Page 21 of Masters of the Game: Colton

The rest of the week passed in a bevy of activities for Colton and Kelly.

LA’s economic agency was just as eager as New York’s to convince them their city was the better choice.

As far as Colton was concerned, both had offered impressive location packages.

His and Kelly’s job would be to gather all facts and details and make their recommendation to Lake who would take it to the board. Ultimately, the choice would be theirs.

“Do you think the shareholders will go along with our recommendations?” Kelly asked.

She and Colton were on their way to see his cousin Quinn and his Grammy award-winning wife, Alexia Bennett-Masters, who’d invited them for dinner.

His brother Cortez and his wife Victoria would be there as well.

It had been a good four months since Colton had seen his oldest brother, although they talked at least once or twice a week.

Stopping at a traffic light, he glanced over at Kelly. “If Lake agrees with it then they will, too.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Although Lake started the company right out of college, the capital to do so came from our Uncle Sylvester--or Uncle Sly, as we called him.”

“The one who was your Grampa Kenneth’s only brother? The one who never married because he was too busy knocking some sense into Kenneth for marrying five times?” she asked grinning.

Colton grinned back, impressed she had remembered what he’d told her about his family. “Yes, one and the same. There was a ten-year age difference between the two. We all figured he always had a lot of money since he never married.”

When the light changed, Colton continued on the way to his cousin’s house. “He also taught all of us about investments. In fact, he even provided the start-up capital Lake needed for Masters Unlimited. However, he did have one stipulation.”

“What?”

“That the company remained family-owned. The only shareholders would be family members by birth. Of course, Uncle Sly was the major shareholder, but he gave each Masters twenty shares when they completed college.”

“That was generous, as well as a good incentive,” Kelly said.

“That was his plan. He was the first Masters to get a college degree, and he wanted to ensure he wouldn’t be the last. Lake was the first of us to start a business right out of college.

Most of the others worked in their chosen profession before going solo.

Everyone trusts Lake to do what’s in the best interest of the company because, after all, it’s his.

I have no doubt that if we can convince Lake that our choice is the best one, convincing the shareholders won’t be a problem. ”

“It sounds like your uncle Sly was a visionary who looked out for his family. Is he still alive?”

“No. He died a few years ago. When he did, he left all his shares to Lake.”

Colton pulled up at the gatehouse to gain access to the private estate. There was no delay since his name was on the log. After going through what seemed to be a mile-long driveway, they reached the massive structure.

“This is a beautiful house.”

“It is, isn’t it?” he said, parking the car behind a couple of others. He recognized his brother’s BMW and wondered who the other vehicle belonged to. He glanced over at Kelly. “Ready to go inside?”

She smiled over at him. “I’m ready.”

**

“I can’t believe you planned a trip to LA and didn’t tell me,” Kelly said, smiling at her sister.

Monica chuckled. “I didn’t plan anything.

Landon had a last-minute business trip, and since I knew you would be here and I was caught up with my school work, I asked if I could tag along.

” She then leaned in closer and whispered, “You and Colton look good together, Sis. Is there something I should know?”

“Maybe,” Kelly said, grinning, before taking a sip of her wine. The last time she had talked to Monica had been to tell her about Mr. Perkins’ phone call.

“Hey, no fair that you two can drink wine and I can’t,” a woman said, coming up behind them.

They turned and smiled at Victoria--a very pregnant Victoria. “You have two more months to go. And you’re sure you aren’t having twins?” Monica asked.

Victoria grinned. “The doctor said I’m only having one baby, and I’m taking him at his word. There are enough twins in the Masters family already.”

Kelly knew that Colton’s cousin, Quinn, was a twin, and that he and Alexia had twin sons, eighteen-year-old Bennett and Blake.

The two, who were home for the summer after their first year at college, were very handsome young men who favored their father.

Their only daughter, Idella, was twelve, and it was clear that she was a daddy’s girl.

“So how long will you and Colton be in town?” Alexia asked, walking over to join the group.

“Only until the end of the week. Then we return to Boston and put our heads together to come up with a recommendation to give to Lake.” Their heads wouldn’t be the only things they would put together.

The past two weeks with Colton had been the stuff of fantasies, and she couldn’t see anything changing in that regard.

“Tough decision,” Victoria said.

“But you can’t go wrong with either location,” Monica added.

“I don’t see why he can’t just open an office in both,” Alexia commented. When everyone looked at her, she shrugged, then grinned. “There’s nothing wrong with thinking big.”

Kelly laughed. “I guess not.”

“And speaking of big… What’s this I hear about the two of you, along with Hansen and Pratt, inheriting a huge piece of farmland in Missouri from some great-uncle of Mr. Perkins?” Victoria asked.

Kelly wasn’t surprised the news had gotten around. That was usually how things worked in the Bennett family. So she told them of her phone conversation with Mr. Perkins. “Can you believe he expects us to sign over the land, as well as everything that goes with it, to him?”

“Of course, that’s not going to happen,” Monica added.

