Love Takes Time by Adrianne Byrd

limit.”
    His father nodded and then reached to fill his own glass. “I have a question for you,” he said.
    â€œShoot.” Sterling turned up his drink.
    â€œWhat do you know about your brother and Alfred’s daughter?”
    Sterling groaned.
    â€œAh. So you noticed his sudden interest in the girl, too?”
    Sterling cleared his throat. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Q is a big flirt.”
    â€œThat’s one way of putting it,” Roger said. “ I would say that he has a hard time keeping his dick inside his pants.”
    Okay. This wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation.
    â€œThe deal was that if he wanted back into the will then he was to agree to marrying Elizabeth Wilde.”
    â€œThen perhaps you should remind him,” Sterling said.
    â€œThat’s why I came to you.”
    Another groan rumbled from Sterling’s chest, and he quickly made himself another drink. Why did it always fall on him to get Quentin to toe the line?
    â€œI have a major deal riding on this,” his father said. “I need this merger to go through if my company is going to survive this new economy we find ourselves in. Unfortunately, Gregory Wilde, billionaire extraordinaire, wants his daughter to be happy. It’s not my fault the disillusioned girl has set her sights on dragging your brother down the aisle, but I do plan on delivering him. Lord knows it’s not like he’s doing anything useful with his life.”
    Sterling nodded along, even though he didn’t completely agree with his father’s take on this whole thing. But if Quentin had agreed, then it was up to him to hold up his end of the bargain. “Getting Q to the altar is one thing, his being faithful is another animal completely.”
    â€œI’ll deal with one crisis at a time.” Roger set down his glass and seared him with a leveled gaze. “Talk to him. He won’t like it if I have to do it.”
    Sterling grumbled his understanding.
    â€œGood. I knew that I could count on you.” He slapped Sterling on the back and then strolled off to greet his mother and Billy Dee Williams, who rested in the crook of her arm.
    Sterling shook his head and then swept his gaze across the growing crowd. He zeroed in on Toni, who was holding Denzel’s hand and encouraging him to take a few wobbly steps on his own. His nephew giggled while he discovered the joys of walking.
    Jonas and Kerry applauded like a two-member cheerleading squad.
    Sterling’s heart melted at the sight of them. It would be nice to settle down one day.
    â€œYou know that could be you one day,” his mother whispered as if she’d plucked the thought out of his head.
    Sterling laughed at the sound of his mother’s voice breezing across his ear. “Yeah. One day.”
    â€œI’m serious,” she insisted.
    â€œThat’s what I’m afraid of.”
    She frowned and Billy Dee Williams barked as if sensing her displeasure. “Why won’t you find yourself a nice girl and settle down? You’re just throwing your life away burying your nose in business like you do. Your father and Jonas are both successful and they still manage to raise a family. It just makes me so sad to see you like this.”
    Billy Dee Williams barked again.
    â€œSee. Even Billy agrees with me.”
    Sterling struggled to keep a cap on his amusement.
    â€œYou know I have plenty of girlfriends that—”
    â€œNo, Mom,” Sterling said. “I’m not going to let you and Dad wrangle me into an arranged marriage. It’s bad enough that you’re doing it to Quentin.”
    â€œOh that’s different,” she huffed. “Quentin is like a ship without a rudder. He just goes in whatever direction the tide takes him.”
    â€œIt still isn’t right.”
    â€œWell—” she sighed, not wanting to give an inch “—take it up with your father. He knows