Billionaire Ever After: Blue Collar Billionaires, book 3 by Jessica Lemmon

Author:Jessica Lemmon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lemmon Ink

Chapter Fifteen

Archer

Nate, Benji, and I are standing on the covered porch near one of two tall space heaters. The heat and cold battle each other, but hovering in between both isn’t a bad sensation. My brothers are chatting about a new restaurant that just opened at Grand Marin, and how slippery the restaurant business can be. I understand. Nightclubs come and go too. I’ve had to close the doors on a few when profits turned upside-down.

Dad steps outside to join us, a pair of unwrapped cigars in hand. Rather than insert himself in conversation with Nate and Benji, he offers me one of the cigars. I accept, wary, still waiting to have a pseudo-conversation ending in heated debate like every other time I come to dinner.

“When I started Owen Construction,” he says, “I envisioned it differently than it exists today. I thought it’d be…bigger.”

I can’t help chuckling as I clip the end off my cigar. “Bigger than a multi-billion-dollar company with its hands in various projects?” Nate’s live-works, my nightclubs, and soon, spas. Dad heads up projects of his own, including and not limited to shopping malls, amusement parks, and restaurant franchises.

“I thought I’d be retired by now.” He lights his cigar. I light mine. We puff in silence, watching the smoke mingle with the chilled night air. Nate laughs, the big sound echoing off the ceiling of the large portico. He and Benji are facing away from Dad and me, maybe to avoid our pending verbal scuffle. Or maybe it has nothing to do with me and they’re content keeping each other’s company. “I’m too involved in Owen Construction to retire.”

His tone is self-effacing, and I allow my shoulders to relax. I know I’ve bitched about us butting heads, but my dad’s a good guy. He is a blood/sweat/tears guy. He created Owen Construction with a nest egg and a dream, and here we are. It’s damn impressive.

“If I was better at delegating, we’d be all over the country instead of the Midwest and East Coast.”

“You have time, old man.” The stars are out in droves tonight, pinholes in a navy blue sky. I inhale the crisp, cool air, content to stand here in silence, when he drops a bomb on me.

“Talia Richards. She’s pretty.”

Tension returns in a blink. An old reaction from former circumstances. Back when waves of disapproval rolling off him sent me into a tailspin. And, if you remember my mentioning, that happened whenever I showed up with a woman on my arm.

“She’s more than pretty,” I say, my tone a warning.

“You’ve known her a short while. I’ve only just met her. How can you know?”

“Because I know. If you don’t trust my judgment, look around. Everyone likes her,” I tell him. “Even you. Admit it.”

Talia swept in here tonight, her head high, her smile bright. I remained close to her side so she’d know I was here for her, but honestly? She’s here for me. I’ve been on a razor’s edge with her in tow. She’s important, and I refuse to allow my father to categorize her as anything less.

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