Chapter Three
Milo – Wednesday
So being all adult about it didn't exactly work out for me. I almost called Justin a million times, and I even went online to see if I could find out any clues from his website. I just needed to know.
It was the first thing that I'd been interested in for a very long time, and I didn't want to let that sensation go. It was much better than being numb and sad – that didn't suit me.
“Okay.” I slid into the seat next to Justin, handing him a cup of coffee. “I’m here, what do you want?” I was only teasing him, winding him up, but there was a lot of truth in there, too. If he didn't tell me soon, I was going to go insane. “Come on, spit it out!”
“Ha ha, very funny.” He laughed wryly at me. “You know, you used to be a lot less serious before you became a hotshot in Vegas.”
That actually hit me harder than I thought it would.
I always thought that I’d been fun loving in the last few years, but I probably was a lot easier to get along with back in the pre-Vegas days. I hadn’t been so focused on having fun; it just happened more naturally. Maybe I'd been forcing myself to have fun to cover something up. I wasn't quite sure what, but it did get me thinking.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I half-heartedly laughed, not wanting to be on this topic. This wasn't the time for any kind of self-evaluation. “I don’t know what happened to me.”
He gave me a funny look before speaking out again in a much kinder tone of voice. “You know, I heard what happened to you. I know that you’ve been sick. I hope that you’re much better now.”
I felt all mixed up and sickly at the thought of everyone talking about me behind my back. I would have much preferred to be more private, but in the small world I circled in, it was impossible. When you started spending time with other billionaires, everyone seemed to know everything about one another.
Of course, I had been out of the loop for a while now, so that put my nose out of joint, too. I felt like I was twelve steps behind everyone else with everything.
“Yeah,” I replied hoarsely. “I am – much better, thank you. I got the all clear yesterday, just before you called, actually.”
“Well, I’m very glad to hear it; that must have been rough.”
As he spoke so kindly to me, I wondered why I didn’t hang out with Justin more. He was a good guy who seemed to care. I'd drifted apart from all the guys from my younger days because I'd been so wrapped up in myself. Now, I could see that was a silly mistake on my part.
“Thank you.” We sipped our drinks in silence for a moment before I realized that it was up to me to get the conversation rolling again. After all, I was the one who'd been through the trauma. Justin probably didn't know what to say to me “So, seriously, why did you call me here?” It was time to get down to business.
“Well, I wasn’t too sure if you were investing anymore because I know that your casinos are doing so well. I went to one the other day, and wow... It was so damn busy! But if you are, or if you’re thinking about getting back into it, then I might have an opportunity for you.”
“Tell me more...” I leaned in. This sounded huge, something incredibly exciting, and I couldn’t wait for it. It was a new year now, a new start for me, and this could be great. In a way, I needed this to be the thing that I'd been looking for. I needed a start, a kick up the ass, and I wanted this to be it.
“It’s a fishing company in Oregon.”
Huh, what? “Fishing?” I asked, allowing my confusion to shine through. “I don’t know anything about fishing. Or Oregon.” I couldn’t stop the disappointment from sitting like a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach. “Where in Oregon? Portland?” I knew Justin had his investment business there, so it made sense. “And, have you invested in this company?”
“It’s a small town called Florence, and I know that might sound a little crazy, but trust me, there is a lot of money to be made there. This fishing trade is huge. I haven’t invested in the company myself, but I do think this is for you.”
“Are you kidding me?” I gasped in shock. “Do you realize how sketchy all this sounds? If there is something going on here, I would rather you be totally honest with me.” This was all so weird. I didn’t want to think badly of Justin, but there didn’t seem to be any good explanation for this one. Nothing about it made any sense.
“I know. I totally understand your reservations, but would you at least think of taking a trip down there to see? I can’t explain it. It would be much better if you saw it for yourself. You could probably use some time away anyway, couldn’t you? After all that you’ve been through?”
Okay, that cinches it. There was no way that Justin would be a dick to someone who had suffered all the health conditions that I had. He had to be serious, and I needed to trust him. I had to just push all my instincts aside and listen to him.
“So, what’s so great about Florence?” I asked curiously, just trying to stall him for a few more moments while I sorted out my thoughts. “Have you spent a lot of time there?”
