy in their eyes.

I wonโ€™t win them over by arguing, by pounding my fists against my chest and demanding to be taken seriously. So I turn to Steve. โ€œIf youโ€™d like to drive this company into the ground, by all means choose to spend

millions of our research fund into finding an unpatented health-friendly finger paint.โ€

Steve doesnโ€™t reveal whether he agrees or not, his face as blank as mine. โ€œKatarina wants to expand.โ€ Steve directs the statement to the

boardroom. โ€œSheโ€™s giving us a week to proposeย viableย options to take Colbalt Inc. to the next level.โ€

โ€œWe could just get in bed with Fizzle,โ€ Gary says, โ€œConnorโ€™s already a quarter of the way there.โ€

Before the room can erupt in another wave of laughter, I ask, โ€œAnd what would we do with Fizzle? Weโ€™re a paint and magnet company. Should we poison consumers with our magnetic soda cans?โ€ Everyone remains quiet,

eyes flitting between one another. I keep my gaze pinned on Gary as he reddens and sinks lower into his chair.

I straighten, silently reminding everyone whoโ€™sย notย a child in the room. โ€œIt was a joke,โ€ Gary says in defense. He looks to Steve for support, but

my godfather never offers him a life vest. If youโ€™re drowning, you fucking drown.

โ€œUnless they involve productive opinions, keep your jokes to yourself,โ€ I say sharply.ย Nowย I slip my phone out of my pocket. It was a textโ€ฆ

Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, Anne Brontรซ โ€“ย Rose

My lips threaten to rise, and it takes all my strength not to smile. I begin typing and speaking at the same time. โ€œKatarina just notified me that sheโ€™s on her way,โ€ I lie. Though after reading a quick email this morning, I do

know sheโ€™s coming later.

Fuck. Kill. Marry.ย I type back and hit send before pocketing my phone. โ€œAny other fabulous ideas, Gary?โ€ Steve asks. Andย thereย it is. His

opinion. I meet his eyes and he gives me a small nod, letting me know he

agrees with me. I donโ€™t let out a breath of relief. This is just one meeting of many.

Katarina arrives only five minutes later, and after Steve offers her a brief update, the board members clear out of the conference room. Leaving me

alone with my mother.

Her deep, dyed red hair cascades in waves over her shoulders. She takes a seat in Steveโ€™s open chair at my right-hand side. This wonโ€™t be a quick conversation then, but Iโ€™ve already spoken to her about the reality show.

I laid out the pros and cons in a spreadsheet, outlining all the reasons why I should be in the show. Mostly for Cobalt Inc.โ€™s benefit. Exposure. Putting a face to our brand. Itโ€™s something that my mother wants but has never been able to do.

The only risk is bad press. Fizzle and Hale Co. stocks dropped considerably after Lilyโ€™s sex addiction was publicized. I was distanced enough from Roseโ€™s sister that Cobalt Inc. didnโ€™t suffer, but Iโ€™m edging myself closer to the Calloways. My mother has voiced her mild disapproval. She doesnโ€™t like taking risks or getting her hands dirty. But thatโ€™s why she has me.

โ€œWhere are the cameras?โ€ she asks, diving right in.

โ€œThere are only three cameramen,โ€ I explain again. โ€œThey wonโ€™t follow me if Iโ€™m not with someone else. So if youโ€™re worried about them coming into this buildingโ€”โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not.โ€ She pulls out her smart phone and simultaneously types an email while she speaks to me. โ€œIโ€™m worried that this girl is going to ruin you.โ€

โ€œHer name is Rose, and sheโ€™s not going toย ruinย me.โ€ Sheโ€™s never met her, but theyโ€™ve both been pressuring me about letting them have coffee together or brunch. I just donโ€™t see what good will come of it. And so I

make excuses about my mother never having time to see Rose. And Rose never having time to see my mother. Itโ€™s a shit thing to do, but Iโ€™m certain theyโ€™ll hate each other. I also believe Katarina will try to run Rose out of my life, and I want her firmly by my side.

My mother pockets her phone and her eyes darken with displeasure. โ€œSheโ€™s a powerful girl who started her own business as a teenager. Sheโ€™s driven, independent, and passionate.โ€

All the things I admire, and yet, I know sheโ€™s about to turn every quality into something sinister and wrong.

โ€œWorking women donโ€™t have men. We canโ€™t keep relationships. We are married to our careers.โ€ She announces each sentence like a nail in a coffin, pounding down the reality around me. โ€œThe children we do have are sent to boarding schools or are raised by nannies. Itโ€™s the life I wanted, even at the sacrifice of my husband and my child. You donโ€™t want to walk into that, Connor. Youโ€™re smarter than that.โ€

I refuse to stare at the table, to look away from her dark blue eyes. I meet her powerful gaze with one of my own. Her words may affect me to some degree, but I wonโ€™t ever show it.

