Page 9 of The Business of Love Box Set 1: Books 1 - 4

RHYS

“ H ey, your father is here to see you.” My favorite associate, Clay, pulled me from my thoughts.

My knee-jerk reaction was to growl, but my young associate didn’t need to understand the depths of my disgust for my world-famous father.

“Send him in. Thanks, man.” I stood and put my hands on my hips. “Hey, Clay?”

“Yeah?” He paused in the doorway to my office and turned back expectantly.

“Where’s Kate?” My secretary had been absent a little too much lately.

“No clue. I guess lunch?”

“It’s four in the afternoon.” I glanced down at my computer and jostled the mouse. Surely, she’d had an emergency and emailed me? Maybe she didn’t want to bother me.

“No clue, boss. I’ll let her know you’re looking for her when she comes back.” He turned and walked back out of the office.

I dropped down in my chair and let out a long sigh. Running a business had never been the goal of my life, but things had changed as my relationship with my dad continued to deteriorate during my twenties.

My father walked in and set his briefcase down on my desk, not looking me in the face. “This won’t take a moment.”

I couldn’t help but notice how sunken in his cheeks were. A jolt of concern welled up in me, but it fled as quickly as it came.

“What’s this ?” I asked, keeping my voice as even as I could.

“It’s paperwork for my will.” He glanced up at me, his piercing-blue eyes able to take me down a few steps on the proverbial ladder, though he hadn’t spoken a sharp word.

“All right.” I took the papers from him and sat down to read them.

His disgusted sigh didn’t faze me at all. “Jasper, just sign the papers.”

“You know I go by Rhys now.” I picked up a pen and read through the first paragraph. “And you taught me never to sign anything until I’d read it. That’s a rookie mistake, Dad.”

He sat in the chair across from my desk. “This place smells.”

“It’s a moonshine factory. It should.” I tapped the pen against my lips. The weight of him watching me should have been too heavy, but I’d lived under it my entire life. “How’s Mom?”

More disgust. “Who knows? She’s never around anymore. I don’t know why I don’t kick her out.”

“She’s the only one who pays you any attention, outside of Gigi.” I continued to stare at the paper, my focus completely off. Was he dying? Had my grandmother been telling the truth? I couldn’t ask. He would have called me a sensitive pussy with no spine. His words had forever been harsh.

“Whatever. Sign the paper, Jasper.”

“Rhys.” I glanced up and shook my head. “No, I’m not interested in this. Thanks, though.”

The look of fury I’d seen so many times stained his features. “What the hell am I supposed to do with all of this?”

“Give it to Mom and Gigi. Hell, you’re going to live forever. Keep it for yourself.”

“You’re my only son.” He stood and pressed his balled-up hands on the desk in front of him.

“You’re a little late claiming me as your own.” I snorted and lifted the papers back toward him. “I’m not taking something I didn’t earn. You made sure of that with the way you raised me. Thanks, but no thanks.”

“This is ridiculous. You’re being an ass.” He snatched the papers from me. “But that’s fine. I’ll give the damn money to a charity.”

I laughed, hating myself for doing it. “And the world will be shocked. You’re known for many things, but generosity or kindness isn’t one of them.”

He didn’t say another word as he stormed off, but he didn’t have to. The aftereffect of his disgust with me sat all around me like a well-worn coat, familiar.

The world saw a very different picture than the truth of my family’s legacy.

Clay stuck his head back into my office, his eyes wide. “You all right?”

“Yep. Tell me about the Markham account. Did we get the exclusivity rights to serve our liquor in their bars?” I forced the ghosts of my past back into their graves and clasped my hands together on my desk. “Give me some good news. I could use it.”

His concern bled into joy. “We did! I’m sending over the final documents now.”

“Excellent. We should celebrate.”

“Let’s take the team to their bar downtown. We could buy everyone dinner and drinks?” He slipped his hands into his pockets and beamed. His copper-colored hair and freckles made him appear as young as he was. I almost felt sorry for him, but he used what he had and made it work.

I had done the same all my life.

