Chapter Chapter Twenty One
Knox
The rest of the week was a clusterfuck, and the following one too. I’d let a few things slide since I got involved in the hotel business, and that wouldn’t do. I needed to be sharp around deadlines. I trusted my team, but they still needed my input now and again.
On the day of the benefit, I changed into a fresh suit I kept in my office before heading over to Sterling Investments.
It had been a good idea to move our brainstorming meetings to Friday afternoon, because it was a fantastic way to finish the week.
I came in at the same time as Finn, who was already dressed for the benefit too.
Chase and Duncan were already here. As Finn and I sat down, Wyatt appeared, and Griffin stepped in just a few moments later.
“Everyone’s on time today. Excellent,” Duncan said.
“Let’s get the ball rolling,” I said.
Chase looked at me. “You on a schedule or something?”
“Yeah. The two of us are going to a benefit tonight.” I gestured between Finn and me. “Oh, I almost forgot,” I told Finn. “Amy’s coming with us.”
“Thanks for the heads-up.”
I rolled my eyes at his snide comment. “Can you let that go? What difference would knowing make?”
“I just like to be in the know,” he said with a shrug.
“Well, then, let’s make the most out of this meeting,” Chase said. “As you’ve probably seen, there haven’t been too many changes on the stock market this week.”
“Actually,” Duncan said, “I just realized that our Monday morning meetings would make sense if we’re having a week that starts with a tumult.”
Chase seemed to consider this for a moment, then said, “I think we’re at the point where we don’t need to meet to make immediate decisions. We can wait it out for a week and then see if we have to make any strategic decisions. Now, who’s got something that needs troubleshooting?”
No one said anything.
I laughed. “We’re all just too good at what we do. But I happen to have an idea. I’m thinking of us actually setting up an organization: the Sterling Foundation.”
Finn groaned. “Dude, you always say that would be a lot of work for no reason. You’re the one who said we should just donate and attend other people’s benefits instead of wasting time with organizing them ourselves.”
“I don’t mean an organization in the traditional sense of the word.” I looked around the table. “No throwing benefits and things like that. They’re a waste of money anyway.”
“Then what do you have in mind?” Duncan asked.
He’d been the one who’d brought up this idea years and years ago, but we had too much on our hands back then to seriously consider it. I wasn’t proud of myself, but I’d been very dismissive of the idea at the time.
“I mean, getting involved and giving back as much as we can. For example, organizing internships for high school students. We could place them in our companies but also reach out to other collaborators of ours.”
Chase whistled. “Amy’s getting to you, huh?”
She’d told them all about her idea at the pizza party.
I shrugged. “She hasn’t actually asked me for anything, but her relentless pursuit of these goals made me realize that it’s worthwhile.”
“So, this isn’t really charity work,” Duncan clarified.
“No, but I think it would be very helpful. Obviously, the internships would be paid.”
“Obviously,” Wyatt replied. “An unpaid internship is just unpaid work.”
“Right. Besides, they’ll be more responsible and eager to be part of the team. Plus, the team would be more accepting of them, too, the way I see it.”
They all nodded in agreement, so I went on.
“I’d like to set up a different organization, with a person who’s fully focused on that.”
“You think there’s that much demand?” Duncan asked.
“Demand will increase. And now with my involvement in the hotel business, I can’t give this the attention it needs.”
“Why not?” Chase said. “I’m all for it. If it doesn’t take up any time, that’s even better. And I like the idea of us actively contributing, not just writing checks.”
“Those come in handy, too, though,” Griffin said. “I wouldn’t stop the checks that we’re already sending to charities.”
“I wasn’t implying that. I plan to pay for the foundation myself,” I told them.
“No, that’s not how we do things. You know that,” Chase protested.
“I was just putting it out there. It’s my idea, and it’s not one that will ever be profitable because that’s not the point. I understand if anyone wants to opt out.”
“We don’t,” Griffin said.
The only one who hadn’t said much was Finn.
“You in or you out?” I asked him directly.
“Obviously I’m in, dude. I just still can’t get over the fact that you’ve changed your mind. You’d been so adamant on us not wasting any time with charity work.”
“That was years ago,” Duncan said. “People change, Finn, whether you want to or not.”
“I know,” Finn replied. “Let’s do it, then. Do you want to get the ball rolling, Knox?”
“Yeah. I’m actually going to bring this up with Amy tonight, see what her thoughts are, as she generally has great ideas.”
Finn’s eyes bulged, but Duncan looked oddly proud. Usually, I could tell what my family was thinking without trying too hard, but right now, I couldn’t read them. I couldn’t understand why Finn seemed shocked by everything I said, or why Duncan looked so smug.
“How is the hotel business coming along?” Griffin asked Wyatt, then looked at me.
“A bit better since Knox came on board. We still have a lot to do, though.”
We brought them up-to-date quickly on our progress. I couldn’t wait to open our first hotels.
Because I didn’t want to be late picking Amy up, Finn and I left the meeting early. Our brothers stayed behind to discuss the Sterling Investments portfolio, debating the need for changes. I hated to miss that, but I wanted to see my woman more.
“Want to come with me?” I asked Finn out of reflex. We usually went to these events together.
He cocked a brow. “And cockblock you and Amy later? No way in hell.”
I laughed. “You can just Uber to your house after.”
He snapped his fingers as if this was a light bulb moment. “You’re right. That way I can have a drink or two tonight and not worry about driving.”
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
“All right. I’m going to sit in the back seat, since the future lady of the house will sit in the front.”
“Obviously she will.”
He jerked his head back. “Dude, you didn’t even wince when I said, ‘lady of the house.’”
“Were you trying to give me a hard time on purpose?”
“No. I’m just trying to gauge what’s going on,” he said as we got into the car.
I looked at him in the rearview mirror while I started the engine.
“You’re behaving suspiciously like our older brothers when they started to date their women,” he noted.
“I’m aware.”
“So, you’re not denying it?”
“Why would I?” I knew what Amy and I had was different.
“I don’t know, man. You keep surprising me. I thought you and Amy were just friends with benefits, but clearly it’s more than that.”
“It is,” I told him firmly.
He was surprisingly quiet after that. I glanced in the mirror to see a weird look on his face and almost laughed out loud.
Then he asked, “But why? What happened to change your mind?”
I didn’t reply because I honestly didn’t know how to explain it. You’d think by now I’d have an inkling of an answer, but no. I was just accepting it as a simple fact of life.
But I didn’t want to admit that to Finn, so instead I teased him. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”