“Can’t do much more from a thousand miles away, Cal.” I bobbed her nose, earning a scowl. “I know you’re fishing for a present. I promise I got you something, but you have to wait until later to get it.”
She leaped into my arms with a squeal. “You’re forgiven, Madsy,” she said loudly, then dropped her voice to a whisper. “Please tell me it’s not old lady jewelry like Daddy got me.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing Callie didn’t understand that theold lady jewelrywas Mom’s. Dad had been giving her a piece for her birthday every year since she died. He told her he would explain why they were all so special one day. I didn’t know why he hadn’t already told her. “Not jewelry, Cal. Not sure I’d be very good at picking that out, but I guarantee you will love it, and Dad will hate it.”
“Don’t fight again, Madsy,” she pleaded with another whisper.
“You know it’s not me that starts it, Cal.”
“All right,” Dad interrupted us. “I’ve got us a reservation for eight. Christopher and Ryder will be joining us.”
“Sure,” I nod. “I need to go shower and change. Tell me where and I’ll meet you there.”
He gave me the name of the place that I wasn’t the greatest fan of. It was a suit and tie kind of place, and I wasn’t feeling it after spending all day in one for graduation.
I went home, showered, ran some product through my hair, then threw on a pale gray suit. I returned to the bathroom to put my jewelry back in place, knowing how much Dad hated it all. Nose,eyebrow, lip, and ears werefully adorned and on display for all to see. I also threw on the ring that my gran gave me years ago that belonged to my pawpaw.
An hour later, I walked into the restaurant, already feeling claustrophobic from the amount of snobbery in the place. When I reach the table, a wide grin spreads on my lips at the sight of Ryder. He ditched the jewelry, but the leather jacket and jeans were still firmly in place. We were the bane of the society pages. Just like we liked.
I shook the hands of the men around the table and gave Callie a kiss on the cheek before I took my seat. We ordered our meals, and the small talk began.
I hated small talk. Especially business talk. I didn’t give a crap about the stock exchange, the prices of oil or gold. I couldn’t have cared less about the current real estate market. Oh, I understood it perfectly, I just didn’t give a shit.
But I also knew this wasn’t dinner for celebration or congratulation. It was a setup in a public place with friends and strangers. My dad thought he could spring whatever it was on me there, and I would just go along.
So when he started, I was ready.
“Maddox,now would be a good time to discuss when you’re coming home,” he said as he shoved his plate away. “Your position and office are already waiting. All you have to do is show up.”
Mr. Rosenthal’s brows shot up. I’d had plenty of discussions with him over the years. He knew my plans did not include sitting in an office discussing acquisitions and the latest drilling techniques. Masters Inc was not where my future lay.
Callie’s entire body went rigid. She knew the reason I hadn’t been home a lot lately was because of Dad’s incessant yammering about me working for the company after graduation. No matter how often I insisted I didn’t want to, he’d just wave me off. It was unfathomable to him that I would want to do anything else.
“I’m not coming back to River City, Dad,” I told him as I wiped my mouth on the napkin. “I’ve told you before, I’m not working for the company. I’m staying here, and I’m going to play my music.”
“Maddox, why would you throw everything away for a hobby that won’t lead to anything? You are too brilliant to waste yourself like that.”
My fist clenched under the table as I worked to contain myself. “It’s not a hobby for me, Dad. It’s been my life for years. You know that.”
“It was only meant to be something to settle you down. Not a career, Maddox. Music is not a stable career. It’s a fantasy for dreamers. You cannot support yourself on something so inconsistent and unstable.”
“Good thing I was born into money then,right?” I snap. “I mean, technically, I don’t have to ever work a day in my life.”
“That’s not a damn life, Maddox. I didn’t raise you to sit on your ass.” He was right about that. My dad was all about work. He never had time for anything else.
“Working on my music is not sitting on my ass. And I also work at Lucky’s practically every night.”
“And that’s another thing. You’re a goddamn drug addict and alcoholic. You have no business anywhere near a bar or the music industry.”
My jaw clenched tight. I turned my head to the side, closing my eyes tightly to stop the tirade that wanted to escape. “And I became those things long before I set foot in a bar or played on a stage,” I said through my gritted teeth.
“You’re coming home, Maddox. I’m not going to watch you throw your life away on a pipedream.”
I stood from my chair quickly, rattling the table. “I know I’m nothing but a goddamn disappointment to you. I’ve been a burden since the day I was born. But would it fucking kill you to support me?”
“Not when you insist on living your life without a plan. If you don’t come home, I’ll cut you off.”
I leaned over the table with a snarl. Anger poured from me so thickly I was sure the others could taste it. “Then fucking cut me off. I don’t want or need your fucking money. Remember,Dad, I got my trust when I turned twenty-one. Between you, Mom, and Pawpaw, I’m set. You already have Chris. You don’t need me too.”
