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“Let’s play chicken in the pool,” she announces. “Come on, Uncle Chase, let me get on your shoulders!”
“Who are we playing chicken against?” Chase wants to know.
“Daisy!” Holly says.
Chase looks at Brady. “Put Daisy on your shoulders and get in the pool. We’ve been given orders.”
Daisy claps her hands and eagerly lets Brady lift her into his arms as he wades into the pool. Both men put the girls on their shoulders, and the game starts. The girls try to tug each other off the men’s shoulders.
“Daisy’s so stinking cute,” I hear Millie say to Abbi. “And she likes Brady.”
I glance over and see Abbi smile.
“He’s a Wild brother,” Summer says smugly. “Of course, she likes him. They’re all hot.”
I can’t help but smirk as Abbi’s cheeks redden.
“I think Abbi likes Brady, too,” Millie adds.
Not wanting to eavesdrop and hear about how anyone has a crush on my brother, I return to my place by the pool and sit on the chaise, watching the game in the water.
“Can I sit here?” Polly asks, indicating the tiny square available on my chair.
“Sure.” I simply tug her into my lap and kiss her, right here in front of everyone. I can feel their eyes on us, and I don’t give a shit.
“Well, that turned out better than I planned,” Polly says with a laugh.
“Good.” I settle her against me and look around. “I like this. I like it a lot.”
“I know.” She sighs and leans more heavily against me. “I do, too. It’s fun. When you get back from your trip, maybe you can have another party like this for the Fourth.”
“Done.” I kiss the top of her head. “But only if you promise to come, too.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it.” She frowns up at me. “Speaking of missing things, you won’t be here for the IWC summer soiree.”
I tip her chin up so I can look her in the eyes. “What’s that?”
“Every season, we put on a formal party so we can invite significant others, and I was actually going to invite you today, but you’ll be out of town. I mean, it’s fine. Maybe I’m being presumptuous to assume that you’d want to go.”
It means a lot to her. “I’d want to go. Shit, I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“It’s okay. Really.”
She’s far too understanding. I hate the timing of this trip. I don’t want to promise her that I can make it back in time, but I don’t want to disappoint her, either.
“I’ll try to figure it out.”
“Ryan.” She cups my cheek and smiles reassuringly. “It’s okay. There will be others. Don’t sweat it.”
I kiss her forehead and then glance at the pool and find Johnny and Holly watching us. They make gagging noises and then laugh hysterically.
And I decide here and now that I’ll do everything in my power to wrap this trip up as quickly as possible. I don’t want to be away from any of them for long.
“This could have been handled remotely.” My voice is cold as I stare at the man sitting across from me on the jet as we fly from Stockholm to Berlin. “Why have I been pulled from my home for three fucking weeks for this shit? So far, in the five days we’ve been traveling, there hasn’t been even one thing that was urgent or warranted my attention in person.”
Arthur’s expression doesn’t waver. “Because you haven’t been on-site anywhere since last fall. You need to be in your respective offices several times a year. Sir, your people need to see you in person. It helps morale.”
I narrow my eyes on him and cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
