“Anthony!” Camden exclaimed, bringing me back to the present. “Did you hear a word of what I just said?”

Fuck. I started driving before I could back up traffic. “Sorry, love. A lot of work on my mind. Work and missing you guys—it’s all I do.”

My lunches would have to wait. I’d eat dinner with Nicky and Gideon, and then I had to work. I wouldn’t find the time during regular work hours.

“Can I call you back later tonight, Camden? I’m almost home, and Nicky will be here any minute.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll go tell Daddy you’re working too hard. Bye!”

“I—fuck.” I was met by the sound of a call disconnecting before I could tell him not to run his mouth like that. I wasn’t working too hard—right now. And the last thing August needed was to worry about me.

Gideon was giving me even more to consider. Dinner was awesome as always, but my head was ready to explode.

We sat around the coffee table and scarfed down lasagna while Gideon presented his ideas, and he’d gone all out. He’d put together a proposal and everything.

Without looking into our numbers, he knew where to cut costs, how to save, how to expand. And he was adamant about being involved as a financier.

It wasn’t often I could tell that Gideon was autistic, but this was one of the occasions where it was clear. He was all business and spoke very frankly.

“As for tuition,” he went on. “I suggest you raise it fifteen percent more than you normally would next year, and then we’ll start a fund in the Initiative’s name where underprivileged students can apply for aid to afford classes. Not only will it make it easier for those who are already struggling—you’ll make it possible for families who didn’t stand a chance even with an affordable price tag.”

It was a lot to take in. I didn’t know how to express that I found his ideas brilliant, at the same time as the amount of money he would be forced to put down made me uncomfortable.

I glanced at Nicky, who sat next to Gideon on the couch. “Are you going to say something?”

Nicky shook his head and replied around a mouthful of food. “He already gave me the business at home. Pointed his finger at me and everythin’.”

Gideon smirked wryly. “You’re exaggerating.”

Nicky widened his eyes. “You literally dared me to label myself as stupid. You said that only people with two deep-fried brain cells would go against your proposal, and then you raised your eyebrow like you do—yeah, just like that! Madonn’, you’re merciless sometimes, papito.”

I grinned at the two, finding them sweet as hell.

Point taken too. I guess I wasn’t allowed to go against Gideon’s idea.