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“I don’t know much about your circumstances. Reagan and Carter were tight-lipped. I hope your family emergency has resolved itself.”
“It was a battle for a long time, but it has. How are things going for you here?”
“Very well. I like it here. Reagan and Carter are as billed. I’m happy being back in the fold, but I’m equally happy to go home in the evening to my daughter without the headaches of running my own company. There have been a few international deals, so I’ve gotten to travel abroad a bit.”
His phone buzzes and he answers, “Yes, Sheila?”
“Sorry to disturb you, Beckett, but Reagan and Carter are…done. She wants to see Dominic.”
I yell out, “I’ll be right down.”
Beckett playfully smiles at me. “You could have better prepared me for how…frisky they are.”
I let out a laugh. “Sorry about that.”
He chuckles in return.
I head back toward Reagan’s office. Sheila nods for me to go in. Reagan, Carter, and Skylar are all in there. All three embrace me when I walk in. It’s a nice feeling.
Skylar grabs my arm and squeezes it as she leads me to the sofa. “I missed you.”
“I missed you guys too. I assume congratulations are in order for all of you.”
She smiles. “Yes, I had a little girl, Rylee. Reagan had a son, George. Both look like their daddies.”
I turn to Carter. “After your grandfather?”
He nods as I shake his hand in congratulations. Carter’s grandfather, George Daulton, founded this company. He was known to be a great man. He died in a plane crash when Carter was a kid, but apparently they had been very close.
We all sit in the more casual area of her big office. Reagan settles into Carter’s body as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. I miss that type of unforced intimacy. I miss it with Beth.
Reagan looks at me. “Are you back for good or in for a visit?”
“I’m back for good.”
“Did your family situation get sorted out?”
I blow out a breath. “It was a long battle, but it’s all resolved. My kids are home where they belong. They’re a little battle scarred, but we’ll get through it.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Have you seen Beth?”
I nod. “I have.”
“How did that go?”
I shrug. “Not so great.”
She bites her lip. “Yeah, you did a number on her. She’s been a mess. We barely see her anymore. She’s disengaged from the family.”
As if I wasn’t feeling guilty already for what I’ve put her through, and how it’s affected her. I can’t believe she’s abandoned her family, especially when she needed them the most. I’m going to fix it.
“I spoke with Cassandra yesterday. She brought me up to speed. It sounds like I have my work cut out for me.”
She nods. “You do. Good luck. So are you hoping to come back to work?”
“If you’ll have me.”
“You’re sure you’re back? Your timing was rough last year. Skylar and I had our babies right after you left. Thank god Beckett started then. I’m not sure what we would have done without him.”
