Three weeks ago
Out on the balcony, I lifted my face toward the blue sky and closed my eyes. The sounds of the ocean filled my ears as the salty breeze brushed my skin. And yet I couldn’t enjoy it; my thoughts were too consumed.
Concentrate on the positive.
That was what my father would say.
Opening my eyes, I took one more step toward the railing. The metal, warmed by the sun, singed my palm, and still, I gripped the edge and looked down. Twenty stories below was a crystal blue pool that wound around the beachfront, complete with palm trees and umbrellas. Some of the loungers were along the pool’s edge while others were partially submerged.
“Multimillionaire plunges to his death at five-star Caribbean resort.”
The thought made me smile.
It wasn’t that I wanted to jump, but the thought was there.
“Positive, CJ,” I said to the breeze.
My bank account contained more money than I’d ever imagined.
Hell, at only thirty-one years of age, I could retire. I’d need to invest well, but it would be possible. I could go back to Ohio and live a life like my parents—walks in the park, swimming at the city pool, Tuesday night dinners at the Moose, and summers spent watching the Reds.
I could be like the commercial said and become my parents.
My grip of the railing tightened.
Becoming the people who raised my brother and me was never the goal for either of us. They were good, hardworking people who loved their simple existence. The path Colton and I took wasn’t to become wealthy. It was to do more than our father and grandfather. Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we’d become a major or even minor player in the world of virtual reality.
We started with a concept to improve gaming.
With my degree in computer and information technology and Colton’s in numerical analysis, we had the basic concepts covered. Together, we founded Architech, spending nights and weekends until we found what we liked, what we couldn’t find anywhere else. It was the entire experience of virtual gaming, utilizing all the senses. We imagined pitching the idea to one of the top gaming companies and sent out a few feelers.
The long and the short of it was that our technology was sought after by an even larger market. Hotels, art galleries, and museums were only a few of the interested parties. The next year was spent securing our patent. The expenses increased exponentially, yet we weren’t ready to give up. We rented space and began manufacturing. With time the number of employees grew.
My life was filled with development, production, distribution...the list went on and on.
And now it’s all gone.
A week ago, Colton and I signed away our baby, what we’d put our hearts and souls into at the expense of what many considered a normal life. Venus Holdings came out of nowhere with an offer that we couldn’t refuse. The representative we dealt with was a man named Jeremy Wilde. It wasn’t only the money that made the deal special. Venus offered to retain some of our employees.
More money and securing our employees’ future—at least for a little while—was a compromise we were both willing to make. Our employees were people who took a chance on two young men thinking outside the box. Selling Architech should benefit them as well as us.
The vibration of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. My brother’s name was on the screen. “Colt,” I said, after a swipe of the green icon.
“Living the life?”
I scoffed as I looked out to the horizon. “I’m bored out of my fucking mind.”
“How long have you been in Cancún?”
“An hour or so.”
Colton laughed. “You’re not bored. You haven’t started to enjoy yourself.”
“What if Venus fucks it all up?” I didn’t need to explain ‘it.’ My brother and I’d had this conversation a thousand different ways.
“They won’t. Jeremy said that Venus has the assets to get the software and hardware to a global level. Man, we both agreed. That’s why I called. The third installment just hit our account. While you’re gone, I’ll do the math and figure out the severance packages for anyone who Venus doesn’t retain.”
More money.
Why didn’t this make me happy?
Cool air hit me as I entered the bedroom of my suite and pulled the glass door closed behind me. I ran my free hand over my chin-length hair, realizing I hadn’t tethered it back this morning before catching my flight. My chin and cheeks were stubbly. In all honesty, I barely made it to the gate in time. My heart wasn’t in this getaway.
It was back with Architech—the company that no longer was ours.
“I’m going to give him a call,” I said.
“Jeremy? Why? The deal is done.”
With the final payment, we had seventy-two hours to change our mind. “It is, but if Venus is willing to keep some employees, I want to be one of them.”
“You what? You want to be an employee of the company you owned?”
