Restraint - Adriana Locke Page 0,43

up or ship out—something Gramps used to say. I wish I could tell him to mind his own business.

But this is his business. It’s the Mason family’s business. We all depend on it, and we all depend on me to steer the ship in the first place.

And steer it I will because the only other option is failure. And if there is one thing in my life I can never do, it’s look my father in the face and tell him I let him down. I won’t lose everything our family has worked for over generations.

I refuse.

I clear my throat and adjust my tie. “You were saying that you were talking to Boone …”

“Right.” He clears his throat and settles back in. “So Boone brought up the potential that Landry will want a future stake in the project. What if he wants first right of refusal for occupancy?”

“The Landrys aren’t into retail. Or hotels.”

“No, but they like money. And there’s a lot of money to be made here.”

I look at the ceiling and absorb his point. Because, again, the fucker is right. Or Boone is right. And that’s even more confusing.

“Boone thought of this?” I ask.

Oliver laughs. “Yup.”

“Huh. Maybe he’s decided to be a grown-up, after all.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it. Mom found out that he’s been charging her credit card for his video game subscriptions for a year.”

My head levels, and I look at my brother. “Are you kidding me?”

“Could I make that up?”

I shake my head. “Well, the gamer has a point, I guess. Landry could counter us with that. How do you feel about it?”

“Well, I—”

A buzz from my desk phone cuts off Oliver.

“Holten?” Rosie calls.

“Yes.”

“Larissa is here to see you.”

I head to my desk. “Send her in.”

Our cousin knocks once before opening the door. Her blond curls bounce as she enters. It’s one of the only traits she got from her mother. The rest of her is Mason through and through with her green eyes and tan skin that she inherited from my uncle Howard.

She gives Oliver a one-armed hug from behind before setting her sights on me.

“Hey, Holtie,” she sing-songs.

“When did you start having Rosie buzz you in?”

She comes to the front of my desk and plops down in one of the leather chairs. “Since you guys almost fired her and now she acts like she has to treat this place like Fort Knox.”

“We didn’t almost fire her,” I say, looking over her head at Oliver. “We were …”

“Moving her,” Oliver says.

I nod. “We were moving her to Wade’s office.”

“Well, news alert—Rosie doesn’t want to work for Wade. She wants to work for you guys.”

“She’d love Wade. Eventually,” Oliver jokes.

I laugh again. “What brought you here? Don’t you have class today?”

“You do know I have a father who’s perfectly capable of interrogating me, don’t you?”

“I do. But I thought I’d ask in case he’s slipping.”

It’s her smile that makes my stomach twist. Her lips part, foreshadowing mischief.

She scoots around in her chair before finally sitting on the edge and gripping her armrest with both hands. Her nose wrinkles.

“I’m glad we’re asking questions today,” she pokes. “Because I have one for you.”

“Don’t. Please don’t,” Oliver whines. “We have a … thing to do … and …” He sighs, falling back in his chair. “Please just let me keep him focused.”

Larissa looks satisfied. “Well, even though that didn’t come from you, and I didn’t ask my question, I think it answers it.”

Ignoring the glare from Oliver is harder than it should be.

I tuck my tie into my jacket and sit across from Larissa. I ignore her eyes too.

“So …” She prods. “The fam is saying a real live woman is at your house.”

“Thanks, Oliver,” I say, blowing out a breath.

“Oliver?” Larissa looks over her shoulder at my brother before turning back to me. “Wade told me.”

“Wade?” I must look surprised because Larissa laughs. “Wade told you?”

“I mean, he wasn’t celebrating it or anything. Actually, he said you were a … fool, I think was the word he chose. I’m just excited that it’s true.”

I dig around in my desk and find the envelope Larissa came for. Hopefully, she’ll take it and leave.

“Well, you need to settle down a little bit because it isn’t nearly as exciting as you’re making it out to be,” I say, giving her the package.

Her eyes light up as she takes it from me.

“I think the fact that Wade, of all people, brought it up means that it’s a little more exciting than