Author: Regency
Title: Let's Never Change
Pairings: Hope/Liam, past Hope/Wyatt, Wyatt/Steffy, past Liam/Steffy
Setting: Begins Summer 2014
Summary: When Hope goes back to Liam, Wyatt has to put the pieces of his personal and professional life back together. Lucky for him, Steffy Forrester knows a little something about reinvention and Forrester International is in need of a jeweler.
Author's Notes: It's really important to note that I do not in any way hate Hope. I love her most of the time, I'm just not a fan of how the Hott (Hope/Wyatt) love story is shaking out, so I thought I'd play with another pairing. There will be no character bashing of any kind. I don't do that.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, setting, or quotes recognizable as being from The Bold & the Beautiful. They are the property of their actors, producers, writers, and studios, not me. No copyright infringement was intended and no money was made in the writing or distribution of this story. It was good, clean fun.
~!~
Wyatt was talking fast as he could think, and time was ticking.
"I'm more the idea man. I can match any outfit you've got with the perfect jewels, and then, I can find them for you." Wyatt added a last thing, somewhat quieter, "I design some, too. My mom's got the natural ability, but I learned everything I know from her."
Steffy leaned back against the conference table. "Are you just saying that to get hired?"
He stuffed his hands in his back pockets. "Not entirely. I'll admit, I'm a public relations guru, that's what I studied. Everything I got from my mom I got from growing up in the art. I didn't have coloring books, I had mom's design castoffs to color in. I learned how to make glass beads before I could ride a bike. I was six. I sat in on a metalworking traineeship she had when I was eight, because she couldn't find a sitter. She never had to wish for a daughter because I wanted to do everything she did when she did it. That hasn't changed. If you give me a chance, I can show you that I can be an asset to Forrester International."
Steffy flipped through the portfolio of ad campaigns Wyatt had put together for Hope for the Future and Quinn Artisan Jewelry. "What if I require more than your basic design capability? Are you capable of learning on the job?"
Wyatt rocked his shoulders, tried to keep himself looking cool and collected. "I'm a like a sponge for information. Tell me what you need and I'll not only do it, I'll find a way to make it profitable." Wyatt gave up the good fight and put his hands together in front of him. He was begging, he was willing to beg. "I'm good, I promise I'm good. I just need a shot."
"You must really want to get out of here." Steffy wasn't unaware of what went on in L.A. Social media and tabloid fodder reached across the globe. Liam plus Hope was bound to be an equation for trouble.
"More than I can begin to explain," Wyatt answered.
She drummed her fingers on Wyatt's portfolio. "Give me one more reason. Make it good."
Wyatt wracked his brain. What do I know? What do I have? He wasn't one to minimize his assets, he was just having trouble thinking of what they might be. I'm good at what I do, so are a lot of people. What else am I? A light bulb went off behind his eyes. I am very well-connected.
"I have contacts in Europe, people I met through college and people my mom has taken on as clients, that to make me a very lucrative employee for FI to have."
"Name one."
"I know the junior engineer for Technical Innovation at Bulgari."
"How?"
"We were in the Entrepreneurial Society together in college. I have his number."
"Give it to me."
"Not until you agree to take me on. What kind of businessman would I be if I showed my hand before you show yours?"
Well-played, Steffy granted. "Name another one."
"Assistant to the creative director at Neil Lane. Apprentice to the head designer at Cartier and the deputy curator for the Met's Costume Institute. Should I keep going?"
Steffy smelled a rat.
"If you've had these contacts all along, why haven't you used them to forward the Hope for the Future agenda?"
Wyatt grinned. Steffy was just starting to learn he had an answer for everything.
"Mom and I can handle Hope for the Future. We didn't need a bulldozer to do a two-person job. It's overkill and it wastes a favor. Getting in good at Forrester International wouldn't be a waste."
Steffy pursed her lips, considering her options. FI wasn't in a bind; in fact, they were showing record profits under her Uncle Thorne's leadership, but it would be a feather in her cap to snatch Wyatt right out from under Hope's nose. Decision made and made.
