The Billionaire’s Secret Wife(48)
“Barron. He had his assistant send out a text blast to everyone in the family just now. He said he’d already gone to L.A. personally to welcome her into the family.”
His stomach dropped like somebody had disemboweled him. “You’ve gotta be kidding. When did he go?”
“This morning.”
Justin bit back a curse. “How did he find out?”
“Unlike your erstwhile brother, Barron is a suspicious bastard. He probably checked on why you were flying back and forth between San Francisco and L.A. so much. I told you to watch your expenses.”
“Damn it.” Justin gritted his teeth, thinking shit shit shit. “Okay, thanks. Gotta go.” He hung up. No wonder Vanessa hadn’t contacted him. She was probably furious right now. He tried her number again, but it went to voice mail. He tried the next person on his list.
“How are you doing, Justin? I hear the doctor gave you a clean bill of health, but I don’t know if I can trust it.”
Justin reined in his temper at the droll tone. “Barron, what did you do?”
“Be more specific. I’ve done a lot of things in my life. Actually you can hang up now. I’m right outside your office.”
Barron cut the line and simultaneously opened the door to Justin’s office. He looked hale and happy, his color high as he walked inside and took an armchair near Justin’s desk. “You horrible child. You should’ve invited me to the wedding.”
“Have you considered the possibility that maybe we didn’t want to make a big deal about it? That we wanted to keep it to ourselves?”
“Why on earth would you do that?”
“Various reasons.” It wasn’t really a lie. Vanessa had her big reason, and Justin had the reason of wanting to show support and make her happy. “We were going to keep it quiet until July.”
“July! Ridiculous.”
A secretary scurried in with a tray of hot tea and sugar cookies. She left it on the table by Barron and ran out as quickly she could.
When the door closed behind her, Justin said, “It may seem ridiculous to you, but not to us. You should’ve at least talked to me first.”
The good humor leeched from Barron’s face. “You were unreachable this morning.”
“Not on purpose.” He’d been on a commercial flight and unable to use his phone.
“I wasn’t going to wait. This is about the family.”
“No. This is about you trying to show everyone you’re still in charge.”
“I am in charge. I’m the head of this family!”
Justin stared at Barron, who stared right back. This is it, Justin thought. If he didn’t put his foot down now, Barron would continue to interfere whenever he felt like it. No more. No way. “Then I’m resigning.”
“What?” Barron said in a booming voice.
“I quit. If you want to be in charge, you don’t need me. I won’t play this game, Barron.”
“Do you think you’re irreplaceable?”
Justin gave him a slight smile. “I wouldn’t go that far. Let’s say…very difficult to replace. You’ll want a family member who’ll be okay with attempting to run the company while all the executives try to gauge your intentions. But Sterling & Wilson is your legacy, so of course you’ll want that person to be trained. And you have Kerri, Nate, Robert, Benjamin and Beatrice to choose from. Thankfully they’re all intelligent…it won’t be that difficult to mold them.”
“You’ll be cut off.”
“That doesn’t bother me.”
Barron gave him a penetrating squint. “What’s changed? The idea that you might not be my heir always bothered you.”
“I found something I value more than Sterling & Wilson.”
Barron snorted, then chuckled, the sound reluctant and soft. He reached for his tea. “All this over a girl.”
“She’s my wife. And she’s pregnant.”
Barron choked on his tea, and Justin walked over to pound his great-uncle’s back with slightly more force than was necessary.
“Pregnant?” Barron gasped. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. About eight weeks now.”
A huge grin split Barron’s face. “Kerri, and now you!” He let out a booming laugh. “Wonderful!”
“I’m still quitting.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Sterling & Wilson is also your son’s legacy.”
“It may not be a son,” Justin pointed out.
“Bah. Son, daughter, what does it matter? Girls can lead a company just as well as boys.”
Justin watched his uncle with bemusement. The old curmudgeon sometimes surprised him.