Page 124 of Mistaken Intention

“Yes.”

“But why? That’s another thing I don’t understand. You say we’re rich, and this property kinda proves that. But if that’s the case, why do I need to work?”

“You don’t need to. Like me, you choose to.”

“So you work too?”

“Yes.”

“And Ella?”

“She did, before she had Henry.”

I nod my head. “So, what did she do before she became a mom?”

“She trained as a chef and worked on a TV show as a culinary consultant. She’s also written a cookery book.”

“And you?” I ask.

“I’m the CEO of an advertising agency. It was started by our father…” He stares at me, waiting for my reaction, I guess.

“Our father? You haven’t mentioned him before.”

“No.” His eyes darken, his face clouding. “He was a hard man, and he’s one of the reasons we all choose to work.”

“What does that mean?”

He sucks in a deep breath. “It’s complicated.”

“I’m not going anywhere, and I need to know, Hunter. I need to understand where I come from… who I am. I’m struggling to get my head around being a father and a lover, because I don’t know the first thing about myself as a man.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Some of this won’t be easy to hear.”

“None of this has been a walk in the park.”

He pauses for a moment and shakes his head. “I guess not.” He leans back slightly, looking at the house, and then turns to me again. “He died nearly two and a half years ago.”

“He’s dead?”

“Yes. But don’t get upset about it. You weren’t at the time. Neither was I.”

“And Ella?”

He shakes his head. “Our father barely acknowledged any of us when he was alive. It was kinda hard to acknowledge him when he died.”

“This place was his?” I say, looking around.

“Yes. Along with the money he left us.”

“He left us some money, too?”

“Don’t you remember Josie telling you that you’re a multi-millionaire?”

“Oh, yeah.” I’d forgotten that.

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