I frowned, darting my eyes between everyone. “What is happening?”
“If you think after last night, we’re still doing this separate living thing, you’re mistaken.” Theo pulled me closer to him. “We’re doing this as a family. Together.”
Hours later once we’d moved everything and I’d made arrangements to fetch the rest of our stuff from Forte Femme, I found myself at the kitchen counter, looking over The Reverse Cowgirl’s monthly expenses.
Looking at the clock, I figured both Theo and I could use a break. I took a bottle of water for each of us from the fridge and two more store-bought muffins from the pantry.
When I walked into his office it was clear he’d been tugging at his hair as he stared daggers at his laptop screen.
“Hey.” I smiled at him. “You look like you could use a break.”
He let out a long breath as he took the water and muffin from me. “Thanks. I’m trying to justify some things and nothing seems to be working.”
“Talk to me.” I may not have been a CEO of a Fortune-500 company but I knew how to turn a profit. “What’s going on?”
“I want to sell the company.” He looked torn as he stared at me. “I know Tiff doesn’t want any part of my father’s business, but it is twenty percent hers. Same with Cat. And I do need tosecure Zoe and Connor’s future, too. But filling in for my father was never what I wanted to do.”
I knew that. He wanted to be a cop. And despite everything, he had managed to find a way to work in that field. But I also knew that having to do what his father did weighed heavily on him.
I twisted my mouth. “Let me see.”
He pulled me onto his lap and turned his screen to give me a better view. I looked at the numbers and wow. I had never seen so many digits in front of the decimal before. Each and every division of the company was thriving. He may have wanted to be a cop but his skills as a businessman were undisputed. I scrolled through the spreadsheets in front of me, looking at how profits had increased over the last few years. The answer was simple.
“Theo, sell off the weapons distribution division.” I tilted my head, still in awe of how the man had grown the company in just the few years I had access to. “That’s the part your father built and anyone can see that short of gross mismanagement, it will continue to be profitable for years to come.”
He let out a long breath. “What about Connor and Zoe’s future? What if Tiff and Cat decide they want their share.”
“Theo.” I blinked at him. “If you and your siblings cannot live off the profits of the sale and keep the Protection Gear division, then you have no financial sense at all. That will be enough money for all of you to live off comfortably for the rest of your life.”
He continued to stare at the screen. “I know you’re right. I just worry.”
“If you want you can maintain a share?—”
“No.” He shifted me on his lap. I could tell he needed to get more comfortable. “I’ll sell.”
I smiled, happy that I could be a sounding board for him. “Well, since you’ll be coming into some money soon, I’ll sell youa share of the bar. I’ll definitely keep a controlling share, but yes, I could use the investment.”
He moved my leg so I straddled his hips. The move erased any modicum of propriety between us. He moved his finger under my jaw. “Deal.”
His hands laced into my hair as he brought his mouth to mine. I met his mouth with a hunger that tasted like ambition and certainty. This kiss wasn’t like the others, it tasted like freedom.
CHAPTER 22
THEO
The air smelled like charcoal,sunscreen and that special scent it got when most of us were together. We hadn’t all managed to be at a gathering in years. With Aidan and Holden both being SEALs, it was rare that they were both home at the same time, as it was they were both deployed. Jason and Dom both managed to make it home and even Owen, Holden’s younger brother, managed to make it.
I could tell Maggie was happy to have all three of her sisters in the same place. Cat would be leaving soon, but she was home. And that meant I had all my siblings with me for a little while, too.
Once again, someone had left Tiffany in charge of decorating. Moderation was not my sister’s strong point and it looked like a series of red, blue, and silver glitter bombs had exploded all over my home.
I was surprised that she had suggested having the BBQ at my house. I could count on one hand the number of times she had been back since she left eight years ago. Rounding out our friends was Skylar and her boyfriend Hilton.
As I stood at the massive stainless steel grill, tongs in one hand, beer in another, I watched the chaos of my life unfoldin the best possible way. Connor and Zoe had both invited friends around, which meant I was being hypervigilant. Zoe’s two best friends were two sixteen-year-old boys. Not exactly a demographic that engendered trust.
Ryder stepped up to me. “You know your eyes aren’t actually lasers, right? All you’re doing is making Matty and Cooper uncomfortable.”
“Good.” I continued to stare at the teens splashing around in the pool. “Hopefully, they’ll get the hint not to mess with me. And does Zoe really need to be wearing that bikini?”
