Rich and Bossy (Rich Boys)

33. Hazel

CHAPTER 33

Hazel

“You’re going to do fine. You look great, you have all your talking points laid out. This is going to go smooth and easy.” I don’t know if Campbell is trying to convince me or herself as she paces in tight little circles behind the chair I’m sitting in while a team works on my hair and makeup in my parents’ kitchen.

“I’m good. I promise.” I sit up a little straighter, staring at my reflection in the lit mirror the crew brought. I look like me, but at the same time I don’t. My makeup’s a little more severe than I would normally wear it, but then this is for TV, and because I’ll be live and under a ton of lights, my makeup needs to account for how washed out I would look otherwise. I’d be sitting there and looking like a ghost if it weren’t for the shading and contouring.

It’s all so surreal when I look over at Campbell. I’ll be featuring on one of the oldest and most revered news programs in the entire country. “My parents have been watching this show since before I was born. Every Sunday night, without fail.”

“That’s probably a similar story for most families.” Campbell smiles back.

The truth is, I don’t really care about my makeup. I’m only focused on it to distract myself from my ridiculous nerves. I’ve aged years in the past few weeks. I can tell myself I’ll take a big vacation once this is over, but the fact that I’m still a student means that’s not happening either. I just finished midterms and it’ll be a miracle if I pulled Cs. Fortunately, my professors have been super understanding and are rooting for us.

I also need to find a new job, but that’s a problem for another day.

Unlike my coworkers who got fired with me, I have parents who don’t mind supporting me while I take this on. We have to win this vote. We’ve tried to appeal the termination for all of them. Campbell has union lawyers in Chicago and New York working on it around the clock. I don’t know if she’s paying them or if it’s free, but they are experts and it’s still being dragged out by the company in court.

I guess there’s all kinds of drama between where Penn works and a guy named Donavan, who is Decker’s brother, who runs the firm in Chicago. I could not follow all of it, but apparently, it’s been a struggle for them to kind of play both sides after that and work with both firms.

Anyway, she says it’s not important, and we have everything we need to get the best outcome possible. I just need to keep up the media appearances, keep telling the public how they’re treating us for trying to form a union.

If anything, even if we lose, it will highlight the abuses of these global juggernaut corporations.

A production assistant hustles into the room wearing a headset and carrying a microphone pack in one hand. “We’ll be on in five.” He reaches behind me without warning, hooking the mic pack into the waistband of my pants before clipping the little microphone onto my blouse. I’m almost consumed by this strange impulse to ask him to at least take me to dinner first next time, but something tells me the joke would be lost on him. I’m sure he does this daily and knows what he’s doing.

“Remember what we talked about. You’ll do great.” Campbell smiles and walks out past the lights.

I sit there in one of two chairs in my living room that’s now unrecognizable with all the production equipment, TV cameras from multiple angles. Just when I thought things couldn’t get more surreal than they were, I find myself surprised.

“The gloves are off now, but you just have to stay professional, sound reasonable, and tell everyone’s story.”

“I got this.”

She appears again. “You’re damn right you do.” She has a hand on each shoulder, then adjusts my hair a little, arranging it so it frames my face in a more flattering way. “Perfection. You’re going to do amazing, no matter what.” Meanwhile, I can barely get my hands to stop shaking. This isn’t cable news, not even a popular and respected program like the ones I’ve appeared on before now. This is network TV, and we’ll be live.

And all of a sudden, I think I might throw up.

Before I have a chance to do so, a woman as familiar to me as my own mother strolls over to me with a hand extended. “Hazel, I’m?—”

“Leslie Hartman,” I finish for her, and I can feel the hot flush that’s now coloring my cheeks. “It’s such an honor to meet you.”

She’s won countless awards over her decades in journalism, and up close she’s even more beautiful and personable than she comes off on TV.

She laughs gently, the way a person would do if they heard the same thing coming from just about everybody they ever met. “The honor is mine. You’ve got a lot of guts. Fighters recognize each other like that.”

“Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say.

“We’re about to get started. Relax, take your time answering. They’ll work the commercials around us.”

One of the crew members checks my mic one more time before stepping away. I can barely make out Campbell over behind one of the cameras. She gives me a thumbs up.

