He stood up and gave me a funny look before smiling. “I have to say, I’m sure as hell glad it’s you holding down the fort with me. I can’t imagine trying to do this with anyone else.”
“Thanks. I feel the same way. I’ll let you know how it turns out.”
He waved a hand. “I know you have it covered.”
He left the office while I grabbed my keys and phone. I slid on my sunglasses and walked out of the office. I shuddered as I stepped into the elevator. The sadness was uncomfortable. I was going to take my time at the railyard. I was not looking forward to going back in.
My truck bounced down the dirt road that led to the yard. I parked in front of the office and scanned the area. There was a crew working on one of the engines, but I didn’t see the foreman. He was the man I wanted to talk to. We couldn’t afford to have any slips in service. With Ben’s death, our clients were already feeling a little anxious. Delivering late was not an option. I would act as the engineer myself if I had to.
I walked up the ramp into the office which was nothing more than a single-wide trailer. I was immediately hit by a blast of cold air. The secretary who basically ran the place looked at me and grimaced.
“He’s in his office,” she said. “I warned him.”
“Thanks, Vida.”
I walked down the narrow hall to Derek the foreman’s office. The door was propped open. I walked in and gave him a look. He sighed, barely stopping himself from rolling his eyes when he saw me.
“I suppose my little tattletale told you there is a delay?”
“That tattletale might have just saved the company a small fortune. What is going on? Why isn’t it moving?”
“I have a client that wants their shipment to go out today. It’s going to the same destination. I thought we could save ourselves some money by putting it on the same train.”
“And where is the shipment?”
He winced. “It didn’t show up.”
“Then get that other load going,” I ordered. “The client that didn’t get his shit delivered can pay full price. I’m not going to screw over one client because we are trying to save a few bucks.”
“I was just trying to help out.”
“I appreciate that, but our reputation is at stake here, and right now, that is far more important than a few dollars. Get that train out of here and in a hurry. Put on two engineers if needed. We cannot miss our scheduled delivery date. It only takes one mistake to make a client take his business elsewhere.”
He nodded, looking a little nervous. “I’ll do it.”
“Next time, call me if you have an idea like that. In theory, it’s great but only if you know for sure you can make it happen. It’s too risky.”
“I understand,” he muttered.
I left the office and headed back out front. Vida was smiling at me. “Did you get him straightened out?”
“I don’t understand why you aren’t the foreman out here,” I told her.
“Because I’m old and cranky. I would fire every one of these young bucks just because they pissed me off one time. I’m not management material.”
I leaned forward. “But we all know you run this place.”
She winked. “Yes, we do, but that’s our little secret.”
“It’s the worst-kept secret, but I get your drift.”
“How are you doing over there in the big office?” she asked, her brown eyes softening. “I can’t imagine it’s easy to be back where it happened.”
“It’s a very somber environment right now. It’s going to take some time.”
“Are you stepping into the old man’s shoes?”
“Hell no,” I answered immediately. “I am not ready for that. Not yet. Maybe one day.”
“Sometimes, you aren’t ready for what life throws at you. You just have to suck it up and do the best you can.”
“It won’t be me,” I assured her.
“Well, if it is you, I will support you.”
“If it is me, you better believe I’m making you foreman out here.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You wouldn’t dare! That’s not a nice thing to say.”
I laughed and walked out into the hot, humid day. Vida had been around nearly as long as Beau. She always said she didn’t want the responsibility of being the boss. I completely understood. I didn’t really want it either.
Chapter 6
Cora
Oakley and I walked into the conference room of the prestigious law firm that handled all my father’s business, including the handling of his estate. Today was the reading of the will. I really wished there didn’t have to be such a big song and dance about it. I hated having to hear my father’s last words being read by someone else. It felt wrong.
“You okay?” Oakley asked me for what was probably the tenth time that morning.
“I’m good. I just want to get this over.”
We sat down and waited for the attorney. He came in, shaking each of our hands before using a remote to turn on a big-screen television mounted on the wall.
“What’s going on?” Oakley asked.
“Your father wanted a video record of his will,” the attorney answered.
My stomach flipflopped. I wasn’t sure I was ready to see him. It didn’t matter if I was ready because his face filled the screen. He was sitting in his study at home. Tears sprang to my eyes as I stared at his image. He looked so vibrant and alive.
“Hi, Cora and Oakley. I guess if you are watching this, the good Lord saw fit to bring me home. I hate that you guys are going through this, but I know you are strong enough to handle it. Oakley, you make sure you take care of your sister.”
Oakley looked away from the screen. I knew he was struggling to keep it together. I didn’t bother trying to fight it. I was falling apart. A box of tissues materialized in front of me. I quickly snatched one and dabbed at my eyes. Oakley took my hand and gave it a good squeeze as my father continued to talk.