I donโ€™t talk to my mother about my relationships very often, and any mention of Rose usually accompanies some sort of disparaging snort and blasรฉ brush off. When I told her that I was moving in with Rose, she wouldnโ€™t speak to me for weeks. Sheโ€™d prefer that my girlfriend moved in withย me. Not the other way around. I was willing to uproot my life for Rose, and according to Katarina Cobalt, other girls would have gladly walked into my home. In her eyes, I chose a path that doesnโ€™t benefit me.

I had to use Steve Balm as an intermediary just to talk to her during that time.

Our communication reopened only after I explained the reality show and how it can help Cobalt Inc. if I take the right steps.

โ€œYou need to set your sights on a girl like Caroline Haverford,โ€ she tells me. I internally grimace, but I donโ€™t let on that her name sends knives into my spine. I dated Caroline. I fucked Caroline. But it was business. Like my relationship with my mother. Like my life.

Is it so bad to want something real?

โ€œIโ€™m with Rose,โ€ I say sternly. โ€œThatโ€™s not going to change.โ€

Her nails rap on the table, frustrated. Katarina Cobalt always gets what she wants, and this is the first time Iโ€™ve put on the brakes, unwilling to give in to her requests.

โ€œCaroline will be there for you. Sheโ€™ll have time for you. Rose wonโ€™t.

Youโ€™ll grow resentful and bitter of each other. And as years pass, youโ€™ll realize youโ€™re sleeping next to a stranger.โ€

โ€œAre we still talking aboutย myย relationship?โ€ I ask her with an arched brow.

Her lips press in a tight line. โ€œDo you love her?โ€

โ€œLove is an irrational feeling,โ€ I say. I hate that I actually believe these words. โ€œIt makes smart people do stupid things. My relationship with Rose isโ€ฆstimulating.โ€ I think Iโ€™m a sociopath.ย Fuck.ย I need to see Frederick.

โ€œGood,โ€ my mother says with a nod. โ€œNo need to make this into some tragic Shakespearean tale. At least she hasnโ€™t corrupted your mind yet.โ€

My mother rises from her chair and straightens her pencil skirt.

โ€œIโ€™d like to meet her,โ€ she tells me for the thousandth time. โ€œSchedule an appointment with Marci, and if you donโ€™t, Iโ€™ll call Rose myself. We donโ€™t need you to lie for us anymore.โ€

Her heels click away, leaving me to picture the impending meeting of Katarina Cobalt and Rose Calloway.

There will be screaming. Yelling. Possible bloodshed.

Though sheโ€™s resilient, Iโ€™m not so sure Rose will come out victorious this time.

My cellphone chimes and I see the name flash across the screen.ย Scott Van Wright.ย Wonderful.

When I answer the phone, I make sure I have the first words. โ€œScott,

how sweet of you to call, I was beginning to suspect you didnโ€™t like me very much.โ€

โ€œWhy would you get that idea?โ€ย You want to fuck my girlfriend.

โ€œYou like Rose better.โ€ I throw out the bait, testing his response.

โ€œI do like her better,โ€ he tells me. โ€œSheโ€™s prettier.โ€ I wait for him to add something crude like โ€œand she has a pussyโ€ but he doesnโ€™t. Either Iโ€™ve been hanging around vulgar people for too long or heโ€™s censoring himself.

โ€œMany men would disagree,โ€ I say casually. โ€œSo why the sudden call?โ€ โ€œIโ€™m picking up food from the grocery store. I thought Iโ€™d get some of

Roseโ€™s favorite things. What does she like?โ€ โ€œMe.โ€

He lets out a laugh. โ€œThis phone call is being filmed, you know. I have you on speaker.โ€ He says it like he caught me in a spiderโ€™s web.

โ€œShe also loves my cock, my hair, my brain, my bodyโ€”โ€

โ€œYeah, she loves you so much that sheโ€™sย stillย a virgin.โ€ He must have discovered that from an interview. Or maybe footage of someone mentioning it. Rose isnโ€™t ashamed of being a virgin at all, so I could see her admitting it to the cameras.

โ€œAnd youโ€™re her ex-boyfriend,โ€ I say blankly. โ€œShe has intimacy issues, and itโ€™s not a far reach to conclude itโ€™s from your impotence.โ€ None of it is true, but I hope he airs this.

Doubtful.

He snorts.

โ€œOh, and she loves dark chocolate,โ€ I say. โ€œIโ€™ll just grab the condoms. Howโ€™s that?โ€

I clutch the phone tighter. โ€œYouโ€™re asking for my permission to have sex? Thatโ€™s kind. And the answer is no. Iโ€™m already taken.โ€

He laughs dryly. โ€œYouโ€™re a fucking prick.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve been called worse,โ€ I say, my voice casual still. โ€œBut Iโ€™m the prick with the girl. And sheโ€™s not inflatable.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ll see you at the townhouse,โ€ he says, ignoring my comment. โ€œYouโ€™ll be back really late, right? Youโ€™ve got work, college. All that shit. Donโ€™t worry, buddy. Iโ€™ll keep the girls company.โ€

He hangs up, and I replay the conversation in my head. He unnerves me more than any other human being, and the fact that I donโ€™t have to impress him makes my lips unnaturally loose.

He called me. To fuck with me.

Itโ€™s working.

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