Page 25 of Our Chaotic Love Affair

We finished the round and headed toward the clubhouse for lunch. The sun was high, and I was looking forward to air-conditioning and food. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw my father’s name on the screen.

“It’s Dad,” I told the others. “Go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

They headed inside while I answered. “Hello.”

“Cash.” Dad’s voice was clipped, which meant it was a business conversation and not a father checking on his kid. “I’ve secured you a chartered flight to Rome. Leaves Tuesday morning.”

My stomach sank. “Tuesday?”

“Federico Rossi has decided to exit our contract. I need you to go in person and salvage this.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, already feeling the headache forming. “Rossi isn’t the type to change his mind once it’s made up. I’ve done business with him enough times to know when he’s dug in on something.”

“Which is exactly why you’re the right person for this. You have the relationship. Use it.”

“What if my gut is telling me we should let him back out?”

There was a pause. “Your gut?”

“Rossi’s been messy lately. I’ve heard rumors about other deals going sideways. Maybe this is a situation where we cut our losses and walk away.”

“Absolutely not.” Dad’s tone left no room for argument. “Rossi has been penalized for breaking contracts illegally in the past. I think he’s pulling the cord to save his own ass from whatever mess he’s gotten himself into. I want you to show up strong and figure out what’s actually going on. Then we’ll decide our next move.”

“And if he refuses to cooperate?”

“Make him cooperate. That’s what you do, Cash. That’s what you’re good at.”

I gritted my teeth, staring out at the pristine golf course. “Fine. I’ll be on the plane Tuesday.”

“Good. I’ll have the details sent over within the hour. Don’t let me down on this one.” He hung up without saying goodbye.

I stood there for a moment, phone still in my hand, feeling the familiar weight of expectation settling back onto my shoulders.

One day. I’d had one day of relative peace. My family thought I was all business all the time. They’d never believe it wasn’t really by choice. My father expected more out of me. My brothers were given passes. They got to do whatever the fuck they wanted because I would always be the guy making sure shit got handled. When Kent ran off to buy a tree farm, I fixed shit. He got his wife and kid because I held shit together. And Austin? I tried to help him. The Summer Situation.

Fuck. I still had to deal with that.

And now it was back to business as usual. I pocketed my phone and headed inside, where my brothers had already secured a table with a view of the eighteenth hole. They were laughing and talking. I felt a pang of something I didn’t want to examine too closely.

They were free to live their lives without checking with Dad first.

“Everything okay?” Austin asked as I sat down.

“Just Dad being Dad.” I signaled a waiter and ordered a whiskey, even though it was barely past noon. “I’m flying to Rome on Tuesday.”

“So soon?” Kent frowned.

“Yep.”

Finn leaned back in his chair, studying me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “Let me guess. Another rich prick needs someone to put him in his place?”

“Something like that.”

“Who?” Kent asked.

“Federico Rossi.” I took a long sip of the whiskey the waiter had just delivered.

All three of them groaned in unison.