To Leslie’s left there’s a monitor, and on it I see myself the way everyone watching will see me once we get started. Is this how so many other people have felt only a minute before going on camera? I never gave it much thought before now. I don’t think I’ll ever watch the news again without having at least a little sympathy for anyone being interviewed.

I wonder if Paxton will watch? Why am I even thinking about him?

He’s the absolute last thing I need to think about as Leslie takes a sip of water, listening through her earpiece to directions coming from the production team.

“Here we go. You’ll be just fine.” The image on the monitor changes, now showing me one of the other co-hosts sitting in the studio. All I can see are his lips moving.

Leslie starts staring at the camera over my shoulder. “And I’m here live, with a young labor revolutionary, taking the nation by storm.”

Look right at her. Look right at her.

Leslie wears a professional smile as she addresses the camera again. “I’m here this evening with Hazel Strous, who is quickly becoming a celebrity in the business world. At the tender age of twenty-one, Hazel has rallied together employees in preparation of a vote which will determine whether the Minnesota warehouse at Rapid organizes a union.”

Now she’s looking at me. “Unfortunately, Hazel, you recently lost your position with the company.”

“That’s correct.” I can see myself out of the corner of my eye, my image filling the monitor. Don’t fidget, don’t touch your face . “I, along with twenty other employees, was let go last Monday.”

“And you believe that was because of your attempts to organize a union?”

“That’s what I was led to believe at the time, yes. Even though the company’s official position says otherwise.”

“There was a hugely positive response from the warehouse workers, correct? To your initial efforts?”

“For the most part, yes, the response was positive. There were still a few people on the fence. Considering the fact that I lost my job, I can understand why they’re probably all apprehensive about moving forward now. I hope they understand how important this vote is. Anyone can be fired at any time, and they can just manufacture a reason out of thin air. All the employees that just happened to be fired are coincidentally the same employees supporting the union push the most vocally.”

“Would you say this is an intimidation tactic by Rapid? What many would refer to as union busting?”

I snicker, even though I know I technically shouldn’t. “It felt pretty intimidating when they did it. Parading us out in front of everyone with armed security guards. It’s not the first tactic they’ve used but probably the most blatant.”

“What else have they done?”

I tell her about the meeting and the tracking, trying to keep employees from going to the hospital. I even manage to describe the urination scenario without being too gross. We went over it a million times on what language to use.

“Wow, that is just…” Even she looks taken aback. Then, something in her eyes changes. “Wait, hang on…” Leslie stops in the middle of her thought, her brow furrowing. She touches her fingers to her earpiece. Suddenly, her eyes light up, and my heart responds by almost leaping out of my chest.

What the hell is going on? I shoot a look to Campbell, who only shrugs before going back to staring at Leslie in confusion. We were not briefed on this. Not at all.

Leslie nods, then takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Hazel, but we’ve had a last-minute development. I truly am sorry.” She gives me a sympathetic look. “We actually have Paxton Briggs, current CEO and founder of Rapid on with us, and he would like to weigh in on this.”

I practically swallow my tongue, shooting a terrified look to Campbell. I thought they weren’t supposed to surprise me like this. She only shakes her head, giving me a thumbs up like she wants me to continue. Her look says this may be a positive development, and I do my best to school my features, but it’s almost impossible. I have to look horrified.

Is he going to really hijack my interview to make excuses? Derail this whole thing? I know he was mad, but this is really below the belt.

Suddenly, instead of the monitor projecting my face, it’s Paxton’s that fills half the screen with me. He’s standing outside somewhere, and it looks like he’s using his phone as a camera. It’s all shaky, Blair Witch style. What, is he Facetiming somebody on the show? This is getting too bizarre.

It’s also too painful, just seeing the way he looks on camera. My stupid heart swells at the sight of him, and now it’s impossible to deny the pain on his face. I’ve done everything I could to push him out of my mind, out of my heart, but it was obviously no use. I’m just as in love with him as I ever was, and I hate him for that. For the things he said to me last time I saw him.

“Mr. Briggs.” Leslie’s tone suggests she’s now speaking directly to the villain in this situation. She doesn’t hide her disdain, and it almost seems like she’s taking this whole thing as personally as I am. “Do you have any response to the claims being made by Hazel and the other workers who were fired?”

I realize I’m holding my breath, just as unsure of what his answer will be as anybody else watching.

“Ms. Hartman, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. And massive apologies to Miss Strous. I know this is unexpected.” His breath forms a cloud around his head. “However, instead of answering your question, I would like to make an announcement.”

