by Rye Hart
I was still pissed. I gritted my teeth and pointed at the door to the mayor’s office we’d just come out of. “Look, I’ve told you over and over, I don’t care what you have to do to make deals work. I don’t want to know the details because I don’t want to have to lie in court. So long as we make money on the other end, that’s all I care about. But if that guy in there fucks us, Charlie, I’m going to come back here and fucking — “
“Don’t worry,” Charlie said, putting a hand on my shoulder and giving it a shake. “I got this. I’ve always got this. Let me handle this kind of shit and you handle building the business. Now come on, I’m hungry. Let’s see if we can find a place to get a decent steak.
* * *
“Tyler!”
As we came out of the courthouse, I heard a familiar voice call my name. I turned to see Maggie coming down the sidewalk toward us. She had her shoulders hunched and her hands balled into fists at her side.
I gave her a smile. “Hey, Mags, what are you…”
Before I could finish my sentence, she caught me with a right hook that nearly turned out my lights. Her fist connected with my jaw and sent me stumbling sideways into Charlie.
“What the fuck!” Charlie got between me and Maggie and held up his hands. “Are you fucking nuts?”
“I know what you did,” she said, glaring at me with tears in her eyes. She shook her fist in the air and spat out the words. “You’re going to destroy this town and put people I love out of business.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, hiding behind Charlie. I was a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier than her, but I’d rather face down a grizzly bear than a pissed off woman any day of the week.
“I know that you just paid off the mayor and the city council president,” she said. “I know that you’re going to tear down Carl and Doris’ restaurant and the other shops. You’re killing their dreams! They’ve worked their entire lives for those businesses and now you’re shutting them down.”
“They’ll be paid very well for the land and the business,” Charlie said. “Everyone will walk away with more money than they could have hoped to get otherwise. Most of those businesses are old and dying.”
She glared at me. I swallowed hard and put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Go on, Charlie, get in the car. I’ll be done here in a minute.”
Charlie hesitated for a moment, then shook his finger at her. “You’re nuts. And you’re fucking fired!”
“Fuck you! I quit!” she screamed at him.
I held up my hands. “Maggie, calm down and let’s talk. This really is the best thing for everyone. Like Charlie said, downtown Mountain View is dying. You know it was well as I do. The other day when we were walking around, we didn’t see but a handful of other people. You told me yourself, the restaurant is struggling. The Roberts are old, Maggie. They want to retire. They have agreed to the deal.”
“You’re a fucking liar,” she said, gritting her teeth at me. “Ted told Jackie everything. You bribed him and the mayor to help you convince people to sell! You’re a fucking criminal!”
“What? No, that’s bullshit.” I put on a hurt face. It wasn’t hard given the fact that my jaw was killing me. “I’d never do that, Maggie. You have to trust me.”
“Trust you? After you’ve lied to me? I’ll never trust you again.”
“Maggie, if you don’t believe me, go ask them yourself. They were made fair offers and they agreed to sell. Period. End of story.”
She blinked at me through the tears for a moment. Tears were streaming down her face. “You’re a goddamn liar,” she said. “A goddamn liar.”
“We made them an offer and they agreed to sell. We’re not stealing the property from anyone. They were all paid what it was worth. We were just meeting with the mayor to sign the letter of intent.”
She was dead right, of course. Charlie had paid the mayor and that cocksucker Ted a boatload of money under the table to help convince the people to sell. Everyone has a price, Charlie says, and they simply helped us find out what that price was. There was nothing criminal about it. At least as far as I was concerned.
She stared at me for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
“You lied to me,” she said quietly. “You’re not the man I thought you were.”
“Maggie, please, listen to me,” I said, holding out my hands. “It’s all just business. This is how things work. This is how things get done.”
“I don’t ever want to see you again,” she said. “I can’t trust you.” She shook her head at me. “Your father would be ashamed of you, Tyler Jenner. I know that I am.”
With that, she left me standing with my mouth hanging open, and an unfamiliar ache in my chest.
