Page 30 of Trained Royal
“I’m great. Things are going well today. I can’t ask for more.” Patrick Senior chuckled. “Anyway, what can I do for you? Is everyone okay over there?”
He’d called his father earlier that day, saying he was going to take the day off to visit with his cousins, but he’d also needed a breather before he broke the news.
“Yes, everyone is fine.” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“Sounds ominous. What’s wrong, Patrick?”
He searched for the right way to say it, but nothing came to mind, and he blurted it out. “I don’t want to work in finance.”
Patrick Senior snorted. “I never thought you did.”
Patrick Junior was startled. “What?”
“Your mother and I had high hopes of you focusing on your music, but when you insisted on becoming part of my business—and no amount of dissuading from us helped—there wasn’t much we could do but adhere to your wishes. Don’t get me wrong, Patrick. You do an amazing job, and the company will miss you, but I’m glad you finally realise this isn’t you.”
“I can’t remember you trying to change my mind,” he murmured.
“We didn’t make a fuss of it. We just kept asking if music was something you’d considered and what you’d like to do when you finished college. I’m surprised you’ve lasted fifteen years.”
Patrick rubbed a hand over his face. “Me, too.”
“What are your plans from here?”
He stared at the trees in the distance. “I’m honestly not sure. I won’t stop working for you until I’ve figured something else out. Don’t worry.”
“Patrick, dear boy. I’m not concerned at all. If you want to stop working here as of now, that’s fine. I have people who can cover your workload. And I know you will have money squirrelled away that will keep you afloat for some time. Take some time to decide what you want. I think it would be good for you.”
Patrick chuckled. “You agree I should have no job security while I decide? Where’s the financial advisor gone?”
“I left the financial advisor aside the moment I answered your call.” His father sighed. “I love you, Patrick, but I’m going to be tough with you now.”
“All right. What?”
“You’re fired.” Patrick opened his mouth several times, blinking rapidly, but couldn’t get anything to come out. “Now, go see your cousins and, no doubt, your brother, too, and let them help you figure out what the hell you want to be when you grow up.”
That startled a laugh from him, and a tear trickled down his cheek. Only one, though. “Thank you, Father. And if you have any questions about any of the cases I handled, let me know.”
“I won’t, but I will.”
Out of context, that wouldn’t have made sense, but he knew what his father meant. He hung up, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. There were other things he needed to sort through, but the job had weighed him down the most, and now he felt freer. How could one conversation—and losing his job—make such a difference to him?
He slid his phone into his pocket and jogged through the corridors until he reached Douglas’s rooms. He knocked and, when he didn’t hear anything, popped his head through the door and called his cousin’s name. Unable to hear anyone, he closed the door and headed for Freddie’s rooms. He could’ve called one of them to find out where they were, but he wasn’t in a rush. It wasn’t like he had anywhere to be.
Freddie’s rooms were empty, too. Patrick switched directions and knocked on a door.
“Come in!”
He smiled at Randall. “Morning.”
Randall stood and bowed his head. “Good morning, Your Highness. What can I do for you?”
“Do you happen to know where my cousins are?”
Randall nodded once. “Christian is at the Children’s Hospital with Oscar. Douglas is meeting with the Secretary of State with Maverick, and Frederick is on his way back from collecting Damon from the airport as we speak. As for George, I believe he’s in his suite working as Timothy and Eddie are at work, too. As for your brother, he’s the only one I don’t know.”
Patrick chuckled. “He’s probably bugging Robert at the shop. I’ll give him a call and see if I can entice him to leave the man alone.”
Randall smiled. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
