“See, dear.” My mother raises her crystal water glass. “I told you he wasn’t teaching to avoid his responsibilities. You always expect the worst in everyone. Alexander is only trying to enhance the company’s good name.”
“As long as he does nothing to tarnish our reputation or neglect his obligations, it’s fine. But if anything goes wrong, there will be consequences.” He stabs his fork into the mashed potatoes like they’ve committed treason and shoves them into his mouth.
And this is why I avoid family functions.
“Do you want more gravy?” My mother lifts the matching gravy boat and hands it to me.
“Of course.”
The more we argue, the more food she’ll shove in our faces. She’s the queen of conflict avoidance. “Are you seeing anyone new?”
My hand wobbles as I return the container to the table, causing a splash of brown gravy to dribble over the side and land on the tablecloth. Perfect. Another thing for my father to bitch about.
“You should be overthat girlby now. That was years ago.” Unfortunately, he missed my mess and focused on a different clusterfuck. “I’ll never understand what you saw in her. She was crass, and it took months for the guys at the country club to stop whispering behind my back when I walked into the room.”
How quickly he forgets. He was the one that wanted me to date her in the first place. She was the daughter of the owner of one of the furniture lines he wanted to sell. But sincethe incident…. He’s called herthat girl.
“She was a vile creature in the first place.” My mother’s face pales. After homecoming, she claimed she was sick but hooked up with the opposition team’s quarterback on the fifty-yard line instead. And his star wide receiver.
No one would have found out if a reporter wasn’t trying to find our team’s quarterback to interview him about the game-winning touchdown. Everyone was abuzz with that morsel of information, making me the butt of everyone’s jokes for months.
The aftermath is all the proof I need that my father’s interference in my love life is a bad decision. But I’m not looking for a relationship. It’s been twelve years, and I’m still not going down that road again.
“We shouldn’t speak about her at the dinner table. But….” She pauses for effect. “Meredith’s daughter is a perfect match for you. She’s your age. Single. A doctor. And never had a hint of scandal.”
“Your mother’s right. It’s time for you to settle down. The board expects a family man to take over the company when I retire. They won’t accept a single man at the helm, and you don’t appear open to settling down. So, we’ve been discussing Josephine at length, and we think she’s a suitable match for you.”
Sweat pops on my forehead. “I’m not interested in a relationship.” And the last person I want to get involved with is Josephine. She might have a Ph.D. behind her name, but she’s as interesting as a doorknob. We’ve known each other since grade school and can’t hold a conversation to save our lives.
My father drops his fork on his plate, causing a loud clank, and shoves back his chair. “You need to consider the implications of that decision.”
I grind my teeth together as my stomach cramps. Always with the threats to get me to toe the line. “And what does that mean?”
“It means I’m nearing retirement age, and you need to get with the program.” His chiseled jaw is tight with anger. “I’m not giving the company to someone who doesn’t put our legacy first as I did. Your mother understands that my top priority was the business. Is the business. And Josephine understands that your CFO position would be more important than your marriage. She expects it. Her work is as a surgeon is her priority, and she comes from business stock.”
All the spit in my mouth disappears. “You’ve spoken to Josephine about this?” My head spins as the gravy boat and mashed potato bowl fade into the black edges of my consciousness. Please, tell me you haven’t spoken to her. Please, tell me you haven’t talked to her.
“Of course.”Shit.This is wonderful. Now I look like a desperate freak who can’t get a date. “We’ve spoken to her, her parents, and the board. Everyone agrees this is the best match for you. You’re thirty years old and unattached. You’ve been unattached sincethe incident. That’s too long, and I’ve given up hope that you will find someone suitable on your own.”
“That’s complete and total bullshit.” Anger surges through every cell in my body until it feels like I’m going to explode in a million different directions. I shove my seat backward and launch to my feet. “I’m not marrying Josephine. We don’t have anything in common.” I shake my head as the lines on my forehead deepen until it feels like they’re pressing into my brain. “She doesn’t want to marry me, and I’m sure she said the same thing.”
“Yes, but she understands obligation.”
Thank God she agreed. I would hate to think she’s pining for me, and I’d have to disappoint her.
I unfurl my hands, not realizing they’d curled into fists. “I don’t appreciate your dictating my life or my future.”
He stands, stomps toward me, and puffs out his chest. He would have intimidated me at one time, but now, I’m four inches taller and have fifty pounds of muscle over him. “Be careful what you say.”
“Or what?” I tip my chin out and look at him down my nose. If he didn’t have the one thing I’ve spent my entire life preparing for, I’d tell him to kiss my ass. Somehow, I’ve got to figure a way out of this while still staying in line to run the company.
His face is swollen and red, making him look like he’s having an allergic reaction to a bee sting. “If you want to remain at the company’s helm when I retire, you’ll need to find a suitable mate. This is your legacy. What you’ve spent your entire life working toward. It would be a shame to lose it now. To let some nameless person step into your shoes and take over. Don’t think for one second my threat is idle. If you want to get one dime from me, you’ll live up to my expectations.”
“Langston.” My mother grabs his forearm. “This is your son. He deserves the company.”
“Eloise.” He glances down at her like she’s a gnat that’s annoying him and rips his arm out of her hand. “This is my company, and I’ll do with it what I choose. Your name isn’t on one piece of paper dealing with the company except for the one giving up your rights to it.”
She cowers as if he’s slapped her.Fucking asshole.My fingernails bite into my palms as I give up any pretense of keeping my hands slack.