Page 99 of Finding Forever

“This isn’t what we do, Niall. It’s not in line with our company ethos.”

“I know.”

“We don’t wield our power and influence… our verynamelike a weapon.”

“I know,” Cade repeated. “If you don’t have the stomach for it, Dad, I can—Iwill—do it independently. And leave the company out of it. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to opt in.”

His father chuckled, the sound rusty but hearty.

“Oh, you have my full blessing and backing, lad. I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this.”

“As soon as I’m back in Cape Town, we can start putting things into motion.”

“I’ll be arriving next week. I’m taking some time off to spend Christmas with Gideon and Beth. We’ll talk then.”

“Okay.”

“How did the Mike Holmes thing go last night?”

The pre-recorded show would only air tonight.

“It went well,” he told his father. “Fern handled it like a pro. And uh… she—we—announcedthe pregnancy.”

“That’s good,” his father said. “And how’s she coping with all of that?”

“As well as can be expected,” Cade responded, feeling like a damned liar after the way she’d cried in his arms last night.

“You’ll be joining us for Christmas this year, right?” his father asked, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant and Cade frowned at the question.

“I’m not sure.” In truth, Gideon hadn’t invited him. And Cade wasn’t going to just show up unannounced at his brother’s place on a major holiday. Especially since he knew that Gideon and Beth had a tight-knit group of friends with whom they often spent important holidays. Something of a substitute family.

He ignored that pang of hurt at the thought of his brother preferring the company of friends over Cade’s. It’s not like he was Mr. Festive Cheer.Hewouldn’t want to spend Christmas with himself either.

“It would be nice to see all of my children on Christmas again,” his father said pointedly.

“Even if I came, I doubt Nox will,” Cade pointed out. After his visit to Gideon’s the month before, Nox had pretty much gone silent again.

Cade hadn’t seen his other two siblings in person since that afternoon at Gideon’s place.

His father was still thickly slathering on the poor, neglected dad routine.

“I’ll see what Fern wants to do,” he interrupted his father’s “I’m not getting any younger” unconvincing feeble old man rant in mid-sentence and could practically feel the man’s satisfied smirk beaming across the connection.

“My daughters-in-law both appreciate me a lot more than my children do, so I’m sure the wee moppet will be eager to spend some time with her new family.”

“Sure, Dad,” Cade muttered, striving hard to keep thesarcasm at bay, but unable to refrain from rolling his eyes at the old man’s out of control ego. “I have to go. I have a few more calls to make.”

“Right. Take care of yourself and… Niall?”

“Aye?”

More hesitation before his father said, voice gruffer than usual, “I’m proud of you. For doing this. I’ve always been proud of you. Ofallof you. But you and Kenny, you’re ruled by your heads. By logic. This… it’s far from logical, it’s emotional, but it’s the right decision.”

A long, awkward silence that followed that proclamation with Cade desperately casting about for something to say in response.

In the end it was his father who spoke first, “Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll see you in Cape Town. Give Fern my best wishes.”

He severed the connection before Cade could say another word.

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