She pats my shoulder, and as I leave the kitchen, my phone rings. I ignore it when I see the strange and foreign number. Probably some scam caller. That same number texts me. “It’s Raine.” Shit. So the news has reached Europe. He calls again. “You never call and when you do it’s today?” I say as soon as I answer.
Raine chuckles. “Not even a hello brother. How are you? How is Barcelona?”
“Last time we spoke, you were in Amsterdam.”I can hear race cars whizzing in the background.
“Amsterdam? Damn, that was a while ago. Anyway, I’m being pestered by Nolan’s people on one end and your husband’s people on the other end. They both want me to vote in their direction at the emergency meeting.”
My heart beats a little faster. “And which way are you going to vote?”
I don’t need to see him to know that he is smirking. “I called to ask you.”
“Me?”
He sighs. “I don’t know what’s happening over there, but all I know is that whenever Damien is involved, it has something to do with you.”
I shake my head. Raine was young when the event happened. He was in high school, so whatever he thinks he knows about me and Damien; I am sure he’s wrong. “Damien has his own mind, and he’s doing this to piss off Nolan. It’s got nothing to do with me.” I am just a tool he is using.
“Uh, huh? Sure sis. About that meeting, though. I won’t be able to make it. In-person or otherwise.”
“What are you saying? You’re going to forfeit your vote?”
“Hell no. That wouldn’t be fun. I have something else in mind.”
Raine and I speak for a few more minutes. He asks after Lake and I ask about his race car business. It sounds like it’s successful and by the time I end the call; I am at the door of my office. Lake is sitting in my chair, pastries in his lap, waiting for me when I enter. He swivels the chair to face me. “Are we going now?”
“I thought you didn’t want to leave.”
“I want to give Uncle Da—Dad this,” he lifts the pastries, “at his office.”
“We’re not going to his office now. And besides, he is probably busy.”
“No, he’s not. He said he’s free.”
I almost want to smile, wondering if he’s basing this on some conversation they had this morning or last night. “When did he tell you this?”
“Right now,” Lake says nonchalantly.
“How?” I cross my arms
“On the phone.” He points at the landline on my desk. My office phone. Fuck.
“Uh,” I cross my arms. “How did you do that?”
“Uncle Damien said I can call him anytime I want. He even made me memorize his number. It’s…” he rattles a string of numbers that vaguely sound like the number I’ve seen on my phone calling me.
I take out my phone and dial him, ignoring the niggling fact that the number on the screen looks similar to the one Lake just gave me. Damien answers after the second ring. “Did Lake just call you?”
“Good afternoon to you, too.”
“Did he?”
“You were right about our son. He is compassionate. He wants to come over and bring me some pastries that he made.” I try not to dwell on the way my heart skips when he says ‘our son.’He wants full custody. He thinks you’re the devil’s mistress. I glance at Lake, who’s looking at me expectantly. I leave the office and enter the passage. “Aren’t you busy haranguing people to join you in your takeover bid for my family’s company?”
“I already have enough votes.
I inhale sharply.
“Oh, come on, don’t act so surprised. You knew this was coming. But I’d rather talk about Lake. He can come over if he wants. I’m dying to taste the donuts.”
