Read Online The Year of the Crocodile by Courtney Milan - Free Book Online Page B

options that I don’t want to hear about, and a ridiculous resumé.
    Some people say, “I can do anything I want with my life!” and what they really mean is they can choose whether they end up a stock broker or a school teacher.
    Blake could do literally anything. He could buy small countries. He could rule them, even. If he did, everyone would love him.
    I can see how Blake Reynolds could be mildly intimidating to someone who didn’t know him.
    But his father, Adam Reynolds, is intimidating to everyone . Adam was the one-time CEO and founder of Cyclone Technologies. He stepped down from the point position about a year ago, but he’s still—effectively—in charge of the company, even if he’s no longer overseeing day-to-day operations. Adam—he insists I have to call him Adam—built one of the world’s most respected, powerful companies out of his parents’ garage, and he didn’t do it by being nice.
    I have heard stories about the man. Cyclone employees call him AFR —it stands for “Adam Fucking Reynolds”—and they joke that he has two modes: Crocodile and T-Rex. If you’re lucky, they say, you only get the crocodile. They love him. They fear him.
    Adam defines intimidating.
    He also defines jackass.
    Blake loves his father. Hell, I like his father, now that I’ve gotten to know him a little. But Blake and his dad have a special bond.
    I try to imagine my parents meeting Adam.
    You know what they say about unstoppable forces and immovable objects?
    Between Adam and my parents, I’m not sure who is the force and who is the object. But I’m damned sure that my parents—perpetual activists who hate the Chinese government—wouldn’t let a little thing like their daughter’s love life and future happiness get in the way of taking on a man who is at best, a collaborator. At worst, he’s a perpetrator.
    I like Adam. I’m not sure my parents are wrong.
    Like I said: I don’t want to argue about our parents. We can’t change them. All we can do is get squished between those two unstoppable forces. Mushroom clouds fill my mind.
    â€œBlake,” I say instead, “your dad is ridiculously busy. I’m not going to invite him to my family’s weird Chinese New Year celebration on basically no notice. That would be disrespectful.”
    Blake looks over at me. “We’re not asking him to speak at a conference. We would be asking him to come spend time with the family of the woman I love.”
    Shit, shit.
    I speak more slowly. “Your dad is pretty intense. I’m not sure that…this is the way I’d want to introduce our parents.”
    â€œYes,” Blake says shortly. “Believe it or not, my father is capable of not being a dick on occasion. On very rare occasions, he does behave.”
    One last ditch effort. “Come on, Blake. Can you imagine your father in my parents’ tiny apartment?”
    â€œIs that what this is about? You’re embarrassed?”
    No. Not really.
    â€œFor the record, my dad’s best friend didn’t start off particularly wealthy. The opposite, in fact. One of my earliest memories is going to his mom’s for Thanksgiving. It wasn’t that different. I assure you, my dad can cope.”
    I exhale. Not particularly wealthy to someone like Blake could mean anything. I’ve seen his childhood home. Not particularly wealthy for him probably means the house is worth less than a million dollars.
    â€œSeriously, Tina. You’ve managed to keep our parents from being in the same place at the same time for long enough. They’re going to have to meet at some point, don’t you think?”
    I swallow. “I was thinking we could introduce them at my graduation.”
    In a restaurant. A loud restaurant, preferably, one where my mom and dad would be separated from Adam by about twenty people.
    He just looks at me. “Funny. I