29. Tyson
TWENTY-NINE
TYSON
TYSON
How’s the writing going?
JOSIE
It’s going well.
Something about today has me feeling extra inspired…
TYSON
I wonder what it could be…
JOSIE
I think it’s the coffee!
Truly the best iced coffee of my life.
TYSON
Anything else happen to be the best of your life today?
JOSIE
Not that I recall ;)
TYSON
It’s getting close to dinnertime. Want me to drop off food or do you want to eat together?
JOSIE
I’d love to eat together unless you have other plans.
TYSON
My plans are whatever you want them to be.
JOSIE
Can we do dinner…maybe around 8:30? Is that too late?
I glance at the time on my phone, finding it to be a little after six o’clock, which gives me plenty of time to cook. And hopefully, this time, I won’t almost burn my house down in the process.
TYSON
That’s perfect. You okay to come over here to eat or would you prefer your place?
JOSIE
Yours is fine. Thank you again for feeding me. I’ll see you soon.
TYSON
Counting down the minutes.
I stare at the text, wondering if I should send it or not. Is it too much? Probably. But I click Send anyway. It’s not like I’ve done a good job keeping my cards close to my chest when it comes to her.
I wait a few moments to see if she responds, and when she doesn’t, I stuff my phone in my pocket and stand up from where I sit at the end of my bed.
I’m busy sorting through my kitchen and coming up with what I’ll need for tonight when my phone vibrating on the counter catches my attention.
I set the spices down and walk over to my phone, finding my father’s name on the screen.
I sigh.
He hasn’t stopped calling for weeks now. I wish he’d just send a text to say what he wants so I wouldn’t have to wonder but wouldn’t have to talk to him either.
I stare at his name, but for the first time, I consider answering. I want to know what he wants.
Maybe he’s trying to get to Mom through me.
Their marriage was over on everything but paper years ago, but after my sister and I took Bishop Hotels from our father, Mom finally ended up leaving him for good.
I thought when she left my father, she’d forgive Winnie and me for what we did, but she still hasn’t spoken to either of us.
I wish I could say I’m surprised, but I’m not.
I watch the screen of my phone go black for a moment. But before the tinge of guilt I felt at ignoring his call fully takes over, the phone lights up again, my father’s name on the screen.
This time, I pick my phone up off the counter. My thumb hovers over the screen as I’m tempted to swipe and answer it.
I just want to know what he wants.
I lower my thumb to answer as memories crash through my mind.
All the times I wanted him to be a dad, but he only saw me as one of his employees instead.
All the times I wasn’t good enough for him.
All the times he focused on my failures and never celebrated any of my wins.
I spent over thirty years trying to do whatever I could to impress my father, and it never worked. He had the chance to be a father to me, and he chose not to be. He doesn’t get to come back into my life now when I finally don’t need his validation to feel successful.
I shove my phone into my pocket before I can think twice about answering. If I did, he’d see it as a win and try to get into my head like all the times he has before.
Until Winnie and Archer came to me with the plan of taking over both hotel empires out from under our fathers, I believed in my father. I didn’t think he was a good man, but I wanted to impress him. I thought I’d never feel successful until he was proud of me.
I was wrong.
Archer opened my eyes to the sins of our fathers. Their feuds were hindering the success of the companies. It hurt to backstab my father how I did, but I wouldn’t change it. Especially with how he’s acted after the fact, I don’t regret it.
Through it all, it’s brought me closer to my sister and her husband, something I’m incredibly grateful for.
I don’t know if I would’ve ever opened my eyes to how cruel and ruthless my father was if it weren’t for them.
I would’ve gone the rest of my life chasing the respect of a man who never once earned respect from me.
Pushing all thoughts of my father aside, I grab the list of ingredients I made earlier before placing it in my pocket.
When I first offered to drop off dinner to Josie, I had another meal planned, which I did have the ingredients for.
But after finding out she wanted to come over, I wanted to change it up.
I don’t know if it’s officially a date, but I want it to be. I’m going to do everything in my power to make it seem like one. I want her to know how much I enjoyed the kiss earlier and how much I’m longing to spend more time with her.
Grabbing my keys from the bowl next to the front door, I head out to make sure I make this date incredible for Josie.
“Tyson?” a familiar voice asks from behind me.
I turn around, finding my sister standing in the aisle over from me. She’s got a scarf tied around her red hair, her gaze pinned on me.
I give her a smile as I switch my basket of food to my other hand and close the distance to her. “Hi, Win.” I wrap my free arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a quick hug.
“What are you doing here?” she asks as we both pull away.
I lift my basket. “Grabbing some food for dinner. What about you?”
She stares at my basket for a moment as her lips twitch with the hint of a smile, like she knows something she isn’t saying out loud.
“Archer had to work some tonight, so we’re staying in instead of going to Pembroke.
I’m just grabbing some things for a charcuterie board.
