AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Max isone of those people who have walk-up privileges in my building. So the only warning I get that he’s here is when he texts me from my parking garage before a knock at my front door has me looking up from where I’m happily tucked under a soft blanket on my couch.
Max lets himself in like he’s been doing for years. Even in jeans and a polo, he still screams work-mode. This is Max’s version of dressing down. Or as close to it as he ever lets any of the employees working for King Corp. see. Colorful ink trails down his right arm, and his dirty blonde hair is messy, desperately needing a trim. “Hey.” He holds a brown paper bag up in one hand and a six-pack in the other. “You hungry? I brought dinner.”
As if on cue, my stomach growls, and I try to remember the last thing I ate today.
I meet him in the kitchen, loving the ginger garlic smell wafting from the bag. “I’m starving. What’cha got in there?”
Max starts taking out packages, and my mouth waters when I realize it’s dim sum from Dim Sum & Noodle. “Have I told you you’re my favorite brother?”
He laughs. “Seriously, like there was any competition. I mean, come on...”
“Don’t be an ass, Maximus.” I hip check him and grab a pair of chopsticks. “Want to eat on the couch?”
“Sounds good.” We head back into my living room and settle in. “So, how was the rest of your appointment this morning? How are you feeling? What’s the doctor saying?”
“That’s a whole lot of questions.” I swallow my dumpling. “What’s up with that?”
He sips his beer, not feeling at all guilty that he’s the only one in the room who can enjoy alcohol at the moment. “I’m worried about you, Scarlet. I’ve been so tunnel-visioned with this acquisition and the parts we’d each play in it that I don’t know whether I’ve even asked what you want.”
My brother was groomed for his position within our family. Our business was always going to be his empire to run. Dad kept Max by his side for everything, and Max went along with it. Becks never showed much interest, but Dad forced him along the way. Whenever I asked if I could shadow him like they were doing, he always told me this kind of business wasn’t for me.
He meant it wasn’t for women.
He never thought I was as capable as my brothers.
He was wrong.
“Don’t be worried. I’m taking care of myself. My blood pressure is a little higher than my doctor would like, but we’re monitoring it.” I pop another dumpling in my mouth and let the savory taste melt on my tongue.
Max hasn’t touched his food when he places it on my coffee table. “Have you considered how much time you’re going to take off after the baby comes?”
“Not yet.” If someone else asked me this, I’d be ripping their heads off. But Max is asking out of concern, not lack of confidence. “But that’s partly why I asked you to talk this weekend. I’ve been thinking...”
“Me too.”
I point my chopsticks at him. “Let me go first. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I found out I was pregnant. About the acquisition. About my new position. About what it’s going to require over the next twelve to twenty-four months.”
“While I have absolutely no doubt that you’d be an incredible president for the Revolution’s organization. I don’t think it’s the right position for you. Not right now.”
I place my food on the table next to his. “What the—”
“You’d be in a new organization, trying to wrangle an old guard who’s going to fight you every step of the way. You wouldn’t just be putting out fires daily, Scar. You’d be attempting to contain a full-blown fucking inferno for at least the first full year. Is that really how you want to spend your first year as a mom? I don’t want that for you.”
It’s like he’s reading my mind.
Feeling my fear before I’m able to voice it.
“I don’t know that I want that for me either. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. But I don’t think the timing is right.” I wipe away my first errant tear. “It hurts me to say so, but I’m not the right person for president of Operations right now, Max. Maybe we could discuss appointing an interim president for the next twelve months who could report back to us until I’m ready to assume the position. I’m sure you and I could hammer out what that would look like. It’s not ideal, but it could work.”
“I don’t think that’s the answer.” When I start to interrupt, he blows out a frustrated breath. “Let me finish. I don’t think you should be the new president of the Revolution. I think I should take that position, and you should step into my position with the Kings.”
Wait... what?
My brain has a hard time processing Max’s words.
But he doesn’t realize that and keeps speaking.
What... What did he just say?
