Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Chapter Two
DASH
“Why am I doing this?” I say more to myself than to Geoff as I lower my head on my desk.
“Because your mother is desperate for a grandchild, and you need an heir to keep the family business, or otherwise it goes to your loser cousin who is exactly one week older than you and completely unqualified.”
I look up from my desk to glare at my personal assistant. He’s been with me over ten years and he knows what he can and can't get away with. He beams at me like he’s enjoying my pain—and he just might be.
“Your great-grandfather did a number on the family fortune when he made it so the company could only be left to the oldest son as long as they had an heir by the time they were thirty.” Geoff shakes his head and blows out a breath. “And to think your father and grandfather thought this was a good idea…it’s just archaic.”
“Tell me about it,” I groan.
“Well, they did make the family fortune off breeding and racing horses, so I’m not sure they’re on moral high ground to begin with.” He shrugs as he walks to the other side of my office while scanning his tablet. “You’ve got reservations in half an hour, so I’m going to let the driver know you’ll be downstairs in ten.”
I know that all those zeros in my trust fund weren’t obtained by exactly desirable means, but since I’ve taken control, I’ve built my family's company into something we can be proud of.
My father passed away last year and that’s when my cousin Josh started putting pressure on the family trust. He knows that if I don’t have an heir by my thirtieth birthday, he gets to take over. It’s a bullshit rule my dad always joked about, and he said he would take it out.
Little did we know he would drop dead of a heart attack, leaving behind my mother and that stupid rule. My cousin, who is married with two kids already with one on the way, made it clear that he was counting down the days until he could take control of Belmont. He also knows that the head of Belmont receives a sizable trust on their thirtieth birthday and I know that’s what’s truly motivating him.
He has no experience and even less brains, but there’s only the two of us, so I don’t have many options. My team of lawyers have been at this non-stop for the past year and the clause is airtight. I don’t have to be married, but I do have to have a baby before my birthday, which is in exactly ten months.
It’s harder than you think to find a woman to impregnate, especially one that doesn’t want a lot of money in exchange. It’s not the money I’m worried about, but that’s not exactly the kind of mother I want for my child.
I sigh again as I push away from my desk and grab my phone. I glare down at the alert from that stupid dating app telling me there are more singles in my area. I’ve also got a text message from my mom with baby emojis and pink hearts. She knows what kind of pressure I’m under, but she’s really enjoying this far too much.
“Just remember to keep an open mind,” Geoff says as he walks over and straightens my tie. “You don’t have to be the grouchy asshole that everyone else sees. Be the grouchy asshole you save just for me.” He smiles brightly and I grumble as I walk toward the elevator.
“Have I not fired you yet?”
He pretends to think about it. “Not today.”
The elevator opens and I step inside. “Add that to my to-do list.”
“You could never get someone as charming as me to put up with you.” He puts out his hand to keep the doors from closing. “I’m serious, Dash, be nice and try to put forth an effort. We’re all running out of time.”
With that, he lets go and the doors close automatically. The weight of what I’ve built and the employees I’ve brought into this rests on my shoulders. I don’t want to meet another woman that I have absolutely nothing in common with and spend an hour trying to get away from. But for my mother and Geoff, I will try.
Goddamn it, I have to.
My driver is at the curb with the door open and I slide inside. I text my mother back to mind her business and she sends me a video on how to pick up women. I swear to god, whoever showed her how to use YouTube is fired.
I check the dating app to remind myself who it is I’m going on a date with tonight. It’s someone named Brooklyn, but the picture is just of a sunflower. How the hell I agreed to this to begin with is beyond me, but when I look back at our exchange there wasn’t much said. I asked her to dinner and she said yes. The end.