Blake

Mom is still a bit stunned as we sit down to share a little breakfast. She glances around the room, either looking for signs of Kayla or to see if anything else is out of place. She takes one of the croissants and slathers it with jam, her lips pursed tightly together and her eyes fluttering as if she is debating what she wants to say.

“Let me have it,” I finally say, wanting to get it out of the way.

“I honestly don’t know where to begin,” she says, setting down the knife and breaking off one end of the pastry. “Your father was livid last night. He’s actually called Peggy about listing the house on Paradise Island.”

“Okay. Why?” I ask, not seeing an immediate correlation.

“You have a huge responsibility because of your last name,” she explains, taking a small bite and chewing it obsessively. She’s obviously giving me time to think about her statement. “The Taylor name has always been held in high regard, and your father has always gone out of his way to improve upon its stature. That’s why he accepted the judgeship. He certainly didn’t need the money or the time commitment.”

“Yes. I realize he has always been very concerned about what other people think,” I reply, instantly feeling a rise in my blood pressure. “I have kept every one of his major clients happy and added about fifty percent to the annual billable hours since I took over for him.”

“Bill Reed is taking over the Simpson account?” Her eyes widen to the point that she looks as if they are going to pop out of her head. “What were you thinking?”

“Kayla knew I needed a little time off before things get crazy next week,” I explain. “Bill was the only one who had available time.”

“Ah, Kayla. That explains it.” She shakes her head and takes another bite. “I never understood why you would trust her to run things for you. You do realize her parents never did make it out of the Bronx,” she quips, uncharacteristically speaking with food in her mouth, an obvious sign of her distress.

“Kayla is one of the most organized people I’ve ever met. She is great with the clients too. They love her,” I retort. “What does the fact that her parents choose to live in the Bronx have to do with anything? She got her degree from NYU just like me. Unlike me, she graduated at the top of her class. She lives in Manhattan, four blocks from me.” I shake my head, a bit bewildered by her statement.

“I realize you have always been good friends, but you know this won’t fly once your father finds out. That has always been rule number one at the firm,” she says, tilting her head and glaring at me. “There will be no exceptions.”

“Yes. Kayla gave me her resignation yesterday, before any of this happened.” I show her the piece of paper that she had written it on. “I didn’t accept it because we planned on keeping it a secret until the patent trial is over. I can’t possibly do it without her.”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to tell him what I walked into.” Her eyes flutter as she shudders. “You’re lucky it was me and not him who walked in. If he didn’t have to preside over a ruling this morning, he would’ve flown out here himself.”

I sit and eat a few bites of the Frits A I'americaine that is already cold, not wanting it to go to waste. After stalling for two more bites, I finally decide to talk to her about something that’s been eating at me for a long time. “Dad panicked when he realized that I was the only one who could stay and take over for him at the firm. I was barely sixteen years old when he burdened me with a goddamn big load to bear. Until then, I had absolutely no intention of becoming an attorney. You know that better than anyone.”

“Oh, here we go again,” Mother says, rolling her eyes. “You always had the personality and drive to take over his role. James was born to be a bean counter, and you know damn well that Collin never had it in him. Your sister was such a royal pain in the ass that I was just relieved that she found a decent man to marry.” She clears her throat. My sister is obviously still a sore spot for her to talk about. “You were the only choice, Son. You know that as well as I do.”

“But I shouldn’t have been forced into it.” I pause for a moment before deciding to flush out the truth. “He used Granddad to guilt me into running the firm,” I state, pausing to see how she reacts to my statement.

“Your grandfather loved you like no other,” she says, not addressing my question. “You were always his favorite. That was clear from the time you were a small child.”

“So, Dad used him to guilt me into running the firm,” I reiterate. “If Granddad would’ve been in his right state of mind, he would’ve never done that to me. It wasn’t his idea, was it? He knew how much I loved fishing, the outdoors, and photography. We had talked many times of how important it is to follow your dreams in life. It wasn’t him, was it?”

