Love in the Balance
Copyright© 2025 by WittyUserName
Chapter 22
Romance Sex Story: Chapter 22 - Eight friends navigate love, friendship, and finance as they find their places in the world.
Caution: This Romance Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Fa/Fa Consensual Romantic BiSexual Heterosexual Fiction Light Bond Rough Spanking Group Sex Hispanic Female Anal Sex Cream Pie Facial Masturbation Oral Sex Petting Pregnancy Tit-Fucking Big Breasts
~Wednesday September 24, 2025~
Steven walked with Megan down the stone path toward the large beach side terrace, adjusting the collar of his shirt as he thought about how it was way too hot for formal clothing. The sound of soft music carried on the breeze, along with the murmur of conversation and the soft clink of glassware. Megan was wearing an elegant black dress, her hair back in twin braids. Carter walked between them, dressed in a button-down shirt and slacks that looked far more put together than anything he’d willingly choose for himself.
“I don’t like this shirt,” Carter whined.
“You said that five minutes ago,” Megan easily replied.
“It’s still true,” Carter pointed out.
“You look sharp,” Steven smiled at the six-year-old.
Carter squinted up at him. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re a stylish dresser,” he explained. “One who looks like he knows what he’s doing.”
“I don’t,” Carter responded immediately.
“That’s part of the illusion,” Steven chuckled.
Megan smiled slightly, but most of her attention had already shifted toward the terrace, toward the people gathering beneath the open sky. Her posture had straightened and she had already put on her mask of cold indifference. Ahead, former friends from Europe and other socialites waited. Her father wasn’t going to be present; Theodore Bauer had arrived a day earlier and was likely waiting to make a grand entrance.
At the edge of the terrace, a uniformed woman welcomed them with a practiced smile.
“Miss Bauer, Mister Martucci, welcome,” she inclined her head slightly. “We’ve arranged a children’s activity suite just up the path. There are games and supervised beach time.”
Carter perked up. “There are other kids?”
“A few,” the woman answered. “And a dessert station.”
“I’m in!” Carter declared.
Megan crouched slightly, adjusting the collar of her son’s shirt. “You’re going to stay with the staff, okay? Be polite and respectful. No running into the ocean without asking.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” he said seriously.
Megan raised an eyebrow.
“ ... again.”
“And give it here,” Megan put her hand out while Steven chuckled.
“I don’t have anything!” Carter argued.
“Carter.”
With a long sigh, Carter reached into his pocket and pulled out the whoopee cushion. “Fine.”
“Megan,” Steven began carefully, “he’s gonna be hanging out with kids. If that’s not the place for one of those, I don’t know what is.”
“Please, Mom!” Carter grinned widely.
Megan pursed her lips and smirked. “Okay, fine.”
“Yay!” Carter grabbed the whoopee cushion and put it back in his pocket.
Megan pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “I’ll come get you later.”
Carter nodded, already turning to accompany the staff member. He took two steps, then stopped and came back, giving his mother a quick hug. Steven got a high-five before Carter took the woman’s hand and let her lead him away toward his own adventure.
Standing, Megan smoothed out her dress, exhaled once, and stepped forward. The space opened up around them; low seating near the sand, cocktail tables beneath strings of warm lights, servers moving through the crowd with trays of drinks. The ocean stretched out just beyond, reflecting the setting sun in shades of gold.
Megan stepped fully onto the terrace, an effortless smile appearing on her face as she accepted a glass of champagne from a passing server.
“Welcome to the easy part,” she murmured so only Steven could hear.
“This is easy?” he whispered back.
“This,” Megan said, her eyes scanning the crowd, “is just introductions.”
“Megan!”
A tall, handsome blond man approached them with an easy confidence in his stride. His white jacket fit perfectly, open at the collar just enough to seem relaxed without looking sloppy. Preston Brinkerhoff looked like the sort of man who grew up with the kind of money that could buy islands.
“You actually came,” he smiled, showing off even rows of pearly-white teeth.
Megan accepted his light embrace with practiced ease. “I did RSVP.”
“You ignore half the messages from the old gang,” Preston pointed out. “I was preparing myself for complete devastation.”
“You would have to experience emotions to be devastated,” Megan responded easily.
“You should see me at quarterly earnings,” he chuckled.
“I have, remember,” the heiress arched an eyebrow.
