“Happy.”
He couldn’t tell her the truth. How stupidwould it be to say he was only doing it to get his father’sattention? The thought was ridiculous, so he blocked it out. He wasa grown man. Yet, he had a hollow feeling in the pit of hisstomach. What made him happy?
A glimpse of it touched him at the cemetery,of all places. It wasn’t until he saw Chantelle standing over him.The ache in his heart over his sister’s death eased when he stoodto talk with her.
For a moment, they were the only two peoplein the world. Chantelle Woods. Amazing. Beautiful. Caring.Talented. Funny.
Then the rain started, and he reached forher. How he would hold her in the past. Chantelle would hug hisneck, and he would let go of all the pain of his late teen yearsand not having his sister around anymore. He couldn’t talk to hisparents, but he could share with Chantelle. Sure, Grant wouldlisten, but his sister was another shoulder he could lean on.
“Lance?” Andrea said.
He rubbed his eyes. Those days were over. Noreason to be thinking about Chantelle now. It wasn’t fair toAndrea. “Sorry. What?”
“Lance, you’re not listening to me.”
“I am. I hear you.”
“What did I say?” Andrea cocked her head tothe side.
“Something about…” He had to get this right.“Your dress being perfect.”
“I guess that’s close. I can’t decide on amermaid design, ball gown, A-line, trumpet—”
“Can’t you just pick one?”
Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding me?Picking a wedding dress is one of the most important parts. It’lldetermine everything like the flowers, the bridesmaids’dresses—”
“I get it.” He rubbed the back of his neck.“All I have to do is show up.”
Her eyes softened. “No, that’s not all I wantyou to do.”
He smiled. “So you are marrying aside from mygood looks?”
“Well… I can’t deny that ‘Mr. EligibleBachelor.’” She giggled.
“Hilarious.” This time he rubbed hisforehead.
“Babe, you need to relax. You’re working toohard.”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“But you look exhausted. Maybe you need totake some time off.”
He focused his eyes on her. She couldn’t beserious. “You’re the one running all over the world with your gigs.Maybe I’m not the only one who needs to slow down.”
She sat back. Lance noticed the headboardbehind her. Andrea had to be in her hotel room. Her stare wentblank. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Whatever you want it to mean.” Was hepicking a fight? Lance didn’t want to, but the words already lefthis mouth.
“So you can work. I can’t?” She asked.
“I didn’t say that.” He sighed. “Look, Babe.We’re tired and I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret.”
“I won’t argue with you there.” Her lipsflattened into a thin line as she glanced around her room.
“Andrea?”
“You have something else to say?”
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s a start.”
“Forgive me?”
“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” Was sheteasing him? Was that a slight smile on her face? Lance would haveasked, but he didn’t in case she wasn’t in the mood.
“I’ll call you later.”
“That’d be nice,” she said.
She hung up without saying goodbye and Lancetossed his tablet on his bed, hearing it plop. After a shower, heclimbed into bed and emailed his assistant. Flowers wouldn’t solvehis problems with Andrea, but a dozen tulips would be a start.
She would forgive him. Their fights weren’tserious, and he didn’t want to waste time arguing over pettythings. He would send a card along with the flowers to her. Untilhe talked to her again, he settled for sleep.
Chapter 9
His office phone beeped, and Lance answeredto his assistant. His father called for him in his office. Why didit feel like going to a principal’s office?
Lance straightened his tie, and then heclosed his laptop. He shut his eyes and took a cleansing breath. Heflexed his fingers.
No sense in procrastinating. Lance made hisway to his father’s corner office without even bothering to knock.He knew the routine too well. Time was money and if his fathercalled for him, there was no point in double checking in with himwith a knock.
“I was thinking you wouldn’t make it intoday.” His father’s head was down, possibly reading over anotherdeal. His glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. A coffee mug saton the corner of his wooden desk. Lance took the cushioned seatacross from him.
He ignored his father’s comment, not wantingto pick an argument. Instead, his eyes diverted to the plain walls,decorated with pictures of company leaders. Between his father andhis business partner, Bill Lawrence, the junior partners, andinterns, they handled all the mergers and closing deals. The whirof his father’s laptop filled Lance’s ears, along with the steadydrone of the air conditioning.
Lance inhaled cleaning supplies mixed withair freshener. Then he averted his attention from his dad’s laptopto the sheets of paper his father stared at. It had to be acontract in his hand.
“What are your thoughts on Petros mergingwith Billings?” His father asked.
“The terms and conditions are fine. Petroswill benefit from collaborating,” he said.
“Any layoffs with the office headquartersmoving?”
“Not this time.” He made sure of it.
His father nodded in obvious approval. “Welldone. The Wilkes account is underway too. What about the Brambleaccount?”
Another vast deal this year for the firm.Lance adjusted in his seat. “In the bag.”
“Good. I will need you to travel to New Yorkto make sure it closes.”
Lance stared at his father. Another trip. “Ican’t video conference?”
His father raised a thick eyebrow. “Mr.Bramble prefers an actual meeting. We work with our clients basedon their needs. You know that.”
“I know, but he didn’t get back with me abouta scheduled meeting date.”
“He didn’t have to,” his father said. “Thisis something, I decided. I’m only sending you since you are one ofmy best lawyers.”
The compliment should have made Lance proud,but his skin only itched. He scratched his wrist. His father wasshowing him off again.
Lance’s father continued. “If you want totake my place someday, I need to know you’re committed. There areno special privileges because you’re my son. You’re one of thebest, but that doesn’t mean I won’t push you to be greater.”
“Noted,” he murmured under his breath. Hebobbed his head in a clearer response to his father.
This
