Chapter Five

I approached the door that led to the CEO office of doom. I didn't open it, though. I wanted to give myself some time to think over what I was about to do. Sebastian and Garret's screams were more amplified now, which made it harder for me to push myself to walk in. Still, I told myself that I would be a savior of sorts for breaking up the unecessary argument.

I knocked softly and the screaming was replaced by the sound of Garret yelling "come in!" through the door. I opened the door hesitantly and stood in front of the two angry men

Sebastian looked at me as if I just killed his dog.

"Oh, Leslie. I'm sorry about all of this." Garret started.

"It is perfectly fine, sir. I just wanted to check in, to see what is going on...how...why I'm involved...I could come back another tim-"

"No, you have come at the right time. Shit has already hit the fan."

Sebastian snorted and let out a laugh that was extremely contagious, but I composed myself. Garret, was not amused.

"Anyway, I feel as if it is wise to just put everything on the table." He turned towards his son. "Sebastian, you're a screw up. You spend your money on, on alcohol and girls, not to mention the weed and drugs." Sebastian flushed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You've stamped a bad name onto my company and even our family name. You had the audacity to, to trash a room in my hotel and leave with a woman in your arms...intoxicated." Garret rubbed his eyes. Sebastian's face was still flushed red. Even when he looked like an ugly tomato, he was still attractive.

If that makes any sense.

"So, as I said before, Leslie here will be getting you into shape."

"But I'm already in shape, I go to the gym twice a week-" He couldn't even finish his remark without laughing.

So this guy is going to run a multi million dollar company in the future, eh? I thought.

Garret suddenly slammed his hand on the glass table, making me flinch. Surprisingly not shattering it into pieces.

"Enough! I have had enough of this. You are a twenty four year old man. Act like it!" Garret said the whole phrase in a sort of discrete yet yelling voice that scared the living shit out of me.

For the first time since I have "met" him, Sebastian was quiet. His facial expression indicated that he was pissed off that someone actually put him in check, and oddly enough I found humor in this.

Big bad wolf has been scared straight.

Garret slowly walked over to the giant window. "You obviously would not be able to concentrate on your duties around such an environment as L.A. Too much of a distraction." The room was silent for a while before he spoke again.

"Which is why your mother and I have decided that-"

"Woah, woah, woah, you brought mom into this? Why?"

"Which is why your mother and I have decided that it would be best, that you go through your...'self cleansing' process at her house."

Sebastian's mouth dropped, and his eyebrows were drawn into a frown. He was speechless for a moment.

"Wait, no no no I refuse, nope. I'm not spending time in a fucking hick state like Tennessee-"

"Excuse me, but that 'hick state' is where you grew up-"

"I never grew up there, we lived there after you and mom split up, remember? Wanting to stay out of the lime light? And she decided to stay there herself when her money rolled in. For all we know she could be herding cattle and wearing plaid and all that bullshit..."

Garret didn't know what to say. It seemed as if he wanted to defend his ex wife but at the same time had similar thoughts.

"Don't talk about your mother like that! Look, it's official, you're going."

"You can't make me, I can walk out of here right now without taking the job."

"Try it, I dare you. Remember that document I had you sign before you cashed that check when you turned 18? You should have read it first, boy. Walk out that door and I take you to court. Plain and simple."

"This is some Hannah Montana bullshit!" He yelled.

Shit really just hit the fan. Sebastian knew he fucked up. He was so eager to use the money he didn't read the fine print.

I felt awkward standing there during this father and son showdown. I didn't know what to say, if I should say anything at all. I decided to keep my mouth shut and wait until I actually understood what I had to do with this.

"I'm glad we're at an understanding, then. 3 months, Tennessee, no but's. It will be a fun and humbling experience, and you'll have your brothers and sisters to keep you company. They seem to be there already; Patrick called me this morning."

"I don't want anything to do with them, none of them."

"Well, you're all under the same roof so you're going to have to just deal with it. And also, you'll have your assistants there, and Leslie who will be helping you get in shape."

Shit, here it is.

"Wait, Mr. Harrison, I-I don't-why do I have to go, I mean don't you need someone here to, you know, be a publicist?" Sebastian laughed, knowing what I was trying to do; get my ass out of this mess.

"Don't pretend you don't want to live in a house with me for three months, sweetheart." He winked at me, making me want to punch him in his freaking esophagus. I felt my eyebrow twitch.

How can someone irritate me so much, my eyebrow twitches?

"I thought that your assistant could take your place until you came back. She has proven to be a hard worker, no?"

I couldn't say no. She was a hard worker, but she just wasn't me, I was me, the one and only Leslie King. A publicist for a multi millionaire and now a guidance counselor in Tennessee?

"Dad, she obviously doesn't want to do it, she clearly isn't cut out for babysitting."

Finally, the one thing he has said this morning that has made sense.

"I agree, partially. I don't think this would work ou-"

"I'll raise your pay 10 dollars an hour and give you a 15,000 dollar bonus."

"Deal."

I walked over to Garret and shook his hand. Sebastian was blurting nonsense in the back round but at that moment I couldn't hear him. All I heard was a pay raise and 15,000 dollars sitting in my bank account when I got back.