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“If we buy Beacon, someone from the family has to lead the transition. You know that. That was the consensus when we started the talks on expansion two years ago.”

“What did I know? I was at Berkley.”

“Well now you have a seat at the grownup’s table.” He stands and grabs a beer from the fridge. Holding it up in offering, I shake my head, not in the mood for this bullshit. The relocation. Maybe I need the beer. “I’ll go where I’m needed. Are you part of this family or?—”

“Fuck you, Andrew. I’ll take New York, and you can have Seattle.”

“I might not be able to. Dad’s been talking about me leading LA sooner rather than later.” That’s always been my brother’s dream. Am I going to be the asshole who takes that away from him? “Listen to me, Nick. You’ve done a good job closing Manhattan Financial so quickly.”

My dad always told me I’d feel a sense of pride from doing a job well and one that benefits my family is even better. I say, “Christiansen Wealth Management now.”

He chuckles. “I stand corrected.”

I walk to the door, feeling like I’m having to make a choice between what I want and what’s expected of me. Like my loyalty to my family is being questioned. I just made Natalie and me official, even told her I loved her. Was it said based on location—me being in the same city—or because I’ve reached a point where I don’t want to be without her?

I know the answer regarding my personal life, but what have I gotten myself into professionally? Andrew’s sudden change in my relocation is frustrating. Two weeks ago, he was sure I should relocate to New York due to the takeover. Now he drops Seattle into the conversation as if I wouldn’t have an opinion.

“There’s always room for you in management. You’d be able to buy that beach house like you want. Surf at sunrise, drive a Lamborghini, and have an office with a view of all of LA.”

With my hand on the doorknob, I turn back. “I’m not the same guy I used to be.”

He twists off the beer bottle cap. “Because you have a girlfriend? The Christiansen brothers could take the world by storm and grow this business internationally. What will it take, little brother? A Maserati instead?”

“We went from New York to me now moving around the world. That escalated in the blink of an eye. How about because I know what I want and will fight for it. I’m not going to be a pushover, and, Andrew, don’t become another LA asshole who thinks he can buy happiness.”

After taking a long drag from the bottle, he asks, “Now you’re an expert?”

“No, just your brother who wants to respect his elders.”

The cap is shot across the room and hits the door. “We’ll make a deal. I won’t be a douchebag, and you’ll consider Seattle if need be.”

Nodding, I take in the offer, and then say, “I’ll consider it. Later, because I need to go. I promised to take Natalie to dinner.”

“Before you go, I need you to sign an amendment to the Manhattan Financial contract. We gave them a heads-up about the change we want to make. There’s been a lot of back and forth with John St. James. It’s going to come down to agreeing or losing a large incentive.”

“I thought this deal was done?”

He goes to the console and takes a file from his briefcase. When he hands it to me, he says, “Garrett Stans helped pinpoint some smaller loans to clean up the books, and we’ve had Larson in corporate being the bad guy to keep our name off their tongues.”

I shake my head because that makes no sense. They aren’t stupid. “As if somehow, they won’t know a Christiansen, or three, had anything to do with it?”

“They made this deal look golden, and we signed the offer, but once we had more detailed access to all financials, there are some issues that need to be handled. We’re handling them by getting these losses off the books before year-end. But you’re still the point man on the deal from our legal team, so we need you to sign this amendment.”

Handing me a pen, he points at the line. “Sign here. Larson will handle the delivery since you’re traveling.”

“I could swing by and take them since I’m here in the city.”

“Good idea. Keeps it personal. The St. Jameses should like that. Maybe they’ll make this easy for us to move forward by signing.”

After scanning the amendment, I sign and wrap it up in the folder. “We’re good?”

“All good. See you in LA, little brother.”

“See you.” I leave his room and stop by my room down the hall to drop off the file. I can take it over tomorrow before I head to the airport. With Seattle weighing me down, I don’t bother changing clothes and head out to meet Natalie. I need to talk to her and hope she can talk some sense into me for even considering the idea of moving before we have a chance to be together.

I know her, though. I already know what she’ll say.

She’ll never want to stand in the way of something she thinks will make me happy. That means I have to make her realize that there is no happiness if I’m not with her.