As I watched her go, I realized that she was right.
My father would have been ashamed of me.
But I’m not my father.
I’m Tyler fucking Jenner, the billionaire mountain man.
Who the fuck does she think she is, talking to me like that.
She’s right, a little voice inside my head whispered.
You’re not your father.
And you never will be.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: MAGGIE
Carl and Doris both looked at me like I was nuts. Then they looked at each other and smiled.
“Maggie, we appreciate that you’re so fired up about this, but we really did give it a lot of thought,” Carl said. He rubbed a hand over the white stubble on his chin and sighed. “The truth is, we’re both old and tired. The last few years have been a real struggle, what with my old knees and Doris’ bad hip. And business hasn’t been good. We’re not as young as we used to be and this place doesn’t make the money it used to make.”
“I know Carl, but they can’t force you to sell. You can get an attorney. We can fight it,” I insisted.
“Honey, we don’t want to fight anymore,” Doris said, reaching over to take my hand. “Granted, when the mayor first brought this up a few months ago, we were resistant, but once we sat down with that Mr. Prescott and that nice Mr. Jenner, well, it just became clear that it was the best thing to do.”
I stared at her. “You sat down with Mr. Jenner? Tyler Jenner?”
“Yes, dear, the man with the beard that you came in with the other day.”
“You already knew him.” I let my eyes bounce between them.
“Well, yes,” Carl said. “But he asked us not to say anything about the deal until everything was signed, so when you came in with him, well, we just pretended not to know him.”
“That son of a bitch,” I said, my teeth gnashing. Doris patted my hand.
“Now, don’t be too upset with him, sweetie. He likes you a lot. I can tell.”
“He used me,” I said, shaking my head. “He knew all along that he was going to tear down all the shops I took him in. He said I was his tour guide. Bullshit, I was just like the guy who marks which trees get cut down in the forest.”
“Maggie, you’re overreacting,” Carl said.
“No, Carl, I don’t think I am.” I blew out a long breath and wiped my eyes. I mustered the best smile that I could for them. “So, when will you close?”
“We’re having a big closing party next Friday night,” Doris said. “We’re going to invite the whole town to come out and help us say goodbye.”
“Then what?”
They looked at each other and smiled.
Carl said, “Then, it’s Florida here we come!”
Doris grabbed his arm and tugged him close. “If I never see another snowflake that’ll be just fine with me!”
“I’m happy for you both,” I said.
It seemed that everything was working out fine for everyone -except me.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: MAGGIE
The news broke the next day.
Jenner Investment Group, with headquarters in Denver, Colorado, and offices around the world, announced that it had signed a deal with the city of Mountain View, Colorado, to build a hotel,
resort, and spa in the downtown district. The hotel would have 200 rooms and feature a five-star restaurant, and a luxurious spa. Across the street would be the latest location of Jenner Outdoors, the company’s retail outlet.
City Council President (and fucking douchebag) Ted Reed, commented that the original plan included just the property where the hotel would be located, but willing merchants on the facing block were more than happy to sell their land at top dollar so Jenner could build the store.
“This whole thing stinks,” I said, tossing the paper on the kitchen table.
“You’re the only one who seems upset,” Jackie said. “Why are you so pissed?”
“Because Tyler lied to me!” I snapped. “He had his shady business partner pay off Ted and the mayor to bully those people into selling. Then there is the fact that he didn’t once tell me about the business deal himself. I had no idea he was behind the company buying up downtown. I wouldn’t have known anything if Ted hadn’t told you! If he could do that, what else is he hiding?”
Jackie got up from the table to give me a hug. She said, “I’m sorry, Mags. I know you’re really hurt about his crap, but you know that everyone deserves a second chance. You gave me a second chance at life when you took me in and I will never forget it. Tyler did some shady shit but that doesn’t mean he can’t change. He’s obviously head over heels for you. Maybe he just needs someone like you in his life to see how screwed up he is.”
