Stiff_A Graves Family Romance

by Kim Linwood

  I’m used to living out of hotels nearly as much as my condo, but the idea doesn’t seem as appetizing as it used to. “That bad, huh?”

  “Consider it an opportunity to see this great country of ours. You wanted more responsibility. Well, this is your chance.” He throws his words at me like a dare.

  “Yeah, of course.” It’s true. A few weeks ago, I’d be all over this. It’s the opportunity that I always wished I’d get, but usually goes to Ax. Sadie will understand, right?

  “I’ll be honest, when you practically moved to Wittville, I wasn’t happy about the time spent, not to mention the hotel bills, but then I thought about it. To create a shop with a personal touch, you need a person. Someone who’s there, who gets to know the proprietors, someone who can make them part of the Graves family without taking away the local feel of their business.”

  “And you think I can do that?” Honestly, I’m a little surprised. Flattered even. “Did grandma put you up to this?”

  He clears his throat guiltily. “Well, we’ve talked. But I think she was right to encourage me to give you more responsibility. Axton’s doing a great job here in administration. I need him to stay abreast of what’s going on in case he needs to step in. Brandon is… well, Brandon.” We all look at each other in a rare moment of shared understanding. “I’m not as young as I used to be, and I want to make sure everything’s under control.”

  “Planning your exit strategy already, old man?” It’s nice to hear he considers me an important part of the business, but I can’t imagine him stepping away just yet.

  He scowls at me. “You all won’t get rid of me that easily. This is your chance, kid. Step up, grab this project by the balls and help take Graves Funeral Homes to the next level. You up for it?”

  I flip through the folders again. North Carolina, Maryland. Great places, I’m sure, but I was expecting to have more time in Wittville, really using it as a flagship for the new concept. Not leaving the details to someone else while I live out of my car for the next year. “Listen, I have some things I still need to finalize with the Williams place.” Things like Sadie. “Can this maybe wait a week or two?”

  Dad levels a humorless gaze at me. “What kind of things? We’re already way behind schedule with all your schmoozing. If it’s going to take this long every time, I’m going to need you out there yesterday, or better yet, last week.”

  This is what I wanted, but not how I imagined it, and I can’t very well tell him that I need to put off business plans to go hold hands with a girl. “If I’m traveling, who’s going to manage the Williams shop? I thought I was slated for that.”

  Dad leans forwards, putting his weight on his elbows. “Carter, is that really what you’re seeing as your future? This is way bigger. Ms. Williams has managed the parlor just fine for some time now. That’s why we bought it. She’ll report directly to you, of course, but there’s no reason she can’t keep managing things herself.”

  “Hey, if you’re that worried about it, I can go spend some time there and make sure she has all the help she needs,” Axton adds with an irritating grin. He knows exactly which buttons to push when he wants to annoy me.

  I sneer at him. “No, Ms. Williams is perfectly capable of handling her own business. We’re trying for a more relaxed, friendly image, something you wouldn’t know anything about.”

  We glare at each other with the maturity of ten-year-olds until he finally leans back and relaxes with a shrug. “I’m just confused about why my little brother, the one who’s been itching for this sort of opportunity for years has suddenly grown cold feet. Are you sure there isn’t something else holding you back? Something more personal?”

  “Is there something I should know about?” Dad cuts in.

  After a long pause, I shake my head.

  Dad nods. “So then what’s it going to be, Carter? Going to do your job? I’ve already told the Berntsen Family Funeral Parlor near Canton, Ohio that we’re very interested. They sounded amenable so I set up a meeting. I’d like you heading out tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Fuck. I can’t pass on this without a solid reason. Do I want to pass up this opportunity? That’s the downside with working in a family business. I have the flexibility to turn this down and walk out the door without losing my job, but if I did, I could kiss the idea of ever seeing a similar chance again goodbye.

  “Talk to Michelle about making your travel arrangements.” He points at his office door where his personal assistant sits outside. “She knows what to do.”

  If there’s anyone who understands family pressure, it’s Sadie. I’ll handle this meeting and then figure out what to do from there. It won’t take long. “Fine. I’ll get on it after we’re done here.”

  Dad looks pleased. “Good.”

  She’ll understand.

  34

  Sadie

  “Wait. You’re not coming back?” I try to keep my voice calm, since I’m a freaking adult and somehow my life managed itself before Carter showed up. Not to mention it isn’t good for business to get hysterical at the office. But he’d said he’d be back, and right now is a really bad time for him not to make good on that. “You can’t go. Not now.”

  “Are you okay? Did something happen?” He pauses. “Fuck. Maria?”

  I sniffle. “She passed this morning.” Swallowing the massive lump in my throat is impossible, no matter how hard I try.

  “Shit,” he groans on the other end. “I’m so sorry. I’d be there if I could.”

  “It really can’t wait another week or two?” My voice sounds whiny and I hate it, but there’s a pain growing in my heart at the thought of being alone.

  “I’m so, sorry, Sadie. I tried, but there are meetings already set up and I can’t cancel on such short notice. I promise I’ll get it done ASAP.” He sounds legitimately sorry for having to bail on me, but sorry doesn’t make me feel any better.