“Oh, I know what you’re talking about,” Preston gestured with a single finger as they both laughed. “We stayed at my dad’s office after closing and got drunk in the board room.”
“The janitor found us passed out on the conference table,” Megan smacked her lips, looking away slightly as she blushed.
Steven suppressed a surprising feeling of jealousy, resisting the urge to reach out and take Megan’s hand as he imagined what else happened that night. There was no reason to be jealous; it was in the past. Preston was even getting married in a few days. Steven realized what really made him jealous was the way Preston belonged in the world of high society. Megan’s world. Steven still felt out of place.
Preston turned smoothly. “And this must be Steven.”
“Steven Martucci,” he replied, holding out a hand. “Congratulations.”
“Preston Brinkerhoff. Thank you,” Preston said, his grip firm without trying too hard. The guy had probably taken a class on how to introduce himself. “Megan says you survived Theodore’s acquisition phase. That alone deserves a vacation.”
“Megan handled the acquisition,” Steven corrected with a small smirk. “After working for her, I think I’d welcome a job for Theodore.”
“I’m standing right here,” Megan grumbled while Preston laughed.
“I think you’ll fit in just fine,” Preston clapped Steven on the shoulder before glancing to the side. “Oh, here’s Ashley.”
Ashley Sullivan was a beautiful blonde with bright green eyes and an effortless grace likely from her cheerleader training. She moved like someone used to cameras and attention, someone who expected to be recorded. Her pale gold dress caught the warm lighting, elegant without looking stiff.
“Megan Bauer,” Ashley smiled, leaning in so the women could exchange air kisses. “You look incredible.”
“So do you,” Megan told the NFL cheerleader. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Ashley said before her eyes flicked toward Steven. “And you’re Steven.”
Not a question. Steven was learning how quickly information moved in high society circles.
“I am, nice to meet you,” Steven replied. “I hope you’ve only heard good things.”
“Depends on the source,” the blonde laughed softly.
“Sounds like I should be concerned,” Steven said with a small smile.
“Nah, you’re good,” Ashley laughed. “Just treat this lovely lady right. It’s so nice to see her with someone.”
“You have nothing to worry about there,” Steven promised.
Despite the teasing, Steven noticed the way Ashley was subtly studying Megan while Preston studied him. The outfits, the postures, the words. It wasn’t hostile, but it was evaluating. Everything there felt like it was an evaluation; one Steven wasn’t sure how to pass.
A server appeared beside them with another tray of drinks. Steven and Preston both accepted a whiskey while the ladies took their second glasses of champagne. Isaac and Penelope briefly stopped by, with Nell once again looking like Megan’s blonde twin; same hairstyle, same black dress, same figure. Steven was shorter than both guys, heels pushed Megan and Nell to six feet, and Ashley’s heels let her stand slightly above Steven. Being shorter than everyone wasn’t helping him feel like he belonged.
Not long after Nell and Isaac disappeared, Steven caught movement near the edge of the terrace. A woman in a dark emerald dress approached with slow, measured confidence, the expensive fabric catching the light with every step. She was about five-foot eight-inches tall, making her slightly taller than Steven, but shorter than Megan. Raven hair brushed against bare shoulders, angular features perfectly composed.
The shift in Megan was nearly imperceptible, but Steven still noticed.
“Megan,” the woman smiled.
“Clara,” Megan responded.
The greeting was perfectly polite. That somehow made it worse.
Clara’s brown eyes flicked toward Steven before returning to Megan. “It’s been a while.”
“Not that long.”
“I guess time flies when you’re working hard,” Clara reasoned. “Being a career-woman and a single mother must be SO demanding.”
Preston muttered into his drink, “And we’re off.”
Ashley elbowed him lightly.
Clara ignored them both as she turned to Steven and offered her hand, palm down. “Clara Caldwell. Sonata fashion.”
Steven knew what was expected; he took Clara’s hand and bowed, pressing his lips to the top of her hand before straightening. “Steven Martucci. Sphinx.”
“Yes, the bookkeeping firm Theodore acquired,” Clara’s eyes sparkled. “Were you the owner?”
“No,” Steven shook his head. “A financial analyst.”
“How nice,” Clara replied, turning back to Megan. “Megan here disappeared after the acquisition. I was beginning to think corporate life had finally consumed her.”
“I’m disappointingly resilient,” Megan said quietly.
“Clearly.”
