about. I've never handed him any of my stuff except for my Montana Hummingbird guitar, which he begged to have.
"But Dad sure is persistent about you settling down, huh?" Asher asks.
I frown. I'm not sure "persistent" quite cuts it. I was actually worried that he would refuse to hand over the company reins to me unless I had a wedding ring on first. I'm glad that wasn't the case. Still, he made it very clear that he wants an heir to Hawthorne Holdings as soon as possible. Hell, he's even shoving women in my face, hoping one of them will impress me enough that I'll marry her and get her pregnant.
Not happening. When I do marry - and frankly I'm not too keen on doing it yet - it will be to a woman of my own choosing. A lot of things in my life were already decided for me when I was born. My hobbies. My schools. My career. Looking back, I'm the one with the hand-me-downs. I'm not going to let someone else pick the mother of my child, even if that child will be the heir to the family company.
And my taste is more particular than Asher's. I don't go for every woman who flutters her eyelashes at me. I'm not too keen on a pretty face, a tiny waist or an impeccable resume, either, though those seem to be Dad's criteria. I just want someone with depth, who can feel things deeply and take things seriously and yet also know how to make me smile. I want someone resilient and independent and yet willing to let her guard down around me. Too much to ask? Maybe. But that doesn't mean I should pick just anyone to be my wife. She should at least be sensible, and preferably smart, strong and caring as well.
"That's unfair," Ryker speaks up without taking his eyes off his phone. "Parents shouldn't tell their children what to do with their lives. They should just give them the best chance to live their lives."
Words of wisdom from my baby brother. Of course, he's not a baby anymore - he's nearly as tall as I am - but a part of me will always see him as that teeny human in diapers and blue socks that Mom brought home from the hospital when I was six.
"Also..." He puts his phone away. "It's just wrong to marry a woman because you hope she'll give you a child to carry your family name. You're not Henry VIII. Marriage should be about love, or at least mutual respect and trust. And sex should be something you do not just for fleeting pleasure or procreation but because you want to connect more deeply with someone."
Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself.
"Wow." Even Asher looks impressed. "Is that why you haven't done it with anyone, little brother?"
He picks up his refilled glass and gulps down its contents before I can.
Ryker frowns. "Just because I don't sleep with as many women as you do doesn't mean I haven't slept with any at all."
I grin. Nice one, Ryker.
"Go ahead, then," Asher replies calmly. "You're the VP of Acquisitions now, little brother, so tell me how many women you've... acquired."
"Women are human beings with hearts and souls, not puzzles or trophies," Ryker retorts.
That has got to hurt.
"Says the guy who's never had one," Asher hits him back.
I don't think that's true, and yet Ryker's forehead furrows. His brown eyes sharpen into stakes.
I know that look. Ryker may have the most patience of us three, but when his fuse burns down he can go nuclear.
"Alright, enough." I put down my glass and come between them, placing my hands firmly on their shoulders. "You know what else is unfair? The two of you drinking by yourselves and leaving me to entertain the guests and answer questions from the media. This is your party, too, you know. I'm not the only one who got a promotion."
"But you're the one who got promoted to the top," Asher points out. "Why would they want to talk to the CFO when they can talk to the CEO?"
"You're the head honcho," Ryker agrees. "We're just employees."
I wrap my arms around them. "Then as your boss, I order you to leave this bar and - "
A tap on my shoulder interrupts my command. I turn my head and see my father standing behind me. What does he want this time?