He knocked lightly, then entered the spacious office. It had a homey feel to it, even with four televisions bolted to the wall, all tuned to financial analyst programs in different countries. Bo, who was on the phone, waved him in then went back to tapping away on his laptop. It was funny to hear his mild-mannered, nerdy, big brother bark orders about the budget and demand answers in the next hour.
He decided to keep himself busy while he waited, so he perused around the office looking for any new photos or gadgets that Summer and Autumn may have gifted Bo from their gaming company. He had to admit it was pretty cool to be able to beta test the latest games NuWave had to offer. It made Wyatt an instant hit with his buddies. He was looking forward to going to NuWave and hanging out with his new sister-in-law. At least one of his brothers was finding happiness. He was worried about Corbett finding his way after the break up with Courtney. Corbett seemed to be taking the life changes in stride and had even taken some vacation days, something he rarely did. But Wyatt was still worried that Corbett was hiding how he was really doing from the rest of the family.
The office was littered with new photos from the wedding. No surprise there. A photo of Bo and Summer in their wedding duds was displayed proudly on his desk. Each time Bo would grow more worked-up during the call, he’d look at the picture and bring it back down a few notches. What made Wyatt stop in his tracks was the new photo on Bo’s credenza. It was a shot of him and Avery at the wedding. The photographer had snapped a picture of them just before they’d left to go the cottage. She’d been so mad at him, but she went with him anyway. He let out a sigh. He often dreamed about what followed in the cottage that night. He’d wanted her so badly. But he knew doing something impulsive that he hadn’t thought out would bring the wrath of the entire Blake clan down on him.
“Sorry about that,” Bo said as he slammed down the phone.
“Is this a bad time?” Wyatt said hopefully. “I can come back another day.”
“Crisis be damned. My little brother’s future is just as important as solving a numbers issue.”
“I know that is all big business. How much has gone missing?”
“Twenty million.”
“Whoa!”
Bo laughed. “It’s a spreadsheet error. Anna Beth and I figured it out last night. I checked with the bank this morning and the funds are still there. But I want my team to figure it out too. I can’t be the only smart person in the room. The people who work for me have to be smarter and more diligent, otherwise I’m just running an ice cream parlor.”
“What got you interested in business and finance?”
“I always liked math as a kid. Math is finite and if calculated properly always leads to logical, tangible conclusions. When creativity is injected, there’s usually fraud or embezzlement involved.”
“So, it’s the absolute truth for you?”
“Right.” Bo beamed. “I do better with straight forward parameters.”
“I don’t know. I’d say you’ve loosened up the past few years. You didn’t apply any fancy math for the wedding festivities.”
“Well, the reception area layout was organized in the shape of a hexagon. But I have Teri-Lyn to thank for that. She said she knew it would calm any last-minute jitters to know I was standing the middle of my favorite geometric shape.” He laughed.
Wyatt laughed too. “Teri-Lyn knows all about those special touches.”
Bo looked at him for a long moment. “What do you want to do with your life, Wyatt?”
Great. Here it came. “I don’t know.”
“Why did you major in business if you have no interest in it?”
“You and Corbett are good at it. I thought since we’re brothers, eventually those genes would kick in and I would be good at it too.”
“It doesn’t always work that way.”
“Tell me about it.” He got up and walked over to the window. “I know I must be a big disappointment to the family, but I’m trying.”
“Hold on.” Bo said as he joined Wyatt at the window. “No one is disappointed in you. I’m very proud of how you turned your grades around when you transferred to school here in Texas. You’ve even been on the dean’s list. That’s no small feat. You started to apply yourself. Something must have changed in you.”
Yeah, a certain brainy future doctor who’d challenged him every step of the way to apply himself and get better grades. Since they’d been apart the last few months, he’d felt lost without her. She hadn’t been there to hold his hand, and it made him think that maybe he’d done all of those things for Avery and not for himself.
