Lost December Read Free Page B

better, I began to understand her comment about being attracted to my “solidness.” She seemed afraid of the unknown—especially in financial matters. What Sean had called her, “careful,” was right on. Both confident
and
careful, if that’s possible. I had never met anyone quite like her.
    Looking back, my feelings for Candace crept up on me with such stealth that I couldn’t tell you when I actually fell in love, but it was in early November that I knew I was hooked. I suppose I had never really been in love before—I’m not saying there hadn’t been women in my life, or, atleast, girls; there had and I’d had crushes on more than a few of them—but my feelings for Candace were something new. Something powerful. And they were growing stronger. I found myself spending every free moment I could with her and thinking about her when I wasn’t with her. It may have had something to do with growing up without a mother, but I became enamored with her maternal nature. Once I got a paper cut and she immediately grabbed my hand and kissed my finger. I loved it. I loved her.
    I’ve heard it said that more than a few men have been dashed to bits on the reef of femininity. If I wasn’t sunk, I was, at least, run aground. Within six weeks of our meeting we decided to only see each other.
    The “study group” continued to meet weekly, and Sean and I became friends as well. The relationship was refreshing. Outside of my father, I hadn’t had a close male friend in years.

    My school career rose and fell with the usual tides of academia, and I just floated through it, lost in love. As I became enmeshed in my new world, my previous life seemed to drift further and further away. My father and I emailed or texted almost every day, though usually it was just a quick note, “How are things? How’s business? How’s school?” He’d occasionally allude to some of the copy centers’ happenings, but not as much as I thought he would—always sharing more information about the people than the profits. I shouldn’thave been surprised. He had sent me away to find life outside of Crisp’s and he wasn’t about to sabotage his own plans.

    Crisp’s went public in late November with 100 million shares. Henry kept me abreast of the offering, texting me four or five times throughout the day. The stock was issued at a dollar a share and rose to $3.42 by the time the market closed. The Wharton 7 knew about it before I told them. They were congregated in the usual corner of Smokey Joe’s when Candace and I arrived.
    “So your old man’s worth a few hundred mill,” Marshall said as we approached the table. Candace and I sat down.
    “Apparently,” I said.
    “That’s a lot of calzone,” Sean said. “Congratulations.”
    “So,” Marshall said, leaning toward me. “What’s your share of the booty?”
    “What makes you think I have a share?”
    “Do you have any siblings?” Lucy asked.
    “No.”
    “Holy cannoli,” Marshall said, “It’s all yours someday. I think I’ll start being nicer to you.”
    Suzie said, “How do you even get motivated to study when you’ve got a parachute like that?”
    “I wouldn’t mind finding out,” Marshall said. “If you’re lucky, the old man will croak soon.”
    I felt my face turn red and I spun at him. “Why don’t you just shut up?”
    Marshall looked at me blankly, caught in the stupidity of his comment. “Sorry, I didn’t mean …”
    “You’re an idiot,” Sean said. “It’s his father.” Sean turned to me. “Sorry, man. Don’t listen to him.”
    Marshall turned pale. “I wasn’t serious.”
    I stood. “Let’s go,” I said to Candace.
    “Luke,” Marshall said, “it was a stupid joke.”
    “You’re a stupid joke,” Candace said.
    We walked out of the pub. James followed us out. “Hey, Luke. Sorry about that. You know how Marshall is. I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”
    “Of course he did,” Candace said. “And why are you making excuses for