5. VELVET RINGS

JEFFREY'S POV

My mention of Ashley being involved with anyone caused my father to shoot me a glare. As the youngest and only daughter, she received more support from our parents than the rest of us. My father never liked to think of her with any man, even the one she eventually married.

"Leave Ashley out of this. You haven't dated in your entire life. Now tell me, how does that make up responsibility?" my father questioned.

"I believe that's the textbook definition of responsibility," I countered.

"You're boring," my father muttered.

"Boring? Is that how you see me? Thanks," I replied, shaking my head.

I averted my gaze, only to catch sight of movement at the bar. For an instant, I thought I saw Bethany sitting there, but I knew my eyes were merely playing tricks on me, showing me what I desperately wanted to see.

Reluctantly, I had to admit that my father was right. While Mark and Kelvin had no qualms about casual encounters and preferred not to involve themselves emotionally, I had never been like that. I was someone who cherished being in a committed relationship. If I were with a woman, it was because I really wanted to be with her. I failed to comprehend the appeal of spending an evening with someone and then never speaking to them again. It simply wasn't who I was, despite my brothers' attempts to change my mindset. As my father had remarked, it made me look odd.

My lack of being involved in a romantic relationship was not due to lack of interest in it, but because there was only one woman I truly desired to be with. If I couldn't be with her, I didn't want to be with anyone else.

It was foolish, and deep down, I knew it. If I genuinely wished to be with Bethany, I had to make it happen. There simply had never been the right moment or circumstances to ask her out. Something was always transpiring in my life, whether it be related to business or my family, and I never had the slightest time I could devote to her.

During our last encounter at Madison Square Garden, we had discussed how busy she was with her PhD program, and I knew it wasn't the right time to make a move. However, hearing that she was on the verge of completing her studies and might have more free time made me think that she might consider dating me. I just needed to find the perfect moment to ask her out.

"Perhaps 'boring' isn't the right word. 'Cautious' might be more accurate. Typically, it's the younger siblings who learn from the mistakes of their elders, not the other way around," my father mused.

"Nothing in this family has ever adhered to the norm, wouldn't you agree?" I remarked.

My father chuckled, affectionately placing his hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied.

"No, you wouldn't. Considering you enjoy orchestrating every aspect of our family's life," I teased.

"I do not," he denied, although even he seemed unconvinced by his words.

"Really? Like when you tried to stop Susan and Mark from seeing each other or intimidated Ryan into proposing to Ashley?" I pressed.

"Ryan intended to propose; he just needed a nudge to know we welcomed him into the family," he explained.

"He was a man we had never met who whisked our little sister away to an unknown location without our knowledge. Pardon me for not being overly receptive to embracing him into the fold. If I recall correctly, you weren't either, at first," I retorted.

"Your mother and I weren't certain if he was the right man for Ashley. We were merely looking out for her and doing what we believed was in her best interest. That's what we have always done and will continue to do for all our children," my father clarified.

"I know, Dad. We appreciate it. We understand your intentions are good, even if they stem from a somewhat overbearing place," I acknowledged.

"Somewhat?" He raised an eyebrow.

"We're all doing fine. You just need to learn to trust us and let us be," I requested.

My father erupted into laughter, attracting a few glances from those around us.

"There is nothing you could ask of me I wouldn't do, as long as it's within my power. However, understand this: I have never, and will never, let you or your siblings face life's challenges alone," my father declared.

While speaking, his gaze locked with mine, conveying his seriousness. My father was a stern man, disciplined and demanding, but he also possessed love and had always raised us with more affection than strictness. There were moments like this when his seriousness was palpable.

"Alright, please enlighten me why you've brought me here tonight and what the true purpose of this meeting is," I questioned.

"Can't a father simply desire to have a pleasant dinner with his son, one-on-one?" he replied.

"Yes, I would really appreciate that. However, you've never done that with any of your children before, so why start now with me?" I inquired.

"Allow me to explain. Mark and Ashley have found their own paths, and both are determined to explore every corner of the world," my father explained.

"Ashley has an unquenchable wanderlust, which has been with her since before her time in Paris. I believe the experience only fueled it. She possesses an inquisitive nature and a love for discovering new things. I find it admirable," I acknowledged.

"Unlike you, who has never ventured beyond the borders of Texas, except for a few family vacations," my father commented.

"I willingly accompanied the family on those vacations. I simply don't see the appeal of leaving Texas when everything I desire is right here," I responded.

"Is it truly everything?" he questioned.

"Yes. My family is here, and I cherish them most of the time. I have a job that I genuinely enjoy, working for a company that I hold in high regard and wish to help flourish. There's an abundance of culture and activities to keep me engaged, along with good friends whom I genuinely enjoy spending time with. What more could a man ask for?" I asked rhetorically.

"Love," he replied.

"Are we back on that topic? I'm content. Just because your two youngest children are settled, as you like to put it, doesn't mean you need to worry about me," I asserted.

"You're too engrossed in your life, career, and what you believe brings you happiness that you cannot recognize what could truly make you happy," he explained.

"Thank you for your concern, father, but it's unnecessary," I reassured him.

"Are you certain? Isn't there anything or anyone that you desire in your life, someone who could make things just that much more fulfilling?" he pressed.

At that moment, Bethany immediately crossed my mind. She was the one thing, the only thing, that I truly wanted. If she were a significant part of my life, more than a passing acquaintance, my life would be not just good, but perfect.

"It doesn't matter, Dad," I confessed.

"No, son, it matters a great deal. If you're not careful, you might miss out on the one thing that you want and need the most in your life," he warned.

As he spoke, his gaze wasn't directed at me. Instead, his eyes were fixed on something just over my shoulder. Intrigued, I followed his line of sight, and my breath hitched in my throat. It was as if my father had conjured her up, for there sat Bethany Harris at the bar, accompanied by the person I had initially assumed was her ex-boyfriend, but apparently was her current partner, Harry Hartford