Slow Burn (Dynasties Seven Sins #7) - Janice Maynard Page 0,2

was languishing in federal custody. And he wanted to see his two oldest sons.

Oliver, their younger brother, had made the pilgrimage recently. It hadn’t gone well.

“We have to go, don’t we?” Jake said.

Josh shrugged. “He can’t make us.”

“On the other hand, telling him to go to hell might give us closure.”

His brother’s lips twitched. “You have a valid point.”

“I guess these last six months haven’t been easy for you after that damn reporter wrote an anniversary piece about the Black Crescent debacle. I didn’t see it until recently.”

Joshua’s smile broadened. “Actually, I have no complaints. I’m now engaged to that damn reporter.”

Jake’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? Why didn’t you tell me that when you called?”

“You and I hadn’t spoken in forever. I wanted to give you the news in person. We’re planning a wedding very soon. Sophie is great. You’ll like her. And you might as well know, she’s the one who encouraged me to resurrect my art career. That’s why I’m giving up the helm of Black Crescent.”

“That explains the CEO search. I was wondering why now.” If anybody deserved to follow his dreams, it was Josh. “I’m happy for you. What will happen to the company, though?”

Joshua didn’t answer immediately, because a waiter dropped off their appetizers. A few moments later, Josh drummed his fingers on the table, his unease palpable. “You’ve played the part of a dilettante well over the years. No one realized you were a financial wunderkind.” Joshua’s smile was wry.

Jake tried not to squirm. “Why would you say that?”

“I’ve been doing some digging, baby brother. You’re an uncannily successful day trader. Probably richer than I am. At the risk of insulting you, I’d say you’ve inherited some of Dad’s business savvy. But not his morals,” Josh said hastily.

Jake told himself not to overreact. “I’ve had some success,” he said mildly. “And I’m not your baby brother.”

Joshua stared at him, gaze clear, jaw firm. “I want you to take over Black Crescent.”

What? “Oh, no,” Jake said. “Oh, hell no.” His hand fisted on the table. “Surely, you have other possibilities.”

“We do, actually. I’ve been interviewing candidates for some time now. But I don’t know that any of them are exactly right.”

“Well, you’re dead wrong if you think I’m the man.”

“Maybe.” Joshua’s expression was hard to read.

“What about Oliver? I’m guessing he doesn’t want to give up his photography?” The youngest Lowell brother had been affected deeply by their father’s betrayal, perhaps even more than Josh and Jake. His anger and despair had led him into addiction. Fortunately, he’d been clean for a very long time now.

“Oliver is finally in a good place. Finding out Dad is alive has been hard for him. He’s dealing with a lot of the old anger. But he’s handling it well.”

Eventually, the meal came to an end and Joshua insisted on picking up the tab. A nice gesture, but unnecessary. Awkwardness returned.

Joshua frowned as he slid his credit card back into his billfold. “I need to talk to you about something important,” he said. “Something I didn’t want to say over the phone. But not here.”

“More important than the fact our father has returned from the dead?”

Jake expected at least a smile for his snarky question. But Joshua was serious. “Perhaps. How ’bout we walk while we talk?”

With his mind spinning, Jake followed his brother through the restaurant and outside onto the sidewalk. The air was crisp, though not unpleasant. It was early November. A few businesses had already begun to decorate for the holidays, getting a jump on the busiest season of the year.

For fifteen Decembers, Christmas had been a painful season for Jake, presumably for the rest of his family, too. It was a reminder of all he had lost. The memories of happy times with the Lowell family of five gathered around the tree had faded beyond repair. In the golden years of Jake’s childhood, there had been spectacular gifts: ponies, guitars, racing bikes. Everything a kid could want.

And then it was all gone. Even worse, other families, innocent families, had been hurt. Jake and his siblings and his mother had been innocent, too, but no one had wanted to believe that. They were vilified, scorned. Hated.

Jake hunched his shoulders in his jacket and matched his brother’s stride as they set off down the street. He didn’t want to think about the bad times, but the memories clung to him like cobwebs. There was no peace to be had in Falling Brook.

Even so, it felt good to get