Race With a Heart
Chapter 133: The Lion and His Heart of Father

Chapter 133: The Lion and His Heart of Father

Michael Moore was a very handsome man who had lost nothing of his beauty despite his age. Tall, straight, with aristocratic features, and a beard flecked with noble gray hair, he looked like a Roman senator. Since Kevin was almost a copy of his father, Jack Lambert was able to look into his beloved’s future without fear.

The man stood by the window, staring out at the city skyline that stretched out from the twentieth floor of the little tower he owned. It might not be the tallest building in the world, but it was definitely one of the tallest in the city.

"I thought I made it clear," Michael Moore said, his voice firm and razor-sharp, "that as long as you’re with my son, we have nothing to talk about. Did you come to inform me that you and Kevin are no longer together? "

"Don’t be ridiculous, you know I didn’t," Jack replied in a tone lighter than he should facing an unfavorable ’father-in-law’. "I’m not coming for my case, but yours. I have a really good business proposition for you. "

Moore turned his head towards him and gave him a glance where the daggers were hiding.

"And it’s not about you?" he asked mockingly. "Are you not looking for a ... sponsor?"

The ambiguity of the word ’sponsor’ did not escape Jack’s attention.

"I have so many sponsors that I don’t need another one," Lambert smiled in response. "And those I have, I can hardly... satisfy. All those party invitations ... These advertising spots ... "

Michael snorted. Were it not for Jack being Kevin’s lover, these two might have been good friends.

"So if you are not looking for a sponsor ..."

"I’m looking for, but not for myself. Have you heard what happened to Paxton lately? "

Michael Moore showed his interest at last.

"Sit down" he showed his visitor one of the guest armchairs.

Before Lambert began dating his son, Michael was seriously considering investing in the Fergus Stable. Jack was a solid driver and a real diamond in the form of Steve Paxton appeared in the stable, so with a little extra capital the stable was able to quickly take the lead. Paxton, however, proved inaccessible to advertisers, and Jack - well, if he wanted son’s heart, he wouldn’t have father’s money. Lambert could only be glad that Moore hadn’t begun investment talks, otherwise Karl Walton would have flayed Jack.

Michael took a seat opposite Lambert and sat cross-legged, leaning back, nonchalantly announcing to the visitor that he was here lord and ruler. As if Jack didn’t know that.

"How is he feeling?" Moore asked. The question of ’how is Steve Paxton feeling’ was on the lips of probably every inhabitant of this city.

"He’ll get better," Jack announced. "You know your son was part of the group that arrested the would-be killer?"

"I don’t care what my inherent son is doing now."

Lambert saw pride in Michael’s eyes, however. The old man could say what he wanted, but he never stopped loving his son. He just couldn’t accept the fact that his son bonding with a man would not generate an offspring. If Kevin got married and took Jack as a lover, it wouldn’t be a problem, but if this wayward boy insisted on being true to his love, it was completely different. Were it not for this one fact, Michael probably wouldn’t be so stubborn and his relationship with his son would have been perfect.

"Then I won’t talk about him anymore, or that he is fine and preparing another book," Lambert announced. "I will go straight to the topic with which I came. Steve recovers but is out of the game for a few weeks. We have a replacement, but the idea was to introduce someone completely new. "

"How new?"

"A total amateur," admitted Jack.

Michael Moore laughed amused.

"If he hadn’t had a talent, we wouldn’t have considered him," remarked Lambert. "We are not desperate. Neither stupid. "

"It’s a fact," Moore admitted. "Young Walton is crazy about racing, but he won’t risk the stable’s reputation."

"Not only that," continued Jack. "The boy has a very good personality and he inherited his beauty from his mother, who was the first vice-miss of the country. I can already imagine him in the ad for your new coffee blend. "

Moore stared at him, clearly considering Lambert’s proposition.

"There is no guarantee that the new driver will perform well on the track. Anyway, he will only enter a few races. It’s not enough to attract attention. "

"He will attract it," assured Jack. "We are betting that he will make his debut in the top ten. It will definitely cause a sensation. And I guarantee that his face will sell your product regardless of his performance on the track. "

Michael still wasn’t convinced. He drummed his fingers on the chair.

"This boy is not enough for me," he finally announced. "I need something more."

"What?"

"Paxton. Can you give him to me? "

Jack smiled like a negotiator who had just successfully negotiated a treaty between two quarreling corporations and was given a great bonus for doing so.

"No problem," he announced. "You’ll get them both."

***

Jack could completely freely, without any consultation, promise Paxton to Miachael because he knew Steve was willing to do anything for Martin. Anyway, he had already signed two advertising contracts only so that the stable had enough money to hire an additional mechanic - just Martin. Things had changed now, and more than the mechanics, they needed a driver, and since Paxton insisted it was Martin, let him convince the stable of his worth. One of them is definitely the boy’s talent, but the other - and this argument has always spoken the loudest - money.

Consequently, Jack was able to enjoy real success. Cooperation with Moore will be a great opportunity for development for the Fergus Stables.

It would be an exaggeration to ask for a handshake at the end of the conversation, so Jack and Michael parted ways without sealing their agreement, but Lambert knew he could trust Moore without it. In both his private and business life, Michael was a damn sincere and straightforward man who abhorred deception and trickery. If he said a deal had been made, then it was.

Lambert would have been a very happy man at this point if it hadn’t been for the fear of what might happen to him when Kevin found out that he was in trouble with his father. The war between the men was not a joke and sleeping on one side of the conflict and doing business with the other was actually unethical. Jack grimaced as he left the building. He found himself in a rather unpleasant situation and could expect thunders, but he did what he did, not for his own benefit, but for the sake of two friends and the entire stable. Kevin should understand that.

Reason and emotions are not the same, however. Of course Kevin will understand, he’ll even admit that Jack did the right thing, but he will be furious and offended for sure, at least for a while. Jack only hoped he had accommodated enough yesterday to soften today’s blow.

It wasn’t that father and son suddenly hated each other. Jack knew they both loved each other very much. The Moors have always been a happy family, but even within the happiest families disagreements can occur. The one between Kevin and Michael was serious enough to really set them apart, but not enough to make them hate each other.

And the shameless cause of it all was none other than Jack.

Lambert sometimes regretted entering Kevin’s peaceful life. But that was very rare, because he knew full well that Kevin was not one of the people who enjoyed a quiet life. Anyway, Kevin was an adult man, intelligent and educated, and he made decisions about his own life. Jack wasn’t powerful enough to make him do anything, so being with Jack was a deliberate and voluntary choice for Kevin and his father had no right to criticize that choice.

Well, parents always want their child’s welfare, but a child sometimes sees it differently than giving birth. Or so Jack imagined it. Looking at the father and son of Moore’s family, Lambert envied them this good bond, which he was sure would survive this storm caused by ... Jack. The real parent may be angry, may be angry, but will eventually accept their child’s choice. For relationship of Kevin and Michael, that day will also come. Although it won’t be today.

Lambert should, however, share the good news with someone who looked forward to it most, Karl Walton.

Jack pulled out his phone and dialed the stable manager’s number. Walton didn’t keep him waiting long.

"Yes," he heard a focused voice on the other side.

"Hey Karl, guess what I have for you?"

"Don’t clown. I’m really not in the mood for this. "

And that was the joyful moment of triumph that Lambert had at that moment. Walton immediately summoned him to the ground.

"I got Martin a sponsor. This boy will bring you an investor you never dared to dream of. You’ve probably heard of the Moore Corporation ... "