The Adventurer (Mountains Series Book 7) by Phoebe Alexander

Author:Phoebe Alexander [Alexander, Phoebe]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Mountains Wanted Publishing
Published: 2021-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

A Proposition

14

Connor closed the door behind him as he approached his father’s desk. He suddenly had the flashback of being a young boy and coming into his father’s office to ask if he would play ball with him. He was met with rejection and claims of being too busy. He was always too busy for me then. He still is.

The elder Mr. Hayes had a great number of papers spread across his desk and seemed to be trying to make sense of them. When his son came in, his eyes lifted, looking tired and sporting sagging bags underneath. “You made it.”

“Yeah, caught an early flight. Though with the time change—” He was still struggling to adapt to East Coast time, though he’d arrived the night before. He’d left the club on Sunday morning, headed home to pick up his suitcase, and then to the Denver airport. He hated flying commercial, but getting his father to let him use the corporate jet was like pulling teeth, especially when it was parked in a hangar in Philadelphia.

“You won’t be here long,” Mr. Hayes said. “Probably not even worth resetting your watch.”

“Oh, all the watches and phones do it automatically now…” Connor just stared at his father, wondering if he really didn’t know that. His father’s ignorance on technological matters was what was going to destroy this company. As soon as I take over, I’m overhauling everything.

Like Rachel did in the Springs. It’s all going digital. And she’s going to help me.

“I wanted to talk to you about the third quarter numbers,” his father said, gesturing to the leather chair across from his desk.

Connor took a seat and folded his hands in his lap, prepared to hear his father blame him for something with the third quarter figures that was probably entirely out of his control. He was not at all prepared for what actually came out of the man’s mouth.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you about the third quarter numbers—that’s why I asked you to come—”

“And I still don’t understand why we can’t discuss those sorts of things over the phone or by video call,” Connor interrupted.

His father sighed, looking much older than his seventy-seven years. His jowls had become more pronounced; the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth had deepened, and his skin had taken on a sallow coloring in the past year.

“Like I was trying to say… I was going to talk to you about the third quarter numbers, but something else came up that we need to discuss.”

Connor’s spine stiffened as he stared at his father. There was something in the man’s eyes he’d never seen before, and he wasn’t sure if it was regret, disappointment, or some combination thereof, but it was there, like icebergs floating in a vast gray sea.

“Son…”

His father never called him son. Not once. Not ever.

“I have cancer.”

Connor expected a stab to his heart upon hearing the news, but that wasn’t what he experienced. It was unpleasant, yes, but that discomfort was combined with an almost alarming indifference.

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