“You guys have made me a very proud father. I couldn’t have asked for a better couple of kids. Together, you two will be invincible. Before I get to the boring stuff, I want to tell you both to chase your dreams. I want you both to be happy. I don’t care what you do as long as it brings you joy. Your mother and I both want that for you.”
Hearing him talk about my mother stirred up more emotions. I grabbed another tissue and blinked several times. I wanted clear eyes to see my father’s face. I was committing every detail to memory. I was focusing on the inflection in his voice and imagining him being in the room with us.
“As you probably figured out, I’m giving you both the estate. Divide it equally. Oakley, I’m guessing you are probably still out in California living the life you have always wanted. Don’t think you need to give that up to come home. Do come back and visit though. Your little sister is going to need you.”
Oakley was nodding as if he was having an actual conversation with my father. I smiled through the tears, knowing my big brother would absolutely do as our father instructed.
“Cora, my sweet, sweet Cora. Honey, I want you to take over my place at the company. I don’t know how long you will have been working at the company when you watch this. Hopefully, I’ve already groomed you to take over. If I had to leave before that happened, then please rely on Beau. That man will not steer you wrong. Use your instincts but never hesitate to ask Beau for advice. He has never led me astray. I wouldn’t have made that company into what it was today without him. He’s always been my go-to and I hope he can be yours while you learn the ropes.”
Oakley looked at me and smiled. I could see the relief on his face as well. I knew he did not want to take over the company. He would have done it if our father asked, but he would have hated it.
“I can do it,” I whispered, making sure he knew he was off the hook.
“Rogan is another one you can count on to help you through the transition. He’s the guy who gets things done. He can talk to the crews and they will listen to him. They re
spect him and I have always counted on his opinion as well. He has a knack for knowing when something is good and when something should be avoided. Use him. I know he will give you all the help you need.”
I blew out a breath, trying to take it all in. It was a lot. I didn’t want to think about the company. I knew I only had a few precious minutes with him and I wanted to give him my full attention—even if it was a video.
“Guys, I’m sorry. Boy, am I sorry to leave you, but know I died a happy man. You two made me so happy. Even after I lost your mother, I never felt too sad. I had the two of you and I thanked God every day for giving me such great kids. I want you two to keep going. Keep our family legacy alive. I don’t know if I’m leaving behind any grandchildren. I doubt it because I would have done another video. I’ll make a little confession. I update this almost every year. I never want to risk leaving anything unsaid. Go on with your lives. Don’t mourn me. Celebrate all the good things you have. Celebrate life. Travel and see the world. You have the financial security to do anything you want. I trust you guys will do the right thing with the house. If you don’t want it, sell it. I’d love for it to be passed down to your children one day, but I also know what it’s like to live with a ghost. You do what feels right.”
“No way, Dad,” Oakley whispered.
He was talking to him like he was there. I understood the need to do so. If I didn’t have a giant ball lodged in my throat, I probably would have told him the same thing. We couldn’t sell the family home.
I listened to the rest of my dad’s speech, my heart both hurting and feeling better at the same time. It was so good to see him but so hard because it was the only way we would ever see him. We wouldn’t get to see him hold our children or grow old. He was only sixty-two, and in my book, that was not nearly old enough.
When the video was over, the attorney reached for the remote and turned off the television. The silence in the room was deafening. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I listened to Oakley’s breathing and did my best to steady my nerves.
“I have the necessary paperwork,” the attorney said, breaking through the silence like a hammer through a window.
I flinched, jerking away from him and the papers he was sliding across the table. Oakley was the one to take them. He read them while I did nothing.
“Do you have a pen?” Oakley asked.
One was given to him. He scribbled his name on a few documents before handing me the pen and indicating where I needed to sign. I did so without reading anything. I trusted my brother. A few minutes later, Oakley was guiding me out of the office and into the waiting car. We were using our father’s car and driver. I couldn’t bring myself to fire any of the staff. They relied on him for a job, and neither Oakley nor I wanted to put anyone out of work.
As the car pulled away from the curb, Oakley turned to look at me. “Do you feel better that it’s over?”
“No.”
“How do you feel about what he left you?”
“You mean the company?”
He nodded. “Yes. Are you okay with that?”
“I am. I expected to take it over one day, but I wasn’t thinking it would be so soon. I’ve barely started to work there.”
“You spent your summers there,” he reminded me.
“Yes, but I was never the one in the big chair.”
He chuckled and turned to look out the window. “I have no doubt you are going to do well. You have Beau and Rogan. I will talk with Rogan if you want me to. I’ll threaten to cut his balls off if he doesn’t give you the help you need.”
I smiled, rolling my eyes. “That’s always an effective way to gain compliance.”
“I’ll be here as well. I don’t know shit about the business, but I’ll be your moral support.”
“We’re keeping the house, right?”
“Hell yes.”
“Good,” I said with relief. I didn’t want to impose my wishes on him, but it was half his. If he wanted the money, there was nothing I could do about it.