They spoke politely, yet Steven got the impression they wanted to punch each other. Fortunately, Clara made her exit before the hair-pulling and hitting started. Preston and Ashley left a few minutes later. Steven and Megan walked further onto the terrace, eventually joining Penelope and Isaac to enjoy the view of the ocean.
“Well,” a male voice drawled, “this explains why all the men look so nervous.”
An athletic man with dark brown hair stepped up to the group like he’d assumed he would be welcome anywhere. He wore a dark blue suit with no tie; the buttons were undone and the sleeves were rolled up. His blue eyes were on Megan, the expression on his face convincing Steven the man was trouble. And he wasn’t even trying to hide the way he was checking out Megan.
“Hello, Jared,” Isaac said politely.
“Megan Bauer,” Jared said with a dangerous grin, ignoring everyone but the raven-haired heiress, “you somehow manage to look better every time I see you.”
“Thanks,” Megan replied curtly before turning to Steven. “Jared, this is Steven Martucci. My date. Steven, this is Jared Winslow. He’s Preston’s cousin.”
“Nice to meet you,” Steven said politely.
“Yes, of course,” Jared gave Steven a dismissive glance. “So Megan, I’m glad you were able to make it. Finance. Acquisitions. Corporate dominance. We thought you might be too busy for us.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Megan gave him a forced smile.
“You never did miss an opportunity to intimidate,” Jared chuckled. “The guys here never know whether to court you or run from you.”
“Definitely run,” Nell spoke up. “She is spoken for.”
“Is she now?” Jared raised an eyebrow. “Is this more than a friendly date then?”
“Yes, it is,” Megan declared, taking Steven’s hand and lacing their fingers. “Assuming Steven is willing to be my boyfriend.”
“He definitely is,” Steven said, squeezing her hand.
“You’re a lucky man,” Jared said, a dark look appearing on his face for a fraction of a second. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Congratulations, Steven.”
Jared disappeared into the crowd, a whiskey glass being offered to him by a passing server before he vanished from view. For a moment, the four of them stood in an awkward silence, their eyes scanning the crowd before returning to each other. Isaac pointedly cleared his throat.
Penelope took a slow sip of champagne. “Well, that was an interesting way to make an announcement.”
Megan blinked once, like she’d only just realized what she’d done. Steven was beside her, still very aware of the fact that their fingers were laced.
“Efficient, though,” Isaac said. “Got rid of Jared.”
“That wasn’t planned,” Megan muttered, her cheeks pink.
“No?” Nell asked. “You publicly claimed a man in front of Jared Winslow with no preparation whatsoever?”
“You’re making it sound impulsive,” Megan replied carefully.
“It was impulsive,” Nell said.
Steven looked sideways at Megan. “For the record, I’m comfortable being aggressively claimed.”
That earned a laugh from Nell and a chuckle from Isaac.
“I’m sorry, ‘aggressively?’” Megan looked at him flatly.
“Hey, you heard Jared,” Steven shrugged. “All the guys are scared of you.”
“You do make their balls jump right back up inside their bodies,” Nell whistled while making a motion with her hand to accompany her words.
“I do not,” Megan grumbled while trying not to smile.
Isaac raised his glass toward Steven. “Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Steven smiled.
To Steven’s surprise, Isaac’s words really mattered. The rich lawyer belonged in a way Steven still didn’t. Isaac understood the rules; the social undercurrents beneath every conversation. His approval felt like a first step toward belonging.
Megan released Steven’s hand, though her fingertips brushed against his briefly before pulling away. “I didn’t mean to make that dramatic.”
Penelope laughed. “Megs, you made your relationship official while Jared Winslow was trying to flirt with you in front of your date. Dramatic was unavoidable.”
“To be fair,” Isaac added calmly, “it was extremely effective.”
“It did get rid of him,” Nell agreed. “Although, there’s still the two biggest challenges. Carter and Theodore.”
Megan turned to Steven. “Are you really okay with this? And with everything that comes with it? We didn’t talk about it or anything.”
“We’ve talked about feelings and crap quite a few times,” Steven smirked. “I know you’re rich, I know you’re my boss, and I know you have a son who is your number one priority. I’m good with all of that.”
“You sure?” Megan smiled lightly.
“I am,” Steven nodded. “I want to see what we can become.”
“Aw!” Nell squealed, clasping her hands and placing them in front of her chest. “I think my heart just exploded.”