“It was good of your mom to make sure all of his kids got a piece of the pie, Kelly. Ms. Mallory didn’t have to do that. She could have just looked out for your interest,” Victoria said.

Kelly smiled. “Yes, she could have, but you know Mom. She has a heart of gold. She’s always thinks of others.”

“Yes,” Alexia agreed. “Even at Monica’s wedding, Mallory pitched in and helped out any way she could. I know Monica considers her like a second mom, and I think that’s wonderful.”

“Now, it’s her time,” Kelly said, smiling brightly.

“What do you mean?” Victoria asked.

Other than her siblings and Colton, Kelly hadn’t told another soul. “Mom got engaged,” she said excitedly.

A huge smile covered Alexia’s face. “Wow! That’s wonderful for her! And hopefully, this will make Lorenzo Perkins finally leave her alone. I believe he always thought that eventually, he would get back in your mom’s good graces.”

Unfortunately, Kelly had seen him try. And her mom was just too nice to tell the man where to go. “Well, he’ll just have to get over it. Because now she has a fiancé named Vernon who’ll put him in his place.”

**

“I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight?” Colton asked when they got back to the hotel. “Quinn and Alexia are two of my favorite family members.”

“I can see why. And yes, I had a wonderful time,” Kelly said, sliding down on the sofa in her suite. “And Monica and Landon’s surprise visit made it even more special. I would say this has been a very productive trip in more ways than one.”

Colton was glad she thought so, because he agreed.

For business reasons and for personal ones.

He hoped she’d figured out by now that he intended for their relationship to continue even after her work ended with Masters Unlimited.

It didn’t matter to him that she lived in Atlanta and he was in Boston.

Several airlines provided direct flights between the cities daily.

A part of him wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but the last thing he wanted to do was to scare her off or make her feel trapped in any way.

She was just beginning to enjoy how it felt not to be so consumed with work.

He wanted that for her, but he wanted to continue to be a major part of her downtime.

“Colton? Is something wrong?”

Her forehead was creased with concern. “What makes you think something is wrong?” he asked.

“It seems as if you have a lot on your mind.”

If only she knew! And it all concerned her.

He was racking his brain, trying to come up with ways to make their affair not only workable now, but something that would continue to grow and blossom in the future.

There was a lot that he wasn’t ready to reveal quite yet, but he would in time.

So instead, he decided to tell her something that Quinn had shared with him.

Crossing the room, he came to sit down on the sofa beside her. “I learned something tonight about Kenneth Masters.”

“Your grandfather? The same one we were discussing on our way to Quinn and Alexia’s?”

“Same one.”

“What about him?” she asked.

“Well… It appears his first wife had a child he never knew about. I remember hearing the marriage only lasted less than six months.”

“How did you find this out about the child?”

He leaned back against the sofa. “Quinn got a call from social services in Philadelphia. A twelve-year-old boy named Hayes Masters’ parents were killed when the store they owned was robbed.

It appears Hayes’ father, Sonny, was Kenneth’s grandson, which makes Hayes Kenneth’s great-grandson from his first wife.

Her son, Isley, was born after the divorce, and she didn’t tell Kenneth she was pregnant.

I guess she didn’t like it much that he’d remarried six months after their divorce.

Obviously, he didn’t like staying single too long. ”

“Considering he had five wives, I’d say he didn’t like staying married long, either,” Kelly said, shaking her head.

“Seems that way. Our grandmother was his fourth wife, and he’d been her third husband.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, they weren’t role models in the marriage department. That’s why their offspring vowed not to marry until they were certain they had found the perfect mate.”

“Smart move.”

“Anyway, social services told Quinn that unless some family member comes forward to take Hayes in, he will be placed in the foster care system. But one of Sonny’s employees recalled his boss claiming he was some kin to the man who was married to the singer Alexia Bennett-Masters.

The authorities reached out to Quinn to see if that was true.

When they sent Quinn a picture of the kid, Quinn knew it was.

He looks too much like a Masters to be anything else.

Quinn says the kid could be a triplet to Blake and Bennett. ”

“So, what is Quinn going to do?” Kelly asked.

“Hayes is one of ours. We’ll make sure he’s taken care of.”

“It has to be hard on him, losing both his parents,” she said.

“Well, he’s about to discover that he’s inherited an entire village.

The ‘Brothers Four’ are all flying to Philly tomorrow with the necessary paperwork.

Quinn will get full custody. It will be easier, since Hayes is the same age as Idella and they are in the same grade.

We’re holding a family Zoom meeting Sunday night to let the rest of the family know what’s going on. ”

Kelly reached out and took his hand. “It sounds like the Masters are just as special as I found the Bennetts to be. Hayes might have lost his parents, but like you said, he’s now inherited a village.”

Later that night, after they’d made love, Colton held Kelly in his arms, studying her while she slept. She’d tried wearing him out with more new positions, but ultimately, she was the one who’d fallen asleep from exhaustion. He smiled remembering that.

It pleased him to know that she thought well of his family. Because he was determined that before long, she’d claim it as hers, as well.