The Path to Love

Chapter 55 - Hunter's POV

"How long will this all take?" I asked my assistant, looking over my flight itineraries.

"Roughly, two months." She said to me.

"Did you figure out a path that worked the best for everyone?"

"Yes, sir."

            "And where do we start?"

            "Italy. One of your hotels that you are partnered on with are there. Mr. Moores will meet you there to talk with you about it."

"Perfect. How long will I be there for?"

"I have you scheduled there for a week, but if you're done sooner, I can make arrangements to leave. I have a back up plan in case you decide to leave each place earlier than intended."

"Perfect. You're good at your job."

"Thank you, sir." My assistant smiled up at me.

"And you will be joining me on this trip, correct?"

"I didn't have intentions of joining, no."

"Fit yourself in. I'm going to need you there to make sure everything is running smoothly, the schedule is going according to plan and to take notes."

"Yes, sir." She replied, taking notes in a book.

"Where am I travelling to throughout this whole process?"

She opened her notebook and started to look through it. "I cut out some travel time, making some of the business partners meet you at the business you have together. Some partners and businesses you have with them are all in the same place, so you'll be able to meet them at their office."

"That doesn't answer the question about where I'll be going." I replied.

"Right, sorry." She flipped through her notebook again. "You're starting in Italy, then flying to Brisbane, then Auckland, followed by coming closer to home in Texas, then flying to Canada for the last four places."

"Which will be where?" I asked her.

"Um, British Columbia, two different places in Alberta, and Toronto."

"Why am I going to Toronto?" I asked her darkly.

"Your father signed on with Mr. Dawson, sir. He wants you to take over their company and try to make it better before the replacement manager comes in. That's the only place you'll be for two weeks."

"Get my father down to my office, immediately." I snapped.

My assistant cowered back. "I think he's in a meeting, Mr. Thomas."

"I don't care!" I roared. "Get him here, now!"

My assistant rushed out of the room, to get my father. I was fuming. I didn't want to go there, because I knew the first thing I would do. I would go see Sam. That's the place I left, the place I didn't want to go back to, no matter how much I yearned for it. I couldn't do that to her and here my father was bringing me there on his accords. Who's going to take over Dawson Enterprises anyways? He might as well as go run that shit hole himself.

Technically, it wasn't a shit hole, but that's neither here nor there. Mr. Dawson did very well with his company, I just didn't want to be in the same city as Sam, but I wanted to be in the same city as her. It was fucked up logic, but I understood it completely. It was stupid fucked up shit, but it made sense in my head. How is she doing now? How was the pregnancy going? Was she okay? Fuck stop wondering about that shit, you were doing so good avoiding thoughts about her, don't fuck it up now, Hunter. I gripped my desk in frustration and anger. Anger at myself, Sam, the baby, Xavier, but most importantly right now, my father.

"This better be good Hunter Jackson Thomas, you got your assistant to interrupt a very important business meeting."

I snapped my head up to the direction of my father at my door. "I don't care that I interrupted your meeting. Why did you decide to add Toronto to my list? Dawson Enterprises isn't a failing company! I will not be going to Toronto."

"I didn't ask you if you wanted to go, you don't have a choice."

"You know why I left there! I refuse to go back."

"Mr. Dawson and I already made the deal, Hunter. You are going at the end of your business trip to hold it over until I can get the other manager trained."       

"And who will that be?" I snapped at him.

"It doesn't matter. They will be here in your place until you're done with your travelling."

"Is this what you wanted to ask me the other day when I brought this whole ordeal up?" I asked him.

"Yes. But now, you already signed up for it when you told me about my failing businesses. Now you can go and see what we can do to improve Dawson Enterprises."

"I don't care what you can do to improve it. I don't want to go there."

"In order to be CEO of a company as fine as this one Hunter, you must be able to put aside your personal issues if it interferes with the company. The company comes first during working hours."

"Whatever. I won't be staying at home, so you better book me a nice hotel. Wait, who did you tell Mr. Dawson the father of Sam's baby is?"

"I made up some guy that doesn't exist. I didn't betray your confidence, son. One more thing."

Well, at least he didn't screw me over. "What?" I snapped.

"Never interrupt my business meeting again for something so petty. Someone better be dying for you to interrupt my meeting again."

"Whatever."

"Have a great trip around the world, son. Make some time to travel and explore all the places you'll be going to."

"Bye."

I can't believe he did that without my consent. I didn't want to go home. I was supposed to be avoiding that place, I was supposed to stay away from there for Sam's benefit. Fuck, she's going to kill me when she realizes I will be back there. How will I be able to go out in public without seeing anyone I know? Whoever sees me, that knows Sam and I, won't hesitate in telling her that I'm there. Fuck. This trip just got fucking complicated.