All the things people didn’t realize about me.

Most thought like Vanny had, that I was a trust-fund baby with good looks and lots of money. She, like all the others, assumed good things came easily to me.

Little did she know.

“Sounds like a plan. Gather up everyone around six, and let’s head that way. I need to meet with one more investor before we go.” I nodded toward the door. “Close that on your way out?”

“Absolutely.” He turned and walked out.

I stood and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined my office. Pressing my forehead against the chilly glass, I stared at downtown Nashville. The Nissan Stadium rose up like a big soup pot out of the ground, and the waterway before it glistened in the late fall afternoon.

If I’d had it to do again, I’d have followed Chris out of state. I loved Nashville, but being who I was, there was no chance to come into my own. My family legacy set in motion a set of preconceived thoughts in anyone and everyone who met me.

My best friend’s little sister included.

A smile brushed by my lips at the thought of her. What was she up to? Was she shocked that I’d walked away on Saturday after her declaration that I was everything I’d worked hard not to be? Did she even care?

Better yet. Did I?

Some part of me did. I needed to stop thinking about her. Chris was just about the only family I had outside of Gigi, and I still had my sights set on another woman.

Nessa.

The monitor on the wall to my left blinked. I hit the button and turned toward the screen at the far end of the room. A table of investors who’d logged in to our video call appeared, each more grey-haired than the other.

“Mr. Daniels, thank you for making time to meet with us this afternoon.” Alfred, the head of the bank, nodded toward me.

“Absolutely, sir. What business do we need to address today?”

Another man spoke up. “Word on Wall Street is that your father is not well.”

I slipped my hands into my pockets and steadied myself. The bank didn’t want innovation and new opportunities. They wanted to hold tight to the accounts they already had that had served them well for decades—like my father’s.

“I’ve heard the same.” I tilted my head to the side and offered them a boyish grin.

“You know it would be in your best interest to be listed as the beneficiary of his policies, Rhys. There is security and stability in your family name.” Alfred stood and crossed his arms over his chest. The old man understood me far more than anyone else at the table, but he still wished for something that wasn’t going to happen.

“I understand what you’re saying, Mr. Mills, but I’ve proven myself a good investment as well all of these years. I’m asking for a credit increase that is not at all above what I’ve handled in my ten-year track record.” I took a step toward the screen and glanced around at the familiar faces.

The only female around the table spoke up. “This is true.” She glanced at her colleagues as her grey-blue hair shined due to the light above the table. “I don’t think we need to rely on Jasper Senior’s funding to consider the increase Rhys is asking for.”

Alfred offered a small shrug. “I agree, but I do believe that it would solidify just about any increase you might seek in the future. Consider your options. Just because the past has been a struggle doesn’t mean that you cannot turn this around for your own good.”

“Not happening, and if that’s what you require, then I’ll work to find funding in another place. It shouldn’t be hard.” I shrugged and smiled. “I’d much rather stay with you guys, but business is business.”

Alfred’s expression fell. “Let us discuss your proposition, and we’ll vote again today. Give us twenty-four hours.”

“Done. Enjoy your evening.” I reached out and ended the video conference. I had asked for far more than I imagined they would give me in credit lines for the building of our new moonshine facilities in Kentucky, but I had faith in what we were up to.

The need to beat my father at his own game was powerful fuel for the drive.

Memories of my father berating me during my football games washed over me, followed up by him not coming to my graduation from high school because I graduated in the top five percent and not number one.

He never failed to find an opportunity to remind me that I wasn’t the son he’d hoped to get.

Sucked to be him.

Clay stuck his head into the room. “You done?”

“Yeah. I’ll meet you guys downtown.” I glanced over my shoulder before returning my gaze back to the stadium. It was my vision to purchase it and every other thing my father loved until nothing that he looked at didn’t have my name on it.

“See you there, boss.”

“Absolutely.”

Now if there was just a beautiful woman to dance and drink the night away with. Maybe it was time to go back to being a slut. That had worked out in everyone’s favor, mine especially.