  “When do you think you’re going to be back, then? I mean, I knew you had other stuff to do, but… how much time are you really going to get to spend here?” Is it selfish to want the guy I’m seeing to be around? The stupid thing is that I know this is exactly what he told me he’s been working for. He wants to make his own mark, and I can’t ask him not to just because I’m really missing him right now.

  This is exactly what I was worried about.

  Being right sucks.

  “I don’t know,” he admits glumly. “I’ll be there as often as I can, but there’s a whole pile of locations to sort through. I’m going to be busy for a while.”

  “I knew it, you really were just after me for my signature,” I say with a heavy sigh, mostly joking but not entirely.

  “Oh, come on. That’s not fair. I knew there would be a lot of work, but I had no idea Dad was going to jump on it this quickly. I’m not exactly thrilled either.”

  “But it would’ve happened sooner or later.”

  He’s quiet for a long time on the other end of the line. “I thought I’d have a lot more time to get settled in, but I guess. Yeah.”

  “This is probably going to sound really needy, but if this is going to work between us, I’d really like to be more than a quick mattress bounce while you’re on the road.”

  “Hey, there’s no reason it has to be quick.”

  “Carter…”

  “Sorry,” he says with a low chuckle that makes me miss him even more. “But you have to know that I want to be with you. I’m just a little torn right now. This is the hard part. Once things are off the ground, there will be time for us.”

  That’s easy for him to say. He’s the one off doing things while I sit home and wait. “What if you tell your dad no?”

  “Then you’ll continue seeing my face on billboards all over the northeast, but that’ll be all I’ll be doing until I manage to dig myself out of the doghouse. This might be a family business, but we didn’t get where we are by sitting back and letting chances go by.”

  “Besides, I’m sure Thanksgiving would be awkw
ard, right?”

  He laughs. “Yeah. And it might not be how I’d do it myself, but I do want this. I want to prove that I might not be Axton, but I can earn my way and put my mark on the business. If I was like Brandon I guess I wouldn’t care, but I’m not. Does that make sense?”

  “Yeah, it does,” I admit very reluctantly. “But I don’t have to like it. I’m not sure I can handle doing Maria’s funeral on my own. I miss her so much already.”

  “You’re not alone. There’s Zoe and Lena, and I’m sure Josie will be glad to have you there. You’ve got this.”

  I get up and start pacing. I’ve always been happy with my office, but now it feels way too small. Why did I start relying on him when I knew better? “I know you’re right, I just… Maybe I could call your father and tell him I need you for something.”

  “It would be a bad idea. Trust me. He’ll start wondering if you’re really capable of handling your job.”

  “Is that a threat?” My feet stop on their own as I try to process what he just said.

  “No, no. Of course not,” Carter denies quickly.

  It kind of felt like one. “I know you’re going to be busy, but could you at least try to make it back for the funeral?”

  “I can’t make any promises. When is it?”

  It’s not that I think Carter doesn’t care, but this thing between us is too new for me to understand his signals. If I push, will he resent it? He didn’t know Maria like I did, but she was the one who wanted us together to begin with. That should count for something, shouldn’t it? “They’re waiting to find out how soon a couple of out-of-town family members can get here, so not totally decided yet, but it should be early next week.”

  The pause before he answers isn’t promising. “I’ll try.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Even though he didn’t say no, I’m already preparing myself for hearing his excuse when it comes.

  “Sadie,” he says with a frustrated sigh. “I’m doing the best I can with a difficult situation.”

  I swallow down my resentment and try to take him at his word. He’s not even doing anything wrong, not really. I can’t expect him to drop his job on a moment’s notice because his new girlfriend is sad. Even so, I can’t quite shake the feeling that I was right all along and this is just the first step away before he moves on for good. It’s probably an overreaction, but my gut doesn’t want to listen today. He came, won the contract and the girl, and now he’s ready to do it all over again. In another city. Maybe even another girl.

  Stupid gut. “All right. I guess that’s the best I can hope for. I’d really like it if you could, though.”

  “I’ll do my best, I promise.”

  “Right.” I stand there not wanting to hang up but not knowing what to say. “I’m sure you’re really busy, and guess I need to get things moving here. Arthur and Frank are picking up…” For just a moment, I choke up as the reality of it all comes flooding back. Being annoyed with my boyfriend is put into perspective. I draw a deep breath, then let it out slowly. I can do this. “Are picking up… Maria. Zoe promised that it will be her best work ever.” I try to laugh but it comes out more like a sob.

  “I’m so sorry, Sadie. You have no idea how much I want to be there to hold you right now.”

  “I’ll get Zoe to cuddle me instead, I guess.”

  “Just tell her she’d better not be moving in on my turf.”

  Despite my state of mind, I smile, just a little. “Consider it incentive to not spend too much time away, otherwise she’ll be the one telling you that.”

  “All right, I get it. I’ll do my best. I’m not going to lose you to some basement-dwelling embalmer.”

  “I’d defend my friend, but I think she’d actually appreciate that description.”

  “Do I have anything to worry about?” He’s asking as a joke, but my heart takes it more seriously than he’s probably intending.

