Chapter 2
Q4
Lipstick had been swiped across lips, hair had been curled and pinned in place, and while the women had worked on fastening the clasps on their necklaces, he'd adjusted his cufflinks while he'd chatted with his father by the fire in his study.
Dresses had dragged as they'd descended the front staircase. The car had been pulled around twenty minutes ago as they'd waited for the final touches of makeup to be swiped across cheekbones, but now his father was the one dragging his feet.
"Two calls," he'd said. "Two calls and then we'll go."
Champagne had been popped as they stood around the counter.
Meredith tipped the bottle, pouring an equal amount into both of their glasses.
"Here's to our trust funds never running dry," she said. Her eyes sparkled as she took her glass by the stem.
"Never say never," he muttered.
Her lips pursed as she arched her left brow. "You could buy Canada if you really wanted to, Blake," she teased. "Though, with their economy, I don't know why'd you want to."
He laughed— it was nice seeing her so loose. She'd inherited the high blood pressure from their father, and though she hadn't taken to alcohol, she'd found her own bad habits to help deal with the stress.
The fourth-quarter earnings were being announced in the press tomorrow morning, but first tonight at a company dinner. Everyone, including his sister, was feeling more than a bit chipper.
When Meredith tapped her glass against his, he could do nothing but smile.
"To never having to work a day in our lives…" If they didn't want to, but they both knew they would. They were ambitious go-getters who didn't like to sit still for more than a minute.
They'd topped Wall Street expectations for the last seven years, but they'd shattered the ceiling this February. Shares were up, sales improved by nearly twenty percent, and the annual revenue would blow an ordinary person's mind.
They'd had more than twelve high-dollar acquisitions and divestitures. The mobile hydraulics sale had brought in billions… He thought he'd never seen his father happier.
Meredith refilled their glasses.
"Good, you two are dressed," their mother mumbled after she'd walked into the kitchen. "Your dad wants a picture before we leave."
Tonight would be filled with family photos.
"Won't we take plenty later?" Meredith asked.
They both leave their glasses behind to follow Mom.
"Dad wants one of the four of us at the house."
He wanted a new picture for the frame that sat in the center of his desk. It's what he'd been mumbling about as they'd waited for the girls in his office. And he knew his father preferred the lighting here than the dimmed ballroom.
"Have you reconsidered?" Mom asked as they arranged themselves in front of the fireplace.
Blake let out a breath.
Some of their family were flying out to HQ in Zurich tomorrow night, and Edie was pushing him to travel with them.
"Reconsidered what?" Meredith asked.
"Blake hasn't decided about coming with us."
Meredith leaned forward so she could see past their mom. "You're not going with them?"
He knew she'd be angry. She would be going herself, but she had college entrance tests scheduled that she couldn't miss.
Mom squeezed his shoulder. "Brussels, Rome, Munich." She smiled. "Three weeks away."
It did sound enticing, but he worried about getting behind on his schoolwork.
"I'll think about it."
His mother seemed satisfied.
"Invite Stella. You two would have a ball," she said as their father appeared.
"Happy fourth quarter everyone," Dad said as he took his place.