“What do you mean, ‘what’s next’?”
“I mean calling it quits.”
The world narrowed down to a single, horrific point.
Eyes, the twins of his own.
“Call it quits? On my art?” Theo breathed. “You want me to stop? Because of themoney?!”
Of all the things they could have chosen for this to be about, and they’d chosenthat?
They had so much of it.
Scads of it.
More than any of them could ever realistically spend.
His mother shook her head. “It’s not actually about the money, Teddy. It’s about everything else.”
“Everything else?” His hands began to shake. This was ludicrous, ridiculous, how could they think that—
“I’m concerned about you. You barely leave your house, and you’re so alone. You don’t have many friends.”
“I don’tneedmany friends, I have Diego, and—”
“You’re kind of a recluse, and you haven’t dated anyone since your relationship with Kendra fell through five years ago.”
“She cheated on me!” Anger surged hot into his cheeks at the mention of her name. “Howdareyou even bring her up after what she did! I—”
“I’m not talking about the past, Teddy, I’m talking about the present.” She rested her head in her hand and rubbed at the space between her eyes. “I think it’s time for a change. I wanted to ask you if you would consider going back to law school and finally joining me at the firm.”
“Why?” He couldn’t disguise the disgust in his voice.
“Your uncle and I are going to retire. We’ll make the announcement soon.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“We’d like to pass the family business on to you. It’s time to grow up.”
The silence in the room settled around his shoulders like a death shroud.
“You’re joking. Right?”
Theo glanced between the siblings’ faces. Surely this was a joke. She wasn’t serious, was she? Where was his dad? This was all a prank. He looked around, half expecting his Uncle Jack to pop out from somewhere and for a real party to start.
But neither of their expressions shifted. Neither of them broke and told him they were kidding.
“No, honey,” his mother finally said with a sigh.
“Wha—what is this?” he finally stammered. “What kind of twisted intervention is this?”
“No intervention.” Eleanor shook her head. “An invitation.”
“No.” Theo shook his head and took a step backward. “No. Why would you ask me to do this?” He splayed his hands out in front of him. This was stupid. They hadsomuch money, none of them even really needed to work in the first place. It was completely unnecessary.
It was obnoxious.
Disgusting, when he thought too much about it.
