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“You’ll be cut off from your funds.”
This was where he had his father. “If you hadn’t noticed, I haven’t touched that bank account in years.”
His father’s mouth gaped. A second passed before he regained his composure. “I...I didn’t know. How are you getting by?”
Luca knew that he could continue to keep his father in the dark, but what good would that do? After all, he wanted to prove to his father—and himself—that he had changed. This was a good starting point. “I’m an account manager at an investment firm.”
“You are?” His father leaned back against the table as though for support. The news appeared to have knocked him off balance.
Luca couldn’t deny that he found a bit of satisfaction in being able to surprise his father. “Yes. I went back to school, earned my degree and I’ve been based in Milan ever since. But my work takes me around the globe.”
“I see.”
No I’m proud of you. Or I’m happy for you. His father seemed to absorb the news as though he’d just been told there was rain in the forecast.
“Well, I’d like to say that it’s been great catching up, but we never were good at casual conversation. So if that’s all, I should be going.” Luca turned to the door.
“Wait. You can’t go. Not yet.” His father’s voice took on an ominous tone, causing Luca to turn back. “You need to know...”
When his father’s voice faded away and his gaze centered on the coffee in his cup, Luca became suspicious that there really was a problem. His father never acted coy. Whatever it was had his father acting out of character.
“I need to know what?” Luca asked.
His father’s hand shook just a bit as he turned to place the coffee cup on the table. When he turned his attention back to Luca, his eyes were dark and unreadable. “The family business is failing.”
Failing? The grove of lemon trees had been in his family for five generations. It was a tradition. It was their history.
Luca had to be certain he understood his father. “And this is why you want me to move home?”
His father sighed. “I’m not getting any younger. It’s time I pass the torch to you and step down. But before I do this, I need to know that you’re up to the challenge. Are you ready to settle down and do the work necessary to save our business and our home?”
Sure, he’d been gone for a long time, but in all honesty, he never meant to be gone forever. His home in Halencia was where he planned to settle...eventually. He’d just never thought anything would happen to it. He always imagined it’d be there waiting for him when he was ready to accept his destiny.
But now his father was looking to him for help. What did his father think Luca could do that he hadn’t already done himself? Luca didn’t have any answers, but he did know this was his chance to prove to his family that he was someone they could count on.
After all, they had world-renowned lemons with a delicate taste and lo
w acidity. Surely there had to be a market for them. They’d never had a problem in the past.
It would be so easy to turn his father down and go back to his comfortable life in Milan. After all, he hadn’t created the problem. It wasn’t his responsibility to fix it.
But this was the first time his father had ever turned to him for help. How could Luca walk away from that? He was certain his mother would plead with him to let go of his pride and help his father.
It wouldn’t be easy moving back to Halencia. His father might talk of retirement, but Luca knew his father wouldn’t do it. The business was all his father had left. It was in his blood. So how would Luca work side by side with such a stubborn man?
Before he made up his mind, they needed to get a few things straight.
“Why do you want my help?” Luca asked, needing his father to admit that he needed him.
“I...I just told you.”
“No, you told me the company is in trouble, but you didn’t say why you turned to me.”
His father hesitated. “Fine. I need your help. I can’t do it alone. Is that what you want to hear?”
Luca nodded. “Yes, it is. And there’s one more thing.”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
