The Billionaire’s Over 40 Love

Chapter 8

“She’s not here, sorry,” an apologetic Candace said over the phone. Faydra hadn’t answered a single text message over the weekend and now she wasn’t at work, or at least that’s what Candace told him. Regardless, it was clear that Faydra had little interest in speaking with Cal after their blowup at his condo.

“Do you know when she’ll be in?” Cal waited for a response, but the woman was quiet.

After a while she stated, “I’m not sure. I mentioned that she could work from home, prepping for our new store so I’m sure that’s what she’s doing.”

“So she’s at home. Can you tell me where that is?” Cal knew he wasn’t going to get the answer he wanted on that one but figured it was a good try.

“Now Calvin, you know I can’t give you her address. All I can do is call you the next time she comes in. If it’s space she wants, maybe you should give it to her. She’s been through a lot ya know.” Cal let out an exhausted sound.

“I know Candace, I know. I’ll figure something else out, thanks for your help.”

Calvin hated this. He hated the fact that some asshole had ruined Faydra’s happiness. Not only her happiness with himself but also with other men in the future. He didn’t like that his every action was judged twice as hard because of what Faydra’s ex did to her. He understood it and he felt for her, but he didn’t think it was fair.

He knew he couldn’t say that to her, but he needed to find a way to contact her to tell her he wasn’t going anywhere. That he thought she was worth the wait and he was willing to do it.

After hanging up the phone, he wallowed at his desk, thinking on how he could get through to her in the next few days before Friday’s party. His brain whirred a mile a minute before he remembered something. Travis. The intern. He remembered his resume said something about interning in the investigation unit of his hometown sheriff’s department. Hmm, why not? What did he have to lose at this point?

“Travis,” he pressed the buzzer after dialing the appropriate desk extension.

“Hello? Hello?” came a scrawny voice on the other end of the line, clearly unsure of how to use the intercom system given that Sophia was quite partial to yelling directly from her office.

“It’s Calvin. Can you come to my office, it’s important. And don’t tell Sophia.”

“Yes sir, be right there sir,” came the obedient response.

A few short minutes later a quiet knock landed on his door.

“Come in!” The sight of Travis always made Calvin smile because he reminded him a lot of himself when he was younger. “Close the door, take a seat.” The kid sat in front of him and he immediately tucked his hands under his legs in an unfortunate nervous habit. “First of all, calm down a little bit. You aren’t in trouble. In fact, I need your help. And I need you to be relaxed enough to help me out and get done what I need you to do.”

Travis removed his hands from underneath his legs. “Yes, sir.”

“And stop calling me sir. Okay, listen. If I recall correctly you worked at the sheriff’s department in high school? Right? Doing some kind of online investigation?”

“Yes,” replied Travis.

“Okay, and how confident are you in those abilities now?”

Travis offered up an unsure look, but tilted his head in interest. “I mean, I’m probably a little rusty but I still know the basics or know who would. Why? What do you need me to investigate?”

“A girl.”

Travis immediately perked up. “Really?”

“Really.”

“What kind of girl? Like—girlfriend, a potential girlfriend, sister?”

Calvin was actually appreciative for the distraction from his situation with this kid whose biggest problem seemed to be whether or not Sophia would burn him with her devil horns. “Potential girlfriend… I don’t know, we were seeing each other and I kind of screwed up and her past makes her have a hard time trusting people so she shut me out but I want to take her to this party Friday but she won’t answer my calls and I at least want to send her something.” You just rambled to your twenty-two-year-old intern, he shook his head at himself. 

“Wow.”

“Yes. So can you help me?”

“Sure, what do you need?”

“I need her address and I need to have a package delivered there, and I need confirmation that she’s received it.”

“Okay, but you know even if she receives it that doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll open it. Especially if it’s from you and she’s mad at you.”

“Wow, thank you, Travis. Think of something will you?”

Travis thought for a while.

“Okay, I’ll come up with something. I can do it.”

“Today.”

“Sheesh, that’s kind of short notice! How about, tomorrow? Delivered tomorrow.”

“Fine. That’s good. Get it done,” Calvin turned back to his computer but Travis remained seated.

“I need her name Mr. Dennison and any and all information you have on her.”

“Right. Okay, I’m going to send it to you on the private server. Don’t open it in front of anyone okay, this is just between you and me. I can trust you, right?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Dennison. I’m glad to help.”

“Excellent. Make it happen.”

*****

Faydra was so thankful to Candace for letting her work from home for a few days. Given what had happened at Calvin’s apartment, she didn’t want to chance running into him and caving to his charms like she had such a bad habit of doing.

She’d been vague when she told Candace and asked for some time at home. She mentioned that there had been an argument and it had opened up old wounds and pains that she’d experienced after Kevin left. And Candace understood because she was the one that had been there for Faydra when everything happened with Kevin.

“Listen, I don’t know what’s going on between you and Calvin, but he seems like a really nice guy and I know he’s into you. Now, maybe he’s just a master manipulator, but if not you should take the time to figure out your feelings. Figure out if they’re truly red flags or if these are just feelings you haven’t gotten over since the breakup,” she’d said when Faydra had called her the night before she was due into work. “Take some time. Stay home—work on yourself and your plans for the new store, that’s your baby. And then maybe you’ll come to some realization after that.”

Faydra had hesitantly agreed to do so but only after promising to have all of the budget and order plans complete and ready for submission after her staycation.

While working on the budget she did allow herself time to think about what Candace had said. Were all these hesitations towards Cal all remnants of pain and distrust left from Kevin?