Page 4 of Naughty Heart

The silenced stretched between us. This was far more serious than I had anticipated.

“You graduated from college four years ago, and it’s like you think you’re living in a frat house,” my mom sighed, throwing her hand out toward the stairs that led to the loft. “I mean, what’s with the random women?”

“I didn’t know my sex life was a concern when it came to the company.”

Shaking her head, disappointment was written all over her.

My father walked over, clapped me on the shoulder, and urged, “Malcolm, let’s go have a seat. We have some things we want to talk to you about.”

I wanted to say I was too fired up to talk, but I decided against it. The priority at this point was to hear what they had to say, because I was certain I hadn’t yet heard the worst of it.

Snatching my glass up off the counter, I walked out of the kitchen and to one of the chairs in the living area. My parents took the couch.

“You have an incredible opportunity in front of you, son,” my dad began. “I can’t even imagine what so many of the kids you graduated with would have done with what you got upon graduation. You’re just one notch shy of being the man who takes over this company, and you’re risking it for nothing.”

“I don’t think I’m risking anything. I took a few days off after the holiday. I didn’t think it was wrong to have a good time. Money isn’t everything, you know? I’m Malcolm Westwood, not Ebenezer Scrooge.”

Continuing to shake her head, my mom chimed in. “This isn’t about a few days off. This is about a lifestyle that’s reckless.”

My eyes nearly fell out of my head. “Because you came here before Holly happened to leave?”

“Who’s Holly?”

I pointed to the door. “The girl you just met.”

“Her name was Noelle, Malcolm. My goodness, are you are serious right now?” my mom scoffed.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. Maybe I just wasn’t great with names.

Dad scooted to the edge of the couch and rested his forearms on his thighs. “You’re playing with fire. This isn’t about Noelle specifically. But you put this company at risk when you’re out partying every weekend and living the life you do.”

“So, it’s about money, then? That’s all that matters. What about my quality of life? Isn’t there more to it than just work? I mean, the holiday season is here. Shouldn’t we be able to enjoy ourselves just a little bit?”

“You know it’s more than that for you. And don’t tell me about your quality of life, because you’ve had it made in the shade your entire life. You’re not struggling, by any means. If you want to talk about quality, why don’t you start thinking about the life you intend to have five years from now?”

“I’m still young. What happens five years from now isn’t important.”

My parents turned their heads to look at one another, frustration and regret marring their features. After my mom gave my dad a gentle nod, he turned his attention back to me. “You are young, so we can understand your carelessness. But you’re not so young that you can’t hear the truth.”

“What truth?”

“If you don’t straighten up, prove you are serious about this company’s future, and do it soon, Mina is going to get it,” my dad revealed.

“Mina?” I repeated. “She doesn’t even want it.”

Mina was my younger sister, and she’d made it clear that our family’s company, The Westwood Company, wasn’t something she wanted to be wholly responsible for.

Simply put, The Westwood Company manufactured confectionery. It would have been easy to say we were a chocolate factory, but the truth was that we offered a lot beyond that. The chocolate was our bread and butter, though, and the whole operation wasn’t something that should ever be given to someone who wasn’t interested in doing all that needed to be done to keep it going.

I loved my sister dearly, but Mina didn’t want to be the president or CEO of a company like this.

“You aren’t wrong, Malcolm. She doesn’t want to run the company, but she’d rather have it than see you destroy it.”

I sat back and stared at my parents, feeling dumbfounded. I was in disbelief at what I was hearing.

I could admit I wasn’t exactly proud of the way I’d been acting, but wasn’t that what your twenties were for? I didn’t see the harm in having a little fun.

“So, what do you want from me?” I asked.