“Spin, spin, spin,” Justin said, circling his finger in the air.
“Come on! I have a family.”
“Then you should’ve done your job, which doesn’t include running to Barron every time you disagree with my decisions. I sit in the CEO’s seat. I call the shots.”
“Justin—”
“I’ve been lenient with you, but obviously that hasn’t worked. Security will escort you out.” Justin got up and left, while the former VP sputtered. Outside his office two large men dressed in black were waiting.
That taken care of, he called Mark Pryce to make a reservation at his restaurant. They should probably do a big family dinner with Vanessa’s relatives since none of them had gotten invited to the wedding. Then he groaned when he saw a call from his mother. Ever since his father passed away, she’d lived like a hermit, but for her to call was serious. There was no way to avoid this one.
“Hi, Mom!” he said extra cheerily.
“Justin Augustine Sterling!”
He winced. She hadn’t used his full name or that tone of voice since he was twelve.
“I cannot believe you got married and didn’t tell me about it!”
He didn’t mention she wouldn’t have come to the ceremony anyway since she didn’t like to travel, and a small town in Ohio was probably not a suitable venue for an overpriced high society wedding. “I didn’t invite Barron either,” he said lamely.
“He’s your great-uncle. I’m your mother!”
“I know, I know. Look, I’m s
orry. But don’t worry. I married a very nice, very smart girl. Vanessa Pryce. You remember her, right?” His mother might not get out much, but she didn’t live in a bunker either.
There was a pause. “Yes. The lawyer girl?”
“Right.”
“I thought you were dating London.”
“Well…I was. It didn’t work out.”
“And that was only a few weeks ago. How is it that you suddenly changed your mind and fell in love with Vanessa?”
Justin smiled at how outraged his mother sounded.
“Please don’t tell me you married her because of her looks. Vanessa’s a nice girl, but I’m afraid you might have gone for the looks. I’ve yet to see a girl that gorgeous, except possibly for the Fairchild girl.” Catherine Fairchild was so good-looking, she didn’t even seem human at times.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I didn’t marry her for looks. We’ve been dating on and off since college. You remember how I went to Stanford, even though Barron wanted me to go to Harvard?”
“Yes. You argued quite a bit over that, as I recall.”
“Vanessa was attending Stanford Law.”
“Oh.”
“As much as I love a pretty face, I also enjoy good conversation.”
She sighed. “I suppose I ought to have more faith, but it’s so difficult. Barron gave you too much of everything too soon. It’s just not normal for a young man to grow up the way you did and not lose some sense of proportion. I never like how he kept pushing you to be as horrible and entitled as possible.”
He chuckled. It was no secret she disapproved of Barron’s Machiavellian ways. “Don’t worry, Mom. I haven’t forgotten anything you taught me.”
“Good. But you’re going to bring her home soon? I want to see her.”
“We’ll have to see our schedule. She’s pretty busy. Besides, she’s pregnant.”