Page 20 of Beautiful Beast

“Life is short,” he continues. “Believe me, I know. So, if you want to start a business anyway, just use the one you already have.”

His proposition makes sense because Townsend Enterprises has so many divisions, so much name recognition, and so much power that I wouldn’t have to fight the uphill battle of a start-up.

I’d still have an easier time than most given I’d be starting rich, but it does seem dumb to throw my position away over a dead man.

“Regardless of how you feel about our family – and I’m not saying you’re wrong – it’s our work, and you deserve to benefit from it,” Uncle Dennis says. “A lot of it has been my work in particular, and while I’d hate to see it go to a stranger, I won’t push if you really feel that you can’t do it.”

Everything he’s saying is totally logical. I just don’t want the evil old man to still be controlling me from the grave. But maybe Uncle Dennis is right, and this decision doesn’t have to be about my father.

I’ll just need to make sure that all my work is done remotely – easy enough in a global business climate – and no one sees me.

“Fuck’s sake,” I grumble. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do it.”

Uncle Dennis shoots me a genuine smile, and I silently click record in my head to forever etch the image in my memory bank.

We didn’t get enough time together.

And I hate leaving him alone.

He’s a permanent bachelor with only Ingrid for company. He shouldn’t be by himself when he’s facing the scariest, most uncertain time in his existence.

He can read me so well and is already protesting before I can speak.

“I’ll be okay. You can’t uproot your life for me. I don’t need a caregiver, and when I do, I’ll hire for it. But don’t be a stranger. Visit me, or I’ll come to see you until I’m unable to.”

And because so many people have regrets about things they say – or didn’t say – I look him right in the eyes.

“I love you, Uncle Dennis. Thank you for making sure I had a childhood, and for everything you’ve done and given up for me. You’re the only man in this entire world who means a damn thing to me and, fuck, I already miss you and everything we’ll be losing. The memories we won’t get to make. The time we’re running out of.”

Tears fill his eyes, and we both stand up to embrace. He’s so solid and strong, and I can’t believe that his body has betrayed him and is going to end his life far too soon.

And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.

“Thank you for becoming a man I’m so proud to have helped to raise. You won’t regret this decision, Adam. You’ll make Townsend Enterprises your own. I’m just sorry that I won’t be here to help guide you and cheer on your accomplishments.”

“I’ll absorb as much of your knowledge as I can. We’ll spend as much time together as possible until…”

You die.

The words are unspoken but ring loudly in the otherwise silent apartment.

Fuck.

“Until we can’t,” Uncle Dennis finishes softly. “I’m so sorry that I won’t be here for you. I hate the thought of leaving you alone in the world.”

It’s such an Uncle Dennis thing to say. He’s always thinking of others – especially me – and never of himself.

“I’m sorry that you won’t be here period.”

He gives me a shitload of paperwork to read over, and we make plans to get together the next day. I’ll make a point to visit with him every single day, even if it’s just for an hour. He’s a business genius, and also an exceptional person who I can learn so much from.

Spending time with him is a joy, and I wish that I’d done more of it. I wish that it didn’t take facing death to remind people about what really matters in life.

The expression “heavy heart” has never made more sense to me than it does as I head back to my apartment where I intend to hide out until Uncle Dennis comes over tomorrow. He said he wants to get out of the house as much as possible until it becomes too difficult to travel.

I manage to get into the waiting limo and back up to the penthouse foyer without making eye contact with anyone, lost in thought about how shitty and cruel life can be.

I’ve just been through the wringer, and all I want to do is sit in a wingback chair with a tumbler of very expensive whiskey.

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