Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“Come over here, sit by me. I’ll share my food,” I said, patting the bed closer to my side..
But I’d lost him again. Dash’s eyes moved quickly, scanning the screen, reading in that quick way he always did. I dropped to my back, staring at the ceiling. It sure seemed like I was moving to Chicago. The country boy inside me rejected such a big city. Depending on where we lived, maybe we’d be close enough to get to the lake easily. If so, it’d be better than living in Dallas. Pushing all thoughts aside but the food in front of me, I decided to take it day by day.
6: The Windy City
Dash
Chicago, Illinois
It was one thing to be consumed by a desire for retribution against my father, but quite another to act so blatantly on that impulse. After spending most of the night studying the history of the Richmond/Carter public feud, it became apparent that there was a deep-seated loathing between the two men. Like Dr. Harris suggested, my ideology aligned more closely with that of Carter. If I accepted Wesley Carter’s offer, I’d be jumping the line of no return. But was there a point to return to anyway?
I had vowed to cease all communication with my parents until Beau received an apology and a plan in place to earn our trust. Of course, that was never going to happen. Joy had made my family’s position clear. What they hadn’t counted on, I was just as stubborn as my father. I had youth and education on my side to combat his aging experience. Wow, that was a damned bold statement, but true, nonetheless.
So why did I persist in wrestling with this decision?
I paced the living room. The sunrise edged through the glass walls, making the time and expense I’d invested in my backyard worth every dime. What an extraordinary view. The brief reprieve from my thoughts allowed the truth to emerge. I’d always been a positive, assertive, somewhat obsessive person. What happened if the goodness inside me turned into a consuming vengeance? At that point, what happened to the man I wanted to be?
I knew that answer. Fuck a meaningful life. I’d spend my time searching for a way to destroy my father. Where others failed to bring him to his knees, I’d find the way and act swiftly.
However, I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by. No other law school wanted me. I abruptly stopped walking as a light bulb moment struck. There was no other choice. Over the last six years, I’d painstakingly planned every part of Beau and my life together. It hurt me to think I had to give up on those dreams.
I was confident in my ability to outperform my father’s lawyers in court. It wasn’t just my intelligence, but more the lack of effort from the men on his team. They relied on my father’s reputation and ability to bribe the officials. I’d bury them, no question. Especially with Dr. Harris at my back.
The one crucial person I hadn’t given enough thought to was my guy. Could being with me compensate for his relocation across the country, and the sacrifice of losing his dream job? The effect on Beau couldn’t be ignored. Finishing my degree meant we’d be far closer to achieving the charter boat service Beau had always dreamed of establishing.
My cell phone rang, interrupting my ruminations. I strode into my office, glancing at the wall clock, not yet seven in the morning. Hmm. I swiped the small screen, putting the call on the speaker option. “Dash Richmond.”
“Dash,” Carter said, and dove right in. “I needed to initiate this call before starting my workday. A plane’s being readied for you at the Dallas Executive Airport. Joanie, one of our employees, will rendezvous with you in Chicago to get you where you need to be. She’s scheduled meetings with the school, then you’ll check out the living conditions, and take a tour around the immediate area. You’re scheduled to return to Dallas tomorrow morning,” he said, his no-nonsense voice grew softer to a whisper as he spoke to someone else near him. “Did I get that right?”
“Yes. Only add that Joanie will take him to the airport in the morning too. He’ll stay in your place tonight,” a female voice said.
“Did you catch that?” Carter asked.
“I did.” I thought this was a discussion on my commitment to the idea, but instead the wheels were in motion.
“You still there?” Carter asked.
“I am.”
“What’s got you silent?”
“The offer’s exciting,” I started, my mind racing to process everything while considering all angles. “Your help aligns with my goals to thrive in spite of my father and family. It’ll make him crazy.”
“Whenever it happens, I want to be there when you confront him, so it’s settled. I’m traveling today. Don’t take the first offer given from the school and carefully consider everything. Chicago is a very different place than Dallas. We’ll continue this conversation this evening,” Carter said.