“No, I want to work for Venus and stay in control of the company we built from the ground up.” Looking around at the expensive furnishing of this posh resort, I added, “I’m too young to be traveling the world. I’m feeling fucking useless without something to do. Pokémon can’t fill my days and nights.” That was more of a dig at Colt. I played, but not like he and his wife did. Going out to dinner with them was constantly a search for gyms, characters, or battles.
“Do something else, CJ,” Colton said. “Haven’t you heard, nine-to-five jobs were invented for boomers? Hell, you’ve always been good at investing. Spend your days researching the markets and day trade. Or better yet, go down to the pool and meet a girl.”
A girl.
Colton was married. That wasn’t for me. My new goal was to stay with our technology and make sure it didn’t get fucked up. The mattress bounced as I flopped onto the large bed and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m an asset to Venus. No one knows our work better than the two of us.”
“Spend the week relaxing. You remember how to do that, right?”
“I should have brought someone along. Going from working twenty-four seven to having nothing but free time is making my skin crawl.”
“Devon and I would have joined you.”
A smile curls my lips. “That would be great. I love being the third wheel.” I had nothing against Devon, my sister-in-law. I liked that she and Colton have been together since college, when our start-up was just a passion.
Yeah, having money meant I’d never know if a woman liked me or my bank account. I sure fucked up on finding someone early on like Colton did. Ripe old age of thirty-one.
“Stop acting like a loser,” he said. “You’re young, in great shape, and have unlimited funds. Spend this week soaking up the sun and meeting some ladies. Next week you can call Jeremy if you still want to become employed by Venus.”
“Are you skimming some of the third installment? What’s with all these compliments?”
“You basically quit living or doing anything besides Architech since your junior year at OSU. I had a few more years before we both were buried in work. And yeah, I have Devon. I love what you and I accomplished. I also feel guilty. Go find a life even if it’s only for a week.”
Turning my head toward the glass doors, I realized my older brother might be right. I could do this. I could learn to relax for one week, and after that, it would be back to work. “Okay, I’m hanging up before you start singing or some shit.”
Colton laughed. “That will be you at the pool bar.”
“Fine. Give Devon my love.”
“Text now and then, CJ. Mom’s worried about you being alone in Mexico. She’s sure you’re in mortal danger.”
“This place is secure. It’s one of their taglines. That means it’s true, right?”
“Sounds legit.”
“Bye.”
After disconnecting the call, I stood and walked back onto the balcony. Looking back down at the pool, I spotted multiple empty lounges.
“You’re in Cancún at one of the best resorts,” I mumbled to myself. “Stop whining about selling the company and maybe after a week, things will look different.” I wasn’t certain if I was continuing Colton’s pep talk, or if I was trying to convince myself. Either way, I pulled my t-shirt over my head and dropped trou. Stepping out of my shorts and kicking my canvas loafers to the side, I searched for my suitcase.
“Well, shit.”
I realized it was still in the living area. Completely nude, I went on a search for my bag.
“Oh,” a woman in a hotel uniform said as her eyes widened and she spun away. “I’m sorry, sir.”
“Shit,” I stuttered. “I didn’t hear you.”
“I’m filling your refrigerator.” She turned back with pink in her cheeks and her eyes everywhere but on me, well, all of me. “I’ll go.”
A laugh bubbled up from my throat like I couldn’t recall laughing in too long. “I’m grabbing my suitcase. Finish what you need to do. No sense leaving now.”
“Sí.”
Shaking my head, I made my way with my suitcase back into the bedroom and soon had on my swimming trunks and sandals. I’d thrown a few things together at the last minute before leaving my apartment. I’d need to buy some sunscreen in one of the shops.
Placing a baseball cap on my head, I grabbed a two-hundred pesos bill from my wallet, before tossing my wallet into a bag with my towel. On my way out, I laid the two hundred on the counter near the woman. When she turned my way, my smile grew. “This is for you. Sorry for the show.”
“Oh no, seńor. This is my job.”
“Please.”
She bashfully looked my way as she reached for the cash. “I’ll make more noise next time.”
Leaving the room, I couldn’t help but wonder if parading around naked would be the highlight of my vacation or if it was only the start.
Colt wanted me to relax.
Sun and a cool drink were next on my agenda.