“Jackie, this is the real world. Screwed up guys like Tyler don’t change. Besides I’m sure he’s over me or whatever it was we had. And I’m better off without him. I’ve got to move on.” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. “Do you think I could get a job waiting tables at the club?”
“Oh, Mags, you don’t want to work there.”
“I have to work somewhere, Jackie,” I said. “All I know is cooking. And like you told me once before, if I can’t cook, I should use my boobs to get by.”
“I’m not sure that’s exactly what I said,” Jackie said. She stared at me for a moment, probably waiting for me to change my mind. When I didn’t, she held up her hands and sighed. “Okay, I’ll talk to Ray tonight.”
“Thank you.”
She picked up the paper and dropped it into the trashcan by the back door. “Are you going to the closing party at the steakhouse tonight?”
“I promised Carl and Doris that I would. You?”
“I’ll stop by for a bit before work.” She gave me a concerned look and stared into my eyes. “You okay, Mags? Really?”
I forced a smile and shuddered a sigh.
“Never better, Jacks. Never fucking better.”
* * *
The entire town turned out for the Roberts Steakhouse closing party. The chef had prepared everything that was left in the kitchen and put it out on steam tables so everyone could eat what they wanted for free.
There were stacks of burgers and steaks and ribs, mounds of baked potatoes and French fries, platters of spaghetti and meatballs and lasagna, overflowing bowls of corn, carrots, and peas.
There were cakes and pies and pastries, and an endless supply of coffee and tea.
My brothers tore into the food like starving savages.
It was quite a smorgasbord and everyone ate until they were about to pop.
A local country band called the Mountain View Boys provided the music. Everybody danced and sang along and had a grand old time.
The mayor spoke and made a toast to Carl and Doris; pillars of the community who would be greatly missed after they left for Florida in a few days.
I couldn’t ever remember seeing them so happy.
“Anyone sitting here?”
I looked up from my cheesecake to see Tyler standing there with a mounded plate of food in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. It was the first time I’d seen him in two weeks. He nodded at the chair across the table from me. “Mind if I sit?”
“You own the place,” I said. I tried not to look at him. I stared at the table between us and took another bite.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“Fine.”
“How are the boys?”
“Fine.”
“How’s your cousin?”
I glared up at him. “Seriously? What the fuck do you care how anyone other than yourself is?”
He held up his hands and let me stew in silence for a moment.
He asked, “Can you at least tell me why you’re so mad at me?”
I peered up at him from beneath my arched eyebrows. “Really? Are you seriously that fucking clueless?”
He pushed the plate aside and leaned back in the chair with his hands spread. “I guess I am. I’d really like to know what I did that was so wrong.”
“You lied to me,” I said.
“When did I lie to you?”
“When we were walking through town. When I was taking you into all those shops and introducing you to all my friends.”
“How did I lie?”
“You didn’t tell me that you were going to tear it all down and put up a hotel.”
“That’s not lying.”
“Lying by omission is still lying in my book,” I said.
He stood silent.
“Okay, you’re right. It was fucked up. I should have been more transparent,” he said, sounding sincere. “I never meant to do anything but make you happy.”
I glared at him. How dare he make such a claim? I shook the fork at him. “And when we came in here, you pretended not to know Carl and Doris. You said you’d never been here before. That was a lie.”
“Okay, fine, that was a lie. So, are you pissed at Carl and Doris for not telling you they had met me before?” he asked.
I blinked at him. “What? Of course not.”
“Why not? It’s the same damn thing.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s not,” I said angrily. I leaned in and lowered my voice. “Because Carl wasn’t trying to get into my pants. He wasn’t trying to impress me. You knew exactly what you were doing and you lied to get me into your bed. I gave you my fucking virginity, you asshole. Do you not understand what that means?”
He shook his head, as if he wasn’t sure his ears were working right.
“Are you listening to yourself, Maggie? That is the most insane load of bullshit I’ve ever heard. What does one thing have to do with another?”
“How is that insane?”
