Page 53 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

He grunted. “Accept what?”

“That your grandfather isn’t the villain in this.”

He let out a sigh. “Who is?”

“I’m not sure you’re ready to hear it. Have you opened that envelope yet?”

“No,” he said.

“Let me know when you do and we’ll talk some more. But one isn’t tied to the other. Meaning you opening that isn’t tied to you learning the ropes of this business.”

“That is personal and this isn’t?” he asked.

“I think so, but you’ll have to figure that out yourself.”

There was no reason to argue any of this since he didn’t know.

He looked at his watch and saw it was past lunch and he’d taken up a lot of Kyle’s day. The computer had been softly dinging every minute, with emails he was sure.

The phone rang a few times, but he didn’t answer. Even Kyle’s cell phone had vibrated more than he’d ever heard someone’s go off before.

Not once had the guy stopped to check anything.

“Can I ask why you haven’t gotten up once to see what was going on with all the calls and emails? What if it was an emergency?”

“The only true emergencies in my life are my family. If Karen, Duke, or Kelsey needed me and I didn’t respond, they’d go to Rosalind and she’d open the door to get me. Everything else can wait a few hours unless it involves police or fire. Again, I’ve got staff to hunt me down fast enough.”

“Rosalind?” he asked of the older woman at the front desk.

“One of many. You can trust her. She got along great with your grandfather.”

“She said he was funny but moody,” he said.

“Do you want to know a little about Barry?” Kyle asked.

“Sure,” he said.

“He was honest. He was loyal. He also wasn’t without faults and guilt.”

“I hope to hell you aren’t going to tell me my mother was the villain,” he said firmly.

“Never,” Kyle said. “Don’t think that. Ever. Your grandfather loved his only child. But he knew he’d made mistakes early on in her life. At one point I think he thought maybe they could work it out after you were born, but it didn’t happen.”

“Do you know why?” he asked.

“It’s that villain thing again.”

“My father?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“I don’t want to talk ill of someone in your life.”

“He’s not in my life,” he said. “Guess you don’t know as much as you thought you did.”

Kyle grinned. “Maybe not. Is that something you want to talk about?”

“No,” he said. “Your daughter should know first and she doesn’t.”

Kyle nodded. “In a roundabout way, you’ve told me what I need to know as a father. Twice now you’ve wanted Kelsey to know before me when it was personal. I like you, Van. Just know that will take priority over any business. Whether we agree or not in this office is separate from my daughter and whatever relationship you may have with her.”

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