Fitz closed his eyes after he turned and saw Mellie. She seemed to be excited to see him which did not make any sense given their last conversation. He immediately brought his mental guards up, not quite trusting her presence and how she was looking at him. He was grateful that they were not alone in the room-Olivia Pope & Associates was in the room aside from Olivia and Huck being upstairs-and caught Harrison's eyes, inclining his head slightly as he nodded in his direction.
Drawing in a deep breath and placing his hands in his pockets, Fitz swung his gaze back to Mellie.
"Mellie, how are you? I was not aware you would be attending this meeting."
"I'm doing just fine, Fitz. I will be attending all further board meetings-I now sit on the board on behalf of my family's business interests. I was expecting Ms. Pope to be in attendance as well, she must-"
Fitz cut her off, holding a hand up. "Liv is in the building but she should not be one of your concerns-business or otherwise. If, however, you are curious about anything regarding the current project I am part of I'm sure your questions will answered during this meeting by myself or the members of OPA seated by the door." He waved a hand in their direction.
"Oh, well, I'm sure this meeting will be very informative then. She and her associates do excellent work on the business side as I'm sure you'll find out." Mellie threw an absent glance behind her to acknowledge Harrison, Abby and Quinn.
"I have already seen evidence of just how hard they work. The company and I are in safe hands, no worries on that front. Was there anything else you needed to discuss?"
"Nothing else having to do with work. It can wait until the meeting is finished."
"Yes, it can wait, but, we will not be discussing anything else if it does not relate to business. We had this discussion before, Mellie."
Fitz slowly shook his head, turning away from her and pulled out his phone when it vibrated in his pocket. He smiled when he saw Olivia's name flash across the screen with a text message notification.
Olivia: I like it when you handle things, baby.
Fitz: I have gotten much better at handling things since you've come into my life. How's your head?
Olivia: Still throbbing but the medicine is starting to kick in.
Fitz: Don't worry, I'll take care of things down here you just worry about relaxing.
Olivia: Bossy!
Fitz: Not bossy. Especially not with you-losing battle, LOL. I just don't like seeing you in pain. I hear more people coming in...I have to go now. Try not to stress, we'll be home sooner than you know it.
Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Fitz moved to chat with Harrison and Abby while people filed into the room and took their seats.
"Are you ready for this, man?" When Fitz nodded, Harrison continued, "We'll be here if you need us. Good luck."
"Good luck? Harrison, you must not have been paying attention. Fitz clearly knows how to handle himself-besides he has Liv and us on his side," Abby said with a wink causing Fitz to laugh softly as Harrison shook his head.
"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Abby." He looked back at the table in the center of the room that was now full.
Time to get this over with Fitz thought with a sigh. Just breathe. Relax. He could this. He had to do this. People were counting on him to come through. He had to think about his future. Think about Liv and the future they would build. He pictured her in his mind and immediately felt a sense of calm wash over him by the time he took his seat at the opposite head of the table, facing his father.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I want this meeting to be quick and hopefully painless. As I am sure you are aware, managing Montgomery Contracting and it's subsidiaries along with our own is not difficult but the recent changes have caused speculation regarding Grant Industries. We are not simply a holding company-we produce our own goods and services. I understand that you were under the impression I would be taking over for Big Jerry once he stepped down but this is not the case. I have already appointed someone I think is beat suited for this position and it is my friend and colleague Tom Ford." Fitz paused and waved a hand in front of Tom to identify him, mainly for Mellie'a benefit since she had not met with him.
"However, I am not abandoning the company and was presented with an option to settle the views of potential stockholders and current holders. I will become the spokesperson of Grant Industries but in order to make this easier to understand the company and Big Jerry need to name me executive chairman. Are there any objections to this?" Fitz leaned back in his chair and rested his arm on the table, lightly strumming his fingers.
There were murmurs along both sides of table but the only ones that Fitz paid attention to were happening across the table with his father along Cyrus and Mellie who were seated on either side of him.
Big Jerry was proud of his son. Begrudgingly proud but proud nonetheless. He was stepping up in a major way and would not be abandoning the company or turning his back on his name.
They were not close and he wasn't delusional enough to believe that the fault belonged to his son. He had a part in making Fitz the man he was today. To Fitz's own credit he was just as stubborn as he was if not more so. One day he hoped to mend fences and become more than just civil.
He tuned in an out of Cyrus and Mellie's words.
"Good move for the company, Jerry, we should accept it while he's willing," Cy insisted, always the voice of reason.
"I agree with Cy, Jerry. But I think there should be some stipulations...perhaps I could get involved in some way. I want to get back into Fitz's life and this could be a better opportunity..." Mellie was pleading.
