Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LUKE
I t was hard to say goodbye to Dei yesterday.
I could live with it just being us, shutting out the world for the rest of our lives.
I’m fairly certain she has feelings, but I know she won’t admit to any of it—not yet.
I want to tell her that I want more, need more, but I’m concerned that it’s too early. It might scare her away.
Sitting in the office, my mind keeps wandering back to each time I’ve been able to kiss her, hold her, caress her, be inside her. I’ve masturbated three times since I saw her yesterday.
“Luke,” a voice sharply calls from my door.
“Huh?” I try to regain my composure while settling the erection I feel in my lap.
“You up for a father-son lunch?” Dad asks.
He’s visiting as things are being set up in the LA office, checking in on how the new employees are doing.
“Yeah,” I confirm. “I just need about another minute or two on this project.”
“Great,” he replies. “I’ll be out on the floor, checking in with the team while you finish up.”
“Don’t hover too much, Dad."
“I don’t hover…I observe,” he challenges.
“You hover. We know you mean well, but it can be a bit creepy sometimes.”
“I’m not creepy,” he scoffs playfully.
“Yeah, you are.”
Dad ducks out of the doorway, but I can hear his voice floating in from time to time as I wrap things up. He’s not in the Bay office that often, but whenever he’s present, everyone’s happy and relaxed. I’m sure it’s the surprise breakfast or lunch that adds to his appeal.
We get settled at our table at a restaurant just around the corner from the office. The second the waiter delivers the appetizer, Dad asks, “So, how are things down here?”
By the fact that he’s ordered a three-course meal, I know we’ll be here for a while, meaning he wants to talk about something.
Dad always talks about certain things over food.
It’s not necessarily anything bad, but the social side of food, especially in a restaurant, that seems to keep all participants calm.
“Good. Mr. Jackson sent back the final, signed documents along with a proposal for us to consider taking over a fourth building.”
“Wonderful,” Dad praises. “I knew you’d be a natural at all of this.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry it’s taking longer than expected for some of the other projects.”
“No need to apologize, Son. These things happen. The minor details are being worked out. Besides, you’ve acquired three, and the fourth is practically locked in.”
“Purchasing another building isn’t minor.”
“Yes, it is,” he claims. “You’ve already done the heavy lifting with your first clients. Not every client is as easy to nail down or as profitable. With some, it’s just pushing around words and numbers on paper until the client’s satisfied and where monies exchange hands.”
I smile and nod, understanding the logic in his words.
“So…how’s the rest of LA?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know there’s a girl involved,” Dad retorts.
“There’s no girl.”
“Please,” Dad laughs. “I’m no fool. Besides, I’ve taught you everything you know when it comes to interacting with people…a master knows when his own tactics are being thrown back at him.”
“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Who is she? Do I know her?” he asks.
I pause to think how I want to answer. “No.”
Dad chuckles. “Liar.”
I sigh loudly.
“Come on,” he coaxes.
“You know that there’s only one person in LA that I know who you know.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear it directly from you. Have you gone out on a date with her yet?”
“No. I haven’t been able to take Dei out on a date.”
“Ha. I knew it was Deidre.”
“Dad,” I groan.
“Why haven’t you taken her out?” he asks.
“It’s complicated?”
“What’s complicated about going out on a date? Does your generation not do dates anymore?”
I don’t reply, not wanting to discuss this any further with him.
“Oh, I get it,” he presumes. “You don’t really ask the girl out, but you hang out and eventually kiss or have sex.”
“Dad.”
“What? I’m just trying to understand how you kids court these days. Do you even call it courting?”
“It’s not that simple with Dei.”
“You like her, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You two hang out every chance you get when your schedules align, right?” he assumes.
“Sometimes.”
“Who else hangs out with you and her when you’re here?”
“Vix,” I reply.
“Her dog?” Dad chuckles.
“Sometimes, Mandy. Unless it’s a work thing, then there’s a bunch of people around.”
“Have you at least kissed her?”
“I’m not going to talk to you about this.”
Dad smiles as if he already knows the answer. “Did she kiss you back?”
Through gritted teeth, I say, “Yes.”
“I always knew there would be something between the two of you.”
“What?! Since when?” I scoff.
“Since you two were little,” he says. “You two always got along…didn’t matter who was around or what age you were.”
“She doesn’t date.”
He studies me as his brow lifts. “What do you mean she doesn’t date?”
“She just doesn’t.”
“Is she a virgin?” he asks.
“Dad,” I snap.
He holds his hands up in defeat as he laughs.
“Not that that is any of your business, but no. And, for the love of God, please do not let that get back to Mr. Lawrence…or Mike.”
“Don’t worry,” Dad chuckles. “I promise it won’t.”
“I don’t know what’s going on between us, and until I do, I want to respect her enough to keep it private…especially from Mike and her father.”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Son.”
I grimace and stuff a few bites of food in my mouth while it feels like the heat has been turned up to that of a sauna.
I understand what Dad’s trying to do, but this is really uncomfortable for me.
A few years ago, I overheard him doing the same kind of stuff to Ben, my older brother.
It was funny then, but it sure as hell is not now.
“I’m glad you told me,” he states. “I didn’t care that you were coming down here so much in the beginning for the first two deals. It’s just good to hear you admit that it’s over love.”
“Love?” I choke, coughing out some of my food.
“Deny it all you want, Son. No man travels that much, especially that kind of distance, every weekend, for a booty call.”
“It’s not love,” I lie. “Besides…even if it was…as I said, Dei doesn’t date.”
“I have the utmost confidence that you would be the one guy to persuade her to change her ways.”
“What?”
“All I’m saying is you’ve proven yourself more than you believe you have, Luke.
You’ve started with the company from the bottom.
You know how it functions in each of its parts and as a whole.
You came down here and solidified a complicated deal that most firms would not have been able to lock in, all while being with the woman you love.
You’ve managed to procure us three deals, with more on the way.
The corporate apartment complexes with Mr. Jackson weren’t on the table until you were already here.
Now, there’s an interest in a skyscraper that has a great return and steady clientele with it. ”
I stare at him, not sure what to say.
“Aside from the fact that you’re my son, and have done everything you’ve done with the company and will be taking over at some point, you’ve earned the right to live where you want to live. So why not be as close to the woman you love?”
“Dad,” I sigh in astonishment.
“As the future owner, you need to learn to work without being in the office twenty-four seven. A true business owner can walk away from his business, albeit to be building another business or be on vacation for an entire year, come back and have it running smoothly and just as profitable, if not more. That is the true meaning of being an owner. The business works for you, you don’t work for the business. ”
I feel my cheeks burn.
“How do you think I drive your mother crazy? It’s from being home so often.
” He chuckles to himself. “I don’t work for the money.
The money works for me. And because I made the money work, I’m able to have more choices and opportunities for myself and my family.
I only want you to be able to have the same and take advantage of that. ”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Money is just a tool we use to live life. As long as you love people and use money, life is easy. Money is not bad, it’s just people’s perception of it.
Money makes things happen…it can do a lot of good, but can also do a lot of bad.
I’m happy to do any deal with any client if it means I get to see you have the chance at love…
no amount of money would be too much for you to have the love of your life in your life.
I thank God every day that I found your mother. ”
“I thought you can’t stand each other,” I say ruefully.
“That’s how we keep things interesting.” Dad laughs. “We like to keep the other on their toes. It’s a part of who we are together. If she stopped, my heart would break because that would mean that she didn’t love me anymore.”
“You think I love Dei?”
“I don’t think. I know.”