Mom sits still for a moment, not wanting to admit anything.

“You know what? You don’t even have to admit it. I can see it on your face.” I stand up and take the last two bites of my breakfast. I no longer feel one bit hungry. “I’m sorry, but I’m not spending my entire life trying to make Dad happy. I’ve had enough of this bullshit.”

“Oh please, Son. I know it wasn’t right, but don’t be so brash. He just assumed that your grandfather would want you to carry on the tradition of having a Taylor at the helm,” she says, coming over to me and placing her hand on my arm.

“Why do you think I’ve been going down to the Bahamas and blowing off steam every weekend? It’s because I can’t fucking stand my life. I’ll turn thirty-five in a couple of days and I’ve already got more money than I’ll ever spend. I’ve got my forty million-dollar Frankenmansion in the right neighborhood. I have my NetJets card and twenty-four-seven limo service, but I would I give it all up in a second to live somewhere with a beautiful view of the ocean. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“Oh, God.” Mother looks as if she’s going to have a breakdown. “You’re going to have to break this to your father yourself. I’m not doing it for you.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” I assure her, giving her an awkward hug. She has never been much for showing any form of affection. “I think it was enough that you walked in while I was having sex with Kayla.”

“Oh, Lord!” she says, fluttering her hands. “Don’t ever say that again.”

“Okay, I won’t. I just wanted to see that reaction again,” I tease, placing my hand between her shoulder blades and rubbing her back. “Don’t worry. Kayla and I will both be staying at the firm until we finish the patent trial. I would never let Dad down on anything that big. After I win that case, I’ll stay in the loop for the year and help out with client transitions. But I’ll be putting my house up for sale as soon as possible and I’ll be leaving right after the new year.”

“Wow, when did you decide all of this?” she asks, completely shocked by my aggressive timetable.

“Just now, when you admitted that Dad used Granddad to manipulate me.” I pat her on the back and squeeze her shoulder before giving her another hug. “I forgive him, but I won’t spend another year of my life doing something I have grown to hate.”

“Okay. But you’d better sit down and have a conversation with him before you do anything rash,” she says, turning back toward the door. “That helicopter and pilot are sitting out here waiting for me,” she says in a stunned voice. I reach into my wallet and pull out my Black Card. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay him. You’d better keep your money. You’re going to need it more than me.”

“Kayla and I will be fine,” I assure her. “She didn’t grow up with a silver spoon, so I think it will be an easy transition to living like millionaires instead of billionaires. I’ll be sure to invite both you and Dad to the wedding,” I add, stunning her beyond her current state of shock.

I smile broadly as she looks at me as if I’m an alien. I have gone along with their master plan for the past twenty years, so she’s a little thrown off by my sudden need to take back control. It’s as if the events of the past day have jolted me to the core of my being. I’ve been partying, fucking, and living a life of complete denial. It’s high time that I level with everyone, including myself, and start living the life I want for myself. The Taylor name will be around as long as the firm remains in business, with or without my presence. As Mom said, the name carries a note of prestige and honor that will not be discarded just because a Taylor is no longer at the helm.

Mother stops in the doorway and turns back toward me. “I’m going to miss you,” she says with an uncharacteristic hint of emotion. “I know we don’t see each other than often, but it was nice always knowing that you were close by.”

“I’ll stop back and visit you guys anytime you want. You know I still love coming out here for the Fourth of July. I’ll make sure your blanket is washed.” I smile and give her a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m going to try to put that whole thing out of my mind,” she replies with another shudder as she turns and heads down the sidewalk toward the idling helicopter.

After closing the door behind her, I look upward and have a few words with my grandfather. I’m glad that the truth has finally come out, that he had nothing to do with getting me to stay. My father has always put the firm ahead of everything else, but I had always believed that Granddad was a better person than that. He cared about people much more than he cared about business. That’s the way I want to be. The way I want to live. I’d better go find Kayla. I’m sure she is still traumatized by what happened. I laugh and shake my head, still not believing it myself.

