Fox's Worth #7

CH 3 Pulse

Fox's POV- Austin Pictured above

I hear a knock on the door and smile as I answer it. My best friend Austin is on the other side with an overnight bag and a huge smile. "Are you ready to party Fox?" He asks as he brushes past me and throws his bag on the couch before sitting down next to it. "I have the whole weekend planed and I promise you are going to have a blast and forget about that old ass hat if it's last thing I do."

I just nod while closing the door to my suite. "Whatever you say Austin." He smirks and I swear it only makes him better looking. He has that laid back cowboy style added with a streak of high fashion in the mix. I don't know how he can looked so tailored in jeans and a henley but  he does and the sad thing is he knows it. He's not horribly arrogant or anything like that but he is not above using his looks to get what he wants.

Austin and I grew up in the same gated community and went to school together after I moved in with my grand father so we have been friends going on fifteen years now. No one knows me better than Austin and if anyone can get me out of the funk Richard put me in its him. So I suck up my fears and decide I'm going to give Austin the chance to try and cheer me up and go along with his plans with minimal fuss.

"Ok I'm ready to stop mopping around let's do something fun, but let's start small Austin. Please you know how I am, please keep that in mind." Austin smirks again and I just know he won't comply with my request. I shake my head. "Come on its dinner time lets grab something to eat and you can layout your game plan for the weekend."

Austin claps his hands together and we head back down to the hotels restaurant. We sit and order some appetizers and drinks while catching up on each other's life. I tell Austin what happened at work and how I'm thinking about quitting my position as CFO and maybe either taking some time off or starting a new branch office somewhere besides Dallas just to get away from Richard and his new boy toy.

Austin is outraged to say the least. "You can't let that old fool win Fox. Don't let him run you out of your own company let alone your office. I can understand not wanting to be on the same floor anymore, but Foxy."

I give a stern sneer at Austin. "You know I hate to be called Foxy, Austin don't make me hurt you." Austin throws his hands up. "Sorry, sorry Fox. I'm just saying aren't you still the majority share holder of the company can't you just move him down a couple floors and be done with it."

I rub my temples as our food gets delivered. "Austin it's not that easy. There are still board meetings and just office meetings I will have to see him at least no including public areas like the garage and break rooms too. God forbid I run into him in the restroom. I can't stand to see him so unaffected by our divorce it's killing me and he is acting like nothing happened. Our live together is over our partnership is ruined and he acts like its nothing. I can't stand that he thinks I'm nothing." I say dejectedly.

Austin reaches across the table and grabs my hand squeezing it. "I can't begin to understand what you are going through but I do know you are strong and you can get through this, maybe work from home for a while before you make any major business decisions. You know what my father says business and emotions do not mix."

I bust up laughing at Austin's horrible impression of his father. "And I know that's the logical thing to do but it's so hard to stay logical when I think about Rich. Do you... Do you think he ever loved me or was it all about the business for him? I'm not sure anymore?"

Austin sighs. "Fox you can't do this to yourself, you can't let that asshole have one more minute of your time or thoughts. I know what he did hurt you and we will never really know his full intentions but giving him any more of you, whether it's your hurt, anger, or fear is just doing yourself a disservice."