Chapter 29
Ryker
I was blurry eyed by the time the meeting with the PR team ended, hours later.
It had been a complete clusterfuck, and it wasn’t over yet.
Our PR people were desperate enough about Dawson’s article that they’d brought the heads of all departments into this, and the directors. Tomorrow everyone was meeting again.
I went into my office, slumping into my chair. It was seven o’clock already. This day had just been insane. Then I remembered that I’d made plans with Heather and Avery for lunch too, so I could say goodbye to Avery before she left for Phoenix. Goddammit. How had I forgotten?
I was about to call Heather when my phone rang. Skye was calling and I picked up immediately.
“Dear brother, have you forgotten about us?” she asked.
“Sorry, I got caught up in a meeting. Heather and I were supposed to meet you at the Irish pub.”
“Yes. Half an hour ago. Anyway, Heather messaged to tell me she can’t make it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Thought you’d tell me.”
“I’ll talk to her and then call you back.” I sat straighter. What was going on?
“Okay.”
When I hung up, I jumped out of my chair, about to call Heather, when I was interrupted again. Owen came into my office.
“Ryker, we should finalize the?—”
“I’ll do that tomorrow. I need to call Heather. I completely forgot I made lunch plans with her.”
“I saw her in your office, with her daughter, just before I joined the meeting.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were already in the meeting room.”
“I could’ve just stepped out for a few minutes.”
“Look, I needed you to have your head in the game.”
“When have I not had my head in the game?” I barked.
“Lately, your focus has been split. A general piece of advice: those who make it far in this industry know where their priorities lie. You don’t have time for chasing kids in your office, and I told them as much.”
“You fucking didn’t.”
“I did.”
“I don’t need your advice on how to lead my personal life. I deliver results, that’s all that concerns you. Refrain from any other comments.” I spoke through gritted teeth, barely keeping my temper in check. “This is your fuckup, Owen.”
Owen narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything else.
Good for him, because I was pissed anyway.
I walked out of my office, heading straight to the elevators, intending to call Heather on the way, then noticed I had a voicemail from her.
Had something happened to her and Avery? Why didn’t she make it to the pub?
I slid in the empty elevator, listening to the voicemail on the way down. Panic crawled up my body from her first word, and then it just kept magnifying. Holy shit, she sounded on the verge of tears. My woman was almost crying! When she mentioned Avery, I nearly lost it.
I listened to the voicemail again as I left the building, as if that would help me digest it better. It didn’t. Once outside, I leaned against a wall, closing my eyes, just trying to calm down, but it was impossible. It was as if I had a stone lodged in my throat, pressing on my chest.
I wanted to go back up and take my anger out on Owen, but that wouldn’t help jack shit. What would help? I had no idea.
I unhitched myself from the wall though, because just hanging around here sure wasn’t going to solve anything.
I’d almost forgotten about my siblings again when Skye messaged me.
Skye: Are you coming?
Ryker: On my way.
My family was just what I needed. I walked at a brisk pace, bypassing a group of tourists that had come to a night tour of the city, blocking out the guide’s voice rattling information about Wall Street’s history.
In fact, I was trying to block out everything: the sound of cars, the occasional billboards… I wanted to focus on my own thoughts, but it seemed impossible at the moment.
The Irish pub where I was meeting everyone was just a few blocks way. The crowds thinned the closer I got. Cole had a knack for picking spots that were central but not overrun.
When I reached the pub, I noticed my siblings through the window, at a table.
I made my way past a group of smokers holding beers in front of the building.
As soon as I stepped inside, Cole waved at me.
He looked so relieved to see me that I was willing to bet anything our sister had just cornered him about something.
“Sorry I’m late, everyone,” I said, sitting next to Skye, opposite Tess and Cole.
Tess winked. “You’re here, though. Thought you forgot all about the ruse.”
“What ruse?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.
“You know… pretending you need our help just so you have an excuse to make sure you feed us and get us out of the store.”
Damn, they’d caught on so fast? That explained why Cole had looked so cornered when I arrived.
“It’s nothing you haven’t done before,” I volleyed back. “Remember my first few years at the bank? When you took turns dropping by my apartment? Sometimes with food, sometimes just to check if I was alive?”
Since they were a little older, they’d already had the tough years behind them by the time I embarked on the hamster wheel.
Skye nodded. “It’s true. We did that. To be honest, I quite like having all of you coddle us. By the way, Ryker, did you find out what’s up with Heather?”
I swallowed hard. “She flew to Phoenix with Avery and her mom.”
Tess frowned. “Did something happen? She’s not exactly the type to decide in less than a day to jump on a plane.”
I didn’t know how to explain everything, so I asked them to listen to the voicemail.
Tess flinched, looking at me with pity.
“Oh, poor Avery,” said Skye.
Their reactions just intensified my own anguish. How was I supposed to reassure Avery and Heather? How was I supposed to be the person they needed me to be?
“So, I know that you’ve come here this evening to coddle us, but I think the roles just reversed,” Tess said. “And coddling requires me to sit next to you, so scoot over a bit.”
I laughed as Skye and I shifted on the bench, making space for Tess. I felt so confused and exhausted at the moment that I didn’t think I could be of any use to them anyway.
“Holy shit,” Skye said, eying me wearily. “You’re not even pretending to have it all under control. That’s so unlike you.”
Tess turned to Cole. “You know how Skye and I used to joke that Ryker wouldn’t realize he’s in love even if it smacked him in the head? We take it all back. Means there’s hope for you too.”
Cole cocked a brow. “You can tell you were wrong because he looks miserable? You’re not exactly selling me on love right now.”
Skye groaned. Tess shook her head.
“No, silly. We can tell that by the fact that he’s all over the place because Avery and Heather are hurting,” Skye explained.
“Being all over the place is still not a good selling point,” Cole pointed out. “But let’s focus on the important part: Avery and Heather.”
Tess rubbed her forehead, laughing. “You’re right. We’ll circle back to your odd views on love another time. Now we have to focus our efforts on Ryker.”
“Yes, please do,” I encouraged them.
Skye patted my shoulder. “I know why you’re beating yourself up. Stop doing it.”
“How? We’ve been in Avery’s shoes. We know how it feels… not to be wanted,” I said.
“This isn’t the same thing. Dad left us,” Tess said, glancing at Skye and Cole as if inviting them to chime in with their opinions.
“I know, but I’m still?—”
“Questioning yourself?” Skye asked sympathetically.
I nodded, relieved that she got it.
“Hell, no,” Tess exclaimed. “No. No. Absolutely not. We won’t let you do that.”
“Jesus!” Cole exclaimed. “I was going to order a beer, but I need something stronger if we’re getting into that. Anyone else?”
Tess clapped her hands. “I’m with you. Something that will inspire me to come up with motivational quotes… but also keep my mind clear.”
“Just water for me,” Skye said. “But I do want some food. I give really bad advice on an empty stomach.”
“You do,” Cole agreed. “How about?—”
I interrupted him. “Cole! Don’t hijack our sister’s attention. I still need it on me. All of it.”