Page 41
“Family get-together,” Dad muttered. “I suppose he’s including his illegitimate offspring in that.”
“I’m sure he is.” Graham kept his voice as pleasant as possible.
Paul guffawed. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard that rumor. You’re telling me it’s true? The old man has another kid?”
Dad inhaled sharply and skewered his nephew with a deadly look, not that Paul noticed.
Graham had thought it was awkward having Uncle James and Aunt Maribel in the same space, but it was a familiar form of discomfort. Adding Paul to the mix was like tossing a hand grenade into a fire that had been somewhat contained previously.
“Welcome to Sweet River Ranch!” Grandfather’s bright voice came from behind them. “Good flights?”
Never had Graham been so glad to see the older man. Let him handle his messy family.
After kissing Mom and Aunt Maribel and shaking hands with Dad and Uncle James, Grandfather pinned his gaze on Paul. “Is there something I can help you with, young man? Any rumors you’d like to discuss with me?”
Paul retreated a half-step. “No, sir. Everything is fine, sir.”
“I suggest you find a flight back to Chicago very soon. The lodge here seems to be overbooked this coming weekend, and I’d hate for you to find yourself sleeping in the stable.”
Paul’s gaze shifted. “I’ll look into flights, sir.”
“Excellent.” Grandfather turned back to Uncle James and Dad. “Shall we step aside?”
The brothers nodded and closed ranks around their father as they walked away, the women right behind them.
Paul glowered at Graham. “You think you’re really somebody with Walter Sullivan for a grandfather, don’t you?”
There had certainly been times when Graham had held his head high on that account, but he’d come to realize that it was an advantage he’d done nothing to deserve. “I’ve been blessed,” he replied simply.
Paul snorted, sidled closer, and lowered his voice. “You think Cadence is going to fall all over you because you can rescue her from this mess her father put her in? She won’t. She doesn’t dare.”
Graham’s gut tightened. “You don’t love her, so why not let her go graciously?”
“It’s not up to me.”
“Sure, it is.”
“Nope. I’d release her — again — if I could, but I’m kind of over a barrel here, same as her. It’s a thing with our fathers and their companies.” His cousin shrugged. “It can’t be helped, but we only need to stay married for two or three years. I’m willing to make the sacrifice for the good of Bradley Consortium.”
“For money, you mean.”
“Well, yeah. You’d do the same.”
“I don’t think so.”
“If you had it in your power to keep your old man’s business from going belly-up and taking your own fortune with it? I’m pretty sure you’d do what you could.”
“Not if it included ruining someone else’s life.”
“Ruin?” Paul laughed harshly. “I’m not that bad. She can give me a son, whom I’ll retain custody of in the divorce settlement. I guess if she wants access, she’ll stick around longer, but she’ll probably be glad to be rid of any reminders of me. Not that I plan on being abusive or anything like that. Just… I get that I’m not her favorite person at the moment, and that’s not likely to change.”
If Graham slugged his cousin, he’d be on the hard floor calling uncle in seconds. Still, the temptation had never been stronger. He clenched his fists. Clenched his jaw.
Paul smirked. “And you can be there to pick up the pieces, cousin. All’s fair in love and war, right?”
Graham pivoted on his heel and strode away.
* * *
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41 (Reading here)
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94