Page 106 of Matchmaking the CEO

“Thank you for the invitation."

"Sure, anytime. I won't keep you any longer. We both have stuff to do. See you, Jake."

"See you."

After hanging up, I immediately called my grandmother. Even though Grandfather felt much better than he had a couple weeks ago, I still called her to check in. He rested multiple times during the day, and I didn't want to accidentally wake him.

She answered immediately. "Well, if it's not the prodigal grandson."

"Will you ever stop calling me that?"

"Yes, whenever you come home for good."

"Subtle as always, Grandmother."

"Darling, I never said I was. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"I've got some news important enough that I’d like to discuss it with you, Grandfather, and my brothers. When can we drop by?"

"I can throw together a dinner. Does tomorrow work?"

“No, I’m going to an event in the evening.”

“Then lunch! It’s Saturday, so hopefully I can get everyone together. Especially Colton. That boy is starting to worry me."

If I was honest, he was worrying me too.

"I think so too," I replied. "And, Grandmother, do you mind if Natalie joins us?"

"Mind? Darling, it's all I ever wanted. Remember my scheming?"

"Hard to forget," I admitted.

***

Despite my best effortto persuade her, Natalie couldn’t join us for lunch on Saturday. She had to be on location to prep everything for the event starting at eleven in the morning. I was disappointed because I wanted her here with me today when I shared the news.

“Damn, Jake. Now you’ve got a big fat minus point with Grandmother for showing up without Natalie,” Cade said.

She'd cooked three whole meals for the lunch.

"Grandmother, you don't have to cook up a storm every time the five of us are together," Gabe said, kissing her cheek. He was the last one to arrive.

Colton kept checking his phone. I cocked a brow him, and he didn't even shrug. He looked exhausted.

“What happened?" I asked him.

"Breakthrough didn't happen, so now we're back to square one."

"Darling, we're so sorry," Grandmother said.

I suspected that he was beating himself up for the discovery not working. He’d always had a strong sense of responsibility, but that was life in research. Sometimes things worked out and sometimes they didn’t.

Gabe and Cade exchanged a glance. I was betting they were thinking about ways to take our brother's mind off his troubles.

Spencer's eyes were fixed on Colton. "Dude, you can't lock yourself up in your office or the lab until the next breakthrough happens. You're going to burn yourself out."

"I agree," I said. He was driven but in different ways than the rest of us. This was never about money for him. It was his life. I was all for following your passion as long as that didn't completely consume you.

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