by Lia Davis
It was a shame though. The same folks who’d stolen her father’s work without proper attribution or compensation were the same ones she found herself having to court. With the right funding and innovative team behind it, her idea could be used for both commercial and private sector purposes. Using them over bodies of water as small as creeks and rivers would help to get clean, renewable energy to remote locations.
She flinched at a muted sound in the distance. That was her norm every time an unknown sign pierced the normally quiet of her refuge. It had been a sound that led her here and the same sound that had kept her from being discovered the next time the crew of workers had come to maintenance the grounds. Thankfully, the landscapers had only come each month on the same day. After that first close call, she’d remembered to be out of the guest house the next time they came, which was like clockwork the next month. If everything worked out, she’d be out of here before they came again next month. A tiny seed of hope germinated in her soul that this was the break she’d been after to get steady income flowing.
For a little over two months, she’d been holed up in this guest house, praying each day for enough time to get on her feet. Daryl eyed the old bike she’d found at the nearby junkyard. It had only cost her fifteen bucks but did the job of helping her get around. Checking her phone to see it was already mid-afternoon, she hurried to get to the business mailbox store she’d set up as an address. The bike was faster but not that fast. As she peddled onto the smooth road from the mansion’s driveway, thoughts of how she’d ended up here floated to the front of her mind.
It was funny how walking six miles from town to here those first few days had felt like an eternity. Learning it had only been six miles had solidified her determination to get into better shape—after she got enough money to find her own place. For now, she used the bike and only left when she absolutely had too—usually in the early morning to avoid being spotted by nosy locals who might take an interest in her leaving this place.
Looking at her phone, the bank representative’s information stared back at her. Too scared to mess anything up, Daryl decided she’d call the person on Tuesday. She didn’t want to be tempted with the hope of a bank account with a little money in it before she’d signed the contract. She might be down to her last three hundred dollars, but her ability to stretch money had grown. She’d be okay until Tuesday. Adjusting her trusty backpack on her back to hold the few groceries she’d grab while in town, Daryl set out to handle business and the best piece of news she’d had in a long time.
When she’d been let go from yet another coveted Austin tech job back in March, that had been the final straw. Daryl wasn’t cut out for working for others. She didn’t like the structure or neediness of managers to know every single thing she did in a given day. It had never been her work that got her fired. No, it was her inability to shut the hell up and not give the manager the necessary fuel to fire her for “extreme insubordination” as a few of them had stated on her exit documents.
Her latest attempt at working for a company had been the worst. The manager had been a guy her age, but he had it confused that he wasn’t her damn daddy! A twenty-four-year-old guy from one of the best suburban communities in Texas, he’d proved to be the spit to her vinegar with his smug disdain for all things her. When he made a big show of firing her in front of the entire company, the revelation came with clarity. She wasn’t cut out to work for anyone, even as a twenty-four-year-old with little corporate experience under her belt. Packing up her little box at her desk, Daryl made the decision right there to return to the area where her father had spent his last days working and inventing. Surprisingly, the small north Georgia town was as small and quiet as she’d remembered.
Her trip to the mailbox store, and to get grocery for the long weekend had been uneventful—thank God. She made it back as the late afternoon sun was lowering. The large envelopes with the company’s logo and another with the major bank’s logo on it sat in her backpack calling and taunting her to open them. After a quick dinner using the hot plate she’d gotten from the dollar store, Daryl settled down on the comfortable couch to open the contract envelope. She took in the setting again. It was so beautiful.
She’d done what she could to keep it as pristine as she’d found it, even buying cheap plastic shower curtains to drape on the countertops where she worked and cooked her food. There was no way she’d use or mess up anything that wasn’t a necessity in here. When she cooked, it was on her own hot plate, using her own plate, bowl, and utensils. Daryl might be breaking the law, but she wasn’t a freeloader who took complete advantage by ruining the place.
Enjoying her cup of herbal tea, another great buy from that amazing dollar store in town, she opened the contract envelope. Everything she expected to see was in there. When she got to the part about her compensation and terms of a working agreement, Daryl almost burned herself with the hot tea. The amount of money they proposed was more than she’d ever imagined. Plus, there were the laid-out rights she’d discussed that she would independently keep her patents and ownership, they would lease the technology. When she got to the part about an exclusivity use period, she agreed. The amount they proposed made sense considering this request. But, it was when she got to the part where they wanted her to work exclusively with them and agree to a two-year non-compete clause that her stomach lurched in disagreement.
“Well, that was good while it lasted. Good thing I didn’t rush to the bank and touch any money.”
Tossing the packet of information on the coffee table in front of her, Daryl willed herself to get up and take a bath before bed. The bike ride around town and then back before dark had started to drain the energy out of her. She was too tired, and there was no way she’d fall asleep out here.
Another quick check of her phone on the app she’d created to monitor the floating wind turbine, and she was headed to take a hot bath. As she lay on the plush bed, snuggled in the expensive, and oh so comfortable covers, Daryl’s mind worked at how she could salvage the deal with the company. She had to figure out a way to keep the deal, not appear as desperate as she was and get out of here. Sleep soon overtook her as scenarios of how to handle this latest snag chased each other around in her head.
Chapter 4
Asher Princeton—Private Residence, North Georgia Mountains
“Because it’s been a long day, and it’s time for bed, that’s why.” Softening his voice to coax the child to settle down, Asher added, “I promise to take you around the house after breakfast in the morning.”