"Bring your black book and I'll take you on. We'll call it a trial run, say, six months. If I'm satisfied with your performance, I'll take you on as a permanent employee. How does that sound?"
Wyatt was almost hopping with gratitude and excitement. "It sounds perfect. When do we leave?"
Steffy handed back his portfolio. "As soon as I say goodbye to my grandfather and father. Meet me at the airfield in an hour. If you're not on the plane by the time we're ready to take off, I'll assume you had a change of heart."
Wyatt whipped out his phone to load Uber, the cab hailing app.
"Not gonna happen."
Wyatt needed to get as far away from Los Angeles as he could. Heartbreak was so yesterday and if he was playing his cards right, Hope Logan was about to be, too.
…
Wyatt was up to his elbows in manila folders when Quinn stormed into his office on a zephyr of concern and outrage. He carried on packing, having weathered far worse mood swings from his mother in the past.
"Eric just told me you resigned. What the hell, Wyatt?"
He put another bunch of client files in his briefcase, though only the essentials. He was a consummate salesman, he knew the bulk of his clients' contact information by heart. The more you know, the better the sell. It just hadn't helped him hold on to Hope.
"I gotta go, ma. I can't be here with Hope and Liam pretending this freak show is okay. I can't watch her with him. I need to get out of here before I lose it. At least this way, I can help the company expand."
His mom started unpacking his briefcase as fast as he could pack it. He grabbed her hands to stop her.
"Mom, please!"
"No! I don't care about the company, I want my son with me, here."
"I'm always with you, you know that." Wyatt ruffled his hair, frustrated. "I'm going to FI for a trial run. If they like my work, I'm theirs. That's great for us."
Quinn squeezed his arm. "I know this whole thing with Hope hurts, but you don't have to leave, sweetheart. There's still a chance for you two."
Wyatt dropped his head. "I don't want it or her." His voice cracked on the lie. "All I've been this whole time is a distraction. I'm nobody's distraction. I'm in love with her and she thinks I'm a fling. Is that what you think I deserve, Mom?"
His mom looked at him like she understood only too well. Doesn't she?
"You're my baby boy and I think you deserve the moon. She could be that for you if you fight for her."
Wyatt rubbed the sides of his nose. "How much more can I fight? What else can I give her? Tell me and I will. I'd give her my heart, but she's had it since we first met. What's left?"
"Nothing she deserves."
"She deserves everything, she just doesn't think I do. That's her prerogative."
"I disagree. No mixed up girl mistreats my son and gets to reap the fruits of his labor. We can end this contract right now."
"And go back to barely meeting payroll? No way, mom. We can't do that to our employees. I've been stupid, getting in pissing matches in boardrooms with interns and fistfighting with Liam. What's all that about? It's not going to solve anything. We need to be smart since we don't have Hope to vouch for us anymore."
"We've made ourselves indispensable."
"Not yet, but we will. You handle your end and I'll handle mine. I'll give us options."
She brushed his face. "That's not your job. I'm the parent, I'm supposed to make all the sacrifices."
"I'm not a kid anymore. You don't have to be the only one."
She wrapped her arms around herself, blinking quickly as if that could keep him from noticing she was on the verge of tears.
"You'll call me, right? Text me to let me know you got in safely."
He put his dislocated files back where they belonged. He left her half. "I will. Take care of yourself. Don't let Pam push you around."
"I'm not worried about that lemon bar-toting nutcase in the least." She sniffed, her face crumpling. "This isn't what I wanted."
He shrugged. "Me either."
They fell into a bear hug and Wyatt was struck with the realization that he didn't know when he'd get to do this again. That just made him hold on all the tighter.
She kissed his temple. "Be happy, baby."
He thought of Hope and the beach and their bright future gone to waste. Time for something new.
"I'm working on it, Mom."
…
The Forrester jet landed in Paris at 11 am on a Sunday. Wyatt slept like the dead for twelve hours and was late for work on Monday. That was the day his new life began.