The Whitley Brothers Complete Collection (1-8)

Chapter One

JAKE

"Jake, what do you mean you're in Boston?"

I’d called my right-hand man, Ben, to let him know I was out of town. He sounded stressed out, and of course I knew why.

"My grandparents wanted me to come see them.”

“But we have that pitch with Tokyo in the evening."

"I know, Ben. And I'll be back in time for that." I had a private plane that got me where I needed to be, and I’d be back in New York before that meeting.

I’d just stepped into the neighborhood florist’s shop and was heading up to the counter when the sales associate greeted me. "A bouquet of lilies, please."

"You’re buying flowers." I could almost see the shock on Ben’s face.

"Yes. For my grandmother.” I’d never show up at Jeannie Whitley's house without flowers.

"I think I stepped into an alternate universe," Ben said. "You never make time for anything, and now you've canceled your meetings this afternoon to fly to Boston and back while also stopping to buy flowers."

"My grandparents know I’m busy. They wouldn't have asked me here if it wasn't serious.

" Ben was right. I never did make time for much except clients. Workouts were a necessity—a way to blow off steam. And so was dating, although that was currently on hiatus. "I always make time for my grandparents and my brothers. I'll call you later once I’m on my way back. As soon as you finish the pitch, send it to me, and I’ll review it on my way to the airport. It’ll work out. Trust me."

"Fine."

Even though this was out of character for me, I wasn’t worried in the least. I could check in on my grandparents and catch up with my brothers, then fly back to the city in time to pitch to our prospective client from Tokyo.

Once the sales associate handed me the bouquet of flowers, I got back in the car, driving to my grandparents' home in Dorchester, a quiet family neighborhood.

Being back in Boston brought me no joy. Somehow everything reminded me of my father.

My life was in New York now, and I liked it that way.

I parked my car—technically my brother Colton’s, as he’d it dropped off at the airport for me to use— in front of my grandparents' house, walking up to the front door with quick steps.

On second thought, this house brought back some good memories too.

This place was like a time capsule. The Colonial-style house was exactly the way I remembered it from childhood—painted green, with a wraparound porch and white windowsills and railings.

The tiled roof was gray. They had evergreen bushes around the edge of the property, which hid the home well from view.

I knocked on the door before ringing the bell. The door swung open a couple minutes later. My grandmother smiled from ear to ear, opening her arms wide. "Darling, you brought me flowers."

"How are you, Grandmother?" I said, kissing her cheek and handing her the bouquet.

Jeanie Whitley was eighty-nine but as fit and sharp as ever. She was thinner than I remembered, and she'd stopped coloring her hair this past year, announcing she was finally ready to own up to her age. My grandfather walked into the hallway a few seconds later.

"Good to see you, Grandson." He shook my hand, then patted me on the shoulder as I went in and gave him a warm hug. Grandfather was formal in his way, but it never stopped us from showing our affection. "We’re very grateful you could come at such short notice.”

“It sounded important.”

“Come on. Let's go to the dining room," Grandmother said, "I didn't have time to prep a feast." Usually she liked to cook my favorite foods whenever I visited.

She took out a vase from the sideboard, heading to the kitchen while Grandfather and I went to sit at the oversized dining table.

"What do you want to drink?" he asked. "Bourbon? Or is it too early in the day?"

"It's always a good time for bourbon," I said, "but I need my mind clear today." I reached for the water carafe and one of three glasses in the center of the table.

My grandmother returned, placing the vase with the flowers back on the sideboard.

The two of them exchanged a glance. My throat closed up. Something was up.

"What is it?" I asked. "Why did you ask me to come visit? Are either of you sick?"

"No, no, nothing like that." My grandmother sat down opposite me at the massive mahogany table, and my grandfather poured himself a bourbon, then joined us.

I’d always found this table to be insanely big. They'd purchased it years ago, insisting they wanted all eight grandkids to have a seat at the table. But as far as I was concerned, I only had four brothers.

My younger brothers had embraced our father's other family as if it hadn't broken Mom's heart. Colton and I were the oldest and were the odd ones out on this. We witnessed firsthand what the pain of divorce did to our mother, and we weren't quick to forgive.

