Page 30 of Hooked on a Feeling

“I’m serious.” Somewhere between the drive here and sitting down at the table, he’d resolved that his heart was at Blue, but he wasn’t going to continue out his days being a second thought. “My heart is with Blue. It will always be with Blue. Everyone stop looking at me like I’m crazy.” Judge was the only one nodding in agreement. “If you want to continue running the company, Dad, God bless you. I respect that. If you aren’t ready to retire and travel with Mom, that’s your prerogative. I’m freaking thirty-two. I have to start doing what’s best for me.”

“I-I—” For the first time in a long time, Dad stammered. “I don’t know what to say. Knowing that you’re so eager to leave, how could I retire now? How could I trust that you won’t get into the position and decide it isn’t for you?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Judge growled.

“Judge!” Mom cried.

“No, Mom.” Judge turned to their dad. Everyone had stopped eating, and Ruby wouldn’t look up from her plate. “Why do you always want to twist what you’re being told? Dad, you didn’t even answer the initial question. Why aren’t you retiring? Spit it out.”

Their dad’s face was a mixture of concern and anger. “Is this my ultimatum? What if I don’t go anywhere? Will the rest of you quit too?”

Their mom sniffed. “You are getting out of control.”

Like the twins they were, Reed and Jake backed their chairs from the table and stood at the same time. It was weird telepathy shit, but the family was used to it at this point. “We’ll quit,” they said in unison, even punctuating the T with the same cadence and timing.

John sucked in a deep breath. The admiration on the faces of the twins was enough to make him want to cry.

“Then quit,” Dad said. “I’m not going to be edged out of my own damn company.”

One by one, all of John’s siblings pushed back their chairs and stood in solidarity with him.

“I’ll quit,” Raven said.

“Me too,” Jersey said.

“Why are you making us do this, Pops? Just retire already.” Judge folded his arms across his chest.

Even Ruby was standing, but she was so timid, it was hard to hear her when she quietly added, “Me too.”

John nodded. “Thanks, guys.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s not necessary. I appreciate it—”

Their mom pushed her chair back and stood, once again darting her eyes around the table to her kids. Their dad stared at her, no emotion on his face. “Consider this my final request to you, John,” she said. “It’s time. If not, I will be traveling for the next few months.”

John gave their mom a slight nod. Go, Mom. You can do this.

Their mom cleared her throat. “With or without you.”

Judge began chanting. “Do it, do it, do it.” Leave it to Judge to find a way to break the tension. Their mother looked hopeful and their dad… looked miserable. What the fuck was his actual problem?

Some of the girls started clapping and wooing. “Come on, Dad. This is your time to shine. Have fun. Live your life with Mom.”

An unreadable expression crossed their dad’s face before he finally put his hands on the table and hoisted himself up. The entire family started cheering. Even John did a few slow claps. Their father turned to him. “I would hate to have you ever think about leaving Blue. I know you will do it right.”

“Apologize to him,” their mother said to their father.

Dad held out his hand for a shake. “I’m sorry that I put doubt in your mind that I didn’t have enough faith in you to run the business. Please, let’s make it known at the meeting that you’re taking over. We can spend this week getting everything set up.”

John hated the emotions he was experiencing. He was elated, no doubt. He was bursting with excitement at the possibilities of what was to come. But if he was honest, it didn’t entirely seem real. Where was the other shoe that was going to drop? He had to push the thought away. If John Davenport Jr. was anything, he was a man of his word.

Dad squeezed his hand, and John squeezed back in a show of emotion between the two of them. John met Mom’s loving gaze and winked, letting the tension leave his body. “It looks like you can plan a retirement party after all.”

Chapter Twelve

Starr’s heart was bursting at the seams. She wouldn’t be surprised if John could hear it beating from his penthouse condo. She snapped a picture of her handiwork. Even when she’d opened her yoga studio in Boulder and worked on changing the layout, she hadn’t felt this euphoric feeling. She’d actually accomplished something. Sure, it’d taken up all of her Sunday, but what else was she going to do?

She’d only managed to get half of the front of the marina painted in the same vivid blue it had been since she was a kid. She had a long-ass way to go, but if she focused, she would be able to do it. She set down the supplies inside the lobby. She would have to work from sunup to sundown, but she was confident that she could get it done.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She thought it might be from John but was happy to see it was from Deanne.

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