Page 29 of My Best Friend's Brother
While she headed toward the girls’ bunks, Pete made a quick stop at the office to retrieve his cell phone. He read an email confirming the date and time next week for his appointment with Warp Entertainment. He would be receiving another email with details on flight and hotel arrangements, all being paid for by Warp Entertainment. They were really courting him. Pete nearly whooped in excitement. A company wouldn’t put in all this work unless they really wanted him.
If he could nail down that job…
“Ah, good, you’re back.” Titus walked through the back door of the office. He looked uncharacteristically happy. “I just received a call from the dean of the computer science program at Cornell.”
Oh, here we go.
Pete hadn’t had time to come up with the right approach to let his father know that Cornell probably wasn’t going to happen. He at least wanted to wait until after his meeting with Warp.
His father nagged him for a year about college after graduation. The man had felt embarrassed explaining to his peers that his son didn’t have any motivation to go to college and seemed content to stay home and mooch off his parents.
Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
It took him a year to perfect multiple apps, including the one he planned to sell to Warp next week.
“Uh, yeah?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yes. And he’s agreed to meet with you personally to discuss additional scholarship opportunities.”
“What?” His father had Pete’s full attention. One of the excuses Pete could give for not attending Cornell was the price. He hadn’t applied for any additional scholarships—on purpose—and his parents couldn’t afford any additional loans after getting a home equity line of credit to keep the campground afloat.
And Pete hated debt. Being a witness to his parents argue about money, he refused to take out a student loan. He might be able to sell a few apps to pay his way through Cornell.
If he was going…
Titus grinned, his thick chest puffed up. “They have a few interviews every semester with the most promising incoming students. They’ll discuss the program, and they want to hear your thoughts on a senior project. It’s an opportunity for them to reconsider their scholarship amount.” Titus gripped Pete’s shoulder hard and shook it. “If you don’t screw up this interview, you could be looking at a full ride to Cornell!”
Yay. Only Pete didn’t say that. He raised his brows, forced a smile, and nodded.
Titus’s excitement waned. “I thought this information would excite you since I know you were worried about the cost. A full ride to Cornell…you can’t pass that up.”
Pete swallowed. “Dad…” Titus had already turned his back and gone to his desk. He shuffled some papers. “Dad?” Pete said a little louder. Titus didn’t respond. Pete made fists in frustration. He knew his father heard him. He was being spiteful because Pete hadn’t been excited about interviewing with the dean.
Pete stomped around his father. “Dad, I have to talk to you,” he said more forcefully.
Titus looked up, scanned Pete’s face, and then stood to full height. His father was an inch taller than Pete, but physically, they were about the same size since Pete had maintained his gym routine since high school. “What?” he asked gruffly.
Pete opened his mouth and paused. Titus smirked. It was a challenge that both infuriated Pete and scared him. “I have to talk to you about…something I’ve been working on.”
“Is it your senior project for Cornell?”
“No,” Pete answered firmly. “But it is something that could make a lot of money. A phone app.”
Titus made a sound of disgust and put a hand up. “You think playing on your phone is more important than getting an education. An Ivy League education?” Titus roared. He leaned two fists on the desk, menacing blue eyes cutting through Pete. “Do you know what I would give to be in your shoes?”
Pete wanted to laugh. He had no idea about Warp Entertainment. That soured Pete instantly. His father wouldn’t let him get the words out.
“To be able to get an education, an opportunity I didn’t have. I had to go to work right out of high school. Had to help support my family.” He swung his arms around wide. “Don’t you think I’d rather not be here? I could be out of Springfield and not trying to support a failing business because it’s all I can do to keep food on the table. Maybe if I had a more supportive father. Maybe if I’d gone to school and gotten a degree…something that would’ve made me more money.”
“Maybe if you didn’t have kids?” Pete asked quietly.
Titus’s lips clamped shut.
Exactly. Maybe if he didn’t have a family. If it were just him doing it all over again, he’d make a different choice about that too.
Pete’s gaze fell away from his father’s guilty one, and he scuffed his toe on the floorboard.
“If I could do it all again,” Titus began in a calmer tone, “I’d make the choice you seem so keen on throwing away. I thought I raised you better than that.”
