He’d used Beavers as his excuse to stay in Chicago until he could convince Sara to give him a second chance. Ted Beavers now presented an unexpected option for him. The underlying reason did rattle him a bit, taking him down a strange and unchartered personal path. But the idea of his father discovering his tentative plans twisted his nerves in knots. His old man would see his action as no less than an act of betrayal. He might even be labeled a thief. His father held a rather dim view of anyone or anything that took money from his pocket. And having the heir to the throne walk away would indict him of that crime. “Good morning, Jackson. Come on in.” The older man had thick gray hair and his heavily lined face beamed. His suit looked tailor-made, and was a deep, rich blue color. “Your company’s reputation precedes you.” Maybe that’s why Jackson had managed to get an appointment on such short notice. Ted Beavers had a bustling office. It probably helped that he was in a booming city with downtown revitalization prospects and plans for more suburban sprawl.