“An announcement?”

Meanwhile, I’m digging my nails into my palms hard enough to hurt. He would pull something like this, trying to take the focus off the union and what we’re trying to do.

“Effective immediately, I’m resigning as CEO of Rapid due to internal disagreements with the board of directors and major shareholders and their intrusion into this situation.”

There are gasps from all over the room, including my own.

Only Leslie manages to contain herself. The expert journalist she is, immediately hits him with a follow up. “Exactly how have they intervened?”

“It was their decision to terminate all employees with a proven record of working to organize the warehouse. They threatened myself and my Chief Operating Officer with being removed from the company via a vote of the board if we refused to go along with their demands.”

I look over to Campbell, silently pleading with her with nothing but my look of shock. Son of a bitch , she mouths, shaking her head slowly. It’s the look of a person who knows they should have seen something coming but missed all the signs. It’s clear she believes him.

Me? I’m still not completely sold. I want to be—God knows I do—but he’s already hurt me enough. This can’t be some kind of new tactic, can it? My mind is totally a mess. I can’t even form a thought.

“Do you have direct proof that the employees were deliberately targeted for termination?” Leslie asks.

I could kiss her, I really could.

“As a matter of fact, I do. The board of directors brought in a team of consultants .” He uses air quotes with one hand when he says the word. “They specialize in crushing labor dissent. They conducted a formal presentation in my conference room, along with handouts outlining various tactics they planned to use.” Paxton holds up a separate phone. “My COO recorded it all, we have audio.” He holds up a sheaf of paper. “I have the documents in their company letterhead they gave us for their multipronged approach. I’m also in possession of the engagement letter our chairman carelessly allowed his name to be attached to. I’d be happy to provide you with all of this.”

It’s like a punch to the stomach. All the air leaves my lungs at once. This can’t be real. I must be dreaming. Is he actually doing this? And why? He’s going to lose everything.

It’s clear Leslie and I are thinking along the same lines. “Mr. Briggs, with all due respect, why would you do this? It’s going to sabotage your company’s stock price.”

“The stock price will recover. The company we built, that I know still exists within whatever we’ve become, has a strong foundation. I truly believe it will weather this storm, even without me. I thought about this decision for a long time, and ultimately, I love my employees and I believe this is what’s best for them.”

“So where do you…”

He cuts her off. “I apologize for the interruption, Leslie, but I do need to make one other announcement.”

“By all means, Mr. Briggs.”

“This isn’t all completely selfless of me. There’s someone else, responsible for helping guide me to this decision, when I might not have had the courage to do it before.”

“Who?” Leslie asks.

“She’s sitting right in front of you. It’s Hazel. I’m in love with her, and her actions have reminded me what’s truly important. She’s inspired me in ways she can’t possibly know.”

I’m pretty sure Leslie has seen it all in her career, and even she looks completely flabbergasted.

So many things go through my head all at once. Joy, disbelief, shock. The fact that legendary Leslie Hartman looks like she just hit the ratings lottery doesn’t help matters.

He loves me?

He just said that on national television. Live.

How many millions of people are watching this right now? I manage to pry my eyes away from the monitor long enough to look at Campbell, who is openmouthed the way a person can only be when they’re good and truly stunned.

“Hazel?” Leslie chokes out, trying to remain serious and composed. “Do you have anything to say?”

I have a lot of things to say, most of which would not be much appreciated by the FCC. Finally, there’s only one thing I can manage to safely ask, right at the camera. “Are you insane?”

He smiles right at me, shaking his head. “With regards to my former company, no. Am I insane about you? A hundred percent yes.”

My response even manages to get a laugh out of Leslie.

“Where are you?” I ask like nobody else could possibly be hearing this conversation.

Leslie might as well not even be here. The cameras, the crew, all of them fade to the background and it’s like the two of us are just having a conversation by ourselves.

“Come to your front door.”

What the hell?

I look at Campbell, then at Leslie, eyes wide.

“I think you better go.” Leslie smiles.

I waste no time unhooking my microphone, leaving it on the chair before bolting for the door, trying not to trip over any wires and face plant. Somewhere behind me, Campbell politely but firmly asks the camera crew not to follow.

