Page 19 of Stuck with Mr. Grump

I don’t think that’s how family is supposed to be.

CHAPTER 6

Sterling

My hands fly over the keys on my laptop as I type out a report on my first week here in Edenton and how things have been going at the company. Despite technically banishing me and tossing me to the side, my grandfather insists on knowing every single action, whether big or small, I’m taking here in the town. The man runs a tight ship and has singlehandedly kept this family afloat for a very long time.

Deep down, there’s a part of me that feels like I’m disappointing him. That the news and the rumors are somehow my fault. I shouldn’t have to take responsibility for being born, though. Or for a secret that was kept from me all my life.

There’s a knock on the door of the office that connects to my bedroom, and I lift my head from the screen to call for whoever’s on the other side to come in. It’s Karl. He walks through my bedroom and through the open door leading into the office. He offers me a curt nod before speaking.

“Sir, Mr. Cameron has arrived.”

I nod. “Okay. I’ll be down in a couple of minutes. You can show him to the bar and I’ll join him there.”

He leaves and I take a few minutes to close my laptop and throw on a shirt before exiting my room and heading down to the first floor. I check on Sean before I do so, though. He’s fast asleep in his bed, which is good. But I know he’ll be up in a couple of hours.

My son’s not the best sleeper. It’s currently 8 p.m., but I know he’ll be up again by two. It’s a good thing I don’t sleep much either so we usually hang out in the middle of the night until he goes back to sleep again.

I honestly think he doesn’t sleep much because he misses his mom. He used to sleep a lot more when she was still around. I sigh softly as I shut his bedroom door.

Carson’s already helped himself to a drink by the time I show up. He raises his glass in greeting once he spots me at the entrance.

“Hey, man,” he greets.

I take a seat on the stool beside him. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

“No problem. If his royal highness beckons for me to arrive at his castle, then I’ll be there.”

I roll my eyes. It’s really nice to see that Carson hasn’t changed much. He’s still the same immature dumbass he was when we were kids. But then again, I know he has changed a lot as well. Especially when I consider all he’s been able to achieve while I was gone.

“Thanks for coming over. I would have met you outside but I can’t very well leave at night because of Sean.”

“Yeah, sure. I totally get it. It’s a little surreal to see you as a dad, though. You’ve come a long way, Sterling. Remember how you said you’d never start a family of your own?”

My jaw ticks at that. “I meant it.”

Carson raises an eyebrow in question. My lips thin and I decide to pour myself a drink as well before saying anythingelse. I reach for a bottle of vodka, pouring it straight into a glass before taking a swig. It burns going down my throat, but after so many years of drinking, it’s more of an enjoyable burn.

“Sean is…” I blow out a breath. “The best thing that’s ever happened to me. That kid is the most important thing in my life and I would do anything to protect him. But my ex-wife and I, we didn’t exactly plan to have him. He was an accident. One I’m so grateful for now, but thinking back on it, when we first had him, I was so young. I didn’t plan to have a kid at twenty-four.”

Carson nods in understanding. “Yeah, I get that. But these things happen and for what it’s worth, I think you’re a great father.”

“Sean makes it pretty easy. He’s a great kid,” I say with pride. “But enough about that. I asked you here for a reason.”

“Always straight to the point, Harrington. Let me guess, you want to talk about my sister?” he questions. “I heard all about this fight the two of you are current in.”

“It’s not a fight,” I grit out.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve sent both my head of acquisitions and the company’s general manager to talk to Emilia Cameron, to show her the contract we’ve been preparing for business owners on the lot and see if she’s keen on selling. I thought she’d be more inclined to speak to them, since our last conversation didn’t go well. But they got the same answer from her.

A big fat no.

“Your sister’s a big pain in my ass,” I mutter.

Carson chuckles. “While I’m not interested in getting in the middle of whatever’s going on, I will say that it’s nice to see her getting under your skin like this. The great Sterling Harrington being rattled, never thought I’d see the day. Most people usually fall over their feet to do stuff for you when you ask.”

“She’s not getting under my skin,” I counter. “But she’s been a thorn in my side and I need you to talk to her. You own a financial advisory firm, surely you can advise your sister on the benefits she’ll be getting if she just backs down and sells her shop.”

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