Game On by Cheryl Douglas

out.”
    “I never felt you were tryin’ to do that,”
Trey said, smiling. “Like I said, this was my call. The time is now. I wanna go
out on top, while my fans still have great memories of my music. I see too many
musicians try and stick it out way past their prime and it’s just sad to watch
the natural decline in their voices. I don’t want that to be me. I don’t want
my fans to remember me that way. My last show was great, maybe one of the best
of my career. I want that to be the way they remember me.”
    “We’re losin’ one of the best in you,” Evan
said, getting to his feet. “I don’t know how the hell we’ll ever replace you.”
    “Don’t sell yourself short,” Trey said,
hugging him. “You’ve got a plan for this company and there’s not a doubt in my
mind that you boys are on the right path.” He turned to Ryan and pulled him
into a hug. “Stay the course. Don’t doubt yourself, and don’t ever feel as
though you’re livin’ in your old man’s shadow. You’re not.” Trey stepped back
to look at both men. “Your father was only one man. Yeah, he was great at what
he did, but together you guys can take this company to heights he never even
dreamed of. Trust me, that’s what he was countin’ on. If he didn’t believe that
was possible, he would never have put you in charge.”

Chapter Nine
    Ryan stood on his parents’ doorstep, his
hand clenching the ornate knob. He needed to talk to them about Trey leaving,
Evan’s state of mind… his feelings for Brianna. He couldn’t risk his father hearing
about their relationship from Josh. Not that what they had could be defined as
a relationship yet. Like he told Josh, he intended to take it slow with
Brianna. They had the rest of their lives to be together and he didn’t intend
to screw that up by rushing her into something she wasn’t ready for.
    “Hello,” he called, stepping into the
foyer.
    “I’m down here, Ry,” Luc called. “In the
study.”
    Ryan crossed the limestone tiles down the
expansive hallway leading to Luc’s private study. He’d always joked that this
house was the museum that housed his father’s enormous ego. It may have been
Luc’s style, but it definitely wasn’t his. In fact, his luxury townhome didn’t feel
like home anymore either. Maybe it was time to think about making a change,
hopefully one that would include Brianna.
    “I’ll be with you in a minute,” Luc said,
holding his hand up.
    “What’re you doin’?” Ryan asked, slapping
his father on the back as he looked over his shoulder at the numbers on the computer
screen.
    Luc took his designer glasses off and
closed the laptop before turning his chair to face his son. “I’m just messin’
around. I’ve been tryin’ my hand at day tradin’. I gotta admit, it’s quite a
rush.”
    Ryan laughed as he sat down in one of the
wing back chairs across from his father’s desk. “Just don’t go losin’ my
inheritance now. I know you’re gettin’ old and senile. You might tack a couple
of extras zeros on and some guys name Vino and Duillo will show up on your
doorstep to rough you up.” Ryan grinned when his father chuckled. “Don’t expect
me to protect you. I don’t want anyone messin’ up this pretty face.”
    “You should’ve thought of that when you got
suspended for fightin’ in the ninth, eleventh, and…” He snapped his fingers.
    “Don’t strain your brain. That’s not what I
came here to talk to you about.” He shifted, trying to find a comfortable
position in the chair. “God, I hate these chairs.”
    Luc smiled. “I know. Why do you think I
keep them?”
    Ryan raised an eyebrow. “You keep them just
to piss me off? You’ve got to get a hobby if that’s the kind of stuff that
amuses you these days.”
    Luc looked at his watch and pointed to the
mini-bar behind Ryan. “Why don’t you pour us a drink? Can you stick around for
dinner?”
    Ryan got up to pour the drinks. He had a
feeling he may need it just to