Blown Away (Next Generation 8)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “What’s that?” Brent asked, leaning against the wall as he looked out the window.

  “I realized she had the right to try to be happy, and we were miserable together. I loved her, she loved me, but we never should have gotten married. The only good thing that came out of it was you boys.”

  “Is it true she wanted us to live with her?”

  “She did, but I wouldn’t have it.” He crossed his arms. “I’ve asked myself a hundred times if I made the wrong call. Maybe kids need their mothers. Maybe I should’ve--”

  “Don’t. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. You’re the reason I’m a fighter. You’re the reason I came out on top.” Brent and his father weren’t the type to talk about their emotions, so he may never have told his father how important his influence was. Jerry’s brush with death made Brent realize it was time to say all the things he should have said years ago.

  “That’s kind of you to say, son.” Jerry’s eyes shined with emotion. “I always thought you became successful in spite of me, not because of me.”

  Brent was stunned. Didn’t his father know he was the rock that had anchored him throughout his life? They may not have always had food to eat or heat in the dead of winter, but he and Keith never questioned whether they had a father who would do anything in his power to make their lives better.

  “How can you say that?” Brent’s voice was thick with emotion when he said, “I love you, Dad. I’ll be a good father someday because you showed me how.”

  Jerry cleared his throat, obviously trying to control his emotions. The Armstrong men weren’t criers. They were always in control of their emotions, even when it felt as though someone had just pulled the rug out from under them. “You don’t know how much that means to me. People are always tellin’ me how proud I must be of you, and I am. Damn proud. But I’m not proud of you because you have a big, fat bank account. I’m proud of the man you are when no one else is lookin’.”

  “What do you mean?” Jerry had never told Brent he was proud of his accomplishments, but he’d never had to. He conveyed that message with every smile or slap on the back. He cheered the loudest at Brent’s sporting events and martial arts competitions, and he was the one clapping until his hands were raw at all of Brent and Keith’s graduation ceremonies.

  “People see that you donate to charities, but they don’t know that you dish out soup to the homeless or pass out sleeping bags from the back of your truck on cold winter nights. They don’t know you bought gifts for all of the kids stuck in this hospital on Christmas day last year.”

  “And I trust you’ll never tell anyone about those things.” Brent and his father shared a smile. They would never forget where they’d come from or how hard it had been. They were always one paycheck away from being that family living in their car. Brent would always have compassion and feel obligated to help the people who’d ended up there through no fault of their own.

  “Your secret is safe with me.” Jerry winked. “Enough of this sappy stuff. Tell me why you beat the hell out of Rea. And don’t even think about lying to me. You still have a thing for Jamie? Is that what it was about?”

  “No, it had nothing to do with Jamie.” Brent shoved his hands in his pockets. “Or maybe it did, in a roundabout way. I never really dealt with what happened back then. I just told her to get out of my life, and she did. I never saw her or Rea again. I don’t know, maybe there was some residual resentment I should have dealt with.”

  Jerry chuckled. “Ya think? From what I hear, you went all Charles Bronson on his ass.”

  Brent laughed. Only his father could make him laugh when his gut was twisted up in knots. “Charles Bronson? Really, Dad?”

  “Just get on with your story already. Why’d ya kick his ass?”

  “I walked into Jimmy’s and saw him dancing with Ava.”

  “Ava? That’s the girl you were all worked up about the other day when you stopped by the house in the middle of a workday?”

  “Yeah, she’s the one.” Brent realized as soon as the words left his mouth that they were true. She was the one, the only one for him. Without her, things that used to matter to him didn’t anymore. The future he’d mapped out took on a muted shade of gray instead of the vivid Technicolor he envisioned every time Ava stepped into the picture.

  “So why are you standin’ here with me when you should be down on your knees beggin’ Ava to forgive you for bein’ such a stupid son of a bitch?” He smiled when Brent scowled. “Don’t even try to deny it. You went crazy ‘cause she was dancin’ with some other guy. That’s just stupid.”

  “It wasn’t just some other guy. It was Rea.”

  “Speaking of Rea, have you talked to him?”

  “Yeah, we’re good.”

  “I don’t know how you could be. I heard you knocked a few of his teeth out.”

  Brent rolled his eyes. “Haven’t I told you not to believe everything you read?”

  “Get out of here. I need my beauty sleep.”

  “You sure I can’t get you anything before I leave?”

  “No, but when you come back, you can bring me one of those juicy burgers with fries from--”

  “I’m not gonna smuggle that in here. Nurse Ratchet at the front desk will smell it from a mile away. You’re getting out tomorrow. You can have one then.”

  Jerry reclined and settled in for a nap. “Since when did you start followin’ the rules?”

  “Since breaking them may have cost me the best thing that ever happened to me,” Brent said quietly as he walked out the door.

  ***

  Ava was trying to concentrate on work when Jamie or Jasmine or whatever she called herself knocked on her office door. “What can I do for you?”

  Jasmine smiled. “I know you’re busy, but do you have a minute? I’d really like to talk to you.”

