Page 65 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

“Because I already have one,” I shout.Fuck.

I’ve only rendered my father speechless on one other occasion, when I told him I wanted to manage a ski resort. I don’t remember it being this uncomfortable.

“How long?” His voice is unreasonably steady. I’m not sure if that’s from shock or disappointment.

“I’ve been seeing him for about a month.”

“Why am I just learning about this now?”

I could give him any number of excuses, but that would only make him skeptical, and piss him off even more when the truth comes out. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, bracing myself for the inevitable fallout.

“He’s employed by the resort.” I don’t have to elaborate any further.

“Jesus, Carter,” he seethes. “I taught you better than that. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“It’s a temporary position in the spa until there’s an opening in the field he really wants. There’s no reason to…”

“Worry?” he interrupts. “Overreact? About you sleeping with someone who works in the spa? Do you expect me to believe you haven’t put yourself or the resort on shaky legal ground by sleeping with a subordinate? How naïve are you?”

I can’t help wincing since those exact thoughts ran through my mind not too long ago. It makes me briefly glad to be having this conversation over the phone so he can’t read my expression.

“I’m aware of the risks, which is why I took precautions before getting involved. And Sloan isn’t the type of man to take advantage of the situation.”

“Said every man just before getting sued for sexual harassment,” he snorts. “I don’t suppose your precautions included a legal disclosure that this is a consensual relationship? That there won’t be any repercussions to either of you if you dissolve your arrangement?”

My silence is the worst possible answer.

“I didn’t think so. How long were you planning to keep this a secret?”

Rubbing my forehead with my free hand, I let out a sigh. “I was planning to introduce you to him when you’re here next week. If you’d just meet him, you’d see…”

“Meet him? Are you out of your mind? I won’t be complicit in your lapse in judgment. Thank God I learned about it now instead of later. One month is still a month too long, but it’s manageable. You’ll tell him the upcoming projects at the resort will demand too much of your time to balance a relationship. And for God’s sake, don’t fire the man. Just break it off, leave his job intact.”

“I’m not breaking up with him. If you would just listen…”

“You most certainly are breaking up with him,” my father cuts me off. “If we’re lucky he’ll accept that without argument. You aren’t out of the woods on this but ending it now gives us a good chance to avoid repercussions.”

My protests bounce around in my head faster than I can put them into words. “It’s not like that. I can’t just toss him aside.”

“Then you forfeit the resort.” My father’s cool tone echoes through the receiver. “I can’t trust you to run a multimillion-dollar company if you’re going to be this careless with your decisions. It’s the man or the job. You have until I’m there next week to make your decision.”

The low buzz of the dial tone reverberates through my skull, broadcasting his rejection better than words ever could.

Dammit. I knew his initial reaction to Sloan would be disappointment, but I thought he’d at least hear me out. And I never would’ve predicted the ultimatum he just threw at me, especially given the progress I’ve made so far.

He didn’t say it, but the fact he challenged my plans without objecting to them means he approves. At least, he thinks they have merit, which is as close to approval as it will ever get with him. I should know since I’ve been trying to pull that reaction out of him for close to two decades. Yet, he’s willing to remove me over Sloan?

What the hell am I supposed to do now? I’m on the verge of turning this place into the anchor the town needs to sustain itself long-term, something that would preserve the livelihoods of hundreds of people for generations to come. I can’t just turn my back on it–onthem. But how do I choose that future over one with Sloan, especially since he helped bring that goal within reach?

I can’t. I won’t. The board will have to make the choice for me if they don’t approve. I’ll make my case next week, and if they disagree, I’ll walk away. I only hope if it comes to it, they’ll let me suggest a replacement. Finn would be an excellent candidate. I’m sure Sloan would…

Shit.

He won’t agree. He won’t even let it get to that point. If he finds out I’m willing to risk my career by refusing to choose between it and him, he'll walk away. He’ll sacrifice us to save my dream, and the town,even though I can’t separate the two in my mind. If I want a shot at convincing the board, and my father, that I can have both, I can’t tell him what he said today.

A hesitant knock on the door snaps me back to the present. I hang up the receiver that was spewing its disapproval in my ear and call for my guest to come in.

“Is there anything else you needed before I head home for the evening?” Janice asks as she pokes her head around the door. Her unusually quiet voice tells me she heard at least some of what transpired on the call with my dad.

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