“I know you will understand, but I don’t want to make it my home. Not right now. Maybe one day I’ll want to come back here and raise a family, but I’m not there yet. I want to chase my dream a while longer. You know I will stay if you need me to.”
“I’ll be okay. It will take some time, but it will get better.”
He leaned his head back and stared out the window as we were driven back to the house just outside the city. When we went inside, the housekeeper had prepared lunch for us. Neither of us was hungry, but we knew she was trying to be helpful.
We took our lunch outside under the pergola. It was one of our father’s favorite places to eat his breakfast or lunch.
“What do we do with his stuff?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“His clothes and stuff like that. Do we leave everything in his bedroom?”
He took a bite of the thick ham and cheese sandwich. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
“I only ask because the housekeeper offered to do it. I don’t know if I can do it.”
He blew out a breath. “Is there anything you want to keep?”
I thought about it. “I think we should donate his clothes. Everything else, I think we can keep. If we are keeping the house, there is no point in doing anything with his personal stuff. It will be nice to have something to remember him by. Something to pass down to his grandchildren one day.”
“I agree,” he said, sounding relieved. “We’ll have the housekeeper do it. You’re going to have your hands full running that company.”
I groaned. “I know it. I hope I don’t screw it up. I don’t want to let him down.”
“You won’t. Dad knew you would handle it just fine. I’m here for you. I’m not going to run away and leave you holding the bag. After all, that company keeps me living high on the hog.”
We both burst into laughter. “I will make sure you get to keep your fancy house on the beach in Malibu. I don’t want to leave you homeless and living out of your van. Although I have a feeling that would make you very happy.”
He grinned. “It would make me more authentic in the minds of the others.”
“Screw what they think. You are very authentic.”
“They think I’m a yuppie. Well, some do. Not all. I have proven myself and have earned the respect of the ones I care about. The rest can kiss my ass. I don’t have to prove myself to them.”
“No, you don’t,” I agreed.
We finished eating our lunch before going into the study to look through some of his things. It made me feel closer to him. I didn’t want to change the study at all. It would remain a shrine to him for a while.
Chapter 7
Rogan
I had barely sat down when Beau walked into my office. He had a look on his face that didn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy. I waited for him to tell me what was going on.
“We need to talk,” he said without sitting down.
I wasn’t sure if Beau could fire me. It certainly felt like he could. “Okay,” I said, waiting for him to sit.
“I was thinking we could grab some breakfast.”
I pursed my lips together. I didn’t know what that meant. I didn’t normally eat breakfast. “Right now?”
“Yes. We’ll go on down to the Texan.”
I knew the place. “All right.” The place was notorious for being a place where old men gathered. When I said old men, I meant old, like pushing up against the triple-digits.
I got up and followed him out of the office. He drove, never once telling me what it was he wanted to talk to me about. I could only think about what I was going to do next. Where was I going to work? How was I going to pay my mortgage?
We walked into the restaurant, and Beau immediately recognized what seemed like everyone. The young woman standing at the podium just inside the door greeted him by name. I felt like his shadow as he chatted with one group of men and then another until we were finally seated at ou
r table. I scanned the restaurant and realized if I wasn’t in the place, Beau would be the youngest man there.
“I take it you come here a lot,” I said.
He smiled. “I do. I usually come in before work, but I didn’t have time this morning.”
I wanted to know what the hell was going on. I was doing my best to be patient, but it was not my strong suit. “It’s a nice place,” I commented instead of demanding he tell me why we were here.
A waitress sauntered over. “Good morning, Beau. Are you training a new guy?”
She was smiling at me. I smiled back. “This is Rogan,” Beau said. “Every man needs to know about the Texan. I figured it was high time we bring him in.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Rogan. I hope you don’t become too regular yet.” She winked. “You’re too young and far too good looking to hang out with these old farts.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you want the usual?” she asked Beau.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And for you, sugar?”
I expected a menu. Apparently, I wasn’t going to get one. “I’ll have what he’s having,” I said and hoped it wasn’t oatmeal or grits.
“Coming right up,” she said with a thick Texas twang before spinning on her heel and walking away.
“Me and Ben used to come here quite a bit,” he said.
I looked at him, seeing the hint of sadness in his eyes. “I think he mentioned this place a few times.”
Beau smiled and looked out the window. “We used to tease each other that we were getting old. We’d come here and look at the wrinkled, weathered faces of the men that hung out here every morning and think we were somehow so much younger than them. Over the years, we began to blend in with the crowd a bit more. We were the next generation of the old timers crowd and we didn’t even know it.”
That hit me hard. I couldn’t explain why, but it did. He was introducing me to a tradition I didn’t think I wanted to be a part of. I didn’t want to grow old. I didn’t want to drink coffee all morning and talk about politics and the good old days. “I think I recognize a few of these guys from the funeral.”
Backing You Up Page 4