Iris’s eyes lowered to his open palm before returning to his eyes. “I need you to trust me.”
“I do, Iris.” Tyler lowered his hand. “Give me another chance and I’ll prove it to you.”
Iris stared at her hands folded in her lap for another quiet moment. This time, Tyler waited.
“I can’t take that risk. I’m sorry, Ty.” She stood and walked to her front door. She held it open as she turned back to Tyler.
No! Tyler’s mind shouted denials. He rose slowly. “Iris, I—”
“I’m sorry.” But she couldn’t meet his eyes.
Tyler’s mind spun, searching for better arguments, more persuasions, anything that would convince her to let him stay. He had nothing. He walked to the door on unsteady legs. Every step shredded his heart.
He hesitated when he reached her. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Iris.”
Walking out the door tore his heart out.
* * *
“I’m not ready to take charge of the company.” Tyler stood in his father’s office Friday morning. Through one of the windows, he stared blindly at the fifth-floor view of downtown Columbus. In the past four months, he’d come full circle. From wanting to prove to Foster that he could be the next chief executive officer of their family-owned company to realizing he didn’t have what it took to lead Anderson Adventures.
“Ty, what are you talking about?” Foster’s voice carried from his desk behind Tyler. He sounded baffled. “You’ve been preparing for this since you were eight years old.”
“I know.” In childhood dreams, you can do anything. But now it was time to grow up.
“The internal launch was wonderful. Our associates are still talking about it. The external campaign was a great success. Presales are at historic highs.”
Both accomplishments were all Iris’s doing. Now, she wanted nothing to do with him. “‘Osiris’s Journey’ will be another bestselling game for us.”
“Another bestseller that you designed.” Foster paused. In the background, Tyler heard a very brief, faint sigh. “Look at me, Ty. After everything you’ve accomplished, what makes you think you can’t lead the company?”
Reluctantly, Ty faced his father. “You taught me that Anderson Adventures is more than products. It’s people. But when the company was threatened, I sacrificed a person to protect it even though everything in me told me I was wrong.”
A sudden restlessness—and shame?—drove him from the window. Tyler shoved his fists into the front pockets of his black Dockers and paced across his father’s office. The room was wide and bright. Thick burgundy carpeting silenced his footsteps.
“You don’t think you can lead the company because of the w
ay you handled the leak?” The concern on Foster’s expression eased.
“I never should have accused Iris.”
“Why, because she still hasn’t forgiven you?”
Tyler shot his father a sharp look. “I shouldn’t have accused her because she wasn’t responsible. My gut told me that. But instead of following my instincts, I believed a piece of paper.” He fisted his hands. If he could, he’d build a time machine and make all of this go away.
“Next time, you’ll know to listen to your gut.”
“There won’t be a next time.” When he came to the opposite wall, Tyler turned and retraced his steps.
“I certainly hope not.” Foster shifted in his seat to face Tyler. “But in the meantime, I’m convinced you can lead the company and our associates once I step down. Kayla agrees.”
Shock froze Tyler’s feet in place. “How can you say that?”
“Because you did what I asked you to do and you did it well.” Foster straightened on his chair.
“I appreciate your support but you’re making a mistake. The way I handled Iris when she was suspected of being the leak shows I don’t have good judgment.”
“Ty, I would have done exactly what you did.”