9781631054631ChoiceAffairsSalisbury Read Online Free

mother at
a distance.
    Which
reminds me of the other unpleasant task I must deal with—my brother, Anthony.
    Our original plan had
been to have the rehearsal dinner at his restaurant on Lake Lanier. But as
usual, he ha d to go and leak everything to the press.
    Since he didn’t answer
his phone, I left a message informing him of the change of plans. And made sure to include the fact that he
was no longer invited to this evening’s affair.
    Not so long after, he
stormed down to my office at Choice Enterprises,
barging in, acting like a stark raving fool. Of course, he wasn’t happy and
clearly wanted to make sure I heard about it directly from him. Sometimes, I
swear he and Susan could be siblings. They’re so much alike and so over-dramatic.
    “What the hell do you
mean, leaving me a message telling me you’re not only cancelling the dinner at
my restaurant, but that you’re uninviting me? Me? Your best man? What in the hell is going on here,
Apolo?”
    “You know exactly why,
Tony. Don ’t play your games with me.”
    “Games? You know your problem, Apolo?”
    I sighed, knowing what
was coming. Insolent twerp. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me. Whether I want to hear or not.”
    “You think you’re
above everyone else. You think you can snap your fin gers
and everyone bows to you or submits to your every command. You’re a rich,
selfish bastard.”
    “Am I now? I don’t
recall hearing that pass your lips when I’ve helped you on one of your many
endeavors. You had your hands out greedily, as I remember.”
    “You refused to help finance the restaurant. You forced me to
go to other sources.”
    “I refused, Tony,
because you are reckless with my money and never repay your debts. End of
subject. So, now you think you’re going to sell out details of my wedding to
the highest bidder? Just like Caitlyn’s mother? No,
it stops now.”
    “You know, Apolo, one
of these days, your high and mighty attitude is going to kick you in the butt.
Right when you least expect it.”
    I sat back in my
leather swivel chair, eyeing him closely. “Is that a
threat brother?”
    “Consider it a
warning.”
    “Then, you don’t know
me as well as you think, Anthony. Two things I don’t take to are extortion and
blackmail. You’d be very wise to remember that.”
    “Is that a threat,
Apolo?”
    “Heavens,
no! Just a piece of
brotherly advice.”
    “Someone needs to
knock you down off your high horse, brother.”
    “You tried once,
remember?”
    “So you say.”
    “Anthony, I don’t have
time to sit here and bicker with you. Grow up. Make something of yourself. But
don’t do it on my back, o r our wedding. Do we
understand each other?”
    I turned to face the
windows, hoping he would understand that I was dismissing him. What was it with
him? He’s always thought that he should get a free ride. Never once had he
shown the initiative to do anything that required the
least little bit of hard work. He’s always had his hand out.
    After he had been
kicked out of officer training, our father had at least seen the light and cut
him off. But then, he only turned to me. I had helped him out with a few ventur es. Things that on paper, and if he’d applied himself and
worked at, would have probably turned out successfully. But he had wanted to
party instead.
    When he had come to me
with the idea of this California-style restaurant on the banks of Lake Lanier,
I ha d thought it was doable. But restaurants are a
very risky venture. Few survive the first year, let alone the first five. That
reason alone is why I’ve never ventured into the business myself. Anthony knew
that, but hadn’t liked it when I had refused to fin ance
his latest scheme. Which was his
problem, not mine.
    He was still standing
behind me. I could feel him seething at being shut down. Slowly, I turned to
face him and dismiss him, once and for all.
    “You’re still here? Is
there something else you needed t o discuss, or did I
not make myself