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The downtown office of Rivers Enterprises buzzed with the energy of a billion-dollar business. Grayson and Rhett stood at the head of a sleek, glass conference table, their eyes glued to the blueprints spread out before them. I stood nearby, the morning sun casting its warm rays through the window, but my mind couldn’t focus on the project. Instead, I stared out the window, my thoughts consumed by Esme. It had been three weeks. Three long, painful weeks. The only communication between us had been a text from me, asking about Belle. Esme’s reply had been brief and polite. The burn was healing well and Belle was fine.
“Hey, Wolfe,” Rhett’s voice pulled me back to the moment. “What do you think about the environmental impact assessment? Should we bring in a third party or handle it internally? And we need to take another look at the proposed zoning changes and get moving on those too.”
My gaze lingered on the cityscape outside for a moment longer before turning to face my brother. “Uh, well, you know, I think we should really… consider what’s best for the community.” My words faltered, and I could feel the weight of my brothers’ eyes on me.
“Community?” Rhett raised an eyebrow, confusion evident in his expression. “We’re talking about the financial implications here.”
“Right, sorry.” I cleared my throat, trying to force my thoughts back to where they needed to be, in this office, going over some dumb planning I couldn’t give two fucks about. Esme. Esme. Esme.
“Look, Wolfe,” Grayson said, his tone exasperated. “If you’re not going to contribute, maybe you should just leave.”
“No, I’m fine. Let’s talk about the community impact statement.”
“Community impact? Rhett was talking about theenvironmentalimpact statement.” Grayson’s eyes glittered with irritation. “For the love of god, Wolfe, focus or get out!”
“Fine!” I snapped back, my frustration boiling over. “I can’t stop thinking about Esme, alright? I don’t give a damn about zoning changes right now!”
The room grew tense, my brothers looking at me with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. Rhett tried to lighten the mood. “Why don’t you write her a love song, Wolfe? Or better yet, serenade her under her window like some second-rate Romeo?” His grin was all teeth, but his eyes held a challenge.
His words only fueled the tension in the room further. I gave him a filthy look in reply, which only made him smile wider. Asshole. I clenched my fists, feeling trapped between my responsibilities and a burning need to be somewhere else. Except that I wasn’t welcome there, either.
“Look, I know this is important,” I muttered, scrubbing my hands over my face, trying to regain some control over my emotions. “Just… give me a moment to collect myself.”
They exchanged glances, their faces unreadable as they waited for me to find my footing in this unfamiliar territory. I just couldn’t seem to focus.
Finally, Grayson’s patience wore thin. “For fuck’s sake, Wolfe. If you’re so in love with her, do something about it!”
As his words echoed through the room, I went completely still, staring at my brother as all the air left my lungs. It felt like a punch to my gut–was I really in love with Esme? Rhett laughed and shook his head at my dumbfounded expression. Shaking his head, he said. “You honestly didn’t even realize it, did you?”
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I stared at both of them. My heart slammed against my chest as I tried to process their words. Holy fuck. They were right — I was in love with Esme White.
There was a part of me that felt relieved to admit it, to have it out in the open. To just feel it. But then reality slid back in, making my gut churn. What did it matter how I felt?“’ need a king, Wolfe.’I was so far from what Esme needed; it was almost comical. A bitter smile twisted my lips. “It doesn’t matter.”
Grayson leaned back in his chair and slipped his hand into his pocket. “What do you mean? Why doesn’t it matter?”
There was something about being exposed to Grayson’s harsh scrutiny that dragged the truth out of a man. “I can’t be what she needs, Gray.”
“Really?” he retorted, raising an eyebrow. “And just what does she need?”
“Someone who can step up and help her raise those kids. Someone who can stand by her side and face whatever challenges life throws at them.” My heart tightened painfully, thinking of Esme’s selflessness, her unwavering love for the kids. Even just the thought of it sat heavy on my shoulders.
“Is that all?” Grayson raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got billions of dollars, your own company, and plenty of resources. You could definitely help her.”
“That’s not the help she needs, though. You think I haven’t tried to buy her stuff? To throw money at her? No, it’s more than that. She needs someone capable of getting in there and raising the kids with her.” The words came out heavy, laden with pitiful acceptance. “And I’m... not capable.” Yeah, that hurt.
“Then take up cooking lessons,” Grayson shot back, his voice dripping with impatience.
I frowned, confused by his suggestion. “Cooking? What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”
“Jesus, Wolfe!” Grayson snapped, growing even more impatient. “The kids need to eat, don’t they?”
“Wait,” I said, looking at him with an intensity that seemed to surprise him. “Do you really think I can be what Esme needs?”
He studied me for a long moment, his face unreadable. Time seemed to stretch, thin and brittle, until, with a slow nod, he dropped the bombshell. “Yes.”
From literally anyone else on the planet, I would have called bullshit. But my brother had never said a word in his life he didn’t mean. That single word felt like a lifeline, and even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy, I wanted to be a part of Esme’s life. It was time for me to step up and prove to her that I could be the man she needed. For the first time in weeks, I felt a glimmer of hope. I knew what I had to do.
CHAPTER34