  “No,” I whisper.

  I’m not the one leaving.

  35

  Carter

  I’m just finishing up packing my bags when my phone rings. It’s been a few days since I talked to Sadie, so I grab it eagerly off the desk in my hotel room. When I see who it is, I’m in much less of a rush to answer, but I do it anyway.

  “What’s up?” I sit down on the edge of the bed.

  “What’s up? What up with you? I got your email about leaving early. Did it go that badly with the Berntsens?” Dad’s sounding worried on the other end of the line.

  “No, everything went fine. They know their stuff and they’ve already got a good reputation around here. It’s a fairly small family operation and it won’t take much to get them up and running.”

  Honestly, after Sadie, the Berntsens were about as interesting as watching paint dry. They were happy to hear about our plans and are actually excited about the possibilities working with a large corporation can provide. Not a single complaint about my attitude or the evils of Big Funeral. I grin at the memory of how worked up Sadie was when I first showed up.

  “Good, I’m glad to hear it. Looks like all that time with the Williams place paid off. This means there should be time to squeeze in—”

  “I’m taking a few days off,” I break in, cutting him off before he can start on his next big idea.

  “What?”

  “Personal time. There’s a funeral I need to get to.”

  “A funeral? It better be in a Graves Funeral Home. No child of mine would be caught dead anywhere else.” Dad chuckles at his own morbid joke.

  I sigh. “It is, actually. And it’s back in Wittville. Someone I met while I was there.” I doubt Dad has the patience to get the full explanation. “I’m taking Friday off and I’ll be there for at least the weekend. Everything went smoothly here so it shouldn’t be hard to pick back up. If I’m stuck there longer I’ll reschedule next week’s meetings.”

  “Don’t push it, Carter. You’re already way behind after the last place,” Dad grumbles. “I’m not an idiot, I get that there was something going on with you and the Williams girl, but we have work to do. After the Berntsens, you’ve got the Mathison home waiting for you in Maryland. They’re outside Baltimore and a bigger operation than those guys anyway.” There’s the sound of him rifling through some papers on his end. “I’m sure you’ll manage to wrap things up by Sunday night so I’ll have Michelle book your travel information and send it over this afternoon.”

  I’m not sure what’s wrong with me, but I actually expected him to be a little more understanding considering the business we’re in. “You know what? I’ll let her know myself when I’m ready.”

  His pause is so heavy I can practically feel it from a state and a half away. “I’m disappointed in you.”

  “Dad—”

  “I really thought you were starting to take this seriously, but maybe I was wrong. I’ll see if Ax is busy.”

  A few months ago his words might actually have bothered me, but meeting Sadie and working on my own has changed me. Now I hear them for what they are. Manipulation. I don’t know if he does it on purpose, but he’s been playing me, Axton, and Brendon like this our whole lives. “Oh, for fucks sake, Dad. I’m taking a few days of personal time to deal with a sudden death. Axton will keep doing whatever he’s doing, and I’ll call your assistant when I’m ready to go to Maryland.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me.”

  He sputters for a second on the other end of the line. “What the hell? I’m giving you an assignment. You might be my son, but you also work for me, and this is part of your job. I gave you this opportunity because I thought you were ready. You need to be on the ball and ready to keep moving. This business won’t grow itself. When I say that you’re going to Baltimore, that’s where you’re going.”

  “Oh, I’ll go, but I’m going when I decide I’m ready.” I glance around my hotel room one more time to see if I’ve forgotten anything, then snap my suitcase shut.

  “You—”

  “Yes,
me. I’ve worked my ass off for this company, and I’ve earned the right to make my own decisions. Before your head explodes—because I can hear your veins throbbing from here—I’ll take your suggestions under advisement, but we need to get something clear. Either you trust me enough to let me work, or you don’t, but I’m not going to jump through your hoops for the next twenty years while you hang Axton over my head like a fucking, well, axe.”

  “It’s this girl, isn’t it? What’s her name? Sally?”

  “Sadie, and no.” Well, to be honest, it is partially her, but not in the way my father means. “This is me growing up. Do you realize that you were about my age when Grandpa had his first heart attack and you had to take over most of the business?”

  “That was completely different. I’m sure I was—”

  “Less experienced than I am, and from the way Grandma tells it, it was a miracle the business survived because you didn’t listen to a single word he said.”

  “I had your mother and Ax to worry about.”

  “And if everything goes well, I’ll have Sadie and our family.”

  That seems to shock him into silence.

  Relenting a little, I try to throw him a bone. “Look, I’m not trying to become the next Graves CEO. I’m just trying to establish myself, and I can’t do that if my Daddy is scheduling all of my playdates.”

  He chuckles, and it doesn’t even sound completely forced. “This girl better be worth it. Does she know what she’s getting into? There’s going to be travel and long hours, no matter how you work it. Maybe you should wait a few years before you start thinking seriously about settling down. Just to see how things go.”

  I can see my life play out if I listen to him now. Hotel room after hotel room. Sadie dumped me long ago. One night stands with girls who deserve more. Filling my days with making deals and making money. A few years ago that would’ve sounded like a dream come true.