Was he expecting Bryce to fail?
Hoping he would?
I was grateful Bryce didn’t see it.
Mr Schroeder’s expression glossed over when he saw me, like he could slip on a mask at will. He smiled and made his way over. “Michael,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”
“I took the day off,” I explained. “I have five years’ worth of sick leave and holiday time owing.”
“I never did ask where you worked.”
“I’m at CREA Realty,” I said, waiting for the penny to drop. “Commercial property management.”
And drop it did.
His eyebrow quirked, ever so slightly. “Are you managing Bryson’s lease?”
I smiled. “No. My boss is.”
He didn’t say anything, though I could almost hear his mind racing. And, because he made me nervous, I kept speaking.
“My boss knew who he was before I did. Though I knew this location was becoming available and thought it’d be the perfect site for him, so I suggested it. My boss handled the rest.”
None of that was a lie.
It wasn’t exactly the most honest truth, but it wasn’t a lie.
Mr Schroeder didn’t reply to that and instead focused on Bry, who was busy behind the counter, and at the still-steady stream of customers. “It looks like it’s been a successful first day.”
“He’s been flat out all morning,” I replied, smiling at my boyfriend. “He’s worked his arse off to get here. I’m sure you’re very proud.”
Mr Schroeder’s eyes hardened, and I could safely assume he didn’t like me saying that. Or maybe he didn’t like me . . . “Oh, yes. When he sets his mind to something . . .”
We were both quiet for a moment, and when there was a split second where Bryce wasn’t directly speaking to a customer or staff, I called out his name, just loud enough to get his attention. “Bry!”
He glanced up, and seeing me and then his father, he smiled. He spoke to Tarini who quickly stepped in and replaced him, and he darted over to us. “Hey, Dad, I’m glad you could make it,” he said, happiness at his father’s appearance clear on his face.
“I can’t stay, but I wanted to congratulate you on a successful opening.”
Bryce beamed with pride. “Thank you.”
It was strange to watch them. It was an awkward exchange, but I could see them both trying. I only knew Mr Schroeder through the lens that Bryce coloured him, so it wasn’t fair for me to judge the man, and I knew his success on the world stage and the stress and pressure that came with it was something I’d never understand. Him raising Bryce on his own told me he was a good man, despite his faults. And he was trying, more of late, given Bryce had told me that his dad had reached out to spend more time with him recently. He was trying, and he loved Bryce; that much was very clear.
Still, it was a strange exchange.
“Need me to do anything?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Bry replied, glancing back to his staff. “I need to start sending them all on breaks. I knew we’d be busy. Well, I’d hoped we would. I planned for it, but we’ve just been getting smashed since we opened.”
“How about I do sink duty?” I offered.
“No, I can’t ask you to do that,” he replied quickly.
“You don’t have to ask. It’s why I’m here.”
“Nah,” Bry said. “I put this team together. We need to do this on our own.” He clapped my shoulder and went back behind the counter, easing back into the flow of his team. He was unstacking the dishwasher, and when Tarini called out an order for more kaya toast, he was on it.
I could watch him all day.
“Um,” Mr Schroeder said uneasily. He gave a pointed nod toward the door. “Have you got a moment, Michael? I’d like a word, if you will.”
My heart fell through my feet and I didn’t even have time to be surprised. “Oh, sure.”
I followed him outside. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, barely a cloud in the sky. People were walking, talking, laughing. There were boats on the water, birds overhead. All in all, a perfect Sydney day.
So why did it feel like I was walking to my execution?
Because in a lot of ways, I knew I was.
Mr Schroeder stopped and ran his hand through his hair. It was brown, like his son’s, just with a few strands of grey. His brown eyes glittered brown and gold just like Bry’s. But they weren’t as warm as his. There was a hardness lurking that I imagined would conquer boardrooms and a lesser man might shy away from.
But my years of dealing with men who knew their worth, who used their worth to play games over people they thought were inferior, I could read him like a flashing neon sign. I looked him right in the eye and held his gaze, held my nerve.
He looked away first, casting his gaze out across the water.
“He seems happy,” he began. “Seeing him in there just now . . .”
Okay, so that was unexpected.
“I hope he is,” I said, opting for safer ground.
“I sent him away to Singapore,” he said, still looking at the boats. “I thought he needed to spread his wings and experience the world on his own. I thought he’d see that the family business could be whatever he wanted it to be.”
I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with him. Why the hell was he telling me this?
“But he didn’t,” Mr Schroeder added. “In fact, it had the opposite effect. He loved Singapore. Enough to come back with a business plan to incorporate what he learned from his time there.”
This felt like dangerous ground to me. Like a tightrope or a trap. He was pouring his heart out to me, which was baffling, but there was a fall coming. I could feel it.
And it was my fall. There was no doubt.
“And that’s his choice,” Mr Schroeder added. “He has to live his own life. I respect that.”
“And he appreciates that,” I said, not sure what else I was supposed to contribute.
“I worry for him.” He looked at me then, his gaze piercing. “I worry that he has too much on his plate. And seeing him in there just now, I can see how happy he is. Maybe he was never cut out for the hotel industry. Maybe I knew that all along. Seeing how invested he is in his business . . . It was the right decision for him.”
“Yes, it was.”
Then that fucker looked me right in the eye. “That’s why I’m asking you to walk away.”
Chapter Fourteen
Bryce
Opening day was a hit. Every single thing fell into place, and not even the smallest hiccups could derail it. Michael helped out bringing back dirty plates and cups, he cleared tables and put rubbish in the bins. He was a pillar of support.
And my dad turning up was the cherry on the cake. Him being there meant the world to me.
But then we got busy, staff needed breaks, and at first, I noticed Michael wasn’t there but thought nothing of it. Maybe he’d gone to grab something to eat or to sit down for a while. Maybe he had some phone calls to make; maybe he needed to use the bathroom.
But then he didn’t come back.