It was back with Architech—the company that no longer was ours.
“I’m going to give him a call,” I said.
“Jeremy? Why? The deal is done.”
With the final payment, we had seventy-two hours to change our mind. “It is, but if Venus is willing to keep some employees, I want to be one of them.”
“You what? You want to be an employee of the company you owned?”
“No, I want to work for Venus and stay in control of the company we built from the ground up.” Looking around at the expensive furnishing of this posh resort, I added, “I’m too young to be traveling the world. I’m feeling fucking useless without something to do. Pokémon can’t fill my days and nights.” That was more of a dig at Colt. I played, but not like he and his wife did. Going out to dinner with them was constantly a search for gyms, characters, or battles.
“Do something else, CJ,” Colton said. “Haven’t you heard, nine-to-five jobs were invented for boomers? Hell, you’ve always been good at investing. Spend your days researching the markets and day trade. Or better yet, go down to the pool and meet a girl.”
A girl.
Colton was married. That wasn’t for me. My new goal was to stay with our technology and make sure it didn’t get fucked up. The mattress bounced as I flopped onto the large bed and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m an asset to Venus. No one knows our work better than the two of us.”
“Spend the week relaxing. You remember how to do that, right?”
“I should have brought someone along. Going from working twenty-four seven to having nothing but free time is making my skin crawl.”
“Devon and I would have joined you.”
A smile curls my lips. “That would be great. I love being the third wheel.” I had nothing against Devon, my sister-in-law. I liked that she and Colton have been together since college, when our start-up was just a passion.
Yeah, having money meant I’d never know if a woman liked me or my bank account. I sure fucked up on finding someone early on like Colton did. Ripe old age of thirty-one.
“Stop acting like a loser,” he said. “You’re young, in great shape, and have unlimited funds. Spend this week soaking up the sun and meeting some ladies. Next week you can call Jeremy if you still want to become employed by Venus.”
“Are you skimming some of the third installment? What’s with all these compliments?”
“You basically quit living or doing anything besides Architech since your junior year at OSU. I had a few more years before we both were buried in work. And yeah, I have Devon. I love what you and I accomplished. I also feel guilty. Go find a life even if it’s only for a week.”
Turning my head toward the glass doors, I realized my older brother might be right. I could do this. I could learn to relax for one week, and after that, it would be back to work. “Okay, I’m hanging up before you start singing or some shit.”
Colton laughed. “That will be you at the pool bar.”
“Fine. Give Devon my love.”
“Text now and then, CJ. Mom’s worried about you being alone in Mexico. She’s sure you’re in mortal danger.”
“This place is secure. It’s one of their taglines. That means it’s true, right?”
“Sounds legit.”
“Bye.”
After disconnecting the call, I stood and walked back onto the balcony. Looking back down at the pool, I spotted multiple empty lounges.
“You’re in Cancún at one of the best resorts,” I mumbled to myself. “Stop whining about selling the company and maybe after a week, things will look different.” I wasn’t certain if I was continuing Colton’s pep talk, or if I was trying to convince myself. Either way, I pulled my t-shirt over my head and dropped trou. Stepping out of my shorts and kicking my canvas loafers to the side, I searched for my suitcase.
“Well, shit.”
I realized it was still in the living area. Completely nude, I went on a search for my bag.
“Oh,” a woman in a hotel uniform said as her eyes widened and she spun away. “I’m sorry, sir.”
“Shit,” I stuttered. “I didn’t hear you.”
“I’m filling your refrigerator.” She turned back with pink in her cheeks and her eyes everywhere but on me, well, all of me. “I’ll go.”
A laugh bubbled up from my throat like I couldn’t recall laughing in too long. “I’m grabbing my suitcase. Finish what you need to do. No sense leaving now.”
“Sí.”
Shaking my head, I made my way with my suitcase back into the bedroom and soon had on my swimming trunks and sandals. I’d thrown a few things together at the last minute before leaving my apartment. I’d need to buy some sunscreen in one of the shops.
Placing a baseball cap on my head, I grabbed a two-hundred pesos bill from my wallet, before tossing my wallet into a bag with my towel. On my way out, I laid the two hundred on the counter near the woman. When she turned my way, my smile grew. “This is for you. Sorry for the show.”
“Oh no, seńor. This is my job.”
“Please.”
She bashfully looked my way as she reached for the cash. “I’ll make more noise next time.”
Leaving the room, I couldn’t help but wonder if parading around naked would be the highlight of my vacation or if it was only the start.
Colt wanted me to relax.
Sun and a cool drink were next on my agenda.
Chapter Four
Lena
Three weeks ago
My wide-brimmed hat shaded my face, and my dark sunglasses covered my tired eyes. Escaping to a Mexican resort wasn’t something I normally did, especially not all alone. In reality, I wasn’t alone. My security detail was nearby. This trip I had two bodyguards along with me. The resort where Gigi, my assistant, had booked a week’s stay was one of the best along the coast. Secluded with all the amenities that an all-inclusive resort had to offer, including its boast of safety.
That was the point of this getaway, to get away, incognito, and try to relax.
There were too many balls currently in the air both personally and professionally. After the recent security issues, I was convinced to fly below the radar. And after completing a recent acquisition, I agreed to lie low—if only for a short reprieve.
The e-reader in my hand had gone dark.
Concentrating on anything was currently out of my wheelhouse. It was difficult to submerse myself in fiction when reality was like a marathon of The Twilight Zone. Closing my eyes, I rested my head back against the chair and took a mental inventory.
Jeremy, my assistant turned business partner sent me a text to let me know that the final installment had been made to Architech, the company Venus Holdings acquired.
That meant in three days the deal would be done. There was no turning back on the sellers’ part. I felt my smile as I thought about the possibilities for this relatively new technology. Truly, I’d gotten Architech for less than I anticipated. It was Jeremy’s idea to offer the retention of some of the employees for a trial period. Since I didn’t attend any of the meetings, I trusted Jeremy’s gut. He’d met, face-to-face, the founders of Architech—two brothers with the surname of Thompson—and claimed they were stand-up guys who cared about their employees.