Page 96 of Loaded

“I thought you were back,” I say. “Sorry. But listen, I know I said I would never sell, but. . .”

“Sell?” Laurent clears his throat. “Wait. Are you saying—you might sell your company after all?”

“It’s complicated,” I say.

“Is something wrong?” he asks. “Are your sales down?”

I snort. “Hardly. It’s about a girl.”

Laurent whistles. “It’s about time, my man. It’s about time.”

“Do you think your dad really meant it? Would your grandpa really put up enough money to make it worth my while?”

“Dad meant it, and Grandfather’s passing things off to him,” he says. “In fact, when we talked about this last night, he asked me again if you might sell.”

“It’s his lucky day then,” I say.

“He’ll want a controlling interest. Can you provide that?”

“Yes,” I lie. Because somehow, I’ll force my parents to sell to him, too. “Send me a decent offer. Send it quick.”

I can hear him yawning on the other end of the phone. “Gardez votre sang-froid, s’il vous plaît.”

“I told you—it’s about a girl. And after what I did for you and Min Min, I’d think?—”

“I knew you’d bring that up.”

“Only because you’re telling me to hold my horses.”

“Your French sucks. I’m impressed you even understood me.”

I passed French thanks to Laurent’s help, but barely. “Talk to your dad and call me back.”

After work, I drive out to my parents’ house. Mom has a friend over, and Dad’s on the phone, but I wait. When they’re finally free, I drag them into the kitchen.

“What’s this about?” Mom asks.

“You didn’t even tell us you were coming,” Dad says.

“I have voluntarily loaned you money on fourteen occasions. Money you have never repaid me, in spite of there being a formal accounting and instrument documenting the debt in each instance.” I drop a sheet of paper in front of them. “This lists the amounts and the dates.”

“Easton.” Dad’s brow furrows.

“You have also stolen my money on at least seven more occasions that I can prove.” I drop another paper on the table.

“Are you in trouble?” Mom asks. “What’s going on?”

“And I voluntarily gifted you shares of my company before it went public. I had a valuation done at the time, so that the shares would be all yours when they appreciated in value.”

“We know, son,” Dad says. “Believe me, we appreciate all you’ve done.”

“When I called Mom and told her I needed her to vote with me, she told me to break up with Bea.”

Mom exhales loudly, throwing her hands up in the air. “Easton. Don’t tell me all this is about that little foster kid.”

“Emerson Duplessis is a foster kid.”

“EmersonRichmond,” Mom clarifies, “is the grandchild of a very powerful woman, and he’s inheriting her entire fortune.”

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