Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Refuse to Settle (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

completely dry. “Dad.” He coughed and tossed the half-eaten cookie in the trash. “What are you doing here?”
    “Thought I’d check up on you. I haven’t heard from you all week. No one has.”
    “I’ve been busy. Here. Working with my team.”
    “I can tell.” The man eyed his son’s grungy attire. “I will never understand why you’re drawn to this.”
    “And you don’t need to.” Colin brushed past him and into the garage.
    “That’s fine. Get it out of your system now. In a few years, when I’m ready to retire, you’ll take over for me at Rutherford Enterprises and leave this behind.”
    Over the last week, Colin had spent every waking moment at the shop with his guys, learning from them, helping them. He was exhausted, but it felt good to build something from nothing. To be a part of the team, not just the guy whose name was on the paychecks. And he wasn’t sure anymore if he wanted to be the one in charge at Rutherford, spending his days in board meetings and wooing investors.
    He turned toward his father. “I’m needed here.”
    “You’re doing well. I’ve seen the financial reports. You can afford to hire someone to manage the place.”
    “I don’t want to hire someone. I enjoy being here.”
    His father shook his head. “You’ve always been like this. But you’re not a kid anymore. You need to get your head out of the clouds and prepare for your future. The future I worked hard for. And your grandfather and great-grandfather before me. This is your legacy. This silly car shop was a fun distraction, but you need to get serious.”
    Colin didn’t bother arguing any further. He wouldn’t win.
    “The Rutherford Gala is Saturday. You’re bringing a date, correct?”
    “Probably not.”
    “You need to. It looks bad to investors if you don’t.”
    “I don’t care about investors. I’m not dating anyone right now and I’m not going to just grab any woman off the street.”
    “You don’t need to do that. I’m sure there’s a plethora of available women your mother can set you up with.”
    Been there. Done that. He wasn’t interested in high-society debutantes who only wanted him for his money and social status. “No thanks.” Colin stepped to the counter, picked up a rag, and began wiping grease off of a crankshaft.
    “Oh! I have the perfect girl for you. Richard Hinskin, one of the Board of Directors, has a daughter. Sophia, I believe?”
    He knew who she was. He’d seen her at several Rutherford events over the last couple years. “Dad, she’s what, twenty-two at the most? I’m thirty-four.”
    He shrugged. “So. I’m ten years older than your mother.” He checked his watch. “I need to go. But think about it.”
    Colin Rutherford III didn’t give him a chance to protest further. Typical. Which was fine with him. His father was gone and he could get back to what actually made him happy.
     
    *   *   *
     
    “So did the asshole ever show today?” Charlene asked as she and Jilly lounged on their couch with bad reality TV and frozen treats: regular ice cream for Charlene, the non-dairy stuff for Jilly.
    “Yeah. Two minutes before I was locking the door.”
    “And?”
    “He was his normal asshole self.”
    “You seem surprised.”
    Jilly took another scoop of chocolate and caramel brownie goodness. “A little, I guess. I felt bad because I thought I misjudged him. And maybe I did, to some degree, but he’s still an asshole. I apologized and everything and he didn’t even care.”
    “Poor little rich boy got a bruise on his ego so now he needs to pout.”
    “Exactly.”
    The girls continued to dig into their ice cream, but Jilly couldn’t get the look on Colin’s face out of her head. He said he was tired and he looked it. Tired in general, or tired of her? Was there more to it?
    “You like him,” Charlene declared.
    Jilly met her stare. “What? No. I mean, yeah…he’s hot, but no.”
    Charlene rolled her eyes. “Okay. Whatever.”
    “No