Page 41 of Selfless

“Word on the street?” I ask skeptically. “You mean Becca.”

He doesn’t respond as he continues to walk toward the door.

A thought hits me. “Dad?” He stops and turns back to face me. “Did the decision to divorce Mom have anything to do with what she has been doing to Becca?”

He doesn’t smile nor does he look surprised by my question. “I can handle a lot, son. Most think this company is all that I care about. And I do care about it very much. But no one, and I mean no one, will tell you or your sister how to live your life. You guys are one of the main reasons I put so much into this company.” He crosses his arms over his chest and lets out a sigh. “When it was time for me to go to college, I asked my father if he would be disappointed if I didn’t plan to one day run the company, and he said no. That nothing I could do career-wise would disappoint him. That I controlled my own future and where it took me. And I feel the same way about you and Becca. If you didn’t want to be here, then I’d understand. Although I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy getting to see you every day.” He uncrosses his arms and runs a hand down his already straight tie. A sign that he is getting uncomfortable with this conversation. We’ve never been the type of guys to open up to one another. “But it took your mother paying a man to date my daughter and her current boyfriend telling me he beat him up to realize I am not like my father. That I have only supported you guys financially, and that is not how I want our relationship to be.” Then before I have a chance to respond, he walks out.

I turn to face the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Manhattan and sigh. “Fuck,” I hiss. It seems like one thing after another. I have to get back into the know. I need to call Jaycent and set up a time to talk to him. I need to call my mother and tell her to go to hell. And I need to talk to Ashlyn and find out just what it is that’s going through her head ‘cause my dad is right. If she leaves the gallery and goes back home, I’ll lose my chance with her.

As my eyes scan over the buildings of downtown Manhattan, something catches my eyes, and I smile.

Grabbing my phone off my desk, I dial my sister’s number. She answers immediately. “Hello?”

“Still wanna help me?” I ask, sitting down behind my desk.

“Of course,” she replies.

“Good. ‘Cause I have a plan.”

ASHLYN

Four days go by with no word from Ryder, and I can’t decide if I’m relieved or mad. I mean, the guy ruined my date and then had me half naked and all hot and bothered. Then nothing! But it is all my fault, I walked away that time.

It’s been the only thing on my mind all week. I’m just thankful that it’s Friday, and I don’t have any plans tonight but to lie in bed and watch a movie with Harry.

I walk into our apartment and find Becca standing in the kitchen pouring a glass of wine. “Hey, girl. How was work?”

“Exhausting,” I answer, dropping my purse on the kitchen table. “We have a showing next week, and we have to get ready for it.”

She hands me the glass of wine, and I thank her before taking a big gulp. She turns to fix herself a new one. “Have plans tonight?”

I shake my head.

“Good,” she says, and then a big smile spreads across her face.

“Why is that good?” She has something in mind. And by the look in her eyes, I’m not gonna like it.

“Because I have tickets …” I’m already shaking my head before she can finish. “To Romeo and Juliet. The play.”

“What?” I ask wide-eyed. I saw a billboard the other day on my way home from work and wanted to go so badly. “How did you get those?”

“A friend,” she says with a careless shrug. “Wanna go?”

“Absolutely!” I say excitedly. “Is it tonight?”

She nods. I start jumping up and down. It’s the first thing I think I’ve actually been excited about in two weeks. “This is awesome!” I all but shout. Finally, something I can look forward to. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” I say, wrapping my arms around her tiny frame. Careful not to spill wine down her back.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” she says with a laugh.

I pull her away, and the smile drops off my face as I eye her skeptically. “Why not?”

She starts biting her lip nervously. “Becca?” I say her name with a sigh. “What is it?”

“Well …” She pauses. “I’m not supposed to tell you.”

“Not supposed to tell me what?” I ask before taking another drink of the cool wine.

“I’m supposed to tell you that I’m taking you to the play. You know, a girls’ night.” I just stare at her ‘cause I have a feeling I know where this is headed, and I already don’t like it. She sighs when I narrow my eyes at her. “Ryder called me three days ago and told me to give you these tickets—”

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