Mia leaned her forearms on the table. “You’re very quiet and it’s making me nervous.”

   “I’m just . . . Wow, Mia. This is huge. Have you talked to Mom and Dad about this yet?”

   “I haven’t talked to anyone in the family about this. You’re the first.”

   He felt honored that Mia had chosen him to discuss the possibility of a future business with. “This is a big damn deal, Mia. You realize that, right?”

   “Of course I do, Flynn. This isn’t me with a notebook drawing hearts and circles and a maybe someday I’ll be a mogul kind of thing. I’m damn serious about this, I’ve done the financial research and I believe I have the skills to make a success of this venture.”

   If anyone could do this, it was his sister. “I believe you do, too. Now tell me who you have lined up as players in your company.”

   She listed two agents, two attorneys, and a handful of highly successful people in the PR world. And he recognized every name. They were all power players in the industry.

   “No shit. All of these people would join your company.”

   “Yes.”

   “And how did you convince them?”

   “By giving them a list of the prospective clients I have who have agreed to come on board. Not to mention who they could bring. Together, we could have one hell of a dynamite company in the first year alone. I’m hardly a dumbass, Flynn. I’ve written one-year, five-year and ten-year business plans.”

   Of course she had. For someone who wasn’t even twenty-five years old yet, his sister had the potential to be an ass kicker.

   “Where would you set up shop?”

   “Here in San Francisco. That’s one of the main reasons I’m here. I do have a meeting set up at Stanford, but I also have other meetings as well. And after this I’ll be flying down to L.A. to meet with some key players in my potential business venture.”

   He was stunned. She’d done her homework. This wasn’t a pipe dream for her, a someday kind of thing. This was . . . right now. “Jesus, Mia. I don’t even know what to say.”

   She smiled. “Say you support me.”

   “Hell, I’ll do more than that. Do you need investors?”

   She laughed. “Not yet, but I appreciate it. I have investments from the money Grandpa left me. I intend to use that and I’ll get business loans. I want to do this all on my own.”

   “You know Mom and Dad won’t want you to go into debt.”

   “And I don’t want this to be a company that Mom and Dad bought for me. I’ll do it my way.”

   Argumentative and stubborn, as always. “I think it’s a great idea, Mia. Now you have to tell Mom and Dad.”

   “We’ll see how everything goes this trip. It’s not a one hundred percent done deal yet, but I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel that you believe in me.”

   “Honey, you could shovel shit for a living or decide your next goal is to win the Nobel Peace Prize and I’d be in your corner. I love you.”

   Tears welled in Mia’s eyes. She pushed her chair back, came around and hugged him. “I love you, too, Flynn.”

   Having taken all this in was not only a surprise, but the details of it had been more than a little overwhelming. All this time he’d been thinking his baby sister was going to stay in school. He’d always thought maybe she’d go into teaching.

   This was anything but teaching.

   He knew plans changed, but . . . wow. “Now I need a beer.”

   She laughed. “Me, too.”

   After lunch they cleaned up the kitchen, then headed to Toronado on Haight Street, one of Flynn’s favorite beer bars. Mia had a Valencia Gold and Flynn had a Blind Pig.

   “So why haven’t you talked about this with Mom and Dad yet?” he asked as they sipped their beers.

   She shrugged, staring at her mug. “I want to be sure first. Mom will be supportive and let me make my own decisions. But you know how Dad is. He’s pushy. He’ll want to know everything, and get all up in my business, and then he’ll take out the checkbook. That’s the last thing I want. I have to do this—succeed or fail—on my own.”

   He understood that need to make a success out of yourself on your own merits. He’d been walking in his father’s footsteps his entire life, but he’d like to think he’d forged his own way, had made a name for himself on his talents alone. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been playing as long as he had. The Cassidy name could only take a football player so far. After that, you had to make it or break it on talent, sweat and hard work.

   And as he looked across the table at his sister, he realized the fire that had burned in his belly all those years ago when he’d first started out in his career burned just as hot in her. She knew exactly what she wanted and she was going after it.

   He reached out and grabbed her hand. “You can do this. All on your own. I know you can.”

   “Thanks.” She inhaled deeply, then blew out a breath. “Now that it’s out in the open, at least with one member of the family, it’s starting to feel real. I have a lot to do.”

   He laughed. “Yeah, you do. But before you go charging full steam ahead with this new venture, tell Mom and Dad.”

   “Well, I have a lot to do before I talk to them. I want to be sure everyone is on board and I have something to present to our parents that’s real and tangible.”

   They finished their beers and went back to his house, then sat and talked for hours about her business plan. He had to admit he was impressed. She had it all laid out, had a vision, had her chosen personnel and her financing in place. She knew exactly what she wanted and was confident in her approach. With every passing minute he knew for a fact she could make this business a success.

   But she’d have to work damn hard at it. He didn’t doubt she would. Just like he didn’t doubt she’d succeed. And he’d continue to worry about her because that was his job.

   “You know, I get that you’re all into being your own woman and self-reliant and all that shit, but if you ever need me, I’m right here. And I’m serious about being an investor. If you need me at all, I won’t get in your way. I’ll just fork over money and wait for you to double my investment.”

   “I know that. And thanks. The money part I might definitely consider.”

   He caught and held her gaze. “I mean it, Mia. I’m not just blowing smoke. If you need me for anything.”

   “And I meant it when I said I know, Flynn. You’ve always been there when I needed you. I don’t doubt you will be in the future.”