Love Me Forever. Serenity King

he said, opening his eyes and looking at his brother.

      “I can see why Tempest’s sons decided to become doctors. Their father is great at giving business advice and helping others, but he sure as hell didn’t apply any of that knowledge to his own corporate dealings.”

      “You’re right about that. To be fair, everything was running well for a long while. I can’t point my finger to exactly where it all began to unravel, other than when he took ill. But I still say something else had to have been happening on the inside. We need Brice to bring us up to speed on the most recent financials. The ones I’m looking at now are horrid.” Jarred ran his hands across his face once more. Work had always given him a sense of fulfillment, but now he just felt burdened by it all. He needed something different. What, he wasn’t sure. And he had no time to figure it out.

      Langston’s reply caught his attention. “Well, good luck with that. Brice told Dad from the very start not to take over this business. Not only did Dad not listen to him, but he went off and retired to some faraway place.” He threw up his hands in frustration.

      “Please, don’t get me started on that.” Jarred snorted. “Dad hadn’t lived in his hometown since he was a kid, and then boom, he suddenly got a ‘hankering’ to return.” He shook his head and rested it against his chair again.

      Jarred could feel Langston eyeing him. “You’re unusually quiet. What’s wrong?”

      He pinned his brother with a look. “How am I quiet if I’m talking to you?”

      “You know what I mean. No ranting?”

      He shrugged. “I’ve been venting all week. Trust me, it hasn’t been pretty. Shelley has suddenly decided to take a leave of absence,” Jarred grunted. Shelley, his assistant, had been working for him for only a short time, but had worked for Manning Enterprises for a few years.

      Langston chuckled. “That bad, huh?”

      “Apparently.”

      “You’re not exactly known for your decorum, Jarred. I’m surprised she hasn’t left sooner. I hope you know she’s probably looking for another position.” Langston chuckled again.

      “Brice slept with her. I’m sure of it. Shelley’s pissed because according to her, ‘He’s ignoring me,’” Jarred mimicked, and then scowled. He haphazardly moved things around on his desk. Still annoyed, he tossed a single piece of paper across the top. It landed on the floor, which sent Langston into a fit of laughter.

      “Now that’s more like the Jarred I know.”

      “What am I supposed to do, Langston? I’m his brother, not his damn keeper. Although at the rate he’s going, he clearly needs a caretaker or something.”

      Brice was a serial dater. His nonchalant ways with women were surely going to come back to haunt him one day. Jarred didn’t think his baby brother had ever been in a serious relationship, though there was that one time after college when Brice had been unusually snarly and impossible to live with. Jarred assumed a woman was the reason. At their parents’ twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Brice had brought one woman to the party, left and come back with another. That little stint hadn’t gone over well with their mother. Delores “Dee” Manning had read Brice the riot act. Brice had looked contrite and vowed never to disrespect the family like that again. His brother still dated a lot of women, he just never brought them around the family, and, as he put it, never to his place.

      Langston leaned back in his chair. “Brice swears he’s never slept with Shelley. Only took her out a few times. She wanted a relationship, and according to our brother, that was out of the question. I keep telling him that if he continues to play with women like this, it’s going to come back and bite him on the ass.” Langston took a deep breath. “We both need a break from here for a little while. You’re just so wrapped up in this business you can’t see the forest for the trees. All of it will be here on Monday, ready and waiting for us. Let’s go somewhere where there’s good food, live entertainment and relaxation.”

      “And where would that be?” Jarred furrowed his brow, and a huge smile covered Langston’s face.

      “What?” Jarred questioned.

      “I know this great spot. It’s in Jersey and it’s perfect! Each night there’s something different going on—from spoken word, to live bands, to solo artists, you name it. A classy place, too. A relaxing atmosphere all around,” Langston said.

      “The last time you took me to a place that supposedly had a nice atmosphere, I was looking for someone to hand me some flowers and a pamphlet, and point me to a cabbage, claiming it to be the Chosen One,” Jarred mocked, rolling his eyes and making a face.

      “It was a retreat that focused on getting in touch with oneself. Everyone hugged. It was supposedly a way of being respectful and free.” Langston chuckled. “Besides, I was in college, bro. Different values and ideals back then,” he explained. “You’re never going to let me forget it, are you?”

      “No, never.” Jarred glared at him. In retrospect, the place really wasn’t that bad; he just liked to give his brother a hard time. Although back then he really did think Langston was into some kind of cult. No doubt thanks to that girl he was dating, who was, in Jarred’s opinion, weird.

      “Come on, Jarred, it will be good for you to get away from this office. When was the last time you went out and had fun? I know you don’t like the club scene, but you need to get free from this place for a while. The only thing you do is work. As a matter of fact, when was the last time you went out on a date?”

      “I’ve gone out on dates, Langston,” he grumbled, lowering his head to avoid eye contact. The truth of the matter was ever since his ex-fiancée, Lainey, ran out on him and eloped with someone he thought was a close friend, Jarred hadn’t any trust in the opposite sex. That was two years ago. The sting of betrayal still lingered.

      Jarred and Lainey had dated on and off all through college. They’d parted when Lainey went abroad for her graduate studies and he had gone on to law school, but then reconnected upon her return to the States. To him it was as if they’d never separated. They got engaged and were planning a life together. He thought they had the same aspirations for their future. Evidently not, he found out, when Lainey left him with an empty house and a brief note. Apparently she was in love with their mutual friend Braxton—the man she eloped with.

      “Snap out of it, Jarred,” Langston said, no doubt seeing him lapse into a trip down memory lane. “You get an itch, you scratch it and then move on. Since Lainey left, you’ve never gone out with the same woman twice. Anyway, this is not about dating—it’s about you not running yourself into the ground with work. Take a break,” he pleaded. “I promise this place is great, and you’ll have a good time.”

      “How did you find it?”

      “Brice,” Langston murmured, and lowered his head.

      “Hell, no!” Jarred said emphatically. “I know you didn’t just try to convince me to go somewhere based on our brother’s recommendation.”

      “It’s not his recommendation. I’ve been there and it’s cool. Trust me.”

      Jarred sighed heavily. He really didn’t feel like being bothered tonight. He would’ve preferred a hot meal, some relaxing jazz music and maybe catching a basketball game on television.

      “If this is one of those touchy-feely places, I’m going to kick your ass,” Jarred said.

      “You and what army are going to kick my ass?” Langston sniffed.

      “The army of left and right,” Jarred said, balling his hands into fists and lifting them one at a time.

      “Whatever. Lock up. I’ll meet you at the elevators downstairs. I need to collect my briefcase and jacket.” Langston stood and walked to the door.

      “I’m going to give Brice a call before I leave, so give me about ten to fifteen minutes.” Jarred settled back