The ocean breeze rolled through the terrace again, carrying with it soft music and consistent chatter. Around them, the party had continued; wealthy socialites drifted between cocktail tables and comfortable lounge seating. Servers weaved through the crowd with trays of alcohol and expensive appetizers.
Laughter erupted loudly enough to turn heads. Steven automatically followed the sound, which led his gaze to a glamorous blonde in a silver dress. She had just walked into one of the decorative lantern stands, spilling the champagne down the front of her outfit. The woman continued laughing as a dark-haired man whispered in her ear.
“That,” Nell said quietly, noticing where Steven was looking, “is Vivienne Brinkerhoff.”
“Sister? Cousin?” Steven questioned.
“Sister,” Nell answered.
“You’ll hear her quite often,” Isaac added dryly.
“Socialite,” Megan explained softly. “Party girl, gossip. Loves being the center of attention. She probably did that on purpose so people would look at her wet boobs.”
“It worked,” Isaac shrugged.
“Idiot,” Nell rolled her eyes.
Vivienne recovered from her collision flawlessly, accepting another champagne flute while the dark-haired man offered her napkins to clean herself. She waggled her eyebrows at him while dabbing at her chest.
“Did she go to Europe with you two?” Steven asked.
“No,” Megan shook her head. “She’s two years younger than us.”
“Clara didn’t go either,” Nell added. “But that was because she and Megan hate each other.”
Not far away was another couple of guests who stood near the edge of the terrace overlooking the water. A guy in his late-twenties was speaking with a woman who was almost as tall as Megan and Nell. They were both well-dressed and appeared to be completely at ease with the elegance around them.
Isaac noticed Steven looking. “Damian Falkner. Media family.”
“And his wife?” Steven asked.
“Yeah,” Megan glared at the tall brunette. “Olivia Falkner.”
“Used to be Olivia Harrington,” Nell explained. “She went to Europe with us. Not long after, she and Megan had a fight at a Sonata event. Olivia retaliated by telling everyone Megan was going to start doing porn.”
“And people believed that?” Steven questioned.
“Did you forget what happened after Europe? A certain recording?” Megan gave him a look.
“Right, right,” Steven nodded, unhappy with the way Isaac glanced at Megan. “So, uh, does everyone here own a country?”
“Only small parts of them,” Penelope replied. “A few private islands, lots of real estate. That sort of thing.”
Megan laughed, only stopping when she caught Steven looking at her. “What?”
“Are you okay?” Steven asked. “I know some old memories have come up.”
“I’m good,” Megan smiled. “It helps having you here with me.”
“Isaac,” Nell said, “if they start staring at each other longingly during the wedding vows, we need to make sure they don’t get drunk. Otherwise they might leave married.”
“Understood,” Isaac laughed.
Before Steven or Megan could respond, a staff member quietly approached. “Miss Bauer?”
The shift in Megan was immediate; her warmth disappearing behind her mask. “Yes?”
“Mister Bauer asked me to let you know dinner will begin shortly,” the staff member explained. “The car is ready whenever you and Mister Martucci are prepared.”
Megan nodded once. “Thank you.”
No one spoke for a moment. Then Penelope stepped forward and pressed a quick kiss to Megan’s cheek. “You’ll be fine.”
“Mm.”
“And Steven,” Nell added, turning toward him now. “Good luck with your girlfriend’s father.”
“Thanks, Nell,” Steven sighed.
Megan reached for Steven’s hand again. Together, they left the warmth and music of the terrace behind to go meet Theodore Bauer.
The car ride to the Chairman’s House was quiet. The resort paths curved upward through the dense greenery while lanterns glowed softly in the dark. Below them, Azure Cay glittered against the shoreline; lights and music drifting through the night air and making the island seem like something from a fantasy.
Megan sat beside Steven, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, one hand resting lightly against Carter’s back. The six-year-old had changed into pajamas with trains on them before leaving the villa. He’d insisted on keeping the small blazer because he said his grandfather likes fancy stuff.
“You hanging in there?” Steven asked, noticing the boy seemed to be fighting a losing battle against sleep.
Carter blinked slowly up at him. “Maybe.”
“Good answer,” Steven nodded.
“I’m very tired,” Carter informed them seriously.
“That’s what happens after declaring war on the ocean,” Steven pointed out.
“I almost won.”
Megan smiled faintly, running a hand through Carter’s hair. “No, you didn’t.”
