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There are very few reasons why he’d be calling me on a Sunday afternoon.
“Meric.”
“Allô, Garrett.” He sounds happy, so maybe I’m anticipating a negative conversation for no reason. “Am I correct to wish you félicitations?”
Reaching up, I grip the back of my neck and blow out a breath. “Oh. Um, yeah, I guess. I mean, thank you. You probably want an explanation.”
Meric is more than my boss—he’s been my mentor since I started working with him.
“Non. Your personal life is merely that. Your personal life. You must have had your reasons to marry Mia, otherwise you would not have.”
“I do.” I don’t share that my reasons involved more shots than a sane person should have consumed. “It sounds like you’re not saying something.”
He sighs. “You are right. I cannot help but think that this marriage in haste proves my point from the other day. Marriage to anyone should be considered. To someone famous? I would think that would require more thought, not less.”
“Mia and I have known each other since we were kids,” I defend.
“The attention you’ll receive being married to someone famous will be intense. The public eye. Are you prepared for that? For your wife’s notoriety?”
My wife.
“I’m aware,” I tell him. It’s only slightly tongue in cheek. But I’ve known that Mia was different since before she was discovered. She’s also gotten some negative publicity through the years, more so lately. “She’s not who the media portrays her to be.”
“I hope so,” he responds. “I merely do not wish Arabesque’s name to be questioned by association should something happen.”
“Mia has nothing to do with Arabesque,” I bite out, pissed at his insinuation.
“Non. She does not. But you do. And you are now married,” he says.
I can’t argue with him on those points.
“There won’t be any negative publicity.”
“You cannot guarantee that, Garrett.”
I want to. But I know he’s right.
He sighs before continuing. “I need to ensure that when I leave, I am leaving the company to someone I trust can handle it. Someone who can make the best choices.”
Something tells me that marrying Mia while in Vegas doesn’t exemplify what he wants.
“I can run Arabesque here.”
“You were my first choice,” he says, and my stomach sours.
“But?” I know there’s a but coming.
“But I must consider the company first.”
“What are you saying?”
“You are my first choice, Garrett. But your actions this weekend tell me I am right to be concerned. That you are too young.”
“I’m not,” I tell him. “Let me prove it to you.”
“Gar—”
“My personal life choices have nothing to do with the choices I make professionally. I can keep the two separate.”
