Page 116 of Not That Into You

“Basically.”

“Wow.” I lean back. “Wow.”

“Yeah. He’s not winning Father of the Year anytime soon.”

“You’re not going to pull out, are you?”

He frowns. “No.”

“Good.” An uncomfortable thought occurs to me. “Can he influence the board?” I can easily imagine him punishing Cameron for disobeying by pressuring the board to hire someone else.

“No.” Cameron leans back against the couch. “The board is independent, and he won’t lobby them one way or the other when one of his own children is up for promotion.” Cameron gives me a wry look. “A Stanhope never cheats.”

“Silver lining, I guess.”

He grunts.

“Do you feel more pressure now to get the job? Just to prove your dad wrong?”

He sighs, his gaze drifting to the windows. “No.”

“Good.” I bite my lower lip, unsure of how to help. “Do you want to do more interview prep?” These last few nights, we’ve been roleplaying—sadly, not in a sexy way—to help him prepare for his interview.

“No, I’m good.”

At a loss for what else to say, I lean back into the couch and stare at the bookcase on the opposite wall. After a moment, I turn my head to look at him. “I’m sorry your dad is such a jerk.”

He shrugs. “I’m used to it.”

“Still, it must have hurt to hear him say that.”

He sighs. “Honestly, I’m not all that surprised. He was never excited about the idea of me applying for the CMO position. I doubt he’ll ever see me as fit for the job, regardless of my age.”

I inwardly wince. My relationship with my parents has occasionally been strained, but I’ve never doubted their love. I’ve always had their support.

I shake my head. “How can you work for him?”

“What do you mean?”

“You work so hard to gain his approval, but it doesn’t seem like you’ll ever get it.”

“Ouch.” Cameron grimaces. “Is that how you see me?” He holds up a hand before I can respond. “I understand what you’re saying, but you’re wrong. I’m not trying to get his approval. I don’t give a rat’s ass what he thinks.”

I press my lips together to keep from disagreeing. His situation reminds me of high school when I told myself I didn’t care what others thought even as I tried desperately to fit in.

Until I heard my classmates making fun of my mother, of course.

But wanting to fit in with the popular crowd is entirely different from yearning to belong in your own family. It’s easier to walk away from peers who barely know you than your own family who’s known you your entire life and is supposed to support you.

I study Cameron’s face. It’s clear he believes he doesn’t care what his family thinks. But I witnessed how his family’s comments affected him in the Hamptons. How his father’s words continue to wound him.

He sighs. “Besides, I don’t work directly for my father. I actually don’t see him that much.” He frowns. “I work for The Stanhope Group because I’m proud of it. I’m proud of what my grandfather started. And I’m good at my job. And when I’m allowed to do it, I enjoy it. Just because my father’s an asshole doesn’t mean I should quit.”

“I didn’t mean you should quit. I just meant...” I pause, searching for the right words. “You seem to put up with a lot of shit from him.”

Cameron blows out a breath. “He usually leaves me alone, but I guess he was feeling magnanimous today.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, he was a real sweetheart.”

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