  Deciding the day couldn’t get much worse, Ava motioned for her to come in. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Brent in almost three weeks, and she was questioning whether they would ever find their way back to each other.

  “This won’t take long,” Jasmine said, smiling, as she claimed the seat across from Ava. “This is about Brent.”

  “I assumed as much. We don’t have anything else in common.” Ava winced when she realized how that sounded. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just been one of those days.” Tomorrow or the day after that didn’t look much better. Life without Brent seemed bleak, almost pointless.

  “I understand.” Jasmine folded her hands on top of her large leather case. “I know it’s none of my business, but do you think you can find a way to forgive him? He’s miserable without you.”

  Ava was stunned, but she hoped she was doing a fair job of masking her surprise. “How would you know that?”

  “We’ve been working together on his house.”

  “I see.” The thought of Brent working so closely with his ex, a woman obviously still in love with him, was difficult for Ava to swallow.

  “I’d already completed the drawings years ago. They were exactly what he wanted, so he didn’t see any reason to start over with another architect.” She withdrew the plans from her portfolio and set them on Ava’s desk. “This is his dream house.”

  Ava looked at the plans, complete with a full-color artist’s rendering. It was stunning. Natural stone with subtle cedar accents that blended into the surroundings. Ava envisioned it up on that hill, overlooking the stunning view of his private lake. Lazy afternoons on the water, drifting in his sailboat, morning coffee on the wraparound deck or sunsets on lawn chairs at the end of the dock. She smiled as she imagined roasting marshmallows with their family and friends around the fire pit.

  “You’re smiling,” Jasmine said. “That must mean you like it.”

  “I love it,” she whispered, gliding her fingertip over the pitched cedar roof.

  “You could imagine yourself living here with him.”

  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, so Ava didn’t feel
obligated to respond. She simply waited for Jasmine to continue. If she wanted to rub Ava’s nose in the fact she was the one helping Brent to realize his dream, she’d already achieved her objective.

  “He can’t imagine living here without you.” Ava looked up, holding her breath as she waited for Jasmine to continue. “You’re part of his dream, Ava. The biggest part.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I loved Brent once. I want him to be happy, and I can see that being without you is making him miserable. He needs you. Money won’t make him happy. No matter how many companies he owns, business won’t make him happy either.”

  “What will?” Ava wasn’t even certain she knew. Asking his ex-fiancée for insight was humbling, but if Jasmine could help her understand Brent, Ava was willing to listen.

  “You.” She smiled, though it never quite reached her eyes. “Just you.”

  Ava’s heart went out to the other woman when Jasmine cleared her throat. She was obviously fighting back tears. Ava couldn’t even imagine how she would feel if their situations were reversed and Brent was in love with Jasmine.

  “Don’t punish him because he made one mistake, Ava. We all make mistakes. Trust me, I know.”

  Ava looked down at the drawings. “I’ll call him. Maybe we can get together tonight and figure out where we go from here.”

  “He’s going to be at the site at three. I’m supposed to meet him there, but I have a feeling he’d be happier if you showed up instead.” Jasmine got up and straightened her skirt. “Good luck.”

  Ava tried to hand the drawings back, but Jasmine shook her head. “They’re yours. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Brent’s the kind of man you spend your life trying to forget, but you never quite do. You have a chance at a life most women only dream about. Don’t let fear get in the way.”

  ***

  Brent sat in the driveway of the colonial mansion he’d vowed he would never set foot in again. But he was only a boy then. He’d become a man, and he had to face his problems. He couldn’t use his money to bully the weaker man anymore. It was time to lay his cards on the table and try to make up for the years they’d lost. Brent stood in front of the double doors and drew a deep breath before he found the courage to ring the doorbell.

  His half-brother, Jace, answered the door. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  The two men had never been friendly… not since fifteen-year-old Jace showed up at Brent’s office and asked Brent why he didn’t want to have a relationship with him. That conversation filled Brent with shame. He’d told the kid he was a stranger to him and that’s how he wanted it to stay. Sharing the same mother was an accident of birth. It didn’t make them family. That’s how he’d felt then. His father’s recent brush with death and the knowledge that his father had been able to forgive made him realize it was time for him to do the same. Forgive and ask for forgiveness.

  “I came to talk to you and your parents.” He stuck his hands in his pockets, trying not to look adversarial. “Are they around?”

  “My dad hasn’t been feeling too well,” Jace said, gripping the doorknob. “He’s been under a lot of stress, thanks to you.”

  “That’s what I’d like to talk to y’all about. I might have a solution to your problem.” Brent hoped he did. He would never consider Martin a friend, or even a stepfather, but he didn’t want to be his enemy anymore. He had a better understanding of what prompted his mother to leave, and he couldn’t hold Martin responsible.

  “What’s your angle, Armstrong?” Jace asked, narrowing his eyes. “Are you here to lull us into a false sense of security before you lower the boom?”

  Jace had every reason to be suspicious, but Brent wouldn’t allow that to deter him. “I haven’t got all day, kid. Are you gonna let me in or not?”

  “Fine.” He stepped away from the door. “I’ll let them know you’re here.”