Ahead of them, the Chairman’s House appeared from the darkness. The elegant structure sat high on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It was made of pale stone and had a number of large windows. Warm light spilled from the house, illuminating a perfectly-manicured lawn.
A staff member opened the car door as soon as the driver parked the vehicle.
“Miss Bauer. Mister Martucci. Master Bauer.”
The interior somehow managed to feel even larger than it looked outside. Open floor space and beautiful architecture; it was a true proclamation of wealth. Somewhere deeper in the house, soft instrumental music played just enough to be noticed. Standing near the far end of the room with a glass of whiskey in one hand was Theodore Bauer.
A distinguished man in his late fifties, he radiated certainty in his suit; the kind of confidence built from decades of being the most important person in every room he entered. He was a tall, heavyset man with salt-and-pepper hair. Steven noticed his brown eyes, once again figuring Megan and Carter’s blue-gray eyes must have come from Megan’s mother.
“Megan,” Theodore said, setting down his glass.
“Dad.”
Theodore Bauer stepped forward, squeezing Megan’s shoulders and giving her what could pass as an affectionate smile. Then he immediately turned toward Carter.
“There he is!”
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Carter perked up quickly, despite his exhaustion. “Grandpa!”
“There’s my favorite future CEO,” Theodore gave his grandson a genuine smile.
“I’m six!” Carter informed him proudly.
“An excellent age to start planning hostile takeovers,” Theodore replied.
Theodore crouched as Carter immediately laughed. The billionaire straightened the tiny blazer with surprising care. “You look sharp tonight.”
“Oh!” Carter gasped. “I know that word. Steven said it means I’m smart and a good dresser.”
“Steven is right,” Theodore chuckled while standing and turning toward Steven. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too, sir,” Steven responded, offering his hand.
“Megan never brings a date to an event, let alone a long vacation like this,” Theodore observed. “You’ve made quite an impression on my daughter.”
“I hope that’s a good thing,” Steven said lightly.
Theodore studied him for another second. “Megan doesn’t waste time.”
Dinner was served in a massive dining room overlooking the dark ocean below, on a table long enough to accommodate an entire football team. Carter lasted through the first course on stubbornness and willpower alone. By the second he was leaning against Megan’s arm, blinking slowly between bites.
“You’re fading,” Theodore observed.
“I’m awake!” Carter insisted weakly.
“For the moment,” Theodore smiled.
A woman in a crisp uniform approached quietly. “Miss Bauer, I can take Master Bauer back to the villa whenever you’re ready.”
Carter immediately shook his head. “No!”
“You’re exhausted,” Megan said gently.
“I wanna stay!”
“You’re falling asleep sitting up,” Megan told him.
“With your eyes open,” Steven added.
“I can rest and listen,” Carter argued.
Theodore gave a genuine laugh at that. “Come here, Carter.”
Carter slid from his chair and shuffled over, climbing into Theodore’s lap with the confidence of a child who knew he was safe and loved there. Theodore adjusted the boy carefully, making sure he wouldn’t fall. Carter yawned loudly, still wearing his blazer over his pajama set.
“You fought well,” Theodore told him quietly. “But even the CEO needs sleep.”
“I almost beat the jet lag,” Carter mumbled.
“Hey, you did beat it,” Theodore smiled. “It was no match for you. Now you’ve earned your rest.”
Carter considered that before looking at Steven. “Will you come say goodnight before bed?”
“Of course I will,” Steven promised.
Satisfied, Carter allowed the staff member to help him down. The six-year-old was already half asleep again by the time Megan kissed the top of his head.
“Goodnight, baby,” Megan whispered.
“Night, Mom,” Carter mumbled before turning to Steven. “Night, Steven.”
“Goodnight, buddy.”
Within moments, Carter disappeared with the staff member. The second he was gone, the warmth at the table faded slightly. Just enough to be noticeable. Theodore lifted his glass of whiskey, his eyes settling on Steven. The real dinner was just beginning.
“So,” Theodore said, leaning back slightly in his chair, “how are you finding Fiji?”
The question was amusing. Steven was eating dinner with a billionaire family. They were sitting in a cliffside estate overlooking a private island resort owned by another billionaire family. Staff were rotating courses that probably cost more than Steven’s entire monthly grocery budget.
“It’s beautiful,” Steven answered honestly. “A little overwhelming, but definitely beautiful.”
