Dare Me Not | 18+ ✔

2. The Plan (Xander)

What I'm watching now is more entertaining than any TV show I've seen recently. Not that I have time for the evening sitcom. Still, it's hilarious to watch that kid trying to escape her father's mandate about her internship.

Parker Hayes is a spoiled brat, and that's a fact.

When Tim came to me a few months ago, complaining about his daughter, who didn't seem to show any interest in taking part in their family business, I was not surprised at all. If I had not remembered that Tim was my immediate boss, I would have just spoken my mind about how dumb he had been for letting the girl do whatever she wanted all these years.

Despite whatever reasons, which I think has something to do with his guilt at taking the girl away from her mother, he could have raised her under stricter rules for his own daughter's good. Because look at her now. She's almost twenty-five with no professional experience, not earning any cents, yet spending more than someone can earn with five years of working experience.

Parker is now frowning, probably looking for a hole to hop in and escape this conversation. "I don't think it's a good idea," she says.

Tim raises an eyebrow while standing still with his hands in his pockets, towering over his daughter. "Why not?"

Parker sighs, her fingers fumbling with the hem of her white hoodie. It's not hers, obviously, since it has Jessica's name on the back. Is Jessica her girlfriend? Or just a hookup? Hmm. I didn't know she was fooling around with girls, too. How far does she let Jessica do her? Trailing kisses down her neck and exploring her swells? Or maybe letting her go all the way down?

Okay, stop there, dude. I rub my face to shove the thoughts to the back of my head. Fuck. I need to get laid to keep my mind out of the gutter.

"I think," Parker says, her raspy voice probing, "it's better if I work with you. It will be easier for me to learn things since, you know, we don't have to build rapport first before we work on projects."

Tim frowns as he rubs his free-stubbled jaw. Judging from the expression on his face, he's considering his daughter's reason. Timothy Hayes, a successful player in the retail industry, known as a smart, ruthless, and strong-driven man, is completely clueless about his baby girl. He doesn't seem to get the idea that Parker is now trying to save her ass from getting kicked into hard work.

"In my humble opinion," I interject, "working with everyone else but your father will be beneficial for you. Because in reality, sometimes you can't choose with whom you need to have a business–"

"Of course I can," she cuts me, her beautiful big dark eyes glaring at me, shooting a poisonous bullet. "I have a right to decline a proposal from anyone I don't see fit. Business relationships should be based on mutual trust."

"At some point, that's true, but once you understand more about this field, you'll learn that things don't always go the way we want them. Decision-making in a business is nothing like deciding how you spend your allowance money. Sometimes you have to do what you dislike." I can see her jaw clench to contain her annoyance at my brief lecture, and if she thinks it would make me stop, she doesn't know who she's dealing with. I lean forward and fix my eyes on her pretty face, my elbows pressing on my knees, my fingers interlacing. "You can't always hide under your father's wing, Parker. Working with colleagues and learning from your differences are important to sharpen your business skills."

"Whatever," she says, turning to her father, "Dad, you can listen to him later, but for now, let me do this with you, at least until I finish my degree. Then I promise I will be ready if you want to throw me at anyone you see fit."

I shake my head, starting to get irritated by her attitude. I know Tim will cave in if Parker keeps pushing it, and all the plans we've been cooking together to get her ready for her role will go down the drain. Hours of discussion would just lead to nothing; such a waste of time. And I don't see the reason why I'm sitting here right now, listening to this crap, while I have a never-ending what-to-do list waiting for me at my desk.