I fling the door open, like this still might be a dream, but sure enough, he’s standing right in front of it. He has his phone in his hand and pockets it, then stares right at me. “Hi.” He breathes out a wall of steam with the word. “You look incredible.”

Rather than thank him for the compliment, I ask the only thing I can think, the only thing that’s clear. “What is wrong with you?” I’m trying not to smile.

Do. Not. Smile.

“A lot of things.” He shrugs, laughing like someone who’s truly lost it. “I'm not doing it to get you back. I hope it happens, but it’s not why I did it. I’m doing it because it’s the right thing to do. The only thing to do if I want to respect myself. Not to mention adhering to the guiding principles I wanted my company to stand for. If it means I have to step aside to ensure those standards are upheld, that’s the way it has to be.”

“I don’t…” Tears threaten at the corners of my eyes. I wave my hands around when emotion clogs my throat.

His hands twitch, like he wants to hold me right now.

I want him to, but how? How after all the things he said to me?

“Just talk to me, Hazel.” His eyes plead with mine.

“I can’t. Not right now.” I wipe at one of my eyes, and I know I just walked away from the whole world in there.

“I know I hurt you. I know I said and did some questionably unspeakable things, but this was new to me. I don’t know what these feelings are, and I didn’t know how to navigate them, but I want to know. I want to learn how. I think you do too. I will never let anything come between us again—nothing.” He offers a faint smile. “But Hazel, please, I need you to forgive me. Even if you don’t want to see me again. I can’t live with myself another fucking minute if you don’t. Don’t make me go through this life thinking you hate me. It would destroy me.”

“Paxton, I can’t.” The tears are flowing now. “You hurt me so damn bad. I’ve never felt anything like it. It was worse than what happened at the warehouse, I could’ve handled that. I couldn’t handle the way you treated me and blew up on me. Right where you’re standing. Why should I believe this is real and that wasn’t?”

He takes a step forward, then stops himself. “Did you believe it when I said I love you? Everyone else saw that, but it doesn’t matter what the fuck they think. It only matters what you think. Did you believe me?”

Yes, and something tells me Paxton will be on Leslie’s Christmas card list for the rest of her life. He just handed her a huge, dramatic story. But none of that matters as much as the way he’s looking at me right now. And the way I want so badly to throw myself into his arms and never come up for air.

When I don’t respond, he takes another step. “It was true. Everything else I told you was true too.” He stands there, staring into my eyes. “About the board. About not having any control over what happened. I’m sorry I didn’t handle it better. I handled it as worse as one can handle something, but they literally told me I was gone if I didn’t comply. John too. I should’ve done this the second they did it, but I didn’t know how to let go. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t know how…”

“You don’t have to. I took it out on you, and I was wrong. I was so fucking wrong, Hazel.” In his second stunning move of the night, Paxton drops to his knees. “Please. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it. Whatever you want, it’s yours. I just want you. I don’t care about anything else. That’s all that matters, you and what you want. I just need another chance. I’ll never hesitate again. Please, tell me I still have a chance with you. Tell me you’ll let me love you.” His eyes start to water, the way mine are.

Holy hell. He’s literally on my porch, begging me to take him back. I really didn’t see this coming.

“Okay.” It’s barely a whisper, hardly enough to send a cloud of vapor rising from my lips. “Okay. I love you, too.”

He flies up and winces as he does it, wrapping me in a giant hug. “Cold concrete’s not so good on this knee.”

“Well, you still knocked the breath out of me, so well done, sir.” I can barely get the words out because him slamming into me coupled with the cold has literally stolen the breath from my lungs. God, it feels so good to be in his arms though.

“You’re worth the pain,” he whispers, touching his forehead to mine and sighing like a man at the end of a long journey. “Every fucking ounce of it.”

“I can’t promise I’ll never call you an idiot again.”

He leans back and smiles. “That’s what I love most about you.” With that, he lowers his head, and nothing in the world could top the feel of his lips against mine. The sense of everything being right, finally. The way it was meant to be. My hand slides over the back of his neck, holding tight. Making sure I don’t lose him again.

Somebody clears their throat behind us. Loudly. “Um, half the country wants to know how this turned out.” I reluctantly break the kiss and look over my shoulder to find Campbell watching from the front door.

Our eyes meet, and she smiles. “They can wait.” With that, she shuts the door so I can pull Paxton closer and kiss him again.

Why do I love this big idiot so much?