"You know," Grandmother began, "Whitley Industries has many branches."

"I know," I replied, careful not to sound short.

Whitley Industries had tendrils reaching everywhere in Boston.

It was involved in biotech, advertising, magazine publishing, coffee, and craft distillery, among many others.

My brothers were running four of the Whitley businesses, and my half brothers owned three of the bunch.

"I don't know if your brothers told you, but the advertising branch is failing," Grandfather said.

"We really don’t talk about Whitley Industries, Grandfather.

Honestly, I don't have time for that." I'd built my own company from the ground up.

I owned a management consultancy. I turned businesses around, and I made a very good living at it too.

Besides, no one from the family ran Whitley Advertising.

"We figured you probably didn't. It's sinking," Grandmother said.

"It's been a money pit for years," I agreed.

Thirteen years ago, before the family discovered my father led a double life, everyone hailed him as a genius.

He seemed to have it all together. He'd led Whitley Industries after Grandfather retired, taking it to unparalleled heights.

Everyone in the area praised Ryan Whitley for being so good at multitasking companies.

On the surface, he seemed to be doing great.

After he'd hightailed out of town, it turned out that several of the companies he'd created under the Whitley Industries umbrella were struggling.

It had forced Grandfather out of retirement.

My older brother, Colton, took over the biotech branch.

He was a CEO as much as he was a scientist. Spencer ran the publishing branch, Cade took over the coffee production, and Gabe had the craft distillery.

I’d chosen my own path. I'd been the one who discovered our father's infidelity at twenty, and I’d wanted nothing to do with Whitley Industries.

It had been a hard time for all of us—my brothers, our mother, and our grandparents. They’d been shocked at their son’s betrayal. Even today, we rarely spoke about him.

"Listen, Grandson, we're not going to beat around the bush. We want to ask you to help turn it around." Grandfather was direct as usual, something I appreciated myself.

I straightened in my chair. "Okay. Let me check with my team, and we’ll take it on as soon as possible.

” There was no sense arguing with my grandparents; I knew they wouldn’t ask this of me unless they felt they had no choice.

Although I wasn’t excited about adding another thing to my plate, I would do anything for my family.

Grandfather shook his head. "No, not like a project. Not like a client. It needs more than that."

"My team is very good, Grandfather," I assured him.

He took another swig of bourbon before putting it down.

"We want you to come to Boston for a while, take over the reins of the company until you turn it around."

It took a few seconds for me to realize what they implied. I wasn’t happy about where this was going. "You don't have a CEO?"

"No," Grandmother replied, looking none too happy. "He quit months ago, and your grandfather has tried to put out fires in the meantime."

I couldn't believe this. My grandfather was eighty-eight. He'd gone into retirement for the second time eight years ago. Putting out fires wasn't the relaxing retirement the doctor prescribed after his heart attack.

I looked from one to the other. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"

"We know talking about the company upsets you, and we didn't want to ask unless it was absolutely necessary. Now it is," Grandfather explained.

I chose my next words carefully because the people sitting across from me meant the world to me. After my father's infidelity was revealed, he left town, and Mom got sick. Our grandparents did their best to keep the family together, to keep us all from sinking. It hadn't been easy.

"I have my own company to run, and it would be impossible for me to take over, even as a temporary CEO.” I saw the disappointment on their faces and felt like shit.

“What I can do is help you find another one as soon as possible while also putting my team on the case to start to turn things around. "

My grandmother's smile was strained. Damn it, I hated that.

I didn't want to let them down, but I really didn’t have other options.

My life was in New York and had been for the last eleven years.

I had clients who personally depended on me.

They wouldn't be very happy if I suddenly moved to Boston, even if I kept up with my business by working remotely.

"All we ask of you is to consider it. Your grandfather isn't getting any younger," grandmother said.

I barely bit back a smile. Grandmother was going for the emotional attack, and she was very good at it. Every time I called her, I got a guilt trip about moving out of Boston in the first place. But back then, I'd wanted a fresh start, and I'd wanted nothing to do with Whitley Industries.