Addison and I talked briefly over coffee this morning once we were dressed. I told her I didn’t want to take control of the company.
“Are you sure?” she’d asked.
“No,” I said. “Not entirely. All I know is that I found you, and that’s what makes me happy right now. Taking on the responsibility of a multi-billion-dollar corporation right now will mean me being gone a lot. I want time with you. I don’t want to quit my job, but I’m not going to risk losing you.”
A month ago those thoughts wouldn’t have even been possible. Now I can’t believe how true they are. Addison and our marriage is what matters most right now, and it’s what I want to give myself to. Anything else—including work—is secondary.
We’re driven to the office, neither of us talking. We sit as close to one another as we can, Addison holding my hand the entire time. I have to remind myself that Father is dead, and I am not going to meet with him about something he thinks I screwed up. I am free of him and his wrath.
There’s also the fact of seeing my two brothers for the first time in months. We haven’t even spoken to each other in weeks, not directly anyway. I wonder how I’ll feel seeing them again.
When Addison and I walk into the conference room, right on time, I find a huge shock waiting for us. Apparently we are the last to arrive, and there sit my brothers—each of them with women close by their sides.
“Rex,” Jackson says, approaching me first. As the oldest, he’s always felt like he was in charge. Father had always told him—and Miles and me at any chance he had—that it would be Jackson who would take over the company one day simply based on birth order.
Jackson shakes my hand, and the look on his face calms me a bit. He’s not wearing his usual scowl. “It’s good to see you,” he says with not a lot of sincerity, but okay, we have to start somewhere.
“You too,” I say back.
“I’d like you meet someone,” he says, moving back to the woman next to him. “This is Emily. My wife.”
I freeze for the briefest of moments. “Your wife? Well, okay. Hello, Emily. I’m Rex. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You too,” she says. Her handshake is firm, assured.
“Rex,” says Miles, who has stood up as well to greet me. We shake hands. “I also have someone I’d like you to meet.” He puts his hand on the shoulder of the woman sitting next to him. “This is my wife, Jordyn.”
If you had told me when I first heard about Father’s will that this is what would happen, I would have been pissed and accused my brothers of doing exactly what I planned to do a month ago—marry for the company and not for love. But it’s clear looking around the room that my brothers and their beautiful wives are no scam. I don’t know how we all managed it but it’s so absurd that I can’t help but laugh.
“What is so funny?” Jackson says, although he does have a little grin on his face as well.
“Everyone,” I say, “I’d like you to meet Addison. My wife.”
Addison steps close to me and I put my arm around her waist. My brothers and their wives all laugh—none of us had expected this, that’s for sure. The six of us go around and do proper introductions, the wives all hugging their greetings, surely already in some sort of weird sisterhood having to deal with the fucked lives of Croft boys. If they all end up liking each other, I can only imagine the stories they’ll exchange.
“If you all don’t mind,” says one of several older men who are also in the conference room—the lawyers and Father’s so-called judges who are there to decide not just the fate of Croft International but the fate of all our lives. “I’m Conrad Sterling and I’ll be leading this meeting and frankly I think it’s best that we get started. We have a lot to discuss, and we’ll want to hear each of your cases for taking over the company since it’s clear you’ve all followed your father’s wishes by becoming family men and settling down in marriage.”
“I didn’t settle down,” I say, looking at Addison. “I did find the perfect woman for me, though.”
“Hear, hear,” Jackson says, looking at Emily, who beams.
“Yes, well, be that as it may,” Mr. Sterling begins, looking stern as he addresses my brothers and me. “The future of this great company that your father started hangs in the balance. Now that each of you is married we must move to discussing who will take control. Now, if each of you would like to take the floor and lay out your reasons and qualifications for taking control, we can get started right away. Jackson, as the eldest I think it’s fine if you begin. When you’re ready.”
Jackson stands up, his full height and custom suit looming over the entire room with a presence I’d forgotten. He could always command a room, and he knew it, which was why I hated it when he tried to tell me what to do. Just because he’s the oldest, I always felt, didn’t mean he was the smartest or strongest.
“Thank you, Mr. Sterling,” he begins. “My comments will be short. I’ve discussed the matter at length with my wife, Emily, and we’re in total agreement. I don’t want it.”
“Excuse me?” Mr. Sterling sputters.
“I don’t want control,” Jackson says frankly. “Father pushed me my entire life to be the best, and when I achieved some of that he only told me I needed to do more. The one sure thing I thought I’d always have was this company. He’d told me since I was a boy that I would take control one day. So when we all learned after his death that he wasn’t keeping his promise, I got angry. And for a while I bitterly tried to right what I perceived as a great wrong. But then I fell in love with Emily. She’s helped me see that I’m more than just this company, or this family. So I respectfully take myself out of the running for the position, although I will work with whoever takes over in any way needed. I may not agree with what my father has done, but I don’t want to see the company fall apart. I’d like to keep working in my current role. So gentlemen,” he says, looking to Miles and me, “I wish you the best of luck.”
Jackson sits down, leaving us all a little stunned—but mostly Mr. Sterling.
“Well, I…this is quite unusual,” Mr. Sterling begins. “Well, then. Miles. Step up, son. Give us your pitch.”
But Miles doesn’t even rise from his chair. “Father would love nothing more than to see us all fight to the bitter end on this. He’d probably get more joy out of seeing us compete than see this company go to the next level. I realized something recently. I realized, well—Father’s dead. He doesn’t have to have a hold on me anymore. I don’t have to do what he says. I don’t have act the way he raised me—raised all of us.” Miles looks to Jackson and me. I’m sure childhood memories are flashing through their minds just as they are mine. “So I’m also declining to take part in this battle for control. I’m happy with my life. I have an intelligent, beautiful wife.” He looks over at Jordyn, who takes his hand. “And for the first time in my life, I’m truly happy.” Miles looks at me and says, “So, little brother. I guess it’s all yours, then.”