“But it’s not enough,” he finally replied. “The family is scared I’m going to turn into some stoner slacker who can’t keep a job more difficult than bartending. I don’t have it all figured out.”
“You think you’re the first person ever to not know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life?”
“No. But I am the first person is this family with no sense of direction.”
“I have to apologize. Summer told me I was putting too much pressure on you. I’m just so excited for you. You have the world in front of you, and it’s an exhilarating time in a person’s life. There’s a small window of time open for exploring the world before you get married and have kids. You get to know yourself completely before you decide to share the rest of your life with someone.”
“I can barely split a pizza with someone, let alone a life.”
“I don’t know about that.” Bo patted him on the back. “Let’s go.”
Wyatt followed as Bo headed down the corridor and past Anna Beth’s desk. They got on the elevator and went to the ground floor. Bo started by introducing him to Rudy, the security guard, and asked him to describe for Wyatt what he did. Wyatt was embarrassed, feeling like he was on a school field trip, but Rudy happily rattled off his job description and threw in why he liked working for Blake Enterprises. This happened again when they visited the mailroom, which was more like a mini city. There were people flitting about copying documents and preparing packages to be delivered or shipped. They each took a moment to show Wyatt how their job fit into the information flow around the company without delays. They also visited accounting, facilities, security, human resources, cafeteria, IT, and the legal department.
Each person they encountered seemed delighted to be chatting with Bo. His brother said he and J.J. did a walk through occasionally, just like John Jacob had during the years he’d run the company. It showed the staff that the owners weren’t just some enigmatic faces sitting high up in a tower. Three hours later, they were back on the floor of the executive offices. Bo seemed to be walking him back to the office, but he stopped short at the office that had Tyler’s name on it. Bo knocked, then entered to see the race car driver standing by a drafting table looking over some blueprints.
Tyler smiled. “I was beginning to think you two weren’t going to make it.”
“I had to put out some fires this morning before we started,” Bo replied.
“Wyatt, how did you like the tour?”
He grimaced. “It felt like a field trip.”
“I had my tour two months ago. It really opened my eyes to the inner workings around here.”
“You went on a tour?” Wyatt’s eyes widened. “I’m sure everyone knows who you are.”
“Maybe. But I didn’t know them.” Tyler winked. “If I’m going to be more than some glorified trust fund baby in their eyes, I need to see the people who will rely on me to contribute to the company, ensure its continued success. And that translates to job security for everyone in this organization.”
“So no more racing for you?” He was really looking forward to spending a week with Tyler and his pit crew.
“I’m still racing. But I think it’s time to get acquainted with the family business. Bo and J.J. aren’t getting any younger. They’ll be looking for someone to pass the torch one day.”
“I’m not that old,” Bo huffed and turned to his little brother
. “You’re going to shadow Tyler until lunch time. I thought he’d be a good person to talk to.”
“Cool.”
“Tyler,” Bo said as he headed for the door. “Try not to traumatize the young man.”
“Have a seat.” Tyler motioned for him to sit on the leather couch in the corner. “The couch is more comfortable. I’m still not ready to sit behind that desk. Besides, this isn’t a job interview. We’re family, for heaven’s sake.”
A wave of relief rushed over Wyatt. He sat on the couch and relaxed for the first time that morning. “Thanks.”
Tyler went over to the fridge and got them both a bottle of juice then plopped down on the couch opposite him. Once they were comfortable, Tyler fired away. “What would you like to know? Pick my brain, but not so much it leaves a scab.”
Wyatt laughed. “There’s so much I want to know. But I’ll start with the comment Bo Sr. made at the wedding about you being a jack-of-all-trades. What did he mean by that?”
“That was his way of saying I took the long way around to finding myself. Which wasn’t easy. I wasn’t driven like my brothers and I was in the middle of an identity crisis.”
“You? Had an identity crisis?” It was hard to imagine. Tyler was one of the most confident people he knew.
