Honor

Chapter 74

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR

R eid

“You sounded serious when you called,” Randall says as soon as I open the door to my apartment. “What’s going on?”

I’m not about to explain it in earshot of my neighbors, so I motion for him to come in. He does, and immediately, he scans the main living area. “Jesus, Reid. This place is amazing. Maybe I was wrong years ago when I said Buzzy was a better hero than Winston would ever be, but look at what you’ve accomplished.”

“You were right.”

That spins him around to face me. “How can you say that? Is this the actual apartment he lived in?”

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.”

He snaps his head to the side to look at me. “She’s weighing her options, but leaning toward holding onto it.”

I’d ask why she had the change of heart, but I don’t give a shit. Buying either of them out comes with the risk of complicating my relationship with Evangeline. I want her to see me for the man I’m trying to be. That’s a man who values friendship over finances.

He goes on to explain, “I’ve brought up the idea of running Emmel’s together. She’ll own it independently, of course, but I’ll take on a senior administration role.” He grins before finishing the last mouthful of scotch. “As for Azelius, a couple of months ago, I asked Pete if he knew anyone who would want to take over as CEO so I’d have things in place before I went to my fiancée with the idea of working with her at Emmel’s.”

I nod. “So, Pete is the one who started the rumor that you’re selling?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” He chuckles. “Then it hit me. I talked to my sisters since they had joked about wanting to inherit the spa if I kicked the bucket prematurely. It turns out they were on board to be co-CEOs. So that’s the plan. We’ll keep it in the family.”

“It all worked out,” I say, stunned that I was scheming to buy out two businesses that aren’t for sale.

“You should have asked me about this weeks ago.” His voice lowers. “I know you don’t view our friendship through the same lens I do, but I hope you know that you can come to me with anything, Reid. Business, personal, what you’re feeling for Evie. All of it.”

Stunned, I glance at him. “What I’m feeling for Evie?”

“You’re in love with her,” he states matter-of-factly. “I saw it when we were in East Hampton. You’ve got it bad for her. Does she know?”

“She knows I was scheming to buy Azelius and Emmel’s.” I shake my head. “She overheard me discussing it with Baden and Vance. She thinks I’m a ruthless asshole, Randall.”

“Everyone thinks that.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “I don’t want her to think that.”

“Go talk to her,” he says like it’s as easy as that.

“She’s at Charlotte’s.” I toss my head back in frustration. “Unless you give me your fiancée’s address, I have no way of contacting Evangeline. She’s not answering my texts or calls.”

“She’s not at Charlotte’s.” He opens the messaging app on his phone. “Charlotte texted me less than an hour ago to tell me she’s alone for the next few hours, so I should think about getting my ass over to her apartment for our last fuck before we get married.”

“Maybe Evie went home,” I whisper.

He pushes to stand. “Mack’s waiting for me downstairs. I can walk to Charlotte’s apartment from here, so take the car. Go see the woman you love.”

I stand, too, and wrap my arms around him the way I used to when we were kids. “Thanks for everything.”

He pats the center of my back. “I chose you to be my best man because that’s who you are. Don’t forget it.”

I step back to look him in the face. “I won’t. I need to go.”

My phone chimes, signaling an incoming text message. I reach inside my jacket pocket to slide it out, hoping Evie is reaching out.

It’s not her. It’s Kevin Dalca. His text message turns my world upside down. I’m so shocked that I fall back onto my ass on the couch.

“What the hell?” Randall sits back down, too. “What’s wrong? What is it, Reid?”

Without a word, I slide my phone into his hands. He reads Kevin’s message out loud, “Hey, Reid. I stopped by the house today and met Evie. Lovely girl. She’s there by herself now. I think she’d like to see you.”