Page 19 of A Daddy to Love

Truce was all I could focus on. Truce was everything. Who cared about a stupid company? But then I remembered that company paid the salaries for over two thousand employees. They had bills. They had families.

The meeting started at 4:30. Maybe I could skip the dinner after-party and still see Truce later. He’d have to change the reservations.

“Why can’t a courier send papers now?” I asked.

“This is a big deal. We all need to be here. In person. This is no small thing or I wouldn’t be pressuring you. I know you may not realize it, but this is big. Really big. The signing meeting commences at 4:30. A courier would take too long. Are you ill? Why are you delaying?”

“I—I have other plans.”

“You have to cancel them. This is too important.”

To argue took energy. It was selfish, I knew that. Money in the amount I was worth meant I could have anything, do anything, but it still came with a heap of responsibility and the heaviest of weights on my shoulders. I delegated that weight as much as I could. Grandfather taught me how and who to trust. But back then, a lot of the people who had been his contemporaries were now retired or dead. New people had come in. I didn’t know them. I trusted Sorel but he wasn’t my assistant. He helped me a lot, but beyond the house and my personal liquid accounts, the money was always invested with so much going on. I lost count of how many financial lawyers were attached to that money.

It was pretty awful to feel out of control of all of that. I had no clue, nor did Sorel, how to change it.

Now this.

I had no choice. I had to cancel with Truce. Or tell him I’d be late.

“Okay, Richard. I’ll be there.” I handed Sorel his phone and said, “I guess I’m going to a board meeting after all.”

Sorel helped me on with my suit jacket and tied my tie. Softly, he said, “Call your friend. Maybe meet later?”

My eyes burned. I’d looked forward to this dinner all night and all day. I’d lost sleep over it. I nodded, swallowed hard and said, “Thank you, Sorel.”

“Everything will be fine, Kairo. If there’s anything I can do, you know I will.”

“Yes, thank you.”

He escorted me to the waiting limo. Donny opened the door for me. I got into the plush interior, all decked out in chrome and gray leather, and pulled out my phone. I brought up Truce’s contact number and stared at the blank text box. I thought about calling him, talking live to him, hearing his voice. But what if he asked too many questions? What would I say? It was easier to deflect for now using texts. I began to type.

8

Truce

My phone pinged. I closed my laptop and looked at the name and number. It said, Kairo.

I couldn’t stop the broad smile as I opened the message.

Hi Truce. We have to change our plans. I’m so sorry. I had other plans and forgot. I’m sorry sorry sorry.

I had thought last night that I might lose this one. Maybe I was right. Immediately, I typed:

No dinner tonight? What’s up?

Maybe we still can, just later. Something came up at work.

I thought you said you didn’t work.

I don’t. Not really. This was a special thing I had to do.

Now I was even more intrigued.

Of course we can have dinner later. Then you can tell me about it. What time do you want me to change the reservation for?

I don’t know. I’m going to try to get out of it. Maybe I won’t be that late.

Should I cancel the reservation?