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It was perfect.

Almost perfect.

Aside from the fear pitting itself in my stomach.

Most of what Farrah asked of me was simple enough. I could find a way to be needed less at work, promote someone or three to help with my work. Hell, I could go public, sell a majority of my shares, and be set for life.

It would be hard to let it go, but I could do it.

Making amends with my parents on the other hand?

More than a decade had passed since we’d had a real conversation. Seeing them at Tyler’s wedding had felt like a punch to the gut. My dad’s hair was nearly all gray. My mom had wrinkles on her face I’d never seen before.

They were getting older, and all that time between the fight and now? It was gone forever.

How much time was too much time to lay down our differences? And did I want to?

What did Dad think of me now, the owner of a billion-dollar company, when he’d called me selfish just for my desire to expand the ranch enough to support a few families? If he’d thought I was greedy then, he must think me the devil incarnate now.

And facing that? Getting confirmation of the thing I feared the most...

It scared me more than I liked to admit.

I tried to run my business in an ethical way, to give my time and money when I could, but he didn’t see that. He probably wouldn’t care to understand.

And my mom? The woman who raised me and loved me? She chose him. Listened to him speak those words about me and said nothing.

Farrah shifted behind me, and I rolled over, looking into her sleepy eyes, a touch of a smile on her lips. “Good morning, handsome,” she mumbled.

I kissed the tip of her nose. “How did you sleep?”

“So well you’ll be lucky to get me out of bed in time for work.” She closed her eyes, snuggling into my chest.

“I could stay in this bed all day, but we have a meeting with HR at seven.”

Her eyes flew open, searching mine. “What? Am I fired?”

I chuckled. “No, we just need to come clean about our relationship before it hits newsstands at eight. Give PR a chance to handle it.”

She nodded, then she sat up. “Oh my god, I need to tell Mia.”

“Mia?” I asked, then I remembered they were friends before all this. Farrah treated everyone like her best friend. “You can call her while I take a shower?”

She nodded, sitting up with her back against the cushioned headboard.

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. “It’s going to be okay.”

With a slight smile, she said, “I can handle a meeting with HR and Mia and the whole world, as long as my kids are okay with you.”

“Same here,” I replied. I took my phone off the nightstand and walked to the bathroom. With the door closed, I sent Liv a text.

Gage: When should I talk to Mom and Dad?

She didn’t reply right away, so I got in the shower, barely hearing Farrah’s murmurs over the water pressure. When I finished washing up and got out, there was a message from Liv.

Liv: *shocked emoji*

Liv: Is this Farrah?