A phone buzzes beneath my leg. I reach for it, trying not to wake the sleeping beauty.
Lifting the phone to my face, I expect an endless amount of eggplant emoji texts from Shay, who probably assumes I ran out of the house this morning for some fun.
But the phone in my hand isn’t mine. It’s Kenneth’s, and the message on the screen makes my stomach churn.
Dad
Getting your office set up for your summer internship. Looking good.
What the hell?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“Mr. Gray should beout any moment now, Kenneth.” My father’s longtime secretary covers the microphone on her headset. “I let him know you’re here.”
I give the woman a polite smile. “Thanks, Mary.”
Gray Construction is busy as usual. In the years since Dad took over, the small-town, family business shifted into one of luxury, only focusing on high-profit projects. Multi-million-dollar deals are his specialty.
I should be out celebrating with my classmates because we submitted our final projects along with our applications for the internship this morning. Finals are almost over, and the semester ends next week.
The application I handed over to Dr. Martin was a cumulation of everything I had. I spent years going against my dad to prove I didn’t want to be like him, and for once, I don’t care to prove anything to him. My grades speak for themselves, and my athletic career has been full of ups and downs, but this is my journey.
Winning this internship is something I want for myself. Even though there was a chance I wouldn’t be able to see it all the way through, I needed to know my dreams weren’t too far out of reach. That I could make it all the way to a Doctorate in Biostatistics, and straight to theCDC. I’m not ready to let it go. Which means it’s time to share my decision with my dad.
“Kenneth?”
My head lifts at the quiet voice. I stand, but don’t approach the woman in front of me. “Hey, Mom.”
“I’m meeting your father for lunch. I didn’t know you were coming.”
I shake my head. “I’m here to talk to Dad, but it shouldn’t take long.”
Crystal blue eyes pierce mine, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say they were filled with worry. But I do know better. Ellen Gray hasn’t worried about me in years. I don’t expect her to do so now either.
“Kenneth!” The booming voice of my father rounds the corner, followed by his suited minions. “Come and say hello to the team.”
After shaking everyone’s hand, answering overly-personal questions, and being the center of attention for way too long, I look at Theo. “Can we talk in your office, Dad?”
“Sure!” He gives me a toothy grin. My mom steps forward to give him a quick kiss. “Let’s make this quick. I’ve got a gorgeous lunch date.”
My father’s office is massive. His gorgeous oak desk gleams, covered with blueprints and paperwork that he keeps meticulously organized.
He ushers me into a chair and makes his way to the fridge. “Would you like a drink?”
“No thanks.”
He grabs two water bottles and hands one to my mother before walking around to admire the photos of completed projects that cover every wall. “You’ll be part of this soon, Kenneth. My children and I running the business together. You should see the blueprints I had Karla draw up for the office expansion. I’m going to put you right down the hall—”
“I’m not doing the summer internship, Dad.”
The harsh click of his expensive shoes halts, seemingly frozen behind me. For a tense thirty seconds, the only sound in the room is the clockon the wall. I’ve managed to catch him off guard, which makes me raise my guard even higher. When blindsided, Theo Gray attacks, pulling all the stops to make sure he ends up on top.
“Excuse me? I’m not sure if I heard you correctly.” If I turn around, I’m sure he will be mockingly cleaning his ears out. “Did you… Are you giving up on your family?”
“No. I’m betting on myself.”
“Betting on yourself?” He barks out a laugh as if I’ve told him a joke. “What does that even mean?”
