Yes, Sir

0.5

•- Austin Wood -•

"Your new assistant seems very nice," my mother smiles, raising her glass of wine to her lips gently.

I place my fork down gently and swallow the salad I'd been eating before the rest of our meal arrives.

"I don't intend to get to know her that much, mother. I run a professional business place and I have no intentions of damaging the company name with another scandal." I speak truthfully with a hint of aggression.

My mother sighs as she places her wine glass back to the cloth covered table. "I wish you would stop being so professional all the time. The only time you're fun is when you're around for the holidays."

It was overly irritating to hear about my professionalism outside of the office. She expected to keep the office the office, and anything outside as a family event. I didn't have the time to be both people she desired to have. It was growing old over the years.

Before I could enlighten her once more, our food is delivered and fall into normal conversation about work and how the rest of my immediate family is doing.

It was always a decent outing with my mother. Despite the Wood being rich name, all she ever wanted were the children and the small suburban house. I envied her in many ways. She was capable of loving the simple things of life instead of the materialistic aspects that my entire career was mounted on.

We leave Divens and walk into the street where a few people who typically followed me around for scandals and other bullshit articles they could come up with. I give my mother a hug before helping her into her car.

"You tell that Lainey girl she's one of the sweetest little things I ever had the privilege to speak with," my mother smiles, her teeth as pearly white as they were when I was a kid.

"You spoke to her for less than five minutes, mom. How could you possibly know what kind of person she is?" I ask, leaning against the window to prevent her from leaving without dragging my body with her. Although I'm sure at times she wouldn't mind.

"I just have a gut feeling, Austin. Keep this girl around, mommy's always right," she winks playfully as she starts the ignition of her vehicle, "I'll call you when I land in England, lot of love, Aussie," she smiles, using my childhood nickname my younger sister who had been incapable of sayings my name had come up with. Needless to say it stuck and I was damned from the start.

"Love you too."

I wave her off and watch as she merges into the traffic before her car disappears behind the many others.

Not having the time or patience to answer questions from the journalists who made their cut with the false lies of entire career, I enter the back of my chauffeured car and direct Neil to take me home.

Usually I'd spend my late nights scoping out the next woman's bed I intend to be in, but tonight was different. I had no desire to fuck a random woman I'd never spoken to before, no desire to tangle myself in the wrinkled sheets of a bed, just the need to pour myself some hard liquor and pass out on my couch with paperwork in front of me.

I guess it was one of those nights.

•———•

Walking into the top floor, I was surprised to see Laine standing in front of her desk with a to go cup from the downstairs coffee establishment in the lobby. It was one of my prouder investments I will say.

She extends her hand out and hands me the drink.

"I figured we haven't gotten off on the right foot and I realized I should act more accordingly," she chews on her bottom lip in what I presume to be nervousness but I wasn't about to point the simple action out.