A bit unusual. One of the perks of being a senior partner is that you don’t have to come in at the crack of dawn. Aunt Jeremiah likes to come in early, but she’s single and addicted to work. Dad prefers to have a light breakfast with his wife before coming over, unless there’s a crisis that can’t wait.
“Why are you here so early? Some emergency too urgent to allow coffee with Akiko?”
“She couldn’t fall asleep last night. Then as soon as the sun was up, she pushed me out the door.” Dad sounds like a grouchy bear.
Akiko can be a little out there—being born to a Zaibatsu family that controls a fabulously wealthy and powerful multinational conglomerate in Japan makes her a bit out of touch at times. But she’s one of the nicest people I know. And she was brave to marry a single father with three trauma-impacted boys.
“What did you do?” I raise an eyebrow, unable to imagine how he could’ve upset her that much. She’s too even-tempered. You’d have to cover yourself in dogshit and roll around on her freshly waxed floors before shemightraise her voice.
“Me?” Dad bristles. “I’m not the one who announced an engagement to his assistant in a ridiculous video that went rival! Afamily heirloom?” If words had legs, his would be kicking my ass. “Akiko wanted to know which ring you were talking about because she swears she hasn’t given you anything. And I know it certainly wasn’t from your grandmother or aunt. And Jeremiah isn’t sentimental enough, anyway.” His eyes narrow with suspicion. “It isn’t from Zoe, is it?”
I recoil. “Hell no!”
The car stops on my floor and the doors open. He puts a restraining hand on my chest, hits theClosebutton and gives me an unreadable look. “My office.”
Oh, joy. Two office chats with Dad in less than twenty-four hours.This will go well.
We go up another floor and walk down to his office. He takes his seat and gestures for me to sit down.
I park my ass and face him, propping an ankle on my knee and trying to stay relaxed. It’s obvious that being the spokesperson for the Fogeys—the elders of the family—has been delegated to him. Grandma doesn’t believe in interfering unless she thinks Dad isn’t handling us correctly. What little maternal potential Aunt Jeremiah might’ve had she used up on her son, who, despite having excelled at Harvard Law, refuses to join Huxley & Webber in a blatant show of rebellion against the Fogeys. And Akiko feels uncomfortable lecturing us, keenly aware that she’s our stepmom.
Dad will likely complain about the heirloom lie, and then he’ll want to question my relationship with Klein. The Fogeys rarely deviate from their desires and preferences. They’d like all of us boys to be settled, successful and happy. They want proof that all the expensive therapy they got for us was enough to repair all the damage Mom’s kidnapping did. They even forced arelationship on Ares to see if he was healed. Bryce, fortunately, got married before they could get involved.
But me? I’m the black sheep. The one who’s still “out there.” Their needs might appear selfish on the surface, but they’re only doing it because they care—and they desperately want to be sure they were able to fix us.
“Tell me honestly. Why are you suddenly engaged?” Dad asks finally. “This isn’t like you.”
“Oh? Whatislike me?”
He blinks. “I’m…not sure, actually.”
The response cuts. He would never say that about Ares or Bryce.
“Are you going to dump her within a month?” he asks, his eyebrows snapping together.
“No!”
“She’s a nice girl, Josh. So don’t embarrass her. That’d be disappointing.”
“I won’t.” My voice is firm.
“Good. I expect you to stick with her for at least six months and listen to your heart rather than your head when you deal with her as your fiancée. Otherwise, there will be both familial and professional consequences.”
My gut clenches. Does he mean the family will shun me as being unworthy of the Huxley name, and the firm will withhold my path to partnership? It’s a little unusual for him to be vague, but then, he might want me to suffer in suspense. Or to just keep his options open. “Fine.” It comes out curtly, but I don’t care.
“By the way, Akiko wants to meet her. Tonight.”
“Jesus, that’s less than eight hours’ notice. Klein might have plans.”
Dad gives me his I-thought-so nod a little too easily. Guess meeting Klein tonight was really Grandma’s idea; otherwise he’d argue. You’d think retirement would have mellowed her out, butshe’s gotten more impatient, like she’s keenly aware of how little time she has left now.
“This Friday at seven, then,” Dad says.
“I’ll ask, no guarantees.”
“Try.” His tone says,Make it happen.
“I’llask.” I’m not subjecting Klein to anything she doesn’t want to do. “Just so you know, Klein’s allergic to seafood. And small portions.”
