A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,36
quickly hung up.
His parents turned around and pretended as if they didn’t hear much.
“Seems like a nice woman,” his mom said.
“It wasn’t on speaker.”
“No, but you had your volume up.”
Slade chuckled. “Isn’t age supposed to affect your hearing by now?”
His mom and dad smiled.
“So, what did you want to talk to us about?” his mom asked. “Is it about Lucas?”
Slade drew a deep breath and slowly let it out.
“I blame myself every single day.” He tapped his finger on the table and glanced at his dad. “And I wish it had been me instead of him.”
His mother gasped and rushed to Slade with his dad right behind.
“That’s because you were always the best brother to Lucas. Always,” his mother whispered next to his ear. “But you need to stop that nonsense right now.”
Slade pulled back from his parents. “I’m a grown man, and yet I feel like I’m eternally stunted. Always have, and now I feel stuck.”
“Trapped, maybe?” his dad asked.
Slade nodded. “Yeah. I feel trapped.”
His parents traded glances.
“What?” Slade asked, almost afraid to find out. “Are you guys okay?”
Slade’s dad nodded. “Besides my bum knee, I’m in perfect working order.”
“But we’ve been debating if or when we should tell you this,” his mom began.
“If ever,” his dad added.
Slade’s pulse raced. “Tell me what?”
His mother gripped his father’s hand. “Your brother was going to buy you out of the business.” Her words hung in the air.
“He’d had an attorney draw up the papers and everything. Lucas felt you were miserable and only went along with it to make him happy,” she continued. “He didn’t want to hurt your feelings, but he thought it was the only way to make you do something to make yourself happy for once.”
Slade stared at his parents. “He didn’t want to be in business with me?”
“He wanted you to find what made you happy.” His dad offered a different spin. “He knew you had no interest in the company but would do anything to make him happy.”
“Even if that meant moving to a place you didn’t want to move to so he could be with his girlfriend.” Slade’s mom smiled. “You were and are an amazing brother. Lucas loved you so much. He respected you, but he felt selfish for making his dreams your dreams.”
Slade’s throat tightened, and he cleared it as best he could. “I had absolutely no idea.”
“We know.” His dad nodded. “But we thought you should know.”
“I don’t want to see you clinging to a company—to a past—that isn’t even yours to claim,” his mom said softly. “Maybe it’s time you do something for you.”
“It’s what your brother wanted,” his dad said.
Slade shook his head. “It’s a lucrative business to be in. We just got an account today that will bring in tens of thousands in the first month.”
“But do you care?” his mom asked.
Slade dropped his head to his hand and groaned. “I don’t care in the least bit.” He let out a sigh and looked up at his parents. “When Charlotte told me who the latest client was, I didn’t even bother looking her up. I just don’t care what trouble celebrities have gotten themselves into online. Individuals, sometimes, and businesses, rarely.”
Slade’s dad nodded. “So maybe you should sell it while it’s doing so well.”
The thought had never occurred to Slade. He’d always planned on riding it out until the end.
But finding out his brother wanted him out kind of changed the idyllic fantasy he’d conjured about Lucas and him as partners.
His mom smiled tenderly. “Nothing needs to be decided on now—just something to think about. In the meantime, I say we have dessert before dinner. Who wants a piece of cake?”
Chapter Fourteen
Erika’s sister, Shannon, was standing next to her at the pier in Seattle. Scott was going to come with Erika to Seattle, but Jeremy’s parents enticed him with a camping trip in Eastern Washington, so he passed on the trip to Seattle.
“You look like a nervous wreck,” Shannon teased. “I really hope I don’t feel like a third wheel.”
Erika turned and grinned at her sister. “He’s just a friend.”
“Whatever you say.”
Erika rolled her eyes. “I’ve only known him for a month. How could he be anything more?”
“Have you two . . . ?” Shannon wiggled her brows before tightening her high ponytail.
“How could we? We’ve only seen each other when we first—”
“I meant online.”
Erika pretended like she was going to push her sister into the pier. “No. I told you we’re . . .”
“Just friends,” Shannon mimicked. “What