Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Weston
I stared at her text and set my phone down, just as Finn walked into my office.
“Our next meeting is in thirty minutes,” he said, sitting down in the chair across from my desk.
“I know. I’m fully prepared to make Johnson & Sons a deal they can’t refuse. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet. How was your weekend?”
“It was amazing. I was going to call you last night after I left Greta’s, but I ended up staying. She’s the one, Wes.”
“Whoa,” I put up my hand, “slow down there, Finn.”
“Nah. I’ve only known her for over forty-eight hours, and I already know. I’m going to marry that woman one day.” He grinned.
“Who the fuck are you?” My brows furrowed.
“Not you.” He pointed at me. “That’s for sure. But seriously, I really like her. She’s fun, funny, calls me out on my bullshit, and our sexual chemistry is off the charts.”
“You got all that in forty-eight hours?” I rolled my eyes.
“I did. Now, what’s going on with you and Sam? Greta told me that Sam really likes you, and since you’ve started seeing each other, she’s never seen her happier.”
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. I picked up a pen from my desk and twirled it between my fingers as I leaned back in my chair.
“I’m not going to see her anymore.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s getting too serious.” I stared at him.
He set his cup of coffee on my desk slowly. Almost as if he was resisting the urge to throw it at me.
“Tell me you’re joking, Wes.”
“I’m not.” My jaw clenched.
“Why? I don’t understand. I mean, I do, because you’re you. But you’re different when you’re with her. You’re not Cold Castile anymore.”
“She deserves better,” I said.
“Better? Better than what?” His voice rose.
“Better than me. She’s starting to see a future with me. I can tell. And being who I am, I can’t give her one.”
“Okay. Hold up a second.” He put up his hand. “If this has anything to do with your grandfather or grandmother, you’re an idiot. No wait. You’re a complete fuckhead, Wes.”
“Wow. Are you finished?”
“No! I was there. I grew up with you in that same house since we were eight years old. I saw it. I knew it. Your grandparents had the worst marriage in the world. They were more like business partners than a married couple in love. We learned the same lessons, but somehow ended up in very different places when it comes to love and relationships. You know what I took from it?”
“What?”
“That life is too short. That the people you love can be gone in an instant.”
“Exactly my point,” I said, tossing the pen on the desk.
“No.” He pointed at me. “That’s where we’re different. I decided to love someone while I have them.”
Fuck. I already knew where this was going.
“You deciding for yourself means you should never love anyone enough to lose them,” he said.
I didn’t answer him. I didn’t need to.
“You’re scared. I get it,” Finn said.
“I’m being realistic and thinking with my brain.”
“You’re being a fucking coward. You love her. I know it! Is it because of Zoey?”
“No. Zoey is a great kid.”
“You found someone you’re willing to change for. And now you’re going to break her heart because you’re afraid she may break yours someday?”
I looked down because, when he put it that way, it sounded ridiculous.
“You’re walking away before you’ve given yourself a chance to find out what forever could look like,” he said.
“I don’t know, Finn. Maybe my grandfather was right.”
“About what?”
“Business first.”
He slowly shook his head. “Your grandfather was a total asshole, who died alone. Your grandmother wasn’t even home when he had that heart attack in the bathroom.
Sure. He had this company, money, and power.
But that’s all he had, Wes. We may have lived with him, but he was never once there for us.
And you never had what you have right now. ”
“I’ll screw everything up. I’m not boyfriend material.”
“Of course you will. You’ll screw up, she’ll screw up. Everyone screws up. That’s part of being in a relationship.”
“I don’t have time for all of that,” I said.
“Fuck, man. You are not your grandfather. I will tell you this. Ending it before it even begins? That’s one mistake you can’t come back from.”
I glanced at my watch. We have a meeting to get to.” I stood from my chair.
Later that evening, as I was sitting on the terrace with a scotch, I decided to text Sam back.
A text that would break her heart. I couldn’t face her.
Finn was right. I was a coward. But I’d rather be a coward than face her and watch the tears stream down her face.
I couldn’t bear that. Pulling out my phone, I started typing.
Hey. Sorry for the late reply. I was in meetings all day long.
I waited for the three dots to appear. And there they were. My heart beat violently inside my chest.
That’s okay. I know how busy you are. It was a crazy day for me, too, with the students.
I wanted to know more about her day, but I just needed to get this over with.
Sam, there’s something I need to say. We won’t be seeing each other anymore
What? Why?
“Because you’re a high school teacher and…
I deleted and started over.
Honestly, I was only using you to restore my image. Why do you think the press was always around wherever we went? I called them and told them where we’d be so they could photograph us. I’m sorry. I never intended for it to go this far
Three dots appeared and then vanished.