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“Well, I’m sure The Benson crew liked that. I bet their CEO—Brian Caro’s daughter, right?—was really appreciative, probably increased her annual bonus amount.”
Beau now realized the purpose of his dad’s call. “You’ve talked with Aaron, I take it? The two of you discussed Alessandra?”
“Sure, we did, but what does that have to do with it? It reminded me to call you for the New Year. Speaking of which, won’t there be a big party tonight? You’ll be going and all the hotel executives will be there…”
“Dad, thanks for calling. Really. Was there something specific you wanted to ask me about? Because you’re not good at hinting around. Tell me what you want to know.”
“Okay, okay. Aaron did mention that there might be something more going on between you and Alessandra Caro, more than you were letting on. A beautiful girl—never married, though. It surprised me. Seems like you two might still have a lot in common?”
Beau wasn’t interested in telling his dad what happened last night. He decided to play it down, instead. “Sure, we had a fun time together. Yes, she’s gorgeous. However, I know she doesn’t want anything long-term with a professional gambler. That type of woman needs more stability. And you know what? She deserves a man who can be by her side, who will have a family with her, and who isn’t traveling too much to spend time at home.”
“You say she wouldn’t want to be involved with you. How much are you interested in her? Your voice sounds upset. Did something happen? Are you in love with her?” Redman wasn’t going to let go of the conversation.
“Dad, I don’t know what Aaron told you, but it doesn’t matter if I’m in love with her or not. She’s totally committed to her career. And she deserves more than what I can give her. I think her only interest in reconnecting with me this week was because of how much I can increase her casino profits.”
“That’s odd.”
“What’s so odd about her deserving more?”
“Not that part,” Redman replied. “It’s how you’re talking. I’ve never known you to be insecure. Never heard you seem upset about a relationship. You’ve always been very certain when it comes to women. And of course, very certain when you’re done with them. But this Alessandra… the way you’re talking. You don’t seem done with her; you just seem resigned that she wouldn’t want you. And I have to say, you actually seem sad about it. Very odd.”
“It’s not a big deal, Dad. Wouldn’t have worked out. It was just a Vegas fling, nothing more. I’m not good at long-term relationships.”
“Son, I know you’re thinking about your mom and me. You didn’t see all of what was between us; you only saw it from a kid’s perspective. And you know what? I wasn’t a great dad. I should have been home more often. I wish I could do it all over again, but I can’t. The one thing I can do, however, is explain how it worked between your mom and me. And Beau, it worked beautifully well. The times I was away made the times together even better. She enjoyed her independence, and I enjoyed mine. We understood each other, and the passion we felt never faded.”
“Dad, you missed a lot being gone. You can’t tell me that didn’t impact us all.” Beau was thinking of too many holidays and birthdays where his dad was absent.
Redman’s voice was tinged with regret. “It’s true I wasn’t there for some important times, and those are probably the ones you think about. Nevertheless, I would never have wanted to miss that feeling of being in love with Jillian, of being a dad to you. And Beau, you’ll do it better than I did. You don’t have to be like me, or like your brother. You’ve learned from our mistakes, and you won’t make them. Not as a husband, and not as a father. I don’t want you to miss out on either of those experiences. Jillian, Aaron, you—you three have always been the best part of my life.”
Hearing his dad talk made Beau feel worse than when he had arrived in his room. He had accused Alessandra of sleeping with him just to increase profits. Given how much she valued her career, that could be true. But if he was wrong about it, would she ever forgive him?
Probably not.
“Dad, even if I can bring myself to believe that, I don’t know if her interest in me is sincere. Like I said, I think it’s really possible the only reason she was spending time with me was to hit her end-of-year profit target.”
“So what?” Redman said. “She has a job, and she loves it. You love your job too, right? You two are both at an age where neither of you should have to give up much of anything. Who cares if she wanted you to gamble? Just because she wants her career doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you. Maybe both of you should realize that some sacrifices will need to be made and feelings will be hurt whenever you try to balance successful careers with a long-term relationship. And maybe both of you also need to realize that it’s worth it.”
“She and I haven’t discussed that at all, Dad. I can see what you’re saying. But with her dad’s issues, she doesn’t trust professional gamblers. And that’s my career. I doubt she’d want to risk giving her heart to me.”
“Have you ever thought you might be able to adapt how you make money? Are there other career options that are similar, that would bring you the excitement of the casino, but maybe a bit more stability to ease her mind? I’m not saying to do that for sure, I’m just saying to think about it. And consider your options. Look at your situation in a different way.”
“I don’t know, Dad. She’s just got me so confused. I don’t know if she’ll ever give me a chance. We had a fight this morning, something stupid. It was my fault, and I know I should have handled it better. One moment I think she might love me; the next, she’s so pissed I’m pretty sure it’s over for good. But the time we’ve spent together… Dad, it did seem real. I just don’t know for sure if it was.”
Redman chuckled. “The fact that you’re questioning it tells me how much you feel for her. Reminds me of when your mom and I met. She had me all spun up like you are now. Beau, if what you feel for Alessandra is love, don’t walk away. Do something about it. Talk to her. Don’t assume whatever it is between you won’t work. If you love her, you’ll always regret not giving her a chance.”
After they hung up, Beau was more confused than ever. Redman’s comments about Beau’s mom lent a new perspective to how their marriage had worked. It was true that Redman’s absence was negative for Beau as a child. But now that he was an adult, he could see how Redman’s comments were true.
Did Jillian ever seem unhappy? Not at all. She’d been annoyed sometimes when Redman hadn’t returned in time for whatever event was on the calendar. Still, Beau couldn’t remember them ever fighting. When they were together, they were always laughing and joking, arms around each other or holding hands. Redman was right, he’d never been a great father. But maybe he’d been a great husband, after all—at least a great husband to Jillian.
As for adapting his career, Aden had certainly done so. And he had seemed completely fine, happy about it in fact. As for himself, Beau knew he would always need some of that excitement in his life. Were there other professions that would give him the similar rush of taking a calculated risk? Maybe.
It was time to get ready for the New Year’s Eve party. In his current state of mind, he had considered not going. However, he knew Alessandra would be there. Would she talk to him? He wasn’t sure, but he hoped for a chance meeting at the very least.
Seeing her, even if it was from afar, would be much better than sitting in his room brooding. And he was leaving tomorrow. If this was going to be his last chance to see Alessandra Caro, then he wanted to be sure to take it.
