Page 26 of From the Start

Damn. Is he right? I always considered Miles’s surfing as a fun hobby he tried to make into a career until his shoulder injury in Hawaii ended his aspirations.

“I never thought of it this way.”

“I’m not saying you’re a spoiled brat or had everything handed to you. But you did have it easier than other people in this family.”

My phone beeps with a message. I swear under my breath when I read it. “I need to go. Jaxon is losing his mind.”

“Go. I’ll catch you later in the office.”

We stand and I study Miles. I always thought Miles was as much of a jokester and goofball as me. I never considered the amount of hours he trained to become a professional surfer.

“Later,” I finally mutter before making my way to my car.

As I drive to the distillery, I consider everything Miles said. Miles, the charming surfer who doesn’t take his job at the distillery seriously. Or so I thought.

“What’s up?” I ask Jaxon when I stroll into my office fifteen minutes later.

“You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago.”

“I had things to do.”

“What things? Did you meet with the delivery company to discuss our contract?”

“Meet with the delivery company?” What is he talking about?

He sighs. “These other things had nothing to do with your job as operations manager?”

I shrug since he already knows the answer to this question.

“This is why I asked Eli not to appoint you as the operations manager.”

I scowl. “I’ll be going to the ER to have the knife removed from my back now.”

He frowns. “There’s no knife in your back.”

I forgot my nerdy brother doesn’t understand metaphors. “You stabbed me in the back.”

“I…” His eyes light with understanding and he trails off.

“You don’t think I can do the job.”

“No. I think you don’t want to do this job. You’re too young.”

I’m sick of everyone pointing out my age. “What does my age have to do with anything? Eli was a director ofApparoowhen he was my age.”

“And he worked long hours to make the business a success. He didn’t rely on other people to perform his work for him.”

“I don’t rely on other people to perform my work.”

He raises his eyebrows. “I can’t tell if you are this unaware or if you’re lying.”

I rear back. “Lying? Are you saying I’m a liar?”

“Unaware it is,” he mumbles under his breath.

“Look,” I begin, “I’ve had enough of hard truths for one day. Can we discuss this another time?”

“No, we can’t. Blossom and I want to start having children. I plan to help raise my children. I won’t be an absent father.”