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I was born for this. I had been groomed for this. But as I watched my father behind his oversized desk, my body tensed and my chest constricted. I looked up, seeing the pride in his eyes, guilt overwhelming me to the point that I felt like I was drowning. For the first time, I wasn’t sure if becoming my father was what I wanted.
Meeting Everly last night had called into question my existence. I knew who I was, and I made damn sure everyone else knew it, too, but I wasn’t sure if that’s who I wanted to be.
Maybe there was more to life than tits and ass?
When I didn’t respond, my father stopped what he was doing and concentrated on me. “I’m not getting any younger and the sooner you can run the ship without me, the better.”
I wasn’t sure why my father was so eager to get me to take over, and it worried me. Did he know something I didn’t? Was he keeping something from me? When they had found out my mother was sick, they’d kept it from me for six months. She didn’t last much longer after that. I regretted the loss of that time every day.
“I built this company for you, son.” He held out his hands. “This is all for you.”
I shook off my negative thoughts. I was Max Levin. I was taking over White Lace Productions. I would succeed, but it scared the shit out of me. Instead of dwelling on that, I changed the subject.
“Tara came by to thank you for signing her car loan.”
He smiled. “Lovely girl.”
I just didn’t understand it. The driving need to always help others. I wasn’t selfish. I did my fair share of donating money to charity, but I sure as hell wouldn’t help just anyone who asked. Maybe there was more to it, something I just wasn’t getting.
He rummaged through a file folder and pulled out one piece of paper with a smile, like he’d finally found what he was looking for. When he met my gaze, his happiness vanished with a heavy sigh. “Your mother and I didn’t build this company and have such good fortune to hoard it. It’s meant to be shared with others. Help those who need it more than we do.”
We’d had this conversation before. This wasn’t the first time I’d been schooled in selfless acts.
I had lived my life on my parents’ dime, and very soon, I wouldn’t need it because I’d have my own stash to spend. My trust fund came into effect on my twenty-fourth birthday, which was in only a few weeks.
My father came around the desk and rested his hand on my shoulder. “It’s one thing to make money. It’s one thing to sign your name on a check. It’s another entirely to earn it.”
Well, wasn’t that the shit kicker. Because I hadn’t done much to earn any of the fortune I’d been given. And it also didn’t take much to scribble my name on a check once a year. Maybe the real charitable act was giving your time, or putting aside your own needs in order to make someone happy.
With one last squeeze on my shoulder, he walked out, leaving me alone to think over his words. Something he often did when he wanted to teach me a lesson.
—
I glanced at my watch. I had quite a few hours before I picked up Everly for our date. If she even opened the front door. That remained to be seen.
I grabbed my car keys and stopped by my penthouse to get some gear. There was only one thing I liked to do when life got too complicated, too boring, too overwhelming.
I run.
Maybe all I needed to do was clear my head, right my brain, so that everything fell back into place, giving the existential crisis perched on my doorstep the heave-ho.
Chapter 4
Everly
I was staring straight ahead, looking at my professor as he rambled on about contract law.
I heard every word he said, but all I could think about was my date tonight.
I actually had a date.
With Max Levin.
Just the thought of him made my cheeks flush and my thighs tighten. And if just the thought of him was able to do that, what was I going to do if he touched me? Or kissed me.
No. There wasn’t going to be any kissing because this date was a pity date. He might not even show up. But he had to. I needed him, to cross off the first item on the bucket list. Even though I had no plan or clue about crossing off any of the other items, maybe this was exactly the jumpstart that was going to help me finish the list. For Gram.
Fear gripped me. What the hell had I done? I had agreed to go on a date the night before my insurance-law paper was due.
