Page 7 of Who Needs a Billionaire

“You know why.”

“Gus, this is ridiculous. You missed Thanksgiving. You missed my thirtieth birthday party.”

He still felt awful about that. “I know. I’m sorry. Did you get my flowers?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t the same as having you here.”

This call was already more painful than he expected it to be.

“Did you tell Bash you aren’t coming?”

“No.” He didn’t bring up the fact that he hadn’t spoken to Sebastian in two months.

“It’s Christmas, Gus. We’re your family. We should be together.”

“I can’t right now.”

The other end of the phone was suddenly silent.

“Are you still there?” he asked.

She sniffled. “Yeah, I shut myself in a conference room so I could hear you better.” Another sniffle.

His heart sank at the sound. He was the worst brother ever.

“Sky, please don’t cry.”

“I hate that this is happening. I hate that you’re so far away. I hate that I got the job you wanted.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Okay, maybe I don’t hate the job.”

He could almost hear her smiling. “Listen, I don’t begrudge you the position. You’re great at what you do, and you deserve it.”

“But—”

“Dad wants me to prove that I’ve changed, but he won’t give me a chance. I know I slipped up last summer and brought a lot of negative press to the company and the family, but I thought after four months, he might actually give me a shot. Being passed over again was a slap in the face.”

“I really believe Dad wants you home and in this company again. The more time that passes after that whole debacle with Milton, and the more he sees you’ve changed, the better things will get. You’ll see.”

“I wish I had your confidence in this situation.”

“Coming home for Christmas would be a great first step.”

He’d already taken a first step and a second and a third. Every day since June, he’d chosen the better path, stayed out of bars and clubs, away from women. He’d been sober and focused on business, trying to get back on track. All Dad saw was the old him, drunk and stumbling from a bar after threatening Milton Hanley, Skylar’s despicable ex. But Dad hadn’t been there to hear all the crass things Milton had said about Skylar, and he would never repeat them to his father either. It was Milton’s lawsuit against him that had made Dad lose more faith in him and ask that he stay away from the company for a while. Even after their attorney had hashed out a settlement with Milton’s and the whole nasty thing was behind him, it still hung over him like a dark cloud. His resentment festered within, and he wasn’t sure how to get past it.

“Sorry, Sky. Not going to happen.”

“Please, Gus. It won’t feel like Christmas without all of us here.”

“I don’t like disappointing you—”

“Then don’t.”

“But I have to do what I think is right for me. And right now, this is it.”

“Well, at least tell me you’ll be with Adelia for Christmas. I don’t want you to be alone.”

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