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“If you’re sticking around for a while, you should come over for dinner one of these evenings. I’ve been working hard on the property, and I’d love to have you out to see it.”
Sam purchased a fixer-upper when we first moved to the island nearly a decade ago and has been slowly turning it into a habitable space. It’s been over a year since I visited him out there, so it’s far overdue.
“Absolutely, man. Let’s make it happen.”
HR signs off on my new entanglement without much paperwork due to the fact that she’s not actually an employee and I don’t actually work at the resort.
Ten minutes later, I’m left with the entire day ahead of me and no idea how to spend it. I know Ave would tell me to relax and enjoy the weather, but I’m no good at relaxing. I need something to do.
But the only thing I want to do is currently in a staff meeting in the basement of my resort.
It’s been an hour. She could be out by now.
That deranged thought only sends me further for a loop. What am I doing here? Chasing this woman around like a puppy dog. I mean, sure, the only thing I want right now is to go find her, but I shouldn’t.
I turn my attention to the only other person on the planet who can fully and completely absorb my attention.My son.
Ainsley lets the call go to voicemail, and I slam my phone down on the table at Reef where I came to have an early lunch. I switch to stalking his socials just as my salad arrives.
His last picture was over forty-eight hours ago, and, while it was location tagged, there’s no reason to think he’s still there. Not even a year ago, I would’ve taken the bait and flown over there, tearing apart the island for him, but I’ve learned my lesson enough times not to bother.
He’s got a tight group of friends who are apparently bankrolling his globetrotting. God knows I’ve shut off his credit cards. The kid’s ability to keep pursuing this lifestyle, even with all my obstacles and backlash, is truly impressive.
Or it would be impressive if it wasn’t so damn infuriating.
I mean, would it be so hard to just go to college? He could get a job that allowed him to travel after graduation. Doctors without borders, the peace corps, or even a goddamn travel journalist. Anything but this.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t even know what he’s doing these days, and maybe that’s the worst part about it. I need him to go to the college I chose for him, get an approved degree, and then he can travel the world.
I do understand that I have control issues. I watch myself behaving this way and am fully aware of the insanity of it. But that doesn’t stop me.
I can let it go when I watch resort employees working in the most inefficient manner possible.
I can keep my mouth shut when my law interns make mistakes and let their supervisors discipline them.
But I cannot stand aside and watch my child ruin his whole life because he doesn't understand the consequences of his actions.
“Hey, man.”
Avery slides into the booth across from me.
“Hey.”
“How’d movie night go?”
He’s acting casual, but I can see the excitement rippling under his calm facade. And I get it. Having a woman over to the house like that isn’t just unusual for me, it’s unheard of. There have been times in the past when I’ve brought women from the club to Merit, ones I got along with particularly well, but those arrangements were all just that. Arrangements.
And what the hell is this thing with Victoria?
“It went well.”
Avery’s eyebrows raise as he tries to stay calm in the face of my intentional evasion.
“And…”
I smirk at him and lean back in my seat. “And what?”
“And you just had a date for…I don’t know, the first time ever? Give me something, man.”