  Brent wandered through the marble foyer into the sunken living room. He was surprised to find framed pictures of himself and Keith on the mantle alongside pictures of Jace. Brent realized Jerry must have given them to his mother.

  “Brent,” Claudia said, entering the room ahead of her husband, “this is a surprise. What brings you by?”

  Brent could tell she was trying to act casual, but the tremor in her voice gave her away. “I had a talk with Dad, and I thought a lot about what you said, Mother.” He was tempted to call her by her first name, just to let her know he wasn’t ready to welcome her back into his life with open arms just yet. He decided that she knew it would take time. They would have to get to know each other and hopefully build a new kind of relationship, as adults.

  “I see.” She gestured to the sofa when Jace and Martin claimed the two armchairs. “Please sit down. Can I get you a drink?”

  “No, thank you. This won’t take long.” He looked at Martin. “I’ve decided a hostile takeover isn’t the best approach to take with your company.”

  Martin sat up straighter, a glimmer of hope in his dark eyes. “What are your plans?”

  “I think I can turn things around.” Brent set one elbow on the mantle and put the other hand in his pocket, adopting a casual pose he knew would convey his message: He was still the one in charge. He was throwing them a bone. They could choose not to accept it, but they wouldn’t get a second chance. “I’d like to suggest you hang on to your shares of the company for now.”

  “Why?” Jace asked, crossing his arms. “You’ve already driven the value down--”

  Martin held his hand up. “Let’s hear him out, Jace.” Martin obviously wasn’t a stupid man. He knew Brent had backed him into a corner. He could either surrender or come out fighting a losing battle.

  Brent continued. “I’m confident I can turn things around. With a few key changes, we can make the company profitable again within eighteen months. If you want to sell your shares at that time, I’d be happy to buy them at fair market value.”

  “Why are you offering to do this?” Martin asked, leaning forward. “You hate me.”

  Brent shrugged. He’d never allowed emotions in any of his business dealings, but Martin’s company had always been the exception. Whether they wanted a relationship with him or not was irrelevant; Jace and Claudia were still his family. “I’m a venture capitalist. I like making money and I believe in mitigating risk.”

  “Why am I having a hard time believing this?” Martin asked, shaking his head.

  “Probably because I’ve hated you since the first time I laid eyes on you. Ruining your life became my life’s work.” Brent’s lips turned up at one corner. “It drove me to make a lot of money over the years, so I really can’t complain about the outcome.”

  Martin matched Brent’s half smile. “I’m glad I could be of service.”

  Brent glanced at his mother, who looked stunned. “I thought I had all the answers. It turns out, I didn’t.”

  “Your father...” Claudia looked from her husband to her eldest son. “Is he responsible for this?”

  “I make my own decisions.” Brent cast a glance at Jace, who looked as surprised as his parents. “You’ve made a lot of mistakes with the company, kid. I’m going to assume it had more to do with inexperience than stupidity.”

  Jace glared at him. “Who are you to tell me--”

  “My track record speaks for itself. I buy and sell companies like yours every day. My brother…” He cleared his throat. “Our brother, Keith, is an expert at restructuring companies like yours to make them profitable. He can work with you for the next year, help you to establish your deficiencies and create an action plan for correcting them.”

  Jace asked, “Why would he want to do that?”

  “Because whether we like it or not, we’re family.” Brent caught Claudia wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t know that we’re even going to like each other. Maybe too much damage has already been done, but I’m willing to accept my share of blame if y’all are willing to start over and try to figure ou
t a way to make this work.”

  Martin was the first to stand and offer Brent his hand. “I’d like that. I appreciate the offer, and on behalf of my family, I gratefully accept.”

  Brent shook Martin’s hand, wondering if he’d rushed to judgement where his stepfather was concerned. Only time would tell. “I’m glad to hear that. I believe we can turn this thing around before it’s too late to save your company.”

  Martin chuckled. “I have no doubt. It sure is nice to have you as an ally instead of an enemy.”

  Jace approached his brother. “I’m looking forward to working with you on this, Brent. I know I’ll learn a lot.”

  “You’ll be working with Keith primarily, but I’ll be available to consult when the need arises.”

  Jace nodded and slapped his father on the back, leading him out of the room. They obviously sensed he and Claudia needed a few moments alone.

  “I can’t thank you enough,” she said, reaching for Brent’s hands. “I never expected you to offer to help us. When I came to your office, I was only hoping to buy a little time to figure out another way to save the business.” She sniffled. “This is more than I ever could have hoped for.”

  When Brent looked into her eyes, he saw a glimpse of the mother he used to know. He’d told himself and the rest of the world that his mother was dead to him, but he hoped they could find a way to resurrect their relationship. He’d wanted to believe he didn’t need anyone, but Ava taught him that wasn’t true. He needed her, and maybe he still needed his mother too.

  Brent said, “I can’t make any promises. I’ll know more when we have the books analyzed, but I feel confident that we can turn things around.”

  “It means everything to me that my boys will finally be working together. You don’t know how many times I’ve wished for that.” She hugged him, tentatively at first, until he returned the gesture.

  “It’s time to put the past behind us, Mama.”

  ***