“As if there was any doubt.” Anna elbowed Brian before she went to join Dad on the couch.
The sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor blazed from the TV. Luke looked into the living room and frowned when he saw that Dad was watching a basketball game.
“When did Dad start watching basketball?” he asked his brother.
“Ever since Tracy Howard got drafted.”
Luke tried to place the name and came up empty. “Should I know who that is?”
Brian smiled as he clamped an arm over Luke’s shoulder. “He was a few years behind Anna at Jefferson High. Ended up getting drafted last year. He’s only been in, like, four games, but you know how it is.”
Luke nodded. The community supported their own even if the player was a benchwarmer.
“It’s almost done!” his dad yelled from the couch and Brian laughed as he walked towards him.
“You’ve been saying that for the past thirty minutes.”
A smile tugged at Luke’s lips as he crossed the living room to the kitchen. Some things never changed. He walked into the kitchen and found his mom pouring spaghetti sauce over the noodles.
“Hey, Mom,” he said as he approached her, mindful not to startle her. He’d accidentally made her drop a meatloaf when he’d been younger and while everyone had been forgiving, he’d never forgotten how hungry he’d gone to bed that night.
“I brought ice cream,” he said as he gave her a sideways hug.
She grabbed his arm. “Thank you, dear. It will go perfectly with my blueberry pie.”
Mmm. Blueberry.
He liked the sound of that. He let go of her and went to put the ice cream in the freezer. He had just closed the freezer door when his mom hugged him again. His heart softened as he wrapped his arms around her. He’d missed her as well.
“I just wanted to get a proper hug,” she murmured as she stepped back and gestured towards the large bowl of pasta on the counter. “Now set that on the table and call everyone for dinner.”
They had barely finished grace fifteen minutes later when his mom asked, “When are you going to get married and give your father and me grandchildren?”
Not again.
Luke looked at his brother for help and saw Brian grinning at him. Knowing that he wouldn’t get any help there, he looked at his dad, who’d grown a sudden interest in his salad. Damn. He knew that his dad wanted grandchildren, too. He was just more subtle about it.
Way more subtle.
“Mom. I’m only thirty–four,” Luke finally said. Just because his parents’ friends were grandparents didn’t mean that they needed to become grandparents as well.
“Hmph! You know, I was twenty–one when I married your father,” she said as she pointed a fork at him.
“I know.”
He and his siblings had heard all about their parents’ love affair hundreds of times over the years. His mom was working at a diner when his father had come in after a tough day at the factory. One look at Mom, and Dad had forgotten all about his day. It had taken him a week of going back to the diner every day for a soda pop—because that was all he’d been able to afford—before he’d finally gotten the nerve to ask her out. It had only taken six months of dating for his dad to propose although Dad always said that he’d known he was going to marry her the moment he first set eyes on her.
Mom shook her head as she turned towards Dad. “I just don’t know what it is with kids these days. They’re always putting careers before family.”
“I just haven’t met the right woman,” Luke said, though he knew he didn’t have time for a relationship, either. He didn’t even have the time to read. And with all the withdrawals they were experiencing, the company had to be his top priority right now. Because if Harkin went down, it was taking him along with it.
Harkin Capital Management would just be another name in the list of hedge funds that had come and gone, and no one would ever trust him to handle their money again.
“Right woman?” his mom parroted. “You know too many women—that’s the problem.”
No, not too many women—just one. An image of beautiful brown eyes flashed in his head before he pushed it away. He was not going there. It was bad enough that he’d wanted Sam when she’d been married. He wasn’t going to make the situation worse by pursuing her now that Jason was gone.
“There haven’t been that many women,” he protested while Brian laughed. He raised his eyebrows at his brother. “You do know that you’re next, don’t you?”
“There was Rhonda—” his mom ignored them as she started counting on her fingers, “—Veronica, and then there was Angela…”
Knowing that he’d never brought home any of those women, Luke turned to see his sister suddenly avoiding his gaze.
When had everyone turned against him?
Had Anna done an internet search on him then told Mom? No. His sister didn’t even have time to sleep. It was more likely that Mom had asked her to do a search on him. She could be so nosy sometimes.
He was about to say that those women had been a one–time thing before he realized how that sounded and stopped himself. His mom didn’t need to know about his sex life—or lack thereof.
“They just didn’t work out,” he murmured.
At the time, he’d thought that seeing other women would help him get over Samantha, but if anything, it’d just made things worse. He’d found himself comparing everyone to Sam and had found them all lacking. What’s worse was the realization that most of these women didn’t see him for himself. Instead, they saw the billionaire and the life of luxury he could provide them.
He couldn’t help but compare them to Sam, who could’ve had the life of luxury these women wanted after marrying Jason. Instead, she had joined the company and worked just as hard as the other employees—sometimes even harder, as if she were trying to compensate for being the boss’s wife.
“I almost forgot—Sam!”
