Chapter 25-Ezra
Blood ties and white lies sure can complicate things.
“I can’t believe this is happening!”
I smile into the phone, delighted for her and delighted she called me first to share the news. “I can. You’re amazing, Callie. You deserve the recognition, and it’s a good thing they’re smart enough to acknowledge it. Otherwise, I’d be trying to lure you to work for me at Power Play.”
“What, so you could be my actual boss instead of a bossy client? No way. Plus, I don’t know the first thing about investments and venture capital stuff.”
“I’m sure you could train our computers to do all the work for us. And, if I were your boss, I’d give you extra special perks every day.” She snorts back laughter. “I guess this means our date night plans have changed for the weekend?”
“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind. Ooh, would you come with me? Everyone is bringing someone. Except Grant.”
Attending a dinner party with Callie’s bosses isn’t exactly high on my wish list but attending anything with Callie is. Plus, if this Grant guy doesn’t have a lady, can’t let him form any ideas about getting cozy with mine. “Sure, I’d be happy to come along.” Little white lie but I’ll manage.
“Thanks, Ezra. I’ll be nervous enough but… oh, sugar honey iced tea! They’re wanting to move my stuff up to the new office already and my assistant wants to know where things should go. Can you believe I have an assistant?!”
“Yes, I can, darling. You’ve earned every bit of this.”
“I need to go. I still need to call Mama, too.”
“Go on then. Call your mother and make sure they arrange your desk exactly how you want it, Ms. Director of Research and Development for Golden Gate Security Tech.”
She repeats the title and then emits an excited squeal before bidding me goodbye. Best news I’ve had all day. If any one deserves a huge promotion with an executive office to boot, it’s Callie.
Celeste is calling me a few minutes later, no doubt to inform me that my father has arrived because the door opens as I answer. “Sorry, Mr. Sokolov. He sort of…”
“Yes, I understand.”
He barges in as he pleases. I won’t hang my assistant for it when I’m the one who needs to make the boundaries clearer. I’ve already grilled her recently about Amber Ellis and how she might’ve got my private number. Celeste swore she didn’t give it to anyone and I believe her.
Callie asked me why Amber was there that day and I lied to her, something I hadn’t meant to do. I just don’t want to freak her out. Media attention is something she’s very clearly stated she does not want for Wyatt.
“I wasn’t sure I would find you here with the game later.”
“Work carries on even during hockey season, Dad.” The Fog’s first regular season home-opener is tonight and I’m excited for it. That doesn’t excuse me from my business though.
“So, will I see you there or will you be busy with children again? Or, with a lady?” he asks, shrewdly. He’s not a fool. I’ve been absent lately when he’s sought me out. I feel a bit guilty for that. We’re not from San Francisco and he’s only here because I am.
“I’ll be there with you. Are you inviting friends?”
“Not tonight. Will the pretty reporter be coming along with you?”
“Amber? Hell, no.” But him asking about her has me asking, “Do you know her?” Surely, he wouldn’t give her my private number.
“I’ve never met her. So, father-and-son time tonight?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
The gleam in his eyes tells me he’s happy which makes me happier. Neither of us have many friends in town. It’s been that way most of my life. I spent so much time training as a kid. Other boys were either teammates, opponents or didn’t play hockey so I rarely noticed them. There wasn’t much in between and I was always more withdrawn and taciturn by nature than Chase.
Once Mom left, social situations became something I avoided whenever I could. As I got older, I had teammates who I considered friends but we’d lose touch with trades, injuries and life outside of hockey. And, business is business. I can’t truly be friends with my employees.
My father and brother have been all I had in some ways. The isolation never bothered me but perhaps now things are different with Callie and Wyatt in my life.
“Good, we’ll enjoy the game together. Not that I blame you for your… distractions.”
“She’s not merely a distraction,” I snap before biting my tongue. That’s like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped but I couldn’t let him speak of Callie in that dismissive tone.
He chuckles. “I assume she’s the reason for that odd request a couple of weeks ago that I go to your penthouse and fetch clothes and personal items for your assistant to deliver to you?”
“Yes. She had the flu. I was taking care of her.” And, my father has access to my home whereas Celeste does not. “She’s brilliant and has a brilliant kid, too, a son.”
Dad stares at me. “Children are a joy but just remember a child by another man will never be the same as your own blood.”
Christ, he’s wrong in more ways than he could guess. “I care about him. Who his father is doesn’t matter to me.” I don’t just care about the kid. I love him. But who his father is, is not something I can ignore.
My father’s brow furrows deeper. “Are you actually serious about this woman?”
“I am.”
“Ezra, you work very hard. You always have. You”ve said you don’t have time…”
“I know I’ve said that but-”
“Women come and they go.”
“Jesus, Dad. Do you hear yourself? Maybe I want a real relationship with one.”
“And, maybe she would become attached to your money.”
“You’re starting to piss me off.”
“I’m just saying don’t blindly trust this woman.”
“They’re not all like Mom, okay?”
I don’t know where the words came from. They slipped out unintended.
He still moves quickly for an older man but I’m braced for it when he grabs me by the back of my neck and pulls our faces close. He’s not smiling and the jab to the ribs isn’t playful this time. “Do not speak of that faithless woman to me, boy.”
My impulse to jerk away is halted by his description – faithless. What does that mean? A memory of him putting all our family pictures away when I was thirteen swims before my eyes. I barely remember her face sometimes. It was like he wanted to wipe her existence from our memory.
“Why did she leave us? Is there more to it than you told us?”
“I’m not talking about it.”
“Dad, we never talked about it. You never talked about it. You told us Mom left because she resented you and us for spending so much time on hockey but-”
“I’m not talking about it!” he roars.
“For fuck’s sake, it’s been seventeen years. Don’t you think it’s time we did?”
“She’s dead. It doesn’t matter now.”
“It does matter when we’re all still hurting from it.”
“No one is hurting-”
“Bullshit, Dad.”
He turns to go, ignoring the facts, burying the pain. It’s what we all did in our own dysfunctional ways. “I’ll see you at the game tonight. I want to see how that backup center does. Chase will be available soon and he may be a better fit for your team.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the hockey team at the moment. I want us to have an honest conversation about-”
“Enough, Ezra! Go to your woman. Enjoy her smiles. Play with her son and enjoy that. But, don’t forget your family, your brother and I. We’re your blood and you’re ours. In the end, that is all you can count on in this world!”
He storms out of my office and I catch Celeste’s wide-eyed stare before the door closes behind him. Should be a fun father-and-son time at the game tonight.
My fingers itch to call Callie but she’s having a great day and this isn’t something I want to bring her down with. So I bury it, the way he taught me to.