Page 10 of Daddy Down Under

A profound sadness filled me, mixed with a good dose of fury. “Because of your sexuality.”

“Yep. He kicked me out and cut me off, all in one fell swoop.”

I didn’t know what to say. Nothing could even come close to capturing how sorry I was for him. “I can’t believe it. I know you’re not lying, but I can’t wrap my head around it.”

The shrug Ocean gave wasn’t quite as nonchalant as he’d likely intended. “If anyone knows what he’s capable of, it’s you.”

“Yes, but you’re his son. His only son. How can he reject you for who you are?”

“You were his best friend, and he betrayed you. I like to think it speaks volumes about him and says nothing about you or me.”

I let out a long sigh. So he was aware of what his father had done to me. In some way, that was a relief. At least I didn’t have to tell him. “Yeah. It’s profoundly sad, though, and I’m sorry for you. You deserved better.”

“So did you, but thank you.”

“What brings you to Melbourne?”

“Surfing lessons. I have a seasonal contract as a surfing instructor, though not in Melbourne specifically since the best surfing spots are outside of the city. I’ll be staying in Torquay.”

Surfing instructor? It explained the laid-back vibe, but I would’ve never guessed Preston’s son would choose that as a career. “What do you do in the off-season?”

“Teach surfing somewhere else. It’s always summer somewhere. I’ve worked all over the world, from Portugal to Hawaii, LA, Sydney.”

“You didn’t go to college?”

“I was a sophomore at Princeton when I came out. Involuntarily, I might add, since I had a hunch it wouldn’t go over well. But I was stupid and careless, and when someone posted pics of me with another guy online, my father found out. That was the end of my college aspirations, though my heart was never truly in it to begin with.”

All that because he was gay. Any hope I’d harbored that Preston regretted what he’d done to me, that he might want to make amends at some point, vanished. He was exactly the homophobic bastard he’d shown himself to be. Un-fucking-believable.

“You never told me what you’re doing on this flight,” Ocean said.

“My private jet was unavailable due to scheduled maintenance. Another one wasn’t available on such short notice, so I had to go commercial. I flew from New York to LA, then to Sydney, and now to Melbourne. It’s a real hardship, as you can imagine.”

He snorted. “Considering the level of luxury you’re used to, it would be. Have you gotten any sleep?”

“A few hours. At least they have those cubicles now on long haul flights, where you can put your seat flat and create a bed.”

“I’ve longingly stared at those from the back of the plane,” Ocean said dryly.

“It must’ve been a shock for you, adjusting to your new financial situation after your father cut you off.”

“No need to feel sorry for me. I’ve known I was gay since I was thirteen. I’ve also known my father would find out at some point and the consequences would be severe. Over the years, I managed to funnel money into accounts he knew nothing about. I wasn’t broke and destitute when he disowned me, but I also didn’t want to spend the financial reserves I had on a college degree I wasn’t passionate about to begin with. So I got a job and invested my savings wisely, and I’m doing okay.”

He’d been a smart, curious kid back in the day, and I was relieved to discover he’d done well for himself under the circumstances.

“What brings you to Melbourne?” he asked. “You said business, but what kind of business?”

“I’m considering buying a firm based here and wanted to be here in person.”

“So you’ll be here for a few days?”

“More like a few weeks. If the deal goes through, as I expect it to, it’ll mean I’m taking over this firm. I want to bring in new management and assure myself things are heading in the right direction before I leave.”

If Ocean thought it peculiar that the CEO of a company as big as mine would handle something like this himself rather than delegate, he didn’t say it. “Where will you be staying?”

“The Queen Victoria.”

He chuckled, those blue eyes of his sparkling. “I should’ve known. Let me guess, you’re in the presidential suite?”

---