“If he can’t see what a rattling reward you two are, then. Fuck. Him,” Cas enunciates. “What a egocentric jerk.”

The ghost of a smile makes my mouth twitch.

“In the meantime, you’ve obtained extra vital issues to fret about,” he says. “Like Coach Zeke. Inform me all in regards to the sizzling diving coach you’re working for.” Cas rubs his palms and leans in.

“Ew,” I say, bowled over. “What are you speaking about, sizzling? That’s my coach. Boss. No matter. He’s like, fifty.”

“He’s forty-two,” says Cas, arching an eyebrow. “And we should always take into consideration increasing your horizons.”

“I’ve expanded my horizons sufficient for one yr, thanks very a lot,” I say, my abdomen clutching. God. There’s a West-shaped gap in my life, proper there on the very horizons we’re speaking about. The query I’ve been dancing round for the final two weeks lastly bubbles out of me. “Is it going to really feel like this eternally?”

“Oh, Raleigh.” Cas units our mugs down and hugs me exhausting earlier than pulling me to my toes. “Come on.”

“The place are we going?”

“Ice cream,” he says. “It’s cliché for a purpose. After which we’re going to get your mojo again.”

“Actually,” I say with a heavy dose of skepticism. “And the way are we going to do this?”

“Similar manner we do every little thing else,” he says, throwing me my coat. “Child steps.”

30

West

The weeks blur. My days are freer than they’ve been in years, due to Dad’s not-so-hostile takeover. The administration workforce appears at me like they’re shocked I’m nonetheless bothering to point out as much as the workplace. Can’t deny they’ve a degree.

Sully has referred to as a couple of hundred occasions. Finn has not.

At this level I’ve made so many errors I’m unsure which one’s the most important, however one factor’s for certain—I’ve made the most important mistake of my life. Betraying Finn’s belief and laying palms on his sister? Possibly. Touching Callahan within the first place? In all probability.

Letting Raleigh and Callie stroll away after I informed them I used to be carried out… That’s the one which doubles me over. I’ve by no means felt remorse like this.

If I might return to them, in some way discuss them into letting me within the door, not to mention again into their lives… however even when I might, Dad’s threats maintain me again like a choke chain.

Like a noose. The nearer I get to them, the nearer I’m to dropping them eternally.

My grandmother’s summons shouldn’t be sudden, however I can’t deliver myself to care. She waits till I shut the workplace door behind me.

“What’s the that means of this?”

“Of what, Grandmother?” I ask.

“This.” She faucets a meticulously manicured fingernail on a stack of papers on her desk. “This can be a copy of each weekly report I’ve acquired from retail over the previous twelve weeks. Clarify to me, Weston, why the final three stories all of a sudden seem equivalent to the stories I acquired earlier than you arrived from Chicago.”

I don’t say something in any respect, recognizing the incoming riot-act.

“If I wished stories from my son, I’d have left him in command of the division,” she says, arching a forehead.

Would possibly as effectively get myself fired at the moment; my father will get what he needs and extra importantly, Raleigh and Callahan are secure from any extra of his machinations. If I’m out of the image altogether, he’ll haven’t any purpose to go after them. Nothing left to lose, I shrug. “He’s taken over as head of the division,” I say.

“I urge your pardon.” It’s not a query.

“It was made clear that my involvement was neither crucial nor welcome,” I say. “Erwin Thorpe seems to have every little thing beneath management.”

Grandmother sits again in her chair, an uncharacteristic present of informality.

“Does he now,” she says, tapping the stack of stories slowly. “Weston, who knowledgeable you that your ‘involvement’ was not welcome?”

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