“Because the contract had a number of attached clauses that stay in effect as long as the consortium exists, even if you’re not in it. They didn’t care too much about personal assets, so your brownstone and your cars—all that is fine. I just don’t think we’re going to be able to extricate your company from the agreement.”
“Oh. Shit.”
“That’s the opinion of my legal and accounting teams, and three outside consultants.” Mason looks at me, an apology in his eyes. “You signed your entire company over to the consortium, and the group still exists. The surviving members own it. If you want to fight to get it back, I’ll try, but…it doesn’t look good.”
He’s telling me that the company I built to prove I could survive on my own is gone.
Well. Wasn’t that always the plan? I intended to sacrifice it to the consortium. I never intended to keep it. It always feels bad to lose something, but the sorrow is…
Lighter than I expected. It’s not the crushing grief of losing my parents or the cutting pain of watching my family suffer.
Jameson shakes his head. “That sounds bad.”
“Maybe it’s not.”
Mason’s eyebrows go up. “What?”
“Maybe this is perfect. I can join Phoenix Enterprises and start over without everything weighing me down.”
“You trust the consortium with your employees?”
“Oh, hell, no. But I still have hiring and firing power. I could fire everyone tonight, if you wanted a new division at Phoenix.”
Mason hesitates. “For you to manage?”
“Let me be absolutely clear with you.” I look my oldest brother in the eyes. “I do not want to be in charge. Of a small team, maybe, but…I want to workwithyou. Like I should have done in the first place.”
Mason rubs a hand over his face. He’s trying his best not to look beside himself with excitement. “Are you sure you want that? I’ve always—” He clears his throat. “I always wanted Phoenix to be a family business. That’s what Dad tried to build for us, and I wanted to give it back after we lost it. I want you to join me, but not against your will. Never against your will, Gabriel.”
“Then you don’t have to worry, because that’s what I want.” I let out a sigh and settle into my chair. My ribs protest, but I’m taking the pain as a sign that I’m alive. “I only started a company to prove a point. And I only did all the rest to get back at Bettencourt. All that’s done with.”
Jameson looks out the window.
“Holy fuck.” Mason gets to his feet, unable to contain himself any longer. “We’re doing this? We’re all going to be in the business together?”
“Aww, Mason, don’t cry.” Jameson’s sincere, which makes it sound even more like he’s teasing. He stands up and pats Mason’s shoulder. “It’s a little sad that I wasn’t enough, but I’m happy you got Gabriel, in the end.”
“Shut up, Jameson. You’ve been my pride and joy, and you know it.” Mason offers me his hand, so I get to my feet, and we shake.
“Let’s take a selfie,” Jameson says. “We have to commemorate the moment that all of Mason’s dreams came true.”
22
LYDIA
My sister is,like, so cute when she does mom stuff.
Elise is only four years older than me, and she’s only had a few weeks of practice, but she’s actually pretty good at it. She takes me seriously. It’s kind of her, because most of the time, I don’t feel like a very serious person. I feel like a box of charcoal sketching pencils that look all stately and black, but when they touch the paper, rainbows fly out. Rainbows and electricity andemotions.
God. I havesomany emotions. I think that freaked Mom out. I was pissed at her when she decided to bounce to Vermont instead of evenaskingme if I wanted to go with her, but upon five minutes of reflection, maybe it’s a sign of…I don’t know. Understanding, I guess. I didn’t want to have to look her in the face and tell her that she sucks.
I mean—she doesn’t suck. Well, shedoessuck, but not all of that is her fault. Her brain had to be super screwed up from living with my dad for so long. Can’t imagine how awkward that convo would have been.
Elise looks at me from the couch in Gabriel’s living room. It’s our living room, too, now. I can’t believe we live in a brownstone. It’s like something out of the movies. Plus, Gabriel’s family does movie stuff, like have brunch together every Saturday.LastSaturday, Jacob and Catherine showed up to brunch together. Who knows who’ll be there tomorrow?
My sister has her feet tucked up underneath her and a mug of tea in her hands. She sips at it and smiles. “Okay. Now that we’re alone—”
“I’m not here.” Gabriel walks into the living room, a throw blanket in hand, and tucks it over Elise’s legs. He’s the one who brought her tea, like, two minutes ago. He justfawnsover her. It’s wild to see. I thought he was sort of brusque and scary when I first met him, but he’s actually ahugesofty. He holds the record for crying the most tears in front of me, men’s division, a fact I will never tell him. He’s seen some shit in his life, I guess. Same with all the Hills.