Big Jerry turned towards Mellie and admired her features as he tuned out the words being said to and around him. She was a classical beauty with strong features-especially her clear blue eyes, dimpled chin and dark brown hair.
He recalled just how brief her time had been with his son. He had introduced them since he was friends with her father and they had joked about them getting married to form a union as strong as a business merger. How foolish he had been to think his son would be manipulated in that way.
Fitz had been polite upon meeting her and the few times they had been out it had not seemed that he satisfied. He had not taken Mellie out to please his father; he had taken Mellie out because he had been bored and she was a temporary distraction.
It was not long before he had ended things and Big Jerry had gotten an earful of complaints from Mellie's father. In the early stages of the merger she had approached him and asked him to suggest that Fitz reconnect with her. He did not mind ruffling feathers but turning down a simple request from a beautiful woman had always been a hardship for him.
When he met his son for lunch a couple of months ago and brought up her name he was not surprised to get brushed off by Fitz. What had surprised him was how adamant he had been about separating him from his personal life.
No, Mellie was not for his son. Fitz could have been satisfied but he would not have been happy. He saw that now- especially after seeing him interact with Olivia Pope. Fitz had been tuned in to her during their meeting and after asking for privacy they had been holding hands and completing each others sentences. He had never seen his son like that and he had seen and felt their chemistry just as everyone in the room had.
He didn't know how long they had been involved but it was clear that Fitz was serious about her. He glanced over towards the wall and saw a few members of her team seated, watching those seated at the table. If her team was here it was a safe bet that she was somewhere in the vicinity as well. He wanted to speak to her and Fitz in the future.
With that thought settled in his mind, Big Jerry brought himself back into the conversation around him.
"It would be good publicity and he would spend most of his time representing us. I can't think of anyone better for this position. It's just a formality at this point," Cy stated.
"I think he would be great on camera and off. He's great at getting people involved and breaking down complex facts and figures into easy to digest bits of information." Mellie paused before continuing,"If he needs assistance I could even do some press with him-"
Big Jerry interrupted her. "That will not be necessary, Mellie. You are doing an outstanding of representing your company but Fitz probably won't be requiring any assistance from you or even me. He has a solid team behind him and they are the ones in charge of getting his feet planted. He can handle things on his own."
"All in favor of naming Fitzgerald the executive chairman?" Big Jerry directed the question to the rest of the members seated at the table.
The hands raised in a wave of approval and Fitz was surprised to see his father smiling at him. He seemed happy and proud of him.
Tom clapped a hand onto his back and congratulated him as everyone else have positive feedback to the newly acquired position.
It was finally done. One major thing had been dislodged from some of the figurative weight resting on his shoulders.
Executive chairman. The title held a purpose. The weight had been dislodged seemed to reform and settle as he thought about the lack of freedom he would have.
He would not just be Fitzgerald Grant the man-he would also be Fitzgerald Grant the face and voice of Grant Industries.
What would he have to change? Would he have free time? How flexible would his hours need to be? How much exposure would he need to submit to? He had already become a celebrity of sorts due to a combination of his wealth, looks and former bachelor life.
How would Liv deal with these changes? Would she even want to stick with him after seeing how much of a toll it took on them?
At the idea of her leaving him he felt a sliver of panic. He needed to get back to her. They would talk about everything when they got home. He had to make sure she knew exactly what he was thinking. He needed to know what she was thinking.
"Thank you all for the votes of confidence. I would like to conclude this meeting if no one has anything to add?" As Fitz looked around the table their were heads shaking.
"Great. Have a good day everyone." Fitz pushed his chair back and stood up, ready to leave.
"If I could have a quick moment of your time, Fitz, I would appreciate it." Mellie's voice snaked through the noise of people exiting the room.
Before he could turn her request down Big Jerry grabbed onto his shoulder and squeezed it.
"I would like to invite you and your lady, Ms. Pope, out to lunch when you're free Fitzgerald."
It was an interesting proposition to hear from his father who had never seemed interested in his personal life aside from pushing Mellie towards him. Fitz watched his father walk away with his mouth slightly open.
"Fitz, I wanted to talk to you about this new position. If you want any help with things, I will always be available to fulfill any of your needs any time."
"Mellie, you are focused I'll give you that. You're a sharp business woman and I would have to be blind to not notice your beauty. Believe me, it is flattering to be worthy of your attention but the only thing I need is for you to believe me when I say I'm not going down that road with you." Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginning of a low grade headache.
"If you have anything to discuss during work hours I'm sure you would be better served talking with my father, Cyrus or Tom."
Turning away from her he saw Quinn retrieving the video conference equipment while Harrison and Abby were chatting. He slowed his breathing down and made a mental note to retrieve a water from his office fridge before leaving.