Kayla

My heart is racing in my chest as I stand with my ear to the door, listening to his conversation with Victoria. I have always suspected that she looked down upon me and my family, but this is the first time I’ve heard her say it out loud. The funny part is that my parents have a beautifully restored brownstone in Riverdale, which most realtors consider a hidden gem just north of Manhattan. The home they live in would cost two or three times as much if they tried to live a few miles south in Manhattan. Besides, they have never been fans of all the congestion that goes along with those more elite zip codes.

I’m more than a bit stunned that Blake told her that he will be leaving the firm and will invite them to the wedding. I wish I could’ve seen the look on her face after that one. Her chin probably hit the floor, just like mine did. He had to have added that purely for shock value. There is no way he’s ready for that type of commitment. After all, we’ve only been dating for about eighteen hours. I giggle to myself at the thought of him saying that to her. I scramble back to the makeup table and begin brushing my hair after hearing the front door close. I don’t want him to think that I’ve been eavesdropping on them.

“Hey, sexy,” he says, opening the bedroom door and walking directly over to me. “What do you think about living on Paradise Island?” He looks for an immediate answer as if he just asked whether I would like French toast or pancakes.

“I’ve never been there, but all of your ex-interns seemed to like it,” I reply, not meaning it the way it came out.

“Ouch! That’s the kind of passive-aggressive thing my mother would say.” He narrows his eyes and gives me a sideways glance.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” I reply, more than a little flustered. “My head has been spinning, and I should’ve said I’ve never been there, but I hear it’s nice.”

“I want to take you,” he says, holding out his hand, coaxing me to stand. He wraps his arms around me and looks into my eyes. “We’ll have Jay come back and pick us up, then we’ll stop home so we can pick up some clothes. We’ll catch a flight down there this afternoon. We can stay down there until Sunday. By that time, you’ll know whether you like it.”

“And if I like it?” I ask, wanting to hear the words directly from his lips.

“I’ll call Peggy and let her know that I want to buy it from Dad. Then we can work out of the firm’s Nassau office for the next year before we blaze some new trails for ourselves,” he says, giving me that sexy smile of his.

“So . . . when you told Victoria that you would invite them to the wedding, were you being serious?” I ask, feeling a strong fluttering in my heart.

“Of course I was serious,” he says with a kiss. “I know exactly what I want out of life and I’m going for it. I know how hard it was on you to turn thirty-six, being closer to forty than thirty. It’s foolish, because even at forty, you will still be the most beautiful woman in the world. But, I know the biological clock is a real thing, and we’ve wasted enough time.”

I feel tears springing from the corners of my eyes. “Well, you seem to be getting hotter every year, so I don’t know what I’m going to do to keep up.” I pause in an effort to simply take in the moment. Everything is happening so quickly that it keeps on catching me completely off-guard. “I’m ready for whatever is next,” I finally answer with a laugh. “I don’t know exactly where we’ll end up, but I’m sure it’ll be a fun ride. Let’s go.”

“I know exactly where we’ll end up,” he says, rubbing his nose against mine. “You just leave all the details to me.”

With that, our adventure of a lifetime begins. He’s right. I will have no problem adjusting to a life with no servants or drivers or high-society fundraising events to attend. That is Victoria and JD’s world, but it has never been mine, and Blake has never seemed to like all the excesses either. I can see him grilling fish and making steaks and homemade pizza out on the grill. I find myself a bit relieved that he wants to turn his back on the billionaire mentality and get out of the city. I welcome the sound of waves crashing against the beach instead of honking taxis and the constant wail of sirens.

“I love you,” I tell him, realizing it’s something I’ve never told him before.

“I know,” he replies with a devilish grin. “But, I love you more.”

I really don’t think that’s possible, but I’ll let him believe it.