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I look over at him. “I want to hire you to run security for the wedding. Keep an eye on things.”
He’s a tech genius. Dean grew up poor, on the wrong side of the tracks, and with his friend, Xavier Stone, was able to figure out security systems. Together, they built one of the biggest security firms in the world.
There isn’t a system on the planet the two of them can’t hack into. Which makes gathering intel on certain parties a lucrative business for the two of them.
Dean leans back in his seat. “I don’t really do weddings.”
“Listen, I know this isn’t your thing. But, I don’t trust anybody else.”
Dean studies me. “Ok, I got you.”
“Thanks, man. Ronin said something about Blackstone wanting an invite. So I think he’s up to something.”
Dean shakes his head with a smile. “Man, your brother needs to stop dealing with Bishop. That man is pure evil.”
“I’ve tried telling him that.”
We’re silent for a minute or two, just watching the sun slowly set over the horizon, until Dean lets out a deep breath.
“I love it here,” Dean says, taking a sip of his beer. “I think I’ll die alone out here.”
“You never know that.”
“I do.”
“Maybe you’ll end up married like me.” I crack a smile.
He points his bottle at me. “Yeah, but that’s not a real marriage. I think I’m the type destined to be alone forever.”
“Me too.” It’s true. I’ve never met anyone I could see myself falling for. Or better yet, marrying. I’ve always been a loner, someone to fight the world alone.
“It’s guys like us that’ll never find love.”
“Speak for yourself,” I say with a laugh. “You’ve never once been in love?”
“I was close once.”
“What happened?”
“A lot of shit. I guess she just wasn’t the one.”
I’ve never understood the phrase, ‘the one.’ Maybe because I’ve never been in love before. I’ve never had time for it. Too busy building and running my grandfather’s empire, just to have him dangle my company on a string like a puppet so I have to work even harder to keep it after he died.
If it weren’t for my grandfather, I’m sure I’d never have married. “Marriage is overrated,” I tell Dean.
“Marriage is undervalued,” he responds. “Having someone to share your life with, well,” he glances at me, “there’s no price on that.”
“That’s where you and I differ.”
“This Clementine is nice?” he asks.
I shrug. “She’s a nuisance.”
“You’ll be married to her soon. You shouldn’t close yourself off to the idea of falling in love.”
Dean is one of my closest friends, but he’s crossing a boundary. He apologizes before I can let him know he’s said something wrong.
“I just want this wedding to go off without a hitch.”
