This Time Around ⭐

7 - To Harlan...

I walked into the Blood Like Wine offices and knew there would be a staff meeting that needed to be held. I walked in and walked to Harlan's old office, opened the door to find Walt sitting behind the desk.

"Can I help you?" I asked him and he stood up.

"Just getting used to my new office..." Walt said and I huffed a laugh.

"I don't know if you remember the will reading from a few days ago but Harlan left me the publishing company. I believe you're in my office." I said and he laughed.

"So you fucked Ransom and had his love child to weasel your way in. Were you also sleeping with my father to get everything from him?" Walt asked getting up in my face.

"No, he just loved me more than the rest of you because I saw him as a human being and not just a bank. So I need you to go back to your office Walt and we will have a meeting just the two of us later and discuss your future with the company." I said. He didn't move. "Or we could have this meeting now, you clean out your office and leave." I said. He panicked knowing I could now fire him and he needed the job. He grumbled as he walked away and I released the breath I had been holding. I sat at my desk and pulled out my phone.

Willa: I walked into the office and Walt was sitting behind the desk...

Ransom: You need me to come there?

Willa: No, I dealt with him and told him he and I would have a meeting later.

Ransom: You firing him?

Willa: 🤷‍♀️😏

Ransom: That's my girl, play coy.

Willa: How is Ollie?

Ransom: Running around the yard with Dash.

I got a picture of Oliver and Dash and I sighed.

Willa: Am I being a horrible mother with coming to work? A horrible person for taking this job...maybe Walt would be better to have the job...

Ransom: I don't want to hear that Willa Foster. You are the job, you are the company. Harlan left you in charge.

I saw what he sent and sighed. I then stood up and walked out to the main office area.

"Can everyone please meet me in the board room for a few minutes please?" I asked. The office wasn't huge, with secretaries and assistants as well as some other proofreaders and publishers we maybe had about 15 people. We all walked to the boardroom and I looked around once everyone was in. I walked to the head of the boardroom table and looked at everyone.

"I know we have all suffered a great loss with Harlan passing away. We all loved Harlan and he was like family to me, I had no one left in my family but I always had Harlan. I know he treated this company and employees like his family as well and I want you all to know now that with myself running the company I plan to do the same. I know I don't seem like the right person to be running this company but here we are. It's going to take me a couple of days to get everything settled. I want you all to know that you can come to me with anything. I want to have an open-door policy like Harlan did, but please give me a couple days to get settled." I explained. "Does anyone have any questions?" I asked and no one said anything but looked around the room. "Please speak up if you do..." I said and no one said anything still. I sighed. "Okay well if you think of anything come to me later.  Meeting dismissed." I said and everyone walked out. I watched everyone leave.

Once everyone was gone I went back to my office and started looking through all of Harlan's e-mails that I always had access to being his assistant. I looked up and saw Meg, Harlan's granddaughter standing at the door and I smiled at her.

"Hey, come on in." I said. She came in and sat down.

"How's the first day?" Meg asked and I sighed.

"Well ya know trying to figure everything out and where Harlan left off is always fun." I said and she nodded.

"Well listen I know you have a lot going on and I don't want to bullshit you, but I need to talk to you about a job." Meg said and I looked at her oddly.

"Meg, I can't just get you a publishing job..." I said and she shook her head.

"No, I don't want to be a publisher. I was wondering if you were going to need someone to take over your job that you were with Harlan. I mean you can't be boss and your own secretary or assistant." Meg said and I knew she was cut off from Harlan and she needed money to live on.

"Meg, can you do this job and your schoolwork?" I asked and she nodded.

"I'm taking a break from school. I need some time off." Meg said. "I figured I could cover until you find a permanent replacement." Meg said and I sighed.

"You got the job." I said and she laughed.

"That easy?" Meg asked.

"I have no clue what I'm doing..." I said and she shook her head.

"Don't let the vultures around here hear you. You will do fine. Let's get started. What do you need right now?" Meg said.

"Well I need to make a to do list from these emails. Go grab the tablet from my old desk and we can get started." I said and she smiled.

🕰 🕰 🕰

I was sitting in my office, with my elbows resting on the desk and my head was in my hands.

"Mommy!" I heard Oliver yell as he ran through the office, past Meg and into my office. I hugged him tightly when he reached me. "Too tight mom." Oliver said and I released him and looked to see Ransom leaning on the doorframe.

"This is exactly what I needed today." I said and Ransom smiled and shut the office door.

"Can I ask why Meg is sitting at your old desk?" Ransom asked as I put Oliver in my lap.

"She has my old job, she is taking time off school and needed a job since we got most of the assets." I said and Ransom sighed.

"Well...if you think it's smart." Ransom said and I sighed with a shrug.

"Ransom...I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I mean I hear whispers throughout the office, around the water cooler, Walt doing most of it, but I hear all of it. I don't know what to do...I'm in over my head." I said as tears filled my eyes and Ransom sighed. He opened the office door.

"Meg..." Ransom said and she walked in.

"Yeah?" She asked and looked at me.

"Can you take Oliver down the street to that bakery and get him whatever cupcake or cookie he wants?" Ransom asked and she looked at me. I nodded as Oliver jumped off my lap, Ransom gave Meg money and they walked out. He shut the door again.

"Okay, time for you to know about something in this office..." Ransom said and walked around the desk. He got in the bottom desk drawer and pulled out the decanter of whiskey and 2 glasses. I smiled at Ransom.

"How did you now about this?" I asked and he chuckled.

"When someone came to my house showing me a positive pregnancy test I came here to talk to Harlan and we had a drink." Ransom said winking at me as he poured us both a drink. I smiled at him raising my glass.

"To Harlan...to his crazy decisions and choices, lets hope he knew what he was doing." I said and Ransom nodded and we clinked glasses.

"He knew exactly what he was doing Wils. You will be amazing." Ransom said and I smiled at him and he took his drink, leaned down and kissed my cheek. I turned my head as he moved away from my cheek and I could stop myself when I grabbed Ransom by his shirt, pulling him down to me and passionately kissing him.