Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
I hate that he’s asking me that. I hate it even more that when I went apartment hunting this was the only building I wanted to live in. It had nothing to do with the fact that my grandfather spent most of his life working here as a doorman. My desire to own an apartment in this particular building was because Moses Winston lived here. Back then, I thought he was the greatest man to ever live. I molded my life after the example he set and chased my career goals in an effort to make that man proud.
At the end of the day, he proved he wasn’t worth any of that. He was a con artist. That’s why he’s currently serving a prison sentence longer than the years he has left on this earth.
“Winston was a fraud,” I remind him. “He stole money from his clients, Randall.”
“I know that,” he snaps with a grin. “Before the takedown, he was a hero to a lot of people in this city, including you.”
He’s right. There was a time in my life when I thought Winston could do no wrong until he did. He tried to lure me into one of his business ventures, but my gut told me to forge my own path. I’m glad I did just that.
“He did live here, though, right?” he asks, a brow perked in anticipation of my response. “In this apartment?”
I point at the ceiling. “His place was two floors up.”
“Ah.” He nods. “Got it.”
I motion toward the couch. “Why don’t you have a seat? Do you want something to drink? I’ve got a fully stocked bar.”
“Of course you do.” He chuckles. “You must be worth a billion by now. You can tell me. There’s no harm in a little net worth talk between friends.”
I ignore all of that. “Is scotch good?”
“Yeah, sure.” He smiles. “No ice.”
I set off to get that while he keeps talking. “We’re only a few days out from the wedding, Reid. I thought I’d be second guessing it all by now, but I’m not. I know Charlotte’s the woman for me. I feel it in my gut.”
I pour us each two fingers of the best scotch I have and approach him again. When I hand his off, he sips and grins in appreciation.
I swallow every last drop in my glass because I need it. After setting the glass on the coffee table, I sit beside him. “Before I say what I need to say, I want you to know that I agreed to be your best man because of the promise I made to Buzzy.”
He takes another drink from the glass in his hand. “I know.”
That should take some of the weight off my shoulders, but it doesn’t, so I continue my confessional, “I told Baden and Vance within days after you made the ask.”
“Were they jealous?”
I shake my head. “No. They were quick to tell me you owned Azelius Spas.”
His brow furrows. “I didn’t mention that to you after I bought it? I was sure I called you to tell you.”
He probably did, but like the asshole I was back then, I didn’t take the call because I assumed he had nothing to offer me. The reason I responded to his text message asking me for a favor was because he spelled it all out in bold letters: BE MY BEST MAN.
I couldn’t turn that down because I’d let my grandfather down too often in life, and I sure as hell can’t keep doing that now that he’s gone.
“I didn’t know,” I say. “I found out you owned it at the same time I heard you’re thinking of selling it.”
Realization shifts his expression. “Are you saying you’re interested in buying it?”
“Was,” I clarify. “I thought being your best man would give me a leg up when you started looking for a company to unload it to.”
“That all came after you agreed to be my best man, though,” he points out. “You just explained that.”
He’s giving me the benefit of the doubt because that’s who he is. I could leave this conversation where it is and walk away, but that wouldn’t clear my conscience. It would remain a tainted step in my path to a future with Evie.
“I put in extra effort, hoping we’d work out a deal after the wedding.”
Chuckling, he shakes his head. “I know you, Reid. Now that I know you heard that I was floating the idea around about selling Azelius, I’m shocked you didn’t press me on it sooner. A man can be a friend and a shark in the boardroom. They’re not mutually exclusive.”
The credit he’s giving me may be appreciated, but it’s not warranted. I have nothing to lose at this point, so I close my confession with news I doubt like hell he’s expecting, “We also discussed buying Emmel’s. I heard talk that Charlotte is thinking of selling.”