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Benjamin had at one time been my father’s right-hand man and business partner. He’d retired a few years ago at the age of sixty-six and was perhaps the only person who had the knowledge to advise me on next steps at McNamara. I silently thanked Ollie again for bringing him to my mind.
Mr. Eckelstein poured the lemonade. I watched as a couple of fresh lemon slices fell into his glass along with the liquid.
“Tell me what’s happening, son.”
I rubbed my hands together to gear up for my proposition. “Well, obviously, you know Dad left me with enough voting rights to make the decision on how the company should proceed without him. As much as I would love to step in and take over where he left off, the reality is, I’m not qualified. We’d been working to get me there. But I’d say we were probably five years away from me being ready to take over.”
He shook the ice around in his glass. “Well, it takes a strong person to admit that. I think many people in your position would just assume power and wing it. I respect you wanting to put the company first.”
“My father would be freaking out right now. I know for a fact he didn’t trust any other person to take over his spot. The only reason I’ve been tempted is so it doesn’t go to someone else. The only person Dad would have trusted besides me…is you.”
He nodded. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“I need your expertise. I don’t know if you’d be willing to come out of retirement for a little while to help me keep the company afloat, but I think that’s what I need. I know that’s a lot to ask and—”
“Absolutely, I would.”
I blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“One-hundred percent. I thought you’d never ask. The truth is, retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the business from time to time. I never thought I’d have a reason to return—or quite frankly, that anyone would want me back after being gone. I’m old, but I’m not that old. I’m still younger than the president of the United States. There’s no reason I can’t go back to work.”
“So, you’d be willing to return for a while?”
“Yes, but I’d make myself co-chairman alongside you. I think it’s important to continue what your father started, which is grooming you for the position. That was his dream. Unless that’s not what you want.”
It was always hard for me to admit I had doubts about that.
“Can I be brutally honest, Ben?”
“Sure, you can.”
“I don’t know what I want. There are some days I fantasize about selling my shares and doing something altogether different. But I’ve always wanted to make my father proud. That’s the driving force behind everything I’ve ever done. Now that he’s gone, I think I have some serious decisions to make. Life is short. And I need to be sure running the company is what I want for the long haul.”
Benjamin finished off the last of his drink before setting the glass on the table. “As a father, let me give you my perspective.” He poured lemonade into another glass and slid it in front of me. “We all want what’s best for our kids. Ultimately, what’s best is what makes them happy, despite our own personal dreams. Case in point, instead of making movies like I wanted him to, my son is a legal pot dealer, for Christ’s sake. That doesn’t make me love him any less. Maybe over the next year, one of our goals can be helping you figure out what you want—whether that’s running the studio or something else. But in the meantime, let’s not waste any time getting the place back up and running.”
I could’ve kissed him. Maybe that sounded weird, but I was too happy to care. “You sure about this?”
“Your father was a good friend to me. This is the least I can do for him.”
“Ben, you have no idea what peace this brings me. I don’t even know how to thank you.”
He stood up from his seat. “No time for thanks. Let’s go to my office and get to work.”CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX* * *EDENI’d just gotten Ollie to sleep when a call from Ryder lit up my phone.
I answered. “How did you know I was thinking of you?”
“Hey, beautiful,” he said.
“This is earlier than you normally call me.”
“I know. I just missed you. I couldn’t wait until midnight.” His voice was low and smooth—he sounded like sex.
Since leaving California, I’d cherished every conversation with Ryder more than the last. Tonight my heart was feeling particularly full, and I couldn’t put my finger on why. It was so good to hear his voice.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“Home. Doing nothing. But earlier today I went for a jog through Runyon Canyon, and I kept thinking about how badly I wished you were with me.”
