Life with Camilla was great in the early days, but when my business took off, that part of my world consumed me, and there was nowork/life balancewhere I was concerned. It was as though life was in color, but I could only see black and white.
I was a shitty husband, father, friend, son. I hadn’t spoken to my mother for a month when she was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. And despite praying that she would survive it and give us more time, when she did, I barely changed.
It took years for me to wake the fuck up, and when I finally did, it took another few years before anyone would accept me back in their lives.
I’m only just managing to juggle family time with Paige and Isaac. There’s no way I could consider throwing someone else into the mix. Especially not Keeley. She deserves better than that. Not that she wants a relationship, but still. I can’t commit to anything, even a one-night stand.
I’m on edge when I arrive in the office the next morning—nervous to see Keeley—and I hate that I’m relieved to hear she’s working from home. Until it hits me that I’m likely the reason why.
Wes arrives just before lunch and gives me a full rundown on what he knows about Vance McMillan, and a spark of hope ignites in my chest, though it’s not without a dark shadow hovering above it.
I want Beckett Myers.
On paper, McMillan ticks all the boxes, but it’s what I can’t find that has me concerned.
Wanting to distract myself last night, I did a little digging, and the results raised more questions than anything else. There are no skeletons in his closet, no reports of playboy ways, or any of that “I’m a football star, I do as I please” gossip. He’s squeaky clean and I don’t like it.
Even Beckett, whoissqueaky clean, has a past.
It took me all of five minutes to find gossip from his college days, talking about an incident with a reporter in front of his childhood home. While never charged, it’s said that Beckettpunched the guy in the face when he questioned Beckett’s mom about her personal life.
A nonissue in my mind. He was protecting her, further convincing me that he’d fit in well with this team. We protect our family. I may have been absent from my loved ones, but if they ever needed me, I was there.
When it comes to Vance…there’s nothing. And that worries me because I know how easy it is to keep things quiet. I’m guilty of using my influence and money to do it myself.
Vance is from a wealthy family. Is he doing the same?
No matter what, I’m not prepared to give up on Myers. Not yet. And I have an idea to win him over. Turns out the book excerpt leak yesterday may not have been the bad thing we thought it was. It gives me a chance to lay it all on the line. To talk to Beckett knowing the controversy coming our way.
You could say, it’s going to put me ahead of the game.
If my plan works.
The airport is as chaotic as my head when I arrive in Colorado Springs ahead of my meeting with Beckett.
My phone rings as I’m exiting the arrivals lounge, and I stiffen until I see that it’s Camilla. Better her than Beckett’s agent or Wes. Ever since Beckett agreed to keep our meeting, after I all but offered my first-born child—sorry, Paige—I’ve been waiting for him to cancel.
I send Camilla to voicemail and shoot off an apology text. She couldn’t possibly be more disappointed in me than she was when she ended our marriage, so I’ve stopped worrying about what she thinks of me now. I actually think it’s improved ourrelationship. I don’t feel guilty all the time, and she doesn’t resent me since she knows what to expect.
Doesn’t stop her from messaging me back, despite me letting her know I’d call her when I was free.
CAMILLA: Heads up… Marc got himself in a little bit of trouble again. Nothing illegal. But I know your name’s in the media again so wanted to let you know.
I was wrong. Hearing from Camilla wasnotin fact better than hearing from Wes.
SALVATORE: Is it public yet?
CAMILLA: Not yet. But there’s only so much I can have swept under the rug. It’s your turn now.
SALVATORE: I’m not sweeping anything away. He can face the consequences of his actions.
CAMILLA: Even if it tarnishes the D’Angelo name?
SALVATORE: Even then.
I love that kid, but he needs to learn to avoid trouble rather than driving head-on into it. We’ve been bailing him out for far too long.
CAMILLA: I’ll let him know.
