We’re all seated around a poker table on our building’s third floor. Dozens of empty velvet-covered tables stand around us, sitting ready for the next tournament Ryan hosts. The bar is fully stocked, and Beau texts servers in his restaurant downstairs if anyone gets hungry.
“Can’t be a long-lost relative,” Luke says. “James is worth so much money, they would have come out of the woodworks a long time ago to try and get some Sequel cash. No, the big secret has to be a business thing. Maybe Sequel is getting into AI or robots or something.”
“It has to be personal,” Nate points out. “Otherwise, why would there be a honeymoon involved?”
I narrow my eyes at them. I won’t dignify their theories with an answer.
Ever since Ryan announced to my friends that I had talked to Victor about a “honeymoon and an heir,” they’ve been hounding me to figure out exactly what he meant. Our biweekly poker nights have turned into insane interrogations, and every one of their guesses has been more outlandish than the last. Beau even started talking about aliens last week, proving that they’ve officially lost the plot.
“I still think he seduced a married woman,” Luke says. “Her husband found out on their honeymoon.”
“So how does the heir play in?” Beau asks.
“Can I please just tell them, James?” Ryan groans from across the poker table. “We’ve only played four hands all night, they’ve been so busy coming up with bullshit theories.”
He has a point. I’ve already signed the paperwork, and the wedding is scheduled for late next week. I was planning to wait till the end of the night to tell the guys, so I wouldn't have to spend the entire night fielding their invasive questions. Since they won’t give up the subject, I might as well tell them now.
“Fine.” I sigh. “Sequel is about to enter a partnership with Pages for an app that lets you access movies, TV shows, and books, all on the same device. Sequel will also get the rights to produce their most popular books as movies.”
“Cool!” Luke claps me on the shoulder. “Congrats, man. That’s huge.”
Ryan clears his throat. “That’s not all.”
I narrow my eyes at him. There’s no need to rush me—I’m about to tell them everything. Ryan has been impatiently prodding me to share the news ever since he found out months ago. For a poker pro, he’s shit at keeping his hand close to the vest.
“There’s a personal element, too.” I gaze around the table at my friends’ curious faces. “The CEO of Pages wants a husband for his daughter, and an heir within a year.”
“So he picked…you,” Beau finishes, making it sound more like a question than a confirmation. I nod.
“Even though you’re not all that friendly, or open, or romantic,” Luke says. “No offense.”
I shrug. I’m not offended—what he said was accurate. “I don’t think Victor cares what I’m like as long as I give him the grandson he wants.”
“Nice guy,” Beau snorts. “Really looking after his daughter.”
“She wants it, too, though?” Nate asks.
I nod. “Yes.”
“You met her in real life and everything?” Beau asks.
“Yes. She’s friends with your sister, Luke. Her paintings are displayed at the Copper Cup.”
Luke shakes his head. “Damn. That just makes it stranger, somehow.”
“Well, congratulations,” Nate says, raising his glass of whiskey to me.
Everyone stares at him. “Really? Congratulations?” Ryan says, gaping.
Nate shrugs. “I think that’s what you’re supposed to say when your friend gets engaged.”
“You’re right,” Luke says. “We should have started with congratulations.”
“If this is what you want, I’m happy for you,” Beau says.
“Seriously?” Ryan sputters. “Getting married, fine, whatever. Nobody else thinks it’s messed up that James is contractually required to have a kid likenow?”
“I mean, it’s weird,” Beau admits. “But it’s not like the kid is gonna show up tomorrow. Those things take a good nine months to cook.”
