Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(45)

“It’s a pleasure, Diane. So glad you could make it.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it,” she said, her lips forming a thin line, making me doubt her sincerity.

I had a feeling she wasn’t brimming with pride when it came to her sons’ career choices. Even I questioned why they’d take my money over their parents’ when it was so readily available, but I’d come to respect them more for it. I wouldn’t want to be operating under Frank Bridge any more than I wanted to operate under my father. Even if I’d been tasked with cleaning up the mess from his epic failure, at least I was working with some autonomy now, an option that had never been open to me before.

“Let me show you around, Mom.” Olivia hooked her arm with her mother’s, effectively splitting us up.

Diane lifted a flute of champagne off a passing tray and watched with a bored look as her daughter showed her around the facility. Frank lingered by my side, watching as I did.

“Her mother expects perfection,” he said flatly.

I lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t?”

He slid his gaze to me and then back to the humming crowd. “I expect it from you, not her. I want her taken care of, but I also want to see her smiling. My sons are intent on doing things the hard way, but at the end of the day, they seem satisfied. I hate to admit it, but she’s happier here with them than she was working for me.”

“She deserves happiness.”

He answered with a nod. “She and Diane don’t always agree, but they’re very close. Olivia may not need her approval, but she’ll want it.”

I smiled, because it masked my irritation well. “Let me guess. I haven’t been approved.”

“You’ll have Diane’s approval when you have mine.”

I nodded, hating that I was in a position to prove myself to him.

“How’s it going with Reilly?” His question was a sharp reminder of the absurd timeline he’d given me.

Tick tock. Apparently he was going to hold me to it.

“I’m meeting with him this week,” I answered tightly.

“And your other investors?”

“They’re not happy. No surprise. I managed to talk most everyone down, but you’re right. Reilly did most of the fundraising, and they’re ready to slit his throat. If he goes, we may have a chance.”

“And your father?”

I stared down at my shoes a second, remembering the last few incoherent conversations I’d had with him.

“He doesn’t love the idea of giving up his shares to me, but I’m going to talk to him about it again. As soon as he’s done emptying the liquor cabinet, anyway.”

Frank finally cracked a smile. “Rough week.”

“You have no idea.”

“Get used to it, or give it up. You’ll have plenty more like this one.” He squeezed my shoulder before moving into the crowd in the direction of Diane and Olivia.

The gesture both irked and comforted me. We didn’t exactly have a rapport, but I had an odd feeling he was rooting for me, even if he was holding a f*cking hammer over my head.

When Olivia returned, I breathed a sigh of relief. She was a slice of heaven at the end of an otherwise harrowing week. I threaded my fingers with hers and bent to kiss her. Her brothers might want to crush me for it, but I didn’t give a damn. I missed the woman fiercely.

She leaned into me, accepting the unexpected display of affection in a crowded room of family and coworkers.

“I missed you,” I murmured against her sweet lips.

When she smiled, her beauty radiated. “I missed you more.”

“You’re beautiful, Olivia. Absolutely breathtaking. I don’t think I tell you that enough.”

She straightened my collar with a smirk. “When you don’t tell me, you show me. Often.”

“Not often enough. I want you in my bed every night, and you’re not there.”

Her cheeks took on a pink glow. “Neither are you, Mr. CEO.”

I scowled, reminded of the long hours I had kept this week.

She sifted her fingers through my hair, seeming content for now with this stolen moment. “How are things going with work anyway?”

I shook my head. “Tonight’s your night. I don’t want to talk about all that.”

Worry wrinkled her brow. “Is this what you really want to do, Will? I hate seeing you stressed over all this.”

Of course not.

“Doesn’t matter what I want. It’s what I have to do. I’ve come to terms with that, and I’ve made the commitment. Now I’ve got to see it through.”

She sighed and seemed to study me, captivating me with her cool blue gaze. “I’m proud of you. I know this isn’t going to be easy for you, but if anyone can make this right, it’s you. And even when it takes you away, I’ll be here.”

I’d taken on this challenge thinking I was doing it for my father. But in this moment, I knew I was doing it for her. Because I couldn’t lose her. I didn’t need her family’s approval, but having it would make her life easier, and I wanted that for her.

If I could follow through on this, after a year or two, I’d be pulling down enough money that I’d never need to do it again. I was more than comfortable, but running the fund successfully would significantly pad my already healthy income and secure future investments. If Frank Bridge was worried that Olivia wouldn’t be taken care of, I’d guarantee she’d want for nothing. If I had to, I’d work day and night to make sure of it.