Page 14 of No Such Thing as Serendipity
Even though I wanted to unleash a sarcastic comeback, the sincerity of her response held me back. “I don’t think Andrew would agree. Besides, you need to keep an eye on Curtis and Elena.”
“They hardly need a babysitter.”
True.Curtis was nineteen and Elena seventeen, so they didn’t need their mom to keep track of them. “Still. Andrew won’t go for it.”
“He loves you.” Emma moved toward me and put her hand on my arm. “We’ve been worried about you for some time.”
How pathetic was that? I lived in a penthouse apartment in New York City making more money in one year than they made in ten, and they pitied me.
Emma squeezed my arm. “Stop,” she said, as if reading my thoughts. “We want the world for you. For you to be happy and fulfilled. He wouldn’t think twice about giving his blessing.”
I shook my head. “The sentiment’s sweet, but I’ve got a handle on my life.” Was it true? My color-coded spreadsheet said I did, so why did I feel so lost?
“We leave for Europe in two weeks. In fairness to Andrew, he needs to know if I’ll be with him, so I need a decision by next Friday.”
I waved my hand at her. “Nothing to think about. You go with your family.”
“But you’re my family, too.”
“I’m fine. You worry too much. This is just a blip.”
“Just like Marta? Just like Mom? How about Auntie Bess?”
I glared at her.
“Face it, Blake. Everything is a blip to you. You just forge ahead with a one-track mind. Check off another box in your notebook. But life isn’t that simple.”
CHAPTER 6
Emma had left hoursago, but I still lay staring at my bedroom ceiling. Sleeping was something I excelled at. By the time I ended my day, I fell into bed exhausted and fell into a deep sleep. Twelve- to fourteen-hour workdays could do that to a person.
Tonight was different. I’d been lying here for at least two hours. It was the damned conversation with Emma.
How had I become someone my sister and brother-in-law pitied—worried about? For fuck’s sake, I had achievements as long as my arm. Achievements most people would kill for.
Emma’s fascination with ancient philosophers and New Age prattle made her loopy, seeing problems where none existed. The past year hadn’t been my best, but everyone went through rough cycles. It didn’t mean my life required a complete overhaul. I just needed to refocus my energies. Besides, it was all Marta’s fault. If she hadn’t distracted me, I would have realized Terrence was plotting behind my back. Another reason I shouldcross that item from my list. I didn’t need to find the love of my life.
I bit my lip.No.I didn’t have to cross it out. If Marta had been the love of my life, she wouldn’t have walked out on me. At least that was how I described it. Marta claimed we had other options. For me, the only choice was for Marta to turn down her job offer since it meant a move to San Francisco. After tearful pleading, on Marta’s part, I refused to entertain any compromise.
Everyone knew that long-distance relationships never worked.
Through her tears, Marta insisted QuantumWave Solutions was her dream job.Right.Marta had always been a drama queen. QuantumWave would crash and burn within a year. Another failed AI company swallowed up by a bigger entity, leaving Marta without a job or girlfriend.
I may have been sympathetic to her had she not had the gall to suggest I resign from Fortitude and find a private equity firm on the West Coast. That put a nail in the coffin of our nearly dead relationship and told me Marta didn’t know me at all and obviously didn’t respect me. Now here I was without Fortitude and Marta.
No, she’d betrayed me just like Terrence had. I couldn’t let either of them derail me. I’d written down my dreams when I was younger, and I’d accomplished most. This was just a minor setback.
Satisfied that I could keep my list intact, my focus returned to my conversation with Emma. Why would I want some frivolous vacation? I’d not taken one in years, unless I counted my business trips. I always flew in a day early.
I spent the entire time in my hotel room, so I could get a strategic advantage. By meeting time, from memory, I spouted information from the spreadsheets. It was a great party trick, and it impressed more than one client. So, which was better—seeing the Louvre or impressing potential clients?
Perhaps a little break wouldn’t hurt. I could persuade Emma to shorten it to a week or two. Make my suitors hungry and ready to do business.
I rolled onto my side and punched the pillow into shape. Something told me that Emma wouldn’t agree to my terms. She’d been uncharacteristically bossy—ballsy, even. A thought flitted through my mind. I could agree to four weeks but later claim an emergency arose, and I had to leave.
Fuck.I hit my pillow harder. Emma was one of the few people left in my corner. I had friends, but I couldn’t recall the last time I’d seen them or even talked to them, for that matter. Too busy. It wouldn’t be prudent to risk alienating Emma with a dick move like that.
That settled it. Let Emma go to Europe with her family. I was fine here. Better than fine. Soon I’d embark on a new venture, proving Terrence’s mistake. He should have turned the company over to me instead of selling it.