Luke froze. Was his mom seriously asking him if he felt something for Sam? Had he been too obvious? He’d always been conscious not to mention her too often, but he guessed he hadn’t been careful enough.
“How is she doing?” she asked.
Of course. Mom was just checking up on Sam—not asking if he was interested in the woman.
“Okay. She’s already back at work.” He took a big gulp of water and tried to get his head on straight.
“That’s good to hear. We were so worried about her.”
“I still can’t believe that he’s gone,” Anna said softly. “Jason always seemed bigger than life, you know?”
“I know.” The way Jason had swept into his life twelve years ago still seemed unbelievable sometimes. This trust fund kid had had huge dreams, and he’d been willing to share them with him. Luke was well aware that Jason would’ve had plenty of other choices if he’d looked—analysts and portfolio managers who’d had the experience and the knowhow—and yet, Jason had chosen him. Someone he’d met when they’d both been doing an internship at Brown and Hale.
Almost overnight, Luke’s life had changed. After growing up with never having enough, he suddenly had more than he would ever need and for that, he was eternally grateful. He would never again have to worry about whether or not he could afford a warm meal or if he could pay next month’s rent.
The reminder of just how lucky he was to have had the opportunity for a better life—not only for himself, but for his family as well—made him even more determined not to squander it. He’d build Harkin back up and recoup the business that they’d lost if it was the last thing he did.
Chapter Five
“Oh, my goodness,” Nina Hall said as she put down the empanada she’d just taken a bite of. “This is amazing. You have to try it.”
“Thanks, but I’m really stuffed,” Sam admitted as she eyed all the plates on their table. She couldn’t remember ever being this full—it felt as if she were drowning in food. Nina, who’d arrived at the restaurant first, had practically o
rdered the whole tapas menu for dinner. On top of everything that was out already, there were still a couple more orders in the kitchen that had been held back because there hadn’t been any space on the table.
Nina’s eyes narrowed. “You just want to save room for dessert, don’t you?”
Sam laughed at the unexpectedness of the statement. Her friend and former roommate knew her well. Even when she was full, Sam was always up for dessert.
“Okay. I admit that I was looking forward to the chocolate cake, but I think I’m going to need a few minutes—or an hour—for everything to settle down first.”
“Hmph! I bet you wouldn’t even hesitate to take a bite if the waiter put a cake in front of you right now.”
“As if there were any room. What were you thinking ordering so much?” Though Nina often missed lunch—as a corporate lawyer, she often got so busy that she forgot to eat then binged later—this was a little much. Even for her.
“I guess I overreacted. With Andrew spending the night and all the work in the office, I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday and that was just a salad.”
Sam froze. “You mean Andrew—the same Andrew you met at a Christmas party a few weeks ago? The guy gave your number to?”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were seeing someone! How could you not have told me? I called you like the minute Jason asked me out.”
The fact that Nina was just telling her about her new relationship stung. Sam didn’t have a lot of close friends—sure, there were plenty of acquaintances and people with whom she was friendly, but no one like Nina.
They’d hit it off immediately when they’d met in a calculus class in college and had become fast friends. Over the years, their friendship had become a rock in Sam’s life, the thing she could count on regardless of how often they saw each other. That Nina had withheld mentioning her new boyfriend hurt. Were they not as close as Sam had believed?
“I meant to tell you,” Nina said, her tone sounding contrite. “But you were always busy and then with Jason…”
The guilt hit hard. It was true—she’d often been too busy to see Nina. Trying to fit in a lunch or dinner between the two of them had become an exercise in futility these past few years. There were always meetings and galas she had to accompany Jason to, and when she was free, Nina was stuck at work or out with a client. They’d eventually resorted to making do with phone calls and text messages—only seeing each other if there was an occasion.
If she was being honest, she hadn’t actually wanted to come tonight when Nina had texted her earlier, asking if she was available for dinner. But at the same time, she hadn’t wanted to go home to an empty house again. Though she was fine for the most part, Jason’s death always hit the hardest when she arrived home from the office alone. So she was surprised when she’d found herself enjoying the evening and catching up with her old friend. She’d have to make a better effort to see Nina from now on.
Noting the sudden hesitation in Nina’s expression and guessing that it had to do with Jason’s death, Sam sighed. People were still walking on eggshells around her, and it was getting tiresome. Wanting to go back to the easy conversation they’d had minutes earlier, Sam forced a smile as she grabbed her friend’s hand.
“Fine. I forgive you. Now, tell me everything about Andrew.”
* * *
“Tonight was so fun,” Nina said over the phone almost two hours later. As promised, Sam had called Nina when she’d arrived home to reassure her friend of her safety. It was another fall–out of Jason’s accident—friends and family were more worried about her than they’d ever been before. “We have to do it again soon.”
“I agree,” Sam said as she climbed the marble staircase. After the long day, she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest. “Just not at the same place. I’m pretty sure that the restaurant put us both on some kind of do–not–serve list after tonight.” Or at least, had implemented a dish limit of some sort.