“Overwhelming is healthy,” Theodore replied. “It reminds people there are larger worlds beyond their own.”
“You say that like you enjoy intimidating people,” Megan commented.
“I enjoy perspective,” Theodore said softly.
“That’s not a denial.”
A faint smirk touched Theodore’s mouth. “You handled the change of the acquisition well.”
Steven set down his glass. “I have good people around me.”
“Megan speaks highly of your work,” Theodore observed.
“Wonder how that feels,” Megan muttered darkly while glaring at her father.
Theodore ignored that completely.
“You moved from accounting into finance,” he continued. “Most people stay where they’re comfortable.”
“I was more interested in the bigger picture,” Steven explained.
“What is the bigger picture?” Theodore asked simply.
Steven hesitated briefly before deciding on an answer. “I like building things. Systems, strategies. I like seeing things improve because people worked together.”
Theodore observed him for a few seconds. “You sound more like an operator than an analyst.”
Megan took a sip of wine, hiding what looked like a satisfied smile.
“I’ve been told,” Steven glanced at Megan.
“Do you know what destroys most companies after being acquired?” Theodore questioned.
“Leadership trying to force change too quickly?” Steven offered.
“Fear,” Theodore answered immediately. “People are territorial, executives panic. Then employees assume they’re disposable. Trust vanishes and productivity collapses as everyone assumes the worst. As everyone fears the worst.”
“You told me that before the acquisition,” Megan said.
“And you ignored me.”
“I adapted,” the heiress countered.
“You improvised,” Theodore corrected.
“It worked,” Megan insisted.
“Yes,” the billionaire admitted calmly. “It did.”
The words weren’t emotional, but Theodore Bauer didn’t hand out praise casually. Megan looked away slightly, almost uncomfortable receiving it.
Theodore’s eyes shifted toward Steven again. “She surprised me.”
He didn’t say Megan had made him proud, or even that she had succeeded. Theodore just said he had been surprised. From him, that was probably a big compliment. Although, Steven was a little annoyed at the thought Theodore expected Megan to fail.
“She surprised all of us,” Steven replied, earning him a look from Megan.
Theodore nodded once. “And now she apparently has a boyfriend.”
Steven was momentarily stunned by how fast Theodore Bauer had gotten the information.
“Yes,” Megan answered before Steven could say anything.
“Interesting timing,” Theodore observed.
“It wasn’t planned,” Steven responded honestly.
“No,” Theodore said. “I imagine it wasn’t.”
A server quietly refreshed their drinks before disappearing again.
Theodore rotated his glass once in his hand before speaking again. “You understand the attention that comes with being close to Megan.”
“I’m starting to, yes,” Steven nodded.
“People will speculate about your intentions,” Theodore continued evenly. “Some will assume you’re opportunistic. Others will assume the relationship won’t last. A few will decide they dislike you before ever even speaking to you.”
“Dad,” Megan said quietly.
“No,” Theodore replied without looking at her. “He should understand the reality of the situation.”
“I’m not with Megan because of her money,” Steven met Theodore’s gaze evenly. “Or yours.”
“I know.”
The answer was immediate, making Steven’s eyes widen slightly.
“If you were motivated by money, you would’ve behaved very differently tonight,” Theodore explained. “Tonight, and the other times you were out with Megan.”
“You noticed that?” Steven swallowed weakly.
“I notice everything,” Theodore replied with absolute confidence.
“That’s unfortunately true,” Megan sighed softly.
Theodore ignored her again.
“You were uncomfortable,” he said to Steven. “But you stayed composed. You didn’t overcompensate or try to impress people. Most men do.”
Steven glanced toward the dark ocean beyond the glass walls. “I figured trying to compete with billionaires on their own turf was probably a losing strategy.”
“A reasonable assessment,” Theodore chuckled lightly.
Megan stared at her wine glass, fighting a smile. The tension around the table eased slightly, with dinner continuing more smoothly. The conversation shifted toward the wedding, travel, and Fiji itself. Theodore spoke more than Steven expected, though never wastefully. Every sentence felt deliberate, every word carefully chosen.
Steven soon realized something important. Theodore Bauer was testing him because Megan mattered. Megan thought Theodore was only concerned with the family image, but Steven was convinced there was more to it. Theodore genuinely did care about Megan. Even if he had a unique way of showing it.
“You seem happy,” Theodore said to Megan when dessert arrived.
“I am,” she admitted.