“Sure. Having big brothers who had grand ambitions to play professional football and be country music stars wasn’t easy. Imagine going through your whole life having to say you’re not Seth Blake. Looking like my older brother has been a blessing and a curse.”
“How so?”
“It definitely gave me an extra boost with the ladies.” Tyler flashed a devilish grin.
Wyatt grinned. “That’s never a bad thing.”
“It was fun pretending to be Seth when it suited me.” Tyler shook his head, then got serious again. “But it took some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. My daddy said I either had to go out and find myself or be prepared to do ranch work from sun-up to sundown every day.”
“So you really did all those things Bo Sr. mentioned?”
“Sure. I needed the money. I didn’t want to call home like some rich brat asking my parents for money. So I took a lot of odds jobs. Some of it was fun, some dreadful, but I learned a lot.”
“I got the job at the Bright Star to make some extra cash,” Wyatt said, beaming. “I thought it was time I started earning my own money. But turns out I like it. The people are colorful, the tips are great, and Cal is a hoot. He’s like a Blake and Jamison historian.”
“You can learn a lot from Cal about business and life. He’s cut from the same cloth as my father and Bo Sr. He’s a good man. Cal will work you, but you’ll be a better man for it.”
“But I feel like I’m letting Bo down,” Wyatt blurted out.
“Trust me, your brother is so proud of you. It’s meant the world to him to connect you and Corbett again. I think he just wants to be a good big brother. J.J. kept us all in line when we were young. So Bo is just trying to fill in some missing time with you.”
“Was J.J. tough on you?”
“Yes. But that’s just how he’s wired. He knows how to apply pressure and how to ease up when necessary. That’s why he’s such a great brother and boss.”
“Where is J.J. today?” Wyatt asked. He hadn’t seen him in his office when they’d walked by.
“He’s having a spa day with Sam.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No, I’m not.” Tyler laughed. “I can’t imagine him relaxing. He can’t stay in a sauna for more than a few minutes.”
Wyatt had dreaded talking to Bo, but he was terrified of speaking with J.J. He could only imagine what one of J.J.’s career counseling talks must have sounded like. J.J. had a commanding presence and a larger-than-life personality. But he was all mush when Sam was around. So far Wyatt had managed to artfully dodge the oldest Blake son every time he sought him out for a chat.
Tyler was being so open, it prompted a thousand more questions, but Wyatt didn’t want to hound him. “Am I asking too many questions?”
“Not at all. Keep them coming.”
“What was the defining moment for you with racing?”
“I’d been in amateur racing for years. I didn’t tell the family because I didn’t want them to worry, and it was more of a hobby for me. But I discovered that I not only liked it, but it gives me a great sense of satisfaction. When the family got wind of it, Seth asked his friend Scott Norwood to show me the ropes.”
“The Scott Norwood?” Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up.
Tyler laughed. “Yeah. The people in this family believe if you’re going to pursue something, you need to learn from the best.”
“That must have been amazing.”
“It was. I’d finally had the family’s support and my hobby had money-earning potential.” Tyler smiled and leaned forward as if he were sharing a secret. “Want to know the biggest accomplishment of my life?”
“Of course.” Wyatt leaned forward too, ready for the golden nugget of insight.
“Finally admitting my feelings for Michelle. When I stopped running from her, the rest of my life fell into place.” Tyler grinned.
There it was again. The theme of love changing the course of someone’s life. The men in the family had done well with picking a mate…with the exception of Corbett. Or so he thought at first. But after hearing Tyler’s tales of his ex-sister-in-law Eden and how J.J. bounced back to find true love with Sam, he felt hopeful for his brother again. It also confirmed that he was in more trouble than he’d first thought about Avery. Weren’t they too young to think about anything else but having sex? But something in him knew he wanted more than just that from her. They had a special relationship, and he didn’t want to ruin it.
He and Tyler continued to talk until lunchtime. Then they walked out to the main reception area to see Corbett talking to Anna Beth.