“Hmph. Their ribs were a little dry anyways.”
They hadn’t been, and Nina knew it.
“I still can’t believe we were both free tonight,” Sam murmured as she walked into her bedroom and turned on the lights.
“I know, right? I don’t even remember the last time we went out. I think I was still on the Matterson case.” A beep sounded. “I’m sorry, Sam. I got to go. Miranda’s calling. Call me!” Nina made a smooch sound then hung up.
Sam threw her phone onto the bed and reached for the straps of her heels. She breathed a sigh of relief once the shoes were off. Finally. She would’ve worn flats if she’d known that Nina would invite her to dinner, but she’d thought she was going straight home after work.
She settled in against the pillows on her bed and frowned at how easily she’d settled into life without Jason. Shouldn’t moving on be harder?
She’d been with Jason for five years. She should have felt as if a huge chunk of her was missing. Instead, she was going out with Nina as if nothing had happened. She winced when she thought about how much fun she’d had tonight and felt even worse at the knowledge that she wouldn’t have been able to go out with Nina if Jason had been alive. She’d probably still be at a gala or a dinner meeting right now.
Suddenly remembering the bag of personal effects the police had given her after the accident, she went to the closet to get it. Worried that she’d dissolve into a mass of tears, she hadn’t dared look through it, but perhaps it would do her some good to remember her husband.
She settled back on her bed and opened the bag, spying the leather wallet she’d given Jason for Christmas last year. Her chest tightened as she traced over the initials she’d had engraved onto it. She’d been so worried about whether or not he would like it. Buying presents was hard enough on its own, but to buy them for someone who could afford anything he wanted? It was downright impossible.
But all her worries had disappeared the moment he’d opened the box and she’d seen the warmth in his eyes. Remembering the way he’d told her he loved it and the way that he’d kissed her afterwards, she blinked back tears.
How could he have left her all alone?
Sure, he’d always driven a little faster than the speed limit, but he should have known to take care of the icy roads. Now all that she had left were memories. Realizing that she was gripping the wallet, she let it go and spotted Jason’s cell phone—the phone that had been like another limb to him.
If he wasn’t working, he was helping out with one of the many charities he was involved with. Wanting to remember that side of Jason—instead of the careless, selfish side that had him speeding on dangerous roads—she picked it up and turned it on. The phone buzzed with message notifications.
She swiped right and clicked the first message she saw—a message from Carla Williams, the director of one of the charities Jason had worked with and immediately dropped the phone as if it were on fire. She’d been expecting charity talk—maybe plans for the upcoming gala or updates on their school program. Instead, there were pictures of Carla wearing lingerie!
There must be some mistake.
Sam’s mind scrambled for an explanation. Carla had probably texted Jason instead of her husband by accident. Or maybe her husband had left the phone in Jason’s car. Sam picked the phone up again and scrolled through the messages, looking for something that indicated that it was Carla’s husband’s.
But there was none.
Her stomach dropped when she saw a text where Carla had called him “Jason baby.” As Sam started to read the conversation, it became clear that not only had Jason encouraged the woman, he’d even bought the lingerie she was wearing!
The phone slipped from Sam’s hand once again. How? How could Jason have done this to her? Hadn’t he loved her?
Her chest tightened, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. Was this why he’d kept on delaying having children? It wasn’t that he’d wanted to wait until he had the time to be the kind
of father his dad was. Because he’d apparently had enough time to have an affair.
He just hadn’t wanted to be tied down to her.
She sobbed at the realization. She’d been such a fool. A complete and utter fool.
An hour later, when all her tears were gone, only anger remained. Five years. Five years she’d given that man. Five years of galas, power breakfasts, tedious business dinners, paparazzi—all because she’d wanted to be a good girlfriend and then, wife. And he’d repaid her loyalty and commitment like this?
She’d even given up her dream job at Anderson for him. Because no one wanted an accountant whose husband was a hedge fund manager. That decision had hurt—she’d loved that job and enjoyed the people she worked with—but she’d been okay with it, because she’d loved Jason and would’ve done anything to be with him. But it turned out she’d been the only one who’d felt that way.
Shaking her head, she looked unseeingly at the bedroom. Suddenly, the house that had once been her dream home felt like a mockery of everything that she’d ever wanted. She couldn’t stay here another minute. Without bothering to pack a bag, she put her shoes on, grabbed her purse and headed towards the garage.
Chapter Six
Luke had just finished putting the last of his dishes into the dishwasher when he heard a knock on his door. Knowing that he hadn’t let anyone up, he groaned. The last time he’d gotten an unexpected visitor like this, it had been a neighbor who’d been trying to get Luke to buy his house in the Hamptons. Apparently, the man’s bonus had been smaller than he’d been expecting.
Perhaps Luke should’ve been more sympathetic to the man’s plight, but it was hard to sympathize with someone who, in addition to his apartment downstairs, had three vacation houses and four cars that were each worth more than Luke’s childhood home. Some people just didn’t know how good they had it.
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