make himself look like the good guy was outrageous.
“Becca is the only good thing I’ve gotten out of this company,” I said in a low voice.
RJ smirked. “Keep telling yourself that, Tyler. You’re pockets wouldn’t be nearly as deep if you hadn’t come to work for me.”
That was a lie. The majority of my money came from reading the stocks. My start up money for my investments was from the Conklin firm, but nothing since that. Maybe if he knew my bank account was a lot fuller than his he wouldn’t be so damn arrogant. There was only one reason why I didn’t say screw you and leave my trust fund.
“I didn’t come to work for you; I came to work for my grandfather.”
RJ set his drink down, moving his eyes away from mine. For a split second he looked wounded. “God rest his soul,” RJ said quietly. “Who knows where we would be now if he were still around.”
I didn’t like RJ’s tone. He said it as though my grandfather did nothing for the company, as if RJ ran a more successful business than his father.
“Probably in more cities,” I snapped.
Max cleared his throat while Michael kept his drink to his lips, awkwardly watching our tiff.
“Robert was a great guy. I’m sorry for both of your losses. I always enjoyed doing business with him, even if it was for a short amount of time. Shall we cheers to Robert Senior?” Max said, attempting to hold the peace.
You could tell Max was good at deflecting conflict. He always seemed to sit in the middle of situations. That’s probably why he was on everyone’s good side and well respected in this city.
RJ grabbed his drink and held it in the air. “Why not. Papa would be proud of his grandson. Helping run a successful, multi-location business, about to actually marry a beautiful and successful woman. Only if he could be here to share the moments with us, right Tyler?” RJ said. Even though his smirk was back on his face, anger shown through his eyes.
The dumbass was always jealous of his father. Why couldn’t he just be grateful? From what I knew, RJ messed up numerous times and my grandfather always bailed him out. Robert Senior paved the way for RJ, and the fact that RJ was a huge asshole about all Papa did for him fueled my anger even more.
“Tyler, why don’t you join me for a cigar outside?” Max asked while reaching in his pocket. “I know how much you love my Cubans.” He stood from the table, silently ordering me to follow. “Please excuse us, gentlemen.”
RJ tipped his drink in Max’s direction and turned to talk to Michael.
Standing and grabbing my drink, I followed Max onto the deck. It was warmer than usual outside, and I was cursing the strict dress code of slacks instead of shorts. I set my drink on the ledge and leaned on my elbows over the railing, staring out at the greenery.
Max set an ashtray in between us on the ledge and pulled out the cigars. He took one in his hand and left the other next to the ashtray. “Looked like you could use a break,” Max said as he attempted to light his cigar.
I tilted my head backwards and closed my eyes briefly then reached for the cigar. A good Cuban would help ease the tension from my asshat of a father.
Max handed me his lighter once he got his cigar going then proceeded to lean against one of the pillars. “RJ stresses you out, doesn’t he?”
I puffed on the cigar until the tip was lit, inhaling the Cuban tobacco. This was the real deal, not blended with American tobacco, and I was already feeling more relaxed.
“Was it that obvious?”
Max smiled towards the ground with the cigar in his mouth. “You’re not like him, are you?”
“I like to think I’m not. We hold very different views on life.”
“That’s good. He seems to care about you more than you think.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” I mumbled, leaning back over the railing. “He knows how to put on a good
“Becca is the only good thing I’ve gotten out of this company,” I said in a low voice.
RJ smirked. “Keep telling yourself that, Tyler. You’re pockets wouldn’t be nearly as deep if you hadn’t come to work for me.”
That was a lie. The majority of my money came from reading the stocks. My start up money for my investments was from the Conklin firm, but nothing since that. Maybe if he knew my bank account was a lot fuller than his he wouldn’t be so damn arrogant. There was only one reason why I didn’t say screw you and leave my trust fund.
“I didn’t come to work for you; I came to work for my grandfather.”
RJ set his drink down, moving his eyes away from mine. For a split second he looked wounded. “God rest his soul,” RJ said quietly. “Who knows where we would be now if he were still around.”
I didn’t like RJ’s tone. He said it as though my grandfather did nothing for the company, as if RJ ran a more successful business than his father.
“Probably in more cities,” I snapped.
Max cleared his throat while Michael kept his drink to his lips, awkwardly watching our tiff.
“Robert was a great guy. I’m sorry for both of your losses. I always enjoyed doing business with him, even if it was for a short amount of time. Shall we cheers to Robert Senior?” Max said, attempting to hold the peace.
You could tell Max was good at deflecting conflict. He always seemed to sit in the middle of situations. That’s probably why he was on everyone’s good side and well respected in this city.
RJ grabbed his drink and held it in the air. “Why not. Papa would be proud of his grandson. Helping run a successful, multi-location business, about to actually marry a beautiful and successful woman. Only if he could be here to share the moments with us, right Tyler?” RJ said. Even though his smirk was back on his face, anger shown through his eyes.
The dumbass was always jealous of his father. Why couldn’t he just be grateful? From what I knew, RJ messed up numerous times and my grandfather always bailed him out. Robert Senior paved the way for RJ, and the fact that RJ was a huge asshole about all Papa did for him fueled my anger even more.
“Tyler, why don’t you join me for a cigar outside?” Max asked while reaching in his pocket. “I know how much you love my Cubans.” He stood from the table, silently ordering me to follow. “Please excuse us, gentlemen.”
RJ tipped his drink in Max’s direction and turned to talk to Michael.
Standing and grabbing my drink, I followed Max onto the deck. It was warmer than usual outside, and I was cursing the strict dress code of slacks instead of shorts. I set my drink on the ledge and leaned on my elbows over the railing, staring out at the greenery.
Max set an ashtray in between us on the ledge and pulled out the cigars. He took one in his hand and left the other next to the ashtray. “Looked like you could use a break,” Max said as he attempted to light his cigar.
I tilted my head backwards and closed my eyes briefly then reached for the cigar. A good Cuban would help ease the tension from my asshat of a father.
Max handed me his lighter once he got his cigar going then proceeded to lean against one of the pillars. “RJ stresses you out, doesn’t he?”
I puffed on the cigar until the tip was lit, inhaling the Cuban tobacco. This was the real deal, not blended with American tobacco, and I was already feeling more relaxed.
“Was it that obvious?”
Max smiled towards the ground with the cigar in his mouth. “You’re not like him, are you?”
“I like to think I’m not. We hold very different views on life.”
“That’s good. He seems to care about you more than you think.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” I mumbled, leaning back over the railing. “He knows how to put on a good
Similar Books
