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Richard rolled his eyes. “That’s getting old.”
“Not to me,” I said with a grin. “What do you want?”
“You’re never happy to see me,” Richard said, dropping himself into a chair facing me.
“You’re never here for a social call,” I pointed out. “You only spend time with me if you want something from me.”
Richard clutched his chest. “I’m hurt that you think that. Can’t I just drop by to see my little brother?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I guess you can.” I was skeptical. “Are you here to see me before I go?”
“Go where?” Richard asked, confused.
“I’m going to Aspen for a week. I’m taking Ben. I told you that two weeks ago at the club.”
“Right…”
I shook my head. Richard didn’t give a shit about what was going on in my life. Since it had come out that I was not only a father but raising the child on my own, Richard had lost all respect for me. I was the scandal, the black sheep in the Steele family when Richard had done it all right from the start.
God, I hated his guts sometimes.
“You might have to postpone your getaway.”
I snorted. “Sure, let me just jump when you snap your fingers. I’m going, Richard.”
“Dad is sick,” Richard said.
I sat up, alarmed. “What? What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing serious, just a flu bug.” I sagged a little at the news. “But you know what Mom is like––she has him on house arrest, feeding him chicken soup. If I know Mom, he’s not even allowed to get out of bed. That means I have to step in and run the office for him while he’s gone.”
“Okay,” I said.
It was normal for Richard to take Dad’s place when something was up. He was the eldest Steele son and would probably inherit everything one day. He already had my dad’s full approval of everything he did. Richard couldn’t put a foot wrong.
“I need your help,” Richard said.
“Ah,” I said bitterly, nodding. “I knew this wasn’t a fucking social call.”
Richard shrugged. “It couldn’t be helped. Dad has that big Carlisle project going on, and I need to focus on that while dad is out for the count.”
“He’s not dying,” I said.
“I need you to take over the other shit he’s dealing with so that I can give Carlisle my full attention. If we lose him as an investor, Dad is fucked five ways to Sunday.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Richard was being dramatic. I doubted Carlisle would take his business––and his money––somewhere else just because my dad had the sniffles.
“You can’t go on this holiday right now,” Richard said firmly. “Dad needs you.”
“No,youneed me to do your dirty work,” I said. “Dad could have called me himself if he thought he needed me so desperately. I’m not doing it. I planned this week away months ago, and my own shit is in order for me to take a week off. I never go away, and I want to be able to spend time with Ben.”
Richard looked apologetic. “Come on, man. I don’t like to pull rank, but with dad on his back, I’m in charge, and I’m not really asking.”
I bristled at that. Richard wasn’t the boss of me––he was mybrother. We were supposed to be equals.
Who the hell was I kidding? We have never been equals. Richard had always been way above me in the family hierarchy, the good brother, who everyone hoped would fill my father’s shoes one day.
“I’m not canceling,” I said tightly.
