When Doug dropped me off at my parents’ house, I immediately went to find my mother. She was in the study with my father. They were looking over some sort of paperwork.
“Oh Devin, good you’re home. Will you be here for dinner?”
I nodded. I’d give them the evening before I rushed off to Europe and then out to my own place. “Yes, I’ll be here, but I’m leaving tomorrow for Paris for a few days, and while there, I’m also going to London and Dublin.”
“Is there an issue?” my father asked.
“They want me to tour the new club location, and I figured I’d make the rounds while there.”
My father inhaled an annoyed breath. “We really don’t need another club. Not in Paris, not in New York either. I know you’ve been looking into it.”
“It’s not a secret that I’m planning a club in New York. Bri is working on it with me.”
“She is?” My mother’s brows furrowed. I wasn’t sure if she was surprised or concerned by that news.
“Yes.”
“Soon you’re going to be too old, too settled for clubs. You need to let them go,” my father stood and went to the liquor cabinet.
“I’m twenty-eight, hardly too old. And as far as being settled, what will it take for you to believe me when I tell you Evie and I aren’t getting married. Not now. Not ever.”
My mother stiffened. “You’ve had your fun long enough, Devin.”
“What year is this, mother? You don’t have a say in who I marry.”
“Of course, we do,” she said. “At least if you plan to run the Roarke business.”
I looked from her to my dad. “Are you saying that if I don’t marry Evie you’re going to disinherit me?” The prospect startled me, and I wondered what I would do without my family money. I had some of my own money as I invested well, but I didn’t have the vast fortune my father did. On the other hand, the idea of totally being free and clear of my duty and obligation held a certain appeal.
“It’s not like that,” my father said, pouring himself a shot of bourbon with a bit of water. “But it’s high time you get serious about your life.”
“First, I’m serious about my work, you know it’s true. Second, what I do out of work isn’t any of your business.”
“We have a family name to protect,” my mother said. “You don’t seem to realize your playboy ways have consequences.”
I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. “So the family name is more important than my happiness?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course not, but you and Evie—”
“We’re friends. She doesn’t want to marry me.”
“She’ll come around—”
“She’ll be miserable and I would be too. Is that what you want? Why is it misery and infidelity are okay with your antiquated aristocrat ways, but marrying for love and happiness isn’t. This is all bullshit.”
“Watch your mouth and tone, son,” my father warned.
I held my hands up. “I’m not marrying Evie. I’ll pack my things and move out now. I’ll let Bri know that she’s the family’s last hope at maintaining the Roarke legacy.”
“Stop being so melodramatic,” my father shook his head as he looked from me to my mother. “No one is disowning you, Devin. Really, Katherine, you need to let this thing with Evelyn go. There are plenty of other suitable women out there.”
She sucked in a breath, but before she could respond, my father turned his attention to me. “And you need to stop playing playboy businessman and get serious. You want to be the big man? Then start focusing on the Roarke business and give up all this club nonsense.”
I glanced at my mother and knew she wasn’t going to give in on the Evie marriage. I knew I wasn’t going to give in on the clubs. They were successful, and catered to the next generation of Roarke customers.
“I’m going to Paris. When I get back, I’m moving into my own place and working with Bri on a new club, while simultaneously managing current Roarke properties. I did it in Europe, I can do it here. If you don’t like it, fire me now.” I waited for a second, my breath stuck in my chest as I wondered if my father would call me on my ultimatum.
“You can’t just—”