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Of course. I wasn't important enough for that. He'd probably forgotten about my existence by now. Hell, he probably forgot the moment I left his office.
I should try to do the same. Thinking about Carson Thomas brought back the memory of him firing me, then shrugging it off a moment later. That stung like a bitch.
"Dad's funny like that," she went on. "He'll talk about his successes all day long. If things don't go his way, he clams up about it. I think he's trying to make taking over some day seem attractive. I hope one of my siblings is interested in it, otherwise I'm selling the moment I get the chance." She gave me a lopsided grin. "Wanna buy a football team?"
I snorted. "I think it's a bit over my budget. And my credit card limit."
"Shame, I think you'd do well with it," Rubie said. "Better than me. That wouldn't be difficult though."
"Um, thanks?" I replied.
Rubie frowned, then laughed. "Yeah, that sounded shittier than I intended. You would do an amazing job. My stepmother filed for divorce."
Her sudden change of subject made me do a double take.
"I'm sorry," I ventured carefully.
"Yeah. It's all on him. He couldn't keep his dick to himself. I'm guessing it'll be a quick, expensive divorce and a spring wedding. What's-her-name is almost my age." She stuck out her tongue in disgust.
"Love is blind," I suggested.
Rubie snorted. "So is sex and gold digging."
"You think that's all she wants?" I asked.
"She wouldn't be the first, she won't be the last," Rubie said bitterly. "Money is the worst. Sometimes I wish we were just a normal, suburban family. Y'know?"
"There's something to be said for normal," I agreed. "But you turned out okay."
"That's not what my therapist says," she retorted.
I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. I suspected she wasn't.
"Um." I cleared my throat. "So will you help?"
"You know my father will probably think you and Bam went behind his back to organise this thing." Her face was unreadable.
"I thought you might like that part." The last thing I wanted to do was to piss off a powerful man like Carson Thomas, but this wasn't about him. It wasn't even about Bam or me. It was bigger than all of that.
Rubie gave me a slow, sly grin. "Oh, I love that part. I'll even make sure my father helps out with a very healthy donation. I'll make him think it was his idea, then you'll have his full backing."
It sounded like she had Daddy wrapped firmly around her little finger. That wasn't my business, but his backing would make a world of difference.
"I'd like to be a fly on the wall during that conversation." I'd love to know how she'd get him to do what she wanted. He seemed stubborn and set in his ways. Although, if she was Daddy's Little Girl, he'd probably bend easily for her.
"I'll give you a transcript afterward." She laughed.
"Thanks," I said ironically. "That wouldn't be weird at all."
She chuckled. "Don't worry, it'll be painless. I'll ply him with whiskey and then ask him. It works every time. You'd be surprised the things I've gotten from him when he's tipsy."
I wasn't sure I would be all that surprised, but I kept my mouth shut. Someone with as much money as Carson Thomas could buy his daughter a yacht without blinking, or missing the money.
I have to admit, a small part of me was envious. I had a nice, ordinary childhood, with nice, ordinary parents. Rubie, on the other hand, had likely been all around the world several times before she was old enough to walk. She would have had the best of everything, and never wanted for anything.
If Bec and Ashley had children some day, they'd have similar, advantaged upbringings. Both women seemed to enjoy their new lifestyles. Neither bragged, but they both wore brands I gazed at with longing in shop windows.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to work my ass off to make it in life, but a few shiny rings and maybe a nice new car wouldn't hurt once in a while. Hell, I'd be okay with a yacht too, in a pinch.