“Corbett, what are you doing here?” Wyatt asked, suddenly wary. Had his other brother decided to pile on with this pick-a-career stuff?
“I started my vacation early,” Corbett replied. “I remembered you said you were visiting Bo today. I thought I’d drop by and take my brothers to lunch.”
“Wow.” He knew his brother and that was total crap. Something was going on. And it looked as if it had less to do with him and more to do with Anna Beth. “I’ll go get Bo.”
“That’s not necessary. Anna Beth was kind enough to let him know I was here.” He smiled at her.
“Anna Beth is a sweetheart isn’t she?” Tyler said.
“She’s the best.” Bo said as he approached the reception area. “Tyler, you want to join us for lunch? Channing got caught up in a conference call and said for you to go ahead but to bring him something back.”
“Sure. If you guys don’t mind me horning in on your brotherly lunch.”
“You’re always welcome, Tyler,” Corbett said. “We’re family.”
“OK. Let me grab my cell phone.” Tyler walked back to his office.
Anna Beth retrieved the menu from her desk. “Bo, I’m heading down to the cafeteria. I can see if Channing wants anything.”
“Great,” Bo replied.
Wyatt caught Bo’s attention and gave a subtle nod at Corbett.
“But,” Bo clumsily continued, “you’ll be dining with us today. I never got to take you to lunch for your anniversary at Blake Enterprises.”
She beamed. “Oh, that’s not necessary. You guys got me that Caribbean vacation package and the Rolex watch. That was more than generous.”
“No, I’d intended to take you out, but the wedding stuff got nuts. You’re dining with us today.”
“We’d love for you to join us,” Corbett blurted out. “You’ll bring some class to our table. You can even pick the venue.”
“S-sure,” Anna Beth stammered.
“Anna Beth, please,” Wyatt begged. “I need meat in my diet.”
“You know I can’t say ‘no’ to you. You’re just too darn cute.�
�� She patted his cheek. “We’ll go to the steakhouse. I can get a cobb salad there.”
Wyatt turned back to see the rest of the men rolling their eyes, but Corbett’s expression said “cut it out.” As Wyatt got into the elevator and stood next to Anna Beth, Corbett subtly nudged him out of the way so he could stand beside her. Wyatt grinned, grateful that his brother seemed to be bouncing back from his break-up with Courtney.
He’d accomplished a lot on his first day. Bo’s expectations had been tempered and he now felt like his brother understood why it had been taking him so long to announce future plans. Tyler’s talk made him feel better knowing he wasn’t alone at the indecisive point in his life and gave him hope that at the end of his journey, he’d come out a well-rounded person too. Instead of dreading his time here, he found himself looking forward to spending more time at Blake Enterprises.
Now if he could only have things go so seamlessly with Avery…
CHAPTER SEVEN
Wyatt jumped out of his jeep and hightailed it into the Bright Star. He didn’t mean to be so late, but he’d been having so much fun with Tate in his recording studio, he’d lost track of time. It was a treat to see his creative process, which included a teleconferenced jam session with his band. The business of music was more complicated than he thought. There were conference calls to the label, new music concept debates, marketing planning sessions for the upcoming album and tour. These days Tate kept the tour intimate, playing smaller venues and few cities. It was important to him that he not be away from Isabelle and the kids too long.
When they’d taken a break for lunch, Tate hadn’t laid the career talk on too thick. He’d just talked about how he’d loved playing the guitar since he was a little kid. Strumming on the instrument helped him work through a lot of things with his birth parents, who’d come and gone from his life over the years. It had been therapeutic, but one day the stress-relieving jam sessions turned into real music, and he’d been creating it ever since.
Wyatt wasn’t musically inclined, but he got what the country music crooner was saying. Music was the inspiration for many things in his life, and he’d someday find what inspired him. Tate had also told him that marrying Isabelle and having a family with her was the best thing that ever happened to him and had enhanced his love of music. He’d said a good woman would do the same thing for him too.
Worth the Wait Page 10