But Julien had to be careful. His father was supposed to decrease his stress, not add to it. And if Julien pressed, if he confronted the patriarch of not just the family but the company as well, insisted that he should be allowed to be in charge of not only Squire but the whole of King Publishing ... Well, the intrepid John King would not take such a thing lying down.
Julien had actually envisioned it more than once, standing his ground. Every time, his imagination ended the scenario with his dad clutching his chest and falling to the floor in a lifeless heap. And with his dizzy spell just last week ...
Instead of saying anything, Julien pressed his lips closed and swallowed down his words.
“So, I’ll ask you again,” his dad enunciated slowly. “Who is this author with the Midas-touched pen? Whose basket are you willing to put all of Squire’s eggs in?”
Julien turned his head to look his dad in the eye. The moment he’d been dreading had come. “Martha Aldridge.”
His dad blinked at him, then let out a huff of disbelief, all the while shaking his head in disappointment. “And you wonder why I haven’t retired and left you the business,” he said more to himself, although Julien heard him loud and clear.
John King scrubbed a hand down his weathered face. He turned his gaze out the window, his thoughts gathering behind his eyes.
“She’s an amazing writer,” Julien defended. Although, just who was he defending? Martha and her talent? Him and his decision? All of the above?
His dad let out a second huff, and it took all of Julien’s self-control not to allow himself to be offended by the derisive noise.
“She’s an opportunist, is what she is.”
“I would think that would be a quality you could appreciate in a person,” Julien retorted, not being able to hold back the sneer in his tone.
“Watch yourself, son,” his dad warned sharply.
They stared off for a moment, neither saying anything.
Finally, his dad continued. “She tried to pitch a book to me in the past. Thought because her parents worked for us she was somehow entitled to the fast-track lane of getting published.”
There wasn’t an entitled bone in Martha’s body, but saying such wouldn’t change his father’s mind on the matter.
“I read a sample of her work, so I can say with utter confidence that you need to look elsewhere for your golden ticket. Martha Aldridge doesn’t have what it takes to be a success in this industry.”
“With all due respect,sir,” Julien spat out that term of respect. “I must disagree. Maybe fifteen years ago that was the case”—he highly doubted it, but he’d give his dad that small concession—“but her work now isexactlywhat Squire is looking for. It’s fresh while still being marketable to a large audience. The writing is immersive and inclusive to multiple demographics. The story line is fun and caters to both male and female readers. Out of all the proposals and samples I read at the conference, not a single one came even remotely close to being as good as hers.”
His dad studied him as he leaned back in his chair. “She used her feminine wiles on you, didn’t she?” He was back to shaking his head in disappointment. “The girl always did fancy herself smitten with you. I thought she must have grown out of her puppy love by now, but maybe I was wrong. So, what happened? You two work together for long hours in close quarters and the result is that her work is the answer to all your problems? Wake up, Julien. Don’t you see how she’s manipulated you to get exactly what she wants?”
Julien’s body seized. Every muscle bunched under his skin, and his blood heated until it seemed like fire licked across his veins. “Is that what you think?” he asked with such controlled deliberateness that he didn’t even recognize his own voice in his ears. “That Martha, the sweet little girl who chased fireflies in the backyard and left Mom bouquets of dandelions by the front door, grew up to be some femme fatale? And that I, your son who you trained to take over for you one day, am some kind of mindless idiot who will throw everything away for a pretty face?”
To his credit, John King winced. He exhaled a long sigh, deflating before Julien’s eyes. His shoulders hunched, and his back curved. He looked every bit his age as he sat behind his large desk, his suit hanging differently on his slimming frame. The commanding and powerful CEO had left, replaced by an aging and frailer father.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the belligerence of earlier wiped away. He truly did sound sincerely apologetic. He looked old and tired and desperate. “I shouldn’t have said those things.”
“Are they what you truly believe?” Julien had to ask. The fight had left him as well, but he braced himself in case his dad’s tirade had come from a place other than his need to hang on to his control by any means necessary.
It was hard, but Julien felt he had to give the man grace. It couldn’t be easy, being forced by one’s own body to give up the life you’d always lived. Julien suspected his dad had viewed himself as somewhat invincible, and now he was coming face-to-face with the fact that he was like every other mortal person on the planet.
Besides, he’d apologized, so that counted for something.
“No, of course not.” John King stood and walked to where his son sat, lowering to the spot beside him. He laid a warm hand on Julien’s shoulder and squeezed. “I don’t say it often enough, but Iamproud of you, son. You’re smart and capable, and I’m proud of you.”
Emotion clogged Julien’s throat. It had been so long since he’d heard those words, but now that they’d been said again, they sounded bittersweet.
“Dad, please,” Julien pleaded. He shifted on the couch so he could face his father. He picked up one of the older man’s weathered hands and held it between both of his own. “You talk about legacy and living up to the family name. You say you want to honor Grandma’s memory by saving the imprint created in celebration of her. But think about what you’re doing. What you’re saying. How you’re acting. How do these things honor Grandma?”
The indomitable John King hung his head. Julien didn’t want to shame the man, but his father needed to see the truth of the situation.
He squeezed his dad’s fingers. “Wouldn’t she rather see you get healthy than risk harming yourself pursuing an endeavor in her name that might be impossible to accomplish? Wouldn’t she rather have you enjoy retirement with the woman you love than work yourself into an early grave?”
His dad looked out the window, a defeated expression on his haggard face. He looked out, but he didn’t seem to be gazing at anything in particular. The future, maybe? Or perhaps longing for the past. “Your mom’s been saying the same thing. I know she’s right. You’re both right. I think I’ve known it this whole time, it’s just ... it’s just so hard, Julien.” He shook his head sadly. “Never get old, son. If you can help it, never get old.”
