Page 220 of The Re-Proposal

“Clarissa asked us to keep an eye on Joel,” Dawn explains in the hallway. “Nova suggested we take turns. There’s a shared calendar in our group chat. Very organized stuff. Anyway, we worked it out so there’s always someone with Joel. We keep him company when he’s not exhausted from all the meds.”

I’m shocked by their generosity. “You did all that because Clarissa asked?”

“We did all that because you’re family and now, so is Joel.” She nods as if it’s obvious.

But it isn’t.

Not even faintly.

“I guess I don’t understand why you’re standing guard. I have men watching him.” I gesture to the suits outside Joel’s door.

“Guards are not the same as family, Cody. Don’t you know you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely? That’s no way for a child of yours to be.”

Max Stinton walks toward us. He gives Dawn a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll head back to the office and pick you girls up later.”

Dawn smiles at him. “Take the back road. I heard there was a really bad pileup on the 105 when we were driving here.”

“I will.”

They kiss and I glance away.

Stinton holds his hand out to me. “You’re Clay’s brother, right?”

I stare at his hand and reluctantly shake. “Cody Bolton. We met before. A pitch for Cormar Stevens a little under ten years ago.”

“Did we?”

“Yeah.”

Max scratches his chin. “Huh.”

I drop his hand. “Do you only know me as Clay’s brother?”

He purses his lips and asks hesitantly. “Should I know more?”

I stare at his clueless face and realize he’s not pulling my leg. He genuinely has no clue who I am.

Deranged laughter pools in my gut.

I want to throw my head back and howl.

Ten years ago, I was fresh out of college and eager to take on the world. Then I ran into Stinton. We were neck and neck in the races. David and Goliath. Except my sling shot was no use against a sword. He and his sharks with briefcases undercut my pitch and threw me to the wolves.

‘That’s business’Max told me as I cowered, aching with disappointment.

It felt like the world was ending. I’d missed my wedding. I’d lost my girl. This pitch was my only salvation. My only purpose. I almost ended up in the hospital because I was working so hard on it.

All that, and Stinton screwed me over just because he could.

I swore I’d never forget it.

And I haven’t.

For years, it’s been festering inside me.

I look up at Max Stinton’s face. He’s got cold eyes, but they warm significantly when they move to Dawn. A smile crosses his face. He’s got a wife. A daughter. A thriving business. He’s been living life happily, unaware of my bitterness.

I bet it wouldn’t bother him if he found out about it now.

---