“You think I lied to you about my deal with the city to get into your pants?” He rolled his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
“You wanted me to think that you were this great guy,” I said, tears spilling from my eyes despite my best efforts to hold them back. “You knew I wouldn’t sleep with you if you acted like that arrogant asshole I first met at the cabin. You had it all figured out. I’ll act like a really nice guy, let her take me on a tour of the town, get her back to my place, and then hammer it to her on the bear skin rug!”
Tyler threw up his hands and raised his voice.
“Are you listening to yourself?”
“No, but everyone else is,” I heard Jackie say. We both turned to find Jackie, and everyone else, watching us as if we were a circus sideshow. Jackie gave me a hard look and nodded at the door. “Maybe you kids should take your little lover’s spat outside.”
“It’s not a lover’s spat,” I said.
“Sounds like a lover’s spat to me,” Carl said, standing next to Jackie.
“Sure does,” said Doris.
“Is that the billionaire you boned?” Jimmy asked.
“He doesn’t look like much,” Robbie added. “Cool beard though.”
I bit my tongue and glanced at Tyler.
He was stroking the corners of his moustache and trying not to smile.
“Do you want to take this outside?” he asked.
Before I could answer, the crowd said, “Yes!”
CHAPTER NINETEEN: TYLER
&n
bsp; It was fucking freezing outside. Maggie wanted to argue on the sidewalk, but I finally convinced her to get in the Hummer so we could at least stay warm while she continued telling me what a douchebag I was.
I let her stew in the passenger seat for a minute while I started the engine to get the heat going. It didn’t take long for the warm air to start blowing out of the vents, but it didn’t do much to knock off the chill that was coming from Maggie’s side of the truck. I slowly took in a deep breath to work up the courage to speak.
“Look, I did pay the mayor. Maggie, sometimes that’s what you have to do to get things done in this world. You have to pay people under the table and work dirty deals. And sometimes you have to lie and cheat and make people do things they don’t want to do! But it’s all business. You do whatever it takes to fucking win.”
She stared at me for a moment. “Is that what it’s all about to you, Tyler? Winning?”
“What?”
“Is that what business is all about for you?” she asked. “Winning at all costs?”
It was a silly question. I shrugged it away. “Of course. What else is there?”
“There’s being fair and treating people the right way.” Her eyes softened as she looked at me. It was almost a look of pity. “Can’t you win without being underhanded and working dirty deals? I mean, how much money do you really need? Would it be so bad for everyone to win once in a while and not just you?”
Opened my mouth to speak, but I didn’t know what to say. She sounded like my dad. Treat people like family. Good neighbors make for good friends. Good customers build a business, not the other way around.
She must have noticed the look in my eyes. She put her hand on my arm and gave it a squeeze. “Your dad would be proud of everything you’ve done,” she said quietly. “But he’d be even prouder if you kept his legacy in mind while you were doing it.”
“You’re right,” I said, brushing a finger under my nose and sniffing back a tear. “You’re fucking right Maggie. I’ve been like this for a very long time and I’ve forgotten what it means to be a fair person. I used the excuse that I was protecting myself from what happened to my dad. His death took a toll on me. After the funeral I just became a different person. I locked myself up from all my family and friends and feed myself lies and bullshit. I made myself believe that his goodness was what finally killed him. So I told myself I would win at all costs. I was wrong. I was being weak and a damn coward. It took real strength for dad to remain an honest man even after everything he went through. I would be lucky to be half the man he was. I know I’m far from it now but that doesn’t mean I can’t change. I see now I just needed someone who cared enough to tell me to straighten up my act. You’re my slap in the face Maggie. Literally.” I said with a laugh. “Thank you for being that person in my life. You may not believe a word out of my mouth but I know there was a reason you walked into my life. My dad would have loved everything about you. Who knows, maybe the old man had something to do with us meeting - as crazy as that sounds. I’m not letting you go. I’ll become the man you deserve. All I want is to make you happy.” I looked at her not knowing what her response would be. My heart was beating a million miles a minute in anticipation.