Once the four of them were in the elevator, Fitz immediately loosened his tie and leaned his head against the elevator wall.
"You did great, man. You're making our job so much easier." Harrison was spinning his phone again and Fitz wondered if he was conscious of that particular habit.
"I loved how you managed to shut Mellie down without turning into an asshole!" Abby exclaimed. "I should bake you some cookies. What's your favorite kind?"
"Probably chocolate chip but I have a huge sweet tooth so if it is baked and has sugar the chances are good on me eating it," Fitz explained laughingly. The thought of dessert pushed Liv back into the forefront of his mind and he smiled to himself.
Fitz and the others walked into his office, his eyes landing on Olivia was either resting her eyes or napping. She looked so peaceful that he did not want to disrupt her but they had to get back home so they could both unwind and talk.
"Livvie, sweetheart, are you awake?" He lowered his tone to a whisper, kneeling beside her.
She mumbled incoherently and her eyebrows were drawn together in worry. He rubbed the back of his hand against her soft cheek before gently cupping her face to press a feather light kiss against her lips.
"Livvie, we need to go home now. I'm going to carry you, okay?" He was still whispering but when she heard his voice this time she leaned towards him and rubbed her face into his hand nodding slightly.
Sliding his arms under her Fitz easily lifted her. He turned slowly and Quinn handed Olivia's purse to Fitz who grasped it in the hand under Olivia's legs.
"Before you all go...could one of you do me a favor and grab my keys for me? They're in my right front pocket and I could reach them but I don't want to have to put Liv down until I get to the car," Fitz whispered the request, looking around at the members of OPA.
Abby smirked moving forward but was stilled by Harrison laying a hand on her wrist, Quinn blushed and looked away. That left Harrison who was now shaking his head at Abby and Huck who had snuck up behind him. Before he turned around to ask Huck again he felt the keys being folded into his hand and saw Huck move to open the door.
Fitz adjusted slightly and Liv curled into him as they all settled into the elevator.
"I'll see you all tomorrow. Have a good evening, everyone."
He looked down at Liv napping peacefully in his arms hoping that her migraine would fade by the time they got back home. His own headache was fading and at the thought of his headache he shook his head slightly when he realized he had forgotten to grab a water. It was probably just dehydration and stress so when he got home he would get Liv settled in and get a quick workout in.
Walking into the parking garage he hit the remote start and unlocked the doors. He opened the passenger door and laid Liv into her seat and buckled her in. Surprisingly she had not woken up. She must have been exhausted from the pain of her migraine. He turned down the music and pulled out of his spot and made his way home.
After undressing Liv and tucking her into bed Fitz undressed, changing into his workout clothes. He went into the kitchen and downed a glass a water before he walked into his workout room, placing his earbuds in his ears.
Attacking the heavy bag seemed like the quickest way to unwind and take out his frustrations so he moved into position and began hitting it after he grabbed his tension he had felt during the meeting and after began to fade as his body began to break out in sweat. His muscles were beginning to tire and it was not until the sweat began to drop into his eyes that Fitz checked the time.
He removed his boxing gloves, moving away from the punching bag to jump rope for a few minutes. After jumping rope he began stretching to complete his cool down. Fitz rolled his neck and walked back into the bedroom, pleasantly surprised to see Liv sitting up.
"Hi." Her voice was soft and sleepy.
"Hi." He kept his voice low to avoid aggravating her migraine.
"How are you feeling, Liv?" Fitz knelt down beside her and grabbed the hand she held out to him.
"I'm feeling much better. I think once I shower and eat I'll be ready to join the land of the living," she joked.
"That's good to hear. You didn't miss much during the meeting. Lucky for you I'm in need of a shower myself so we can save water and shower together." He winked and began pulling her up with him as he stood.
"I want us to talk, Fitz."
"Me too. I've been thinking a lot of things over and I want to talk about how all of this will affect us now and in the future. I don't want you to worry about coming second in my life."
"Are you in my head right now? I swear that you're taking all of the thoughts from me and laying them out. I have some doubts but they aren't enough to make me leave this and end what we have. We'll adjust, baby, I know we will."
"Liv, you have no idea how great it is to hear to say those words. I just wanted to make it clear that you're the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. When I imagine having my own family it's you I see as my wife and mother of our children. I know this seems fast but I've experienced enough in my life to know that you don't have time to waste when something is this good. I love you, Livvie."
"I love you too, Fitz." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled back when she gripped his sweat stained back.
"I think it's time for us to shower, baby."
"I can think of some ways for you to work up a sweat so you can earn that shower..." Fitz trailed off and winked at her before tossing her over his right shoulder.
Sorry for the delay, I'm working on a normal update schedule. Thanks for the reviews, faves, and follows! OX