My dad leaned back in his chair, taking us in. “It’s time for you both to stop pissing around.”
I stiffened. I’d gone to work for our family’s company the moment I graduated college. A school he’d been adamant about me attending. The same one that he and Gabe had gone to, along with my grandfather on my mother’s side. I’d given everything to the company. I’d gone wherever my father asked without argument.
From London to Dubai to Singapore before finally landing in New York. I hadn’t complained about leaving my friends behind in Cedar Ridge or only getting to see Mom a handful of times a year. But for him, it was never enough.
Gabe’s eyes flashed with his telltale temper, but he kept it in check. “Tell us what you need.”
Dad traced the rim of his glass with his forefinger, his gaze zeroing in on my older brother. “I thought I could trust you to handle operations at The Peaks.”
Gabe’s hand tightened on his glass, his knuckles bleaching white. “I have. We’ve made a greater profit this year than last.”
“That profit will go in the toilet when Luxury Travel’s issue releases next month.”
I braced, the muscles along my spine tensing. It didn’t matter how much these best-of lists influenced actual dollars; my father was obsessed with being at the top of them.
Gabe straightened. “What do you mean? That reporter loved The Peaks. I had him drowning in caviar and champagne for his entire visit.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Travel and relaxation weren’t always about the stuffy amenities. People needed the heart of a place, too. Somewhere they could connect with family and loved ones or get away for a bit of peace in a hectic world.
“There was obviously something Lewis wasn’t happy with because word is that he put us at number three on the list.”
Gabe swallowed. “Maybe the other resorts slipped him a bribe.”
Dad scoffed. “Don’t blame others for your failures. I’ve invited him back for the gala and a longer stay in a few weeks. Hopefully, we can sway him before they go to print. In the meantime, Caden will assess the property and see how it might be lacking compared to our others.”
I wanted to curse, get up and walk out of here, and never look back. My dad knew what he was doing, pitting Gabe and me against each other. He thought it made us both stronger and the hotels better. In reality, all it did was break our family apart.
Even worse, he was tying it all up in the gala. The one event I actually gave a damn about. Because it raised funds for The Clara Foundation.
My mother had started it not long after my little sister passed, hoping it would help her heal. But it had become something we’d shared over the years. An organization that raised money for childhood cancer research. It was our way of doing what we could to help. We couldn’t change our outcome, but maybe we could help other families. My father just saw it as an excuse to hobnob with his wealthy associates.
My gaze caught on the photo wall on the far side of the room. Those snapshots felt like a different time. Sometimes, I thought they were the only soul left in the whole place. I halted on my favorite one: Clara in a field of wildflowers, one hand around her horse’s reins, and her head tilted back as she laughed.
“I’ll beat you in a bareback race every time, CayCay.”
I grinned as I strode toward her. “What do you want to bet?”
She tapped her lips. “You have to do my dish duty for a month.”
“No betting,” Mom chastised as she snapped a photo of the mountains behind us.
“The betting is just motivation,” I argued.
“Come on, Mom. Let me wipe the floor with him and teach him a lesson.”
Mom’s lips twitched. “He has gotten a little cocky lately.”
“Yes!” Clara pumped her fist in the air. Then, before I could blink, she’d grabbed the horse’s mane and hauled herself up. “Go!”
“You little weasel.” I jumped onto my gelding’s back and took off after her, but she’d already left me in the dust. Only our mom’s amused laughter carried after us.
I blinked away the memory. Maybe Clara had been our only soul. When she died, she had taken the best parts of all of us with her.
“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Dad snapped.
My focus returned to him. “I’ll help however I can.”
Gabe muttered some choice words under his breath.
Dad took a long drink of scotch, staring at me, assessing. “It takes more than a few smart business decisions to lead a resort like this. You need to quit screwing around and become respectable.”
Gabe smiled at that. “Come on, Dad. You know Caden will never be more than a party boy, a different woman every week, rumors always swirling.”
Annoyance flickered in my father’s gaze. “He’s right about your reputation. It’s one of the reasons I brought you back here. I’m sick of seeing your face splashed across the tabloids every week.”
That was hardly the case. I was occasionally photographed with someone who got that kind of attention, typically a model or an actress. But it wasn’t a common occurrence.
“I’ve never embarrassed our family. I live my life as quietly as possible.”
Gabe snorted.
“You need to follow Gabe’s example and get serious with an acceptable young woman,” Dad argued. “Our colleagues don’t trust someone who isn’t settled. They think you’re reckless, impulsive.”
“But my track record proves that I’m not,” I pushed back.
“Don’t question me. I’ve been in this business a hell of a lot longer than you, and you’d be smart to listen to me.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering for the millionth time why I didn’t just quit. And then that damn photo flickered in my peripheral vision. Because of Clara. Because she had always been so excited about working for the company one day. She’d go on and on about all the things she would do, which mostly had to do with horses and pools at her age. But if I let go of this, it felt like I was letting go of her. I couldn’t do it.
“I’ll be mindful to keep my extracurricular activities under wraps,” I gritted out.
Dad glared. “That’s not the same thing.”
Gabe leaned forward. “Lena and I are happy to fill in on social obligations wherever you need us since Caden isn’t capable.”
Of course, they were. Lena was a social-climbing bloodsucker, and Gabe cheated on her every chance he got. But I didn’t think either of them cared. Lena showed up looking perfect, and Gabe kept her in the lifestyle she was accustomed to.
Dad nodded. “Glad to know I can count on you.”
I rose from the couch, unable to take this farce for even one minute longer. “Do you need anything else? I need to get going. I’ve got an early meeting.”
He eyed me. “That’s a little more of the gumption I like to see. You can go.”
I ignored Gabe’s glare and headed for the front door. I stopped short as my mom descended the stairs. She pressed a hand to my cheek. “Hi, honey. I didn’t know you were here.”
I forced a smile. “Dad just wanted to go over a few things with Gabe and me.”
She frowned. “It’s too late for that. You should be out enjoying your life, taking some nice girl on a date.”