Hollywood Heir (Westerly Billionaire #4)(35)

“Really?”

“Your brother Brett. He calls all the time as well. Didn’t he do something similar for the half of your family that went with your mother?”

“He did.”

Reggie brushed his hands together. “Another problem solved. Damn, I’m good.”

“I haven’t talked to Brett in a while. You know I don’t get along with my family.”

Reggie’s expression grew more serious than normal. “Listen, I don’t have anyone outside of my wife and kids, so I’m no expert when it comes to family, but you’re clearly not happy with things as they are. Let the past go. They made mistakes. You made mistakes. Move on. You’ve given bitter and alone a chance, but it’s not a good look on you.”

Every word rang true to Eric. “You’re as good as anyone I spoke to at the clinic.”

Reggie smiled. “And I don’t even like people.”

Eric chuckled. “I’m heading back to the main house. I have a few phone calls to make.”

They walked out of the garage and headed across the lawn toward the house. He wasn’t proud of his behavior back in the lair. Bitter and alone? Is that the life I’ve chosen by default?

Is that who Sage sees when she looks at me?

Just before they entered the back door to the house, Eric asked, “Hey, how much do I pay you?”

“Wake up and find out.” For once Reggie was absolutely serious. “You also employ a competent accountant who justifies his high salary by documenting where every penny of your money goes.”

It was an uncomfortable conversation to have. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me.” Reggie shook his head as he walked away. “It should to you. I hope one day it will.”

His words stayed with Eric long after he’d left. Eric had withdrawn from his family and everything he associated with them because he didn’t want to play by their rules. Sage had echoed the same. He’d stopped playing their game, but unlike Sage, he hadn’t replaced it with anything better—he’d simply shut down.

He couldn’t change his family. He couldn’t go back in time and undo the mistakes he’d made, but, as Sage had once told him, he could control how he behaved from now on. Reggie didn’t pull punches. He also didn’t usually care about who Eric slept with. For him to intervene and suggest that Eric wasn’t ready to date yet meant he cared about the outcome.

Because I’m an odd duck, and so is she. Eric smiled. He liked every little thing that made Sage unique. He admired her for choosing her own path. He loved that the career she professed having was really a ruse to get her close enough to help the people she saw in need. From the way she looked at every issue through a humanitarian lens to the sweet passion of her kiss—she was perfection.

Sage might be different, but she was gloriously so. My life is not mainstream, but if I can pull my head out of my own ass, I could be someone she sees in the same light.

If anyone could understand the difference between lying and playing a role, it would be Sage. Her whole career is based on that very idea.

Now—as Reggie suggested—I just need to get my shit together.

The first call he made was to Rachelle’s husband, Magnus, to confirm that Eric would indeed be available to visit the children’s hospital in Vandorra. Rachelle had already spoken to him about the possibility, so they planned it for a few days from then. Magnus’s only warning was that if Eric attempted to back out of the visit, he would personally fly to London and drag his ass to it.

Eric assured him he would be there. Magnus wasn’t joking—he’d nearly kidnapped Eric for his first visit to the hospital. Eric wasn’t proud that it had taken that much to get him to do something he should have instantly agreed to. The visit had been an eye-opening experience for Eric—just as he was sure his second trip would be.

Every life is worth fighting for. Even mine.

He remembered what one of his counselors had said about forgiving himself being as important as forgiving others. It was difficult for Eric to go there, because it meant facing everything he hated himself for.

Or had hated himself for—he was slowly letting some of it go. Maybe he wasn’t the perfect son. He could have tried harder to patch things up with his family. He could have spent less time running from his demons than trying to numb them with drugs.

I could have been kinder to everyone—even me.

He remembered his first visit to the children’s hospital. He hadn’t wanted to wear the spandex costume from his movies, because back then his concern had still been all about himself and how he felt. But that’s not me anymore. I am looking outside myself.

That realization gave him hope that he was worthy of another chance with Sage. He wasn’t looking forward to trying to explain his triple life to her, but as long as he knew he could be as good for Sage as she had been for him—he’d explain it as many times and in as many ways as she needed to hear it.

Before that, though, Reggie was right that he needed to get his life a little more under control. His second call was to his brother Brett.

“Brett, it’s Eric.”

“Hang on.” His brother called to his secretary to hold his calls. “What do you need? Did something happen? It’s not Grandmother, is it? Is she okay?”

“Everyone is fine.” It was somewhat sad that Brett assumed Eric wouldn’t call unless there’d been a catastrophe of some sort. “How is Alisha?”