“I have, actually,” he surprised me by saying. “Recently, I’ve been there a lot.”
“For investment?” If he was invested in this random little town, then maybe there was something about it that I needed to know.
“Not really.”
He had that dreamy, faraway look in his eyes that could only mean one thing: love. He’d found someone and that twisted my stomach up in painful, twirling knots. Jealousy. I actually felt jealous. I wanted someone to feel that way about. I wanted someone to love. I never had before.
“It’s for a woman,” he continued unnecessarily. “I’ve met someone there, and she makes everything seem different.”
I thought about all the women in my life and how none of them were the wholesome sort of girl I wanted to settle down with. Maybe if Justin had managed to find someone in Florence, then I could, too. Not long term, necessarily, because then she would have to move, but someone to get my engine revving again. I did need to get back in the game. Maybe if I could find someone to get excited about, then my spark would come flying back.
I needed to feel like myself again before all this ate me alive.
“I’ll think about it,” I finally confirmed, smiling. “Thank you, Justin.”
***
I didn’t feel comfortable with just sitting around after my meeting with Justin. He’d stirred everything up in my mind and I needed to do something, so I hopped in the car to make the trip to Vegas.
I wasn’t exactly up for a night of gambling and drinking, but I did want to check in on my businesses. They ran themselves these days, with amazing managers to keep on top of things, but I felt like it was good to drop by every now and again. Showing my face proved I hadn’t dropped off the face of the Earth.
As my car whizzed through the city of lights, I recalled the days when I saw this city as something to get excited about. I loved my trips down to Vegas, which was why I’d brought the casinos in the first place. The parties, the strippers, the lights, the never-ending fun – it had seemed like a dream to me.
I had come from a small town where nothing exciting ever happened. I'd grown up with fairly strict parents, which was maybe why I went so wild when I first got the chance. This place was a playground for me, and I took full advantage of that.
Now, though, I saw somewhere empty and hollow. The tourists loved it and always had a great time, but I found the permanent residents sad, always wanting to escape. It took the sheen off things, made everything that much less shiny. I was grateful that I didn't live there all the time or I wasn't sure that I would ever be able to enjoy it again.
And there it was: my casino, the romance-themed one people adored. We didn't have a wedding chapel in it like most of the others, but it was requested over and over again. I didn't see it as a good money spinner, though; it wasn't necessary, so I didn't have it.
The noise tore through my ears the second I stepped inside: the music, the machines, the chatter... it was intense. I flickered my eyes everywhere, trying to see anyone I recognized, but all I found looking back at me were scantily-clad girls, flashing lights, and cash being spent at every angle. It was so fast paced, so crazy, it left me a little dizzy. It must have been because I was getting old. I couldn't handle it anymore.
“Hey, boss.” I felt a clap on my back and turned around to see Bill, the manager. He was dressed in a full suit and tie, looking far more capable than I did. I probably shouldn't have come down here in such a rush, after all. “I didn’t expect to see you today. How is it going?”
“Yeah, good, just checking in. Looks like you have it all under control.” I nodded slowly and smiled. “Is there anything you need from me?”
“No, no, it’s all good. Did you see the reports? Business is great, profits are up, events are doing well.” He was so excited to tell me this that it made me grin brightly at him, despite the weird sensation that I had inside. “Our sister casino is doing great, too.”
What was going on with me? Why wasn’t I so happy at that good news? Why did nothing cheer me up anymore?
I guessed that if anything was wrong, it was that I felt useless. They didn’t need me here; there was nothing for me to do. I wasn’t needed, and I had no idea what to do about that. That sense that I was still hanging on a loose end came flooding back.
“Okay, well, great. I might pop over there in a minute.” I stepped backward as one of the security guards raced to Bill’s side with an issue. “I’ll see you later, okay?” But he wasn't listening. Why would he? He knows more about this place than I do!
When I got back into my car, I thought about Justin and his offer once more. Maybe the idea of an investment opportunity in Florence, Oregon was a ridiculous one, but the chance of a vacation, the thought of hanging out somewhere much quieter, with a totally different atmosphere, was an appealing one. I needed a timeout from my life before I made all these changes I wanted to make. I couldn’t just do it without a break.
Justin was right. I had been through a lot, and I did need an escape. This sounded like the perfect way to do just that.