the dining room to find Harrison pacing up and down the length of the table. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO? This service is for the late Charles Carrington and when I say that we want the absolute best for him, that is what I expect to be provided. Now, check again.” There’s a slight pause before Harrison chuffs. “That’s what I thought. Please email me confirmation.”
His call ends and I look at Mom impressed. “Wow, I didn’t realize that he had it in him.”
Mom nods. “Yes, he’s surprised me today. I’ve been hearing him on the phone all day. He's made some pretty amazing deals but what do you expect? This is Charles Carrington we’re talking about. No less than perfect will be acceptable.”
I nod, knowing far too well just how perfect it has to be. If Bellevue Springs has taught me anything, it’s that a man’s reputation is everything. It comes before business, family, and love. It’s all that matters because without a stellar reputation in this world, you’re as good as done.
“Alright, sweety,” Mom says, leaning in and giving me a tight hug. “I have to go and make sure the kitchen is in order so everything is perfect if Colton decides to come up for air.” I nod and she goes to walk away before stopping herself and looking back. “Perhaps you could go and find him. I know the two of you have become friendly. Maybe he needs some company.”
With that, mom scurries off to her duties and as I watch her go, her shoulders slump making me realize just how tired she must be. Mom has been working around the clock since the second we moved here, but the last few days with party preparation, the masquerade ball, and then the massive clean-up that has fallen solely on her shoulders would have almost killed her. Not to mention that she would have heard just how Charles died and would have spent her day struggling to hold it together. She’s stronger than anyone I know, but she’s also only human.
Mom disappears around the corner and I let out a breath. She’s right. Even if Colton doesn’t want me to hang around, I have to at least try. The only question is, where the hell is he? Harrison said he’d been MIA ever since walking out of his father’s office this morning.
When my dad died, all I wanted was to be alone, but more than that I wanted to forget, and the only way I was able to forget was by drinking until I passed out, and just like that, I know exactly where he is.
I make my way into the Carrington’s private kitchen and just like every other time I walk in here, I’m amazed and in absolute awe, but right now, there are more important things for me to focus on.
I walk through the kitchen and come to a stop outside the cabinet that I had stood in front of on my first day in Bellevue Springs with Charles right by my side. A sharp pang slices through my stomach at the memory. I wasn’t exactly close with Charles but no one deserves such an awful ending when their story clearly hasn’t finished being written.
It’s hard to believe that day was only a month ago. So much has happened since then.
I let out a shaky breath, mentally preparing myself for the unknown. My fingers curl around the small, golden handle of the cabinet door and I slowly pull it open to find the private bar that Colton had worked his ass off to install.
The room is in darkness but the light filtering in from the kitchen is enough to see Colton sitting in a lone armchair. His eyes are blazing and focused heavily on mine, intense and lethal, exactly the version of him that I saw in his father’s office this morning.
An open bottle of scotch dangles from his fingers. The bottle is near empty and something tells me that it’s probably not the only bottle he’s worked his way through today.
My heart shatters watching him. I’ve never seen someone in such pain, but I sure as hell know what it feels like. Colton didn’t even like his father that much. He was intimidating, violent, and angry, but he was still the man who raised him. He’s responsible for the man that Colton is today and that has to count for something.
The longer we remain in this stare off, the harder