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“Jackson, you don’t even need to continue.” Ethan holds up a hand and stands. I watch as he heads to the large window that overlooks the skyline of New York City. He has an amazing view in his office, as I do in mine. It’s one of the perks of us being the CEO and CFO of Rosser International, a company his grandfather had started many years ago. He looks out for a few moments and then turns back to me, his blue eyes kind as he continues. “You don’t shit where you eat. I get it.”
“That’s a bit of a crude term,” I say as I rise from the chair and head over to the window. “More like I don’t fuck friends of friends. Not if I want the friendship to continue.”
“Well, that’s true.” He nods. “Not like Isabel is even interested in you. Sarah is pretty confident she has the biggest crush on Ella’s brother, Sam.”
“Sam Wynter, right? The attorney?”
“Yup.” Ethan shrugs. “I have no idea if he knows.” He’s about to say something else when there’s a loud knock on the door. “Yes?” he calls out. “Come in.”
“Hello, Ethan.” Edith, one of his assistants, walks in with a warm smile on her weathered face. “Hello, Jackson.”
“Good to see you, Edith.” I return her smile and pull out my phone. I notice five missed calls from my dad, and I withhold a sigh. I see he’s also left me two voice messages, so I know that whatever he’s called about has to be important. To him. And very unlikely to me. I don’t want to call him back right now. Dealing with my dad is like dealing with the dentist when you need five root canals. It’s not a pleasant experience. My father, Cornelius Pruitt, is not the paternal sort. He is all business all the time. And there’s not a loving, kind bone in his body toward his wife, kids, or employees, which is one of the reasons why I never went to work for Pruitt Holdings, the family company, which is worth an estimated ten billion dollars. It is one of the largest privately held companies in the world. And I am the heir apparent, even though I’ve told my father and grandfather that I have no interest in taking over the company.
“I trust you are both doing well.” She pulls out her phone and I can see the nervous look on Ethan’s face. I hide a smile because I know what he’s thinking. He’s worried Edith will start showing us photos of her grandchildren before she explains why she’s walked into the office.
“Great, thanks, Edith. I’m sure you know Ethan is now on his way to the chapel.”
“Hardly on the way.” He rolls his eyes as I wink at him and start singing.
“How does that song go again, going to the chapel and I’m marrying my true love, Sarah, and we’ll live together?—”
“Talking of singing.” Ethan cuts me off as Edith observes us with a bemused expression.
“We weren’t talking about singing. We were talking about you and your betrothed.”
“We’re going to karaoke tonight. You should join us.”
“Karaoke?” I recoil back. “I can think of nothing worse.”
“We’re going to get a private room. Come on, you know you love to go out and drink.”
“I like to go out and drink, not listen to cats wailing.” I chuckle. “I mean, aside from Sarah, she has a nice voice.”
“She has a beautiful voice,” Ethan corrects me with a smirk. “We don’t have to get the private room if you don’t want to. We can just hang out in the bar and drink.”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head and look back down at my phone. “I might have some business to work out.”
“Hmm?” His blue eyes narrow as he gazes at me. “We don’t have anything due tomorrow.”
“My dad’s been calling.” I shrug. “I might have to put out some fires.”
“Aw, I see,” he says, but we both know that he doesn’t really. Ethan and I do not talk about my family. He knows I’m not a fan of talking about the Pruitt clan. The only conversation we ever had about my family’s money was when he offered me the CFO position at Rosser International; he wanted to know if I would commit to working here for at least three years. I told him that it wouldn’t be a problem. I know people wonder why I am number two at a company that doesn’t bear my name when I could be number one at a company that does, but I have my reasons.
“But I can go for one drink,” I say finally, rolling my eyes at Ethan’s self-satisfied smugness. “How can we help you, Edith? I’m sure you didn’t venture into Ethan’s lair to hear him gloat.” This seemed to amuse Ethan even more because his smirk turns into a chuckle. Love has made him soft, and I know I’ve lost my best friend, my wingman, forever. It was inevitable that it had to happen one day. I never expected that it would have happened so quickly. I thought we’d both be bachelors forever.
"Edith, feel free to go ahead," Ethan prods her, and I can hear a hint of annoyance in his voice. He wants to get back to work so that he can get back to Sarah.
"I actually have a message for Jackson." She heads over to me and gives Ethan a dismissive look, which she can get away with because she's old and has worked for Rosser International since Moses walked the earth. Or at least that's what she'd like everyone to believe.
"For me?" I ask her. Why would she have a message for me? I feel a sense of dread and take a deep breath as I wait for her to tell me what my gut is already whispering in my head.
"Your father called…” She pauses, her face is apologetic as she looks at the paper in her hand. "He says you're to call him immediately. It's about your grandfather."
"Of course it is," I say, pressing my lips together. "Thank you for the message, Edith."
"I told him I would let you know it was important." She looks over at Ethan and then back at me. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine." I nod. "Ready to go grab that drink, Ethan?"
