揑抦 glad you could make it. Royce.?
The older man makes an unintelligible sound.
揂re you in New York for long??Last I knew, his primary residence was in Los Angeles.
揕ong enough.?
揕ong enough for what??
揧ou抣l be taking over for your father soon??
揟hat抯 the general assumption. You抎 have to ask him for the specifics.?
揑抳e never much cared for Arthur. Too power-hungry for my taste. Although匢 suppose you抮e the one who just married billions.?
I hold his gaze as he studies me appraisingly. 揗oney isn抰 the only reason I married Scarlett.?I expect the words to sound false. To ring with insincerity. They don抰。
揂 bold statement for a man who just inherited an empire.?
揇on抰 confuse me for my father.?
揑f that were the case, we wouldn抰 be having this conversation, Crew.?
揥hat conversation would that be??
Royce smiles. 揧ou know I have no children of my own.?
揑 do.?
揑抦卐ntertaining the idea of passing the torch. Would that interest you??
揂 partnership??
He shakes his head. 揊ull ownership. It抯 been fifty years. Nothing lasts forever. When I find the right person, it will be time to move on.?
揑 assume you know I have no experience in the film industry??
He chuckles. 揑抦 looking for someone with good business sense and a moral compass. The latter is difficult to find in this world.?
揟hank you??
Another chuckle. 揑抦 not looking for a figurehead to collect a hefty percentage. That, I could find easily. I抳e never entertained any of your father抯 offers because I抳e seen what happens to companies underneath the Kensington Consolidated umbrella. I know how business works. But it抯 not how my business works梙ow it will ever work.?
揧ou would want me to choose,?I realize.
揂rthur is厀hat? Fifty-four? Fifty-six? I wouldn抰 be expecting him to hand the biggest office over anytime soon, son or not.?
揑抦 happy in my current position.?
揑抦 certain you are. But it抯 different to inherit versus to earn. I built everything I have, same as your great-grandfather.?
揃ecause you had to, in order to succeed. Kensington Consolidated is my legacy. No sane person would turn their back on a thriving birthright to hack it on their own.?
揑抦 not sure your new wife would appreciate that characterization.?
I open my mouth, then close it. 揟hat抯 different,?I finally manage.
揑s it??Royce challenges. 揑 find it difficult to believe there wasn抰 a place at Ellsworth Enterprises for Hanson抯 only child.?
揑 believe Scarlett had diverging interests. Ellsworth doesn抰 own any magazines.?
揟hey offer limited opportunities in other ways as well.?
揚erhaps,?I acknowledge.
Royce picks up the glass the bartender delivered without me noticing. 揟hink it over. And congratulations. I expect great things from you and the new Mrs. Kensington.?
The end of the reception passes more quickly. The important, older guests begin to leave. I抦 left to drink and talk with people I consider friends.
The wedding planner, a petite woman named Sienna, is the one who tells me it抯 time to make our grand exit.
揥here抯 Scarlett??
揅hanging. She抣l meet you in the lobby.?
When I get to the lobby, Scarlett is already waiting. She抯 wearing another white dress. This one has straps and no train. The silky material clings to her curves, covering her from head to toe in an ivory waterfall.
All I get is a cursory glance. 揋ood. You抮e here. Let抯 go.?
I grab her hand before she can take a step. She doesn抰 ask what I抦 doing. Doesn抰 move as I release my grip and trail my fingers up her arm. Her hair is still pulled back in a fancy knot, baring her shoulders and neck. I trace all the exposed skin, savoring the goosebumps that raise on her skin.
I take another step closer, pressing my body against her side.
She inhales sharply. In the wide, empty space, it抯 all I can hear. The music and chatter coming from the ballroom sound distant and muffled.
Neither of us say a word. This is a silent truce.
My hand falls away.
Your move.
Scarlett turns, so our bodies are flush. Her eyes scan my face. I have no idea what she抯 looking for.
I don抰 know if she finds it or not. But she does kiss me, which is what I was looking for.
Her taste hits my system like a drug. Something about Scarlett梙er prickliness, her beauty, the fact she抯 my wife梥harpens sensations. I can抰 recall the last time I kissed someone else, expecting it to go no further. That抯 the only way I抳e kissed Scarlett. I pay attention to things I normally wouldn抰， not distracted by flying clothes or finding the nearest hard surface.