DESPERADO: LUST & POWER

REY'

without the rest of the family. The Mountain View restaurant, in the dry southern met

hink of, where deals were made and broken among the city's elite billionaires. It wasn't my father

mily business, entrusting the reins to my brother, Mark. He had been groom

to the company's affairs. That he invited me for dinner, without my mother, in t

fficult to concen

nths had passed since our chance encounter at a movie premier at Madison Square Garden, New Y

lanthropic work, I gladly attend these events to r

close; Mark often mentioned their get-togethers. However, bumping into Bethany at S

omantically involved with her. Bethany was nearly fifteen year

e were to be with someone, she would seek a younger and more adventurous youth rather than me. I lacked the charmi

g our family business was a natural choice; I couldn't imagine pursuing any other career. I thriv

nt to bed early, and firmly believed in principles of right

it to one of the movie theaters in Houston. But I never mustered the courage to do so. We had been

that?" my father's voice

ill be fine," I resp

know she will inherit everything when your moth

e you ill? Is Mom okay? I thought her condi

see that your first concern was for your mother and my we

nstilled in us the values of family and commitment, and being good people, rather than the amount of money in our bank accounts. That w

ut I'm relieved to know that

ied that it wa

d is at, as it is evidently not her

re you talking about?" I

Ryan are doing, as well as Mark and Susan. I coul

r? To discuss my love life?" I understood the d

I'm happy. I

one else, including you, to c

uld enhance them. Your siblings would undoubtedly agree that ha

that loving one person is unnecessary

, Kelvin, who had a medal for being a

u're even less inclined to date t

most responsible one among us, eve

ently from my siblings. Being a rather quiet guy, I never got involve