The Billionaire's Twins Play Matchmaker novel Chapter 19

Julius hurried to his car forcing himself to leave his family. It was getting harder to leave them not knowing if he would be allowed to return. His place was precarious and subject to Macey’s whim. After last night it was clear she still desired him. Yet her reluctance only heightened how much he hurt her. Would she let him stay fearing it might end badly again? He had to find some way to prove his intentions were true.

Sitting in his car he pulled out his phone glancing at March’s text message: Call me as soon as you get this. Sighing he hit the call button.

It rang once before March answered, “Finally! Where are you?”

“I’m still at the villa. I made the kids French Toast for breakfast.”

“…So you spent the night at the villa?”

“Yeah.”

“…Really? So, what happened?”

“Is that why you needed me to call you?” Julius ran a hand through his hair. He really didn’t want to discuss this over the phone.

“…No. It’s the Board.”

“What about them?”

“…I guess some articles about you and Macey and the kids came out in the papers.”

“Shit. And?”

“And they got pictures of you with the kids and the Board is panicking because they don’t know who the children are.”

“I fail to see how my life is any of their business.”

“Our stocks dropped a couple points after the story broke. Our family founded this company so our private lives are used to indicate the company’s stability. You know as well as I do that the stocks dropped after mom passed.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it,” Julius glanced at the villa. The last thing he needed was for Macey to be dragged into this situation. She was only just letting him back into her life he couldn’t let this jeopardize that. “Okay, call a Board meeting. I have to stop at my condo and then I’ll be in to deal with them.”

“I’ll let dad know.”

Julius sighed as he put away the phone. He looked to the villa again as he started his vehicle. A Board meeting was annoying but ultimately harmless. At least it had better be. He was not going to let anyone interfere with his family.

* * *

March knocked before entering his father’s office. Augustus glanced at him as he signed the papers Stephen handed him. Without a word March slumped in a chair and waited for his father to acknowledge him.

“Did you finally get a hold of your brother?” Augustus asked.

“Yeah.” March nodded. “He’s on his way in. He asked me to call a Board meeting. I don’t know what he’s planning to tell them but I assume he intends to put out the fire…or light a bigger one.”

Augustus grunted.

“He spent the night at the villa apparently,” March said.

Augustus’s mouth twitched before he could prevent it but he managed to hold back a smile. It seemed his son was a man of his word intent on seizing hold of this opportunity. Perhaps there was hope in convincing Macey to stay after all.

“You know those candids of him and the kids were actually pretty nice,” March said.

“You should contact the Eagle and see about buying them,” Augustus agreed.

“I doubt they’d take the pictures down.”

“I don’t care if they do or not I just think copies would be nice for the family album,” Augustus answered.

“Right.” March chuckled. The Board was in a panic over a few pictures and his father wanted copies. He checked his watch. There was over an hour before the meeting, time enough to get some work done. Excusing himself he retreated to his own office.

Augustus leaned back in his seat looking at the door. Without a word he took out his phone and called up the text message he received earlier that morning. In it was a picture of Julius and Macey asleep in each other’s arms and a brief message appeared under it: Phase Four complete.

He chuckled. His grandchildren were certainly audacious. Just what did they have planned for Phase Five?

* * *

At precisely eleven o’clock the Board gathered. They sat according to seniority with the older members closer to the end the DaLair patriarch and his sons occupied. Some of the senior members had been there since the company began. They knew Augustus DaLair for decades and still feared his wrath. The younger members did not have such experiences and usually dealt with the younger, more amicable brothers. They had forgotten to fear their employers. Augustus thought it was overdue to remind them.

The Board fell silent as the door opened. Augustus entered without a glance at those already seated. He walked with dignity despite his cane and took his seat like a king ascending his throne. March entered a few moments later taking his usual seat at his father’s right. Neither DaLair said a word as they waited for the one who called the meeting.

Almost a full minute went by before Julius finally entered. He carried a pair of photo albums as well as magazines recently purchased from a news stand. After a quick shower he decided how he was going to respond to the Board’s challenge. Though he occasionally wore polo shirts to work today he wore a suit looking every bit the professional for this confrontation.

“Stephen, stand by the door please,” Julius glanced at his father’s assistant. “No interruptions.”