I think Margo might be coming over with Celeste for some girl time too. ”
I smile at the mention of Beck and Margo Sinclair’s daughter, Celeste. She’s a ball of energy and so much fun. I’m anxiously waiting for Winnie and Archer to have kids of their own so I can step into the role of a fun uncle. “That sounds like a great night.”
Winnie’s smile grows as she nods. “Mm-hmm. Dinner for just you tonight?” she asks, her gaze moving to the basket in my hand again.
My neck feels hot as I take in my sister’s knowing stare. There’s a glint in her eye that makes me wonder what she knows. “Um,” I begin, unable to fight my own growing smile. I can’t help it. There’s something about my sister’s grin that’s amusing. “Making dinner for two.”
She nods. “I’ve been told all about your morning with Josephine Russell today.”
I swallow as I barely lift a shoulder. I knew it was bound to happen.
There’s no kind of gossip like the kind that comes from New York’s elite.
Out here, business is only discussed if there isn’t something juicier to talk about.
The moment Josie and I showed up at Pembroke together, I knew it was bound to get around.
I just didn’t expect my sister to be asking about it the same day that we first made an appearance together.
“Josie’s my neighbor. Her grandfather owns the house next door to my new house. We’re getting to know each other.”
“You know the reason they’re talking about it so much is because you’re never seen with anyone.”
“I know.”
Winnie watches me for a few moments, but I can’t get an exact read on what she’s thinking.
My sister’s always been great at minding her own business.
I thought it was the age difference between us, but even as we’ve grown closer and the years between us don’t seem as large as they used to be, she’s still not one to pry.
If she’s curious about me spending time with Josie, she doesn’t indicate it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a little curious because she’s right.
I’m rarely seen with any women. I’ve been so married to my job, I never took the time to date, especially publicly.
Plus, the chatter that came with the Manhattan elite used to scare me, but with Josie, I don’t seem to care anymore.
Not really. All I want is to spend time with her, and I don’t care if other people know about it or not.
I wonder if this time, Winnie will push me to tell her more, but instead, she just gives me a soft smile. “I hope you’ll introduce her to me.”
The thought makes me smile. It’s so incredibly new with Josie that I can’t even begin to put into words what will happen with us, but that doesn’t change the fact that even if we’ve only just met, I’m still excited at the thought of her meeting my sister.
When did I turn into a hopeless romantic?
“Same,” I tell Winnie. “I think you’d love her.”
“I know I will.”
We’re both quiet for a moment as the words settle between us. I hope that things with Josie progress enough that Winnie and Archer can meet her and we can spend some time together this summer.
“Enjoy your dinner tonight, Ty,” Winnie tells me before bumping her shoulder against mine. “Don’t scare her off.”
I scoff as I don’t even have to pretend to be offended. “Me? Scaring someone off? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I respond sarcastically.
Winnie rolls her eyes. “Yes, you do. Have fun tonight. Don’t forget I’m stopping by tomorrow to run over some house things with you.” Her words stall for a moment as she looks at the ground. “I’ll make sure to text first to make sure you’re not…busy.”
I gawk as I realize what my sister’s saying. I hurriedly nod, even as my ears begin to get hot. “Bye, Win,” I manage to get out through the embarrassment of what her words were insinuating.
I duck into the closest aisle and shake off the lingering awkward feeling. How am I thirty-seven years old and still blushing at my sister’s vague mention of sex?
I lose myself in gathering the rest of the ingredients. I was worried I might have to go to another store a little farther from home because of how small this one is, but I’m able to find everything I need.
The entire drive back to my house, a restless kind of anticipation settles deep in my chest.
I saw Josie this morning, and somehow…I still missed her all day.
Even on work calls, even while sorting through emails, my mind kept drifting back to her. It’s not something I’m used to—my thoughts wandering to someone like this—but it’s a welcome change.
There’s something about Josie that gives me a sense of excitement I’ve never felt before.
The more I think about it, the more I realize how nice it is to feel that excitement.
It’s something new. I’ve always been so wrapped up in work that the only thing that brought me any kind of joy was the prospect of succeeding enough to make my father proud.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve never allowed myself to get excited about anything that wasn’t work-related.
Until now.
Maybe it started with buying the house. Buying a place in the Hamptons and letting myself step away for a while, spending time with my sister without everything revolving around work, and letting myself believe a summer could be about something other than work were all ways I started to allow myself to untangle my identity from my job.
And then I met Josie, and a new sort of enthusiasm has taken hold of me.
Instead of thinking about work, I’m thinking about her.
I’m wondering what she’s doing, if she’s thinking about me.
And it’s so bad that it’s even bled into work.
I even missed important bits of a meeting because my mind had wandered to her.
I glance at the clock on my dashboard, already looking forward to seeing her in just over an hour. Our morning together was better than I could’ve ever imagined. I can’t wait to see how the night will go.