Page 101 of Crazy for this Girl

“Then why did you hire two people for that job?”

“Because Amanda is trying to get her foot in the door with sales and Veronica is just good at her job, Cal.” He sighs as if saying that was extremely hard. “Happy?”

“No.”

“Well, when have you been happy?” Touché because I can’t remember. “I didn’t do this to you, Cal. Instead, I got the shitty part of the deal too. You served in the Marines against your will and my fucked up father gave me a company that would never be mine to run by the skin of my ass while you got yourself together.”

“Want it?”

“Fuck no,” he professes with a scoff. “I’ve been waiting seventeen years to give this thing back to you. If those two judges would’ve contested your father’s will, we’d both be scot-free.”

“They both should be disbarred.”

“Your father was in his right mind when he made it. He wasn’t ill.”

I unbutton my suit jacket to get more comfortable and take a seat kitty-corner from him. “No, he was only petty and a fucking asshole.”

“I won’t disagree with that. However, it’s done a lot for this family. It’s helped with mom’s cancer, saved your mom’s ass from getting sued by every high-end store she’s ever shopped at, and put my sister through school.”

There’s no denying that fact. The income brought in from this hotel chain made lives and saved others from living below the poverty level.

I bob my head in agreement and avert my eyes out the window overlooking the city. “Yeah, that’s good. I’m glad.”

“Cal.” My cousin’s voice dips into that low, soft tone that hints he’s about to get sentimental with my mental ass. “You’ve been busting your balls in Cali to run this company. Take the reins, make a few million, then sell it, burn it, do whatever, retire at forty, and be happy.”

“That ship sailed.” I cross my arms over my chest, keeping out the morning I’ve already had with the woman who still wanted nothing to do with me. It’s as if Chicago is a curse, or Hell, really. It’s where my karma lives. “Anyway, tell me what the main issues are here.”

“Have you been sleeping?”

“That’s not a main issue.”

“Cal.” My cousin looks fixedly at me, and I already know I look like shit because the answer to his question is no. I ping-pong giving him the truth, or getting myself out of it. However, like I said, I owe him.

“No.”

“Are you still seeing your therapist?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t keep the flashbacks away.”

And she repeats herself over and over and over again. Drives me fucking nuts.

My cousin frowns. “Did she tell you what to do when you experience an episode?”

I release a slow exhale to keep from lashing out at him. “Yes. And, yes, I do them. Anything else? Can you tell me about the business I’m about to take over, or do you need my step-by-step guide for when I’m starting to feel depressed and anxious?”

Elliot icily studies me before giving up and rubbing at his forehead. “My assistant—your new assistant has everything written down. She has a few ideas, mainly for the restaurant.”

“I’ve heard about that. Something about the chef.”

Elliott rolls his eyes. “Lemme guess…Victoria told you that.”

“Yes…” He nods his head to whatever is going on in his head. “So?”

“She’s been coat tailing my assistant’s ideas. That was hers. Victoria is jealous of my female assistant and how she’s fit right in here.”

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