I kicked into a different gear when I saw Preston’s name on the screen. I had to take care of business. I stood to answer the phone without even thinking. Once he told me there were problems with the deal, I knew it would provide a distraction from what was happening. I went to tell Mom that I was stepping out for a bit, but I’d come back as soon as I could. Dad was still sleeping. I looked worriedly at him as I approached the bed where she sat with him.
“Preston called,” I said. “I have to have a quick meeting wit
h him, and I’ll be back soon.”
“You’re leaving?” she asked in shock.
I knelt to kiss her hair. “I called a cardiologist from New York, and he’ll be here soon, Mom. He’s going to look over all of Dad’s charts and see what can be done.”
She gave me a confused look. It was obvious that she was crying and emotionally drained, but I needed to get out of here.
“How?” she asked.
“It’s a favor, Mom. The doctors here know the specialist is on the way. They’ll bring him right back once he gets here.”
Instead of looking relieved, she looked disappointed. I stood and told her to call me as soon as anything changed. Then, I turned to leave the small room. I felt claustrophobic in there and needed some fresh air. I needed to think about something else. I just needed to get Rebecca settled.
I frowned when I thought about her face as I took the phone call. She wasn’t going to be happy, but I could fix the deal. I had control of that. I felt helpless otherwise, just sitting in the waiting room fearing the worst.
I got her home, noticing her clear disappointment in me. We’d been having a moment before the call, but I couldn’t throw all my hard work out the window. Rebecca got out of the car quietly and walked up to her door before I jerked from the curb and headed to Preston’s hotel.
“I’m so sorry that I called when you have a family emergency,” Preston said the moment he opened his door.
“It’s fine. I needed to get away, anyway. It’s stifling in that place.” I walked to the table and sat, rapping my hands on the table. “What’s happening, Preston?”
“It’s falling apart, Austin. I tried to talk to them, but everyone wants to speak to you in person.” I looked at him. “They want you there. They won’t even accept a phone call or video call. Nothing.” His face looked serious, and I ran a hand through my already messy hair.
“When?” It was just one word, but I knew that it might shift everything that was happening in my world right now.
“As soon as you can. It will be a series of flights to get there, and there are threats of them dropping the entire deal.” His delivery was soft, and I saw the worry in his eyes.
“Fuck,” I cursed and dropped my head in my hands. “There’s no other way?”
“It gets worse. You might be there for weeks, if not longer.”
I groaned, and he looked at me with sympathy. “Damn it,” I said. “I can’t lose this deal, Preston.” I felt anger at feeling helpless again. I knew I needed to make the right choice.
“I don’t want to intrude in your business, Austin. You have a lot going on right now, though. Perhaps you should drop this deal and stay in Texas with your family. There will always be another deal.”
I raised my head to glare at him, anger flaring inside me. I stood and paced around the room.
“I worked my ass off for this deal, Preston. I put my heart and soul into it. Nobody in the company cares about this like I do, nor would they drop everything for it.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Exactly,” he said as I stared at him. “They might have the right idea, Austin. It’s Christmas.”
“This deal is the biggest one in the investment world, Preston. It was on the local news, for fuck's sake. I don’t want someone else to get it. Think about what I can make and all of the change I can bring about with that money.” He just kept looking at me. “I can change the world with that money, Preston.”
“Do you have to do that, Austin?”
He didn’t see my point at all, and I needed him to. “Nobody else would bail on a holiday, but there aren’t any holidays in the world of business.”
“There’s more to life than business and money, Austin. Your father is in the hospital, and your mom is there alone with him. You’re all she’s got right now. Why do you have to leave them for this damn deal?” Even Preston looked disappointed in me today.
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I can’t help him, Preston. I have the doctor from New York coming. You know, the one we supported a while back. He’s going to look over everything in my father’s file. That’s all I can do for him. And I can at least control this fucking deal and save that.”
He sat down in front of his computer. “I just don’t want you to regret this choice, Austin. I think that your family needs you.” He didn’t look at me.
I sighed. Didn’t he know that I knew that? I didn’t want to leave my parents or Rebecca, but this was my job. I did everything I could here with the doctor, but they should understand that I needed to handle this situation.