Page 14 of Beauty and her Billionaire Beast
He purses his lips and clears his throat. “Knowing this, I want us to talk about something else. Reallytalk.”
It’s beyond me how he can believe I’ll be able to have a conversation after news that has floored me. But maybe by conversation, he means he’ll do thetalking. If that’s the case, there’s no telling whether I can hear him out, but I’m willing to try, even if the room is closing in on me and my confused senses lead me to think I’m underwater rightnow.
I lift the whiskey to my lips, tilt the glass all the way, and take a gulp as though this serving is only one shot. Then I give him anod.
Pops tops up my glass with the bottle theserver left us. “I’ve broached this topic on numerous occasions before, son, but given this news about my health, I feel it warrants another concerted attempt. I don’t want to leave you unprepared or alone in this world. If that happens, it means I haven’t done my job right, or honored your parents by helping you to be the man we all believe you have the potential to become. You know where thisis going, but I’ll come right out and say it again. It’s time, son. Time to start taking the reins of Steele Industries, time to find someone special, get married and settle down. And the crazy kickbox fighting thing you do wherever it is that you go…it needs tostop.”
His lips are moving but nothing he’s just said is registering in my brain right now. Still, I know the gist. He may believeit’s fine to follow that massive confession about his life now having an expiration date with his wishes for me to grow up and settle down, but this is not the time or place. “I want to talk about how we fight this, Pops. You can’t give up so easily. Money’s no object. If we put our heads together we can beatthis.”
My grandfather raises one eyebrow and leans back in his chair. “You don’tquite realize how lonely you are, son,” he tells me without so much as acknowledging what I said about fighting this thing. “You aren’t a kid anymore. When I was twenty-nine, I was married, your father was five years old, and me and my brother, God rest his soul, were elbows deep in aviation fluid, building Steele Industries from nothing. I didn’t ask you to grow up at twelve, or nineteen. Butnow, it’s time. You’re old enough to take on more responsibility, to experience more of what life has to offer. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me. Find a nice girl, start a family of your own, andreallytake over thecompany.”
“This… this is allinsane.”
“I understand it might seem that way to you now.” His overly patient tone isn’t helping. “But you must see why I wantthis for you. You deserve the best, your own little piece of happiness.” He leans in closer as if he’s about to whisper a secret to me. “As it stands today, you’re fixing to only get the crumbs in my will, boy. Your unwillingness to transition to full on adulthood, it doesn’t give me peace ofmind.”
“I can’t rely on anyone or anything to make me happy. Not a woman, not a business I haveabsolutely no passion for, and certainly not the money and assets of yourwill.”
He reaches for his whiskey and his knuckles go white around the glass. “You’re not thinking straight. You millennials tend to have a problem, the way you refuse to put a value on starting off with an easier life. You think I want you to scrimp and sacrifice the way I had to? Because I’ll tell you right now,you won’t enjoy that life. Look, everything I have, everything I’ve built, I want you to have it. There’s a but coming, though. And that is, I don’t want you to squander it or neglect it to the point where you’re starting over from the bottom of the barrel five years from now. And as for finding someone special, don’t fool yourself. You might think being a loner is good for you, but no one knowsmore than I do that you’ll be happier, more driven, more alive with someone by yourside.”
“This is not the time,” I bark. “You know that,right?”
“Don’t raise your voice at me,” he snaps back. “Not here. I get it. This isn’t what you expected, but work with mehere.”
“Sorry, I just... I need aminute.”
I push my chair back and walk out the front doors for some airto clear my head and think this through. He wants me to process the worst news of my adult life on a dime and move onto his favorite topics, but I don’t know how to start processing itall.
My grandfather isdying.
He’s about to leave me all alone in this crapworld.
And he opts for his pocket lecture,How to Fix Knox101?
It’s not thatsimple.
“Knox?” The softsound of Isabelle’s voice pierces through my thoughts, forcing me back to the presentreality.
I begin to turn toward the sound, relieved to know there’s a chance I’ll find some comfort in my old friend’s face. I have no right to expect her to be there for me. Not after I let ten years pass without so much as a text or phone call. And then there’s that night last week. Maybe I made it thatmuch worse between us by fucking her. Maybe I didn’t. I’m not sure, as I haven’t taken the time to try to contact her since then. But then again, neither has she. I have no idea what she thinks of me, but from the concern in her tone just now, I’m almost sure she’ll be the friend I neednow.
“I’m so glad you’re here Isabelle. I need to…” I mutter before our eyes meet, and my body stiffenswhen I realize she’s not alone. She’s with her father, Senator Joseph Harrison. Her mother, Tandy, is also with her, so I abruptly stop myself from continuing, and continue with, “Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison. It’s great to see youagain.”
Isabelle’s cheeks flush a bright red and she shifts uncomfortably as I shake hands with her father. No doubt, seeing me is a reminder of what wedid in that closet. Or maybe she feels bad for running out. Personally, I’m over it. I don’t need or want to think about sex at a time like this. I just want my best friend back. If she’ll haveme.
“I’m about to head inside,” I say to wrap up the pleasantries. “Pops is waitinginside.”
“Oh, here at Chez Maurice?” Joseph asks and smiles, seemingly oblivious to all the tension flowingbetween his daughter and me “I shouldn’t be surprised. We have reservations here tonight as well. We should all catch up over dessert or coffeelater.”
Small talk? Not a great idea. Pops isdying.
I want to tell him another time would be better, but the Senator is a persistent man. If he so chooses, he’ll inject himself into our somber dinner with no problem. Pulling the door open,I motion for Isabelle and her family to enter ahead of me, and we follow Joseph as he heads over to Pops’ and mytable.
Isabelle slows down halfway there and turns to me. “I’m sorry… about last week,” she whispers for just me to hear. “And sorry about tonight, for dad. You know how heis.”
“It’s fine. Pops will be glad to seehim.”
There’s an awkwardness between us that wasn’tthere before. A discomfort that makes our conversation seem forced. It’s because we crossed the line. As much as I enjoyed it, I should never have gone thatfar.
“We should probably join them,” I tell her, hating the tense, formal tone of my ownvoice.
Isabelle nods. “Yes, of course,” she says, and continues toward ourtable.
I’ve really fuckedup.