Was it bad to install a habit of negotiating with a small child to get what he wanted? Nah, look at him. The little guy was too cute. And, Asher knew Brock was enough like him to appreciate a good negotiation.
Brock stared at him, wheels clearly turning behind the green eyes that were exact replicas of his. If he didn’t stay strong, the kid would outlast him. Instead, Brock would be the one up watching Asher sleep. It still amazed him how much the child looked and acted like him. It was like talking to himself. Brock was stubborn and strong-willed—like him—and was most assuredly his mini me.
Asher tussled the head of thick jet-black hair on his son’s head, noticing how he’d need a haircut soon. It was just like his, thick with a hint of wave to it. That was another thing to add to the list. He’d have to find a local barber for bi-weekly haircuts for them both.
Yep, Asher could do this. No wimping out. This kid was going down for bed. He bent and tucked the covers around Brock as the little boy’s face scrunched up while his mind continued to work on a comeback.
Asher couldn’t help himself and said, “What? Make it good.”
“But dad, I’m not sleepy. Not at all. I want to see the pool.”
“Nope, not tonight. It’s dark out, and I don’t want you slipping and falling.”
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
“I just took you. Your bladder is no bigger than a golf ball. Lie down.”
Big green eyes pleaded
. “I’m thirsty. Can I go get some water from the kitchen?”
“I’ll get it and bring it back up here for you.”
“You’re no fun.” Brock pouted and folded his arms, much like Asher did when he wasn’t getting his way.
“Oh yeah? Didn’t I get you to help me unload the car? You brought your own suitcase upstairs.”
“You only let me bring the baby one up here. It’s the one with superman on it. Not the big ones, like yours.”
Brock had tripped him up with that one. It was true.
“But, I also let you pick where we got dinner on the way up. Didn’t you like your chicken fingers?”
“Yeah, I guess so. But now I can’t go to sleep. My tummy is still awake. Dad, I need to let the fun out.”
Grabbing one of the many stuffed pillows in the form of one commercially successful cartoon character after another that littered the room, Asher grabbed it and gently hit Brock’s arm.
“I declare war on your funny tummy!” Asher said as Brock giggled in delight.
Brock grabbed a large pillow of the lead character from that cartoon from under the sea to launch his counter attack. The pillow was a great weapon shocking Asher with how far its reach was when his son managed to land a few good blows to his chest area. After a few more rounds of pillow fighting and Brock was breathing hard, Asher surrendered giving the child the solid victory.
“My funny tummy won!” Brock jumped up and down on his bed, dragging the huge cartoon pillow that had clearly started to weigh down his efforts. All Asher could do not to laugh was look at his watch. Seeing the time, he was more convinced that Brock was going down for bed.
“Buddy, it’s almost ten at night. That’s already two hours past your bedtime.”
“But I’m not sleepy.”
“I know. That’s the excitement of our adventurous day that’s got you pumped. Trust me; you’re going to need all your sleep for the cool day I have planned for us tomorrow.”
“Cool like what?” his son asked, clearly not buying what he was selling.
“Cool like, sightseeing around town and getting the house ready for us to be here all summer.” Seeing his words had no impact on his son’s determination, Asher upped the ante. “You’ll need your energy to help me get the pool ready to swim in.”
Asher had no intention of doing anything to that pool before the professionals showed up. And, he did feel a little bad about that white lie, but he needed Brock to settle down. Usually, their nightly routine would have had some help from the couple he’d hired as nannies to help with Brock. As part of his promise to Monique, he’d given Jim and Stacy the summer off with pay.
The couple wasn’t young or old, maybe a few years older than him, but they got along great with Brock, giving his life a community feel to it. The little guy had taken his mother’s sudden death so hard that Asher had sought to surround him with a community of people who would care for him. He’d gotten full custody of him when Brock was nineteen months. His ex-wife’s drug habit had blown out of control. It had been in the nick of time. She died of an overdose less than two months later.
Brock had been a toddler, but old enough to miss his mother. Asher remembered how he’d waddle around his condo looking in drawers and doors for his mother. It tore him up to see how his baby mourn for a mother that would never come back. Asher consulted the best therapists and doctors to help his little boy. But it had been Monique who’d been the change. He owed her Brock and his lives for how she’d stepped up. Yeah, maybe he did rely on her a little too much but, she was his rock. With Monique’s superb help, the child had adjusted faster than anyone would have expected.
“The pool? That is cool,” Brock said. “I get to help clean it and everything?”
“We’ll see.” There was no way Asher was letting his little boy anywhere near the deep pool without the child bumpers he’d ordered to be installed.
“That’s what you say when the answer is no.”
“What? Who told you that?” Asher asked, feeling busted instead of shocked.
“Aunt Nique did. Hey… when is she going to be here? I miss her.” Brock took the soft plush stuffed dragon Monique had gifted him a few Christmases back that Asher handed him.
That thing had been a life saver. There had been a lot of nights Brock cried for his mother. After Monique had started spending time with him, he’d cry for her too. As part of an answer and as not to completely wreck her social life away from work, she’d given him the toy.
With that hypnotic voice of hers, she’d told him, “This is Aunt Nique’s favorite little dragon. You’re my favorite little boy. When you want me, and I’m not here, this little dragon will watch over you and let me know you’re okay.”
Asher watched Brock hug the stuffed toy tight as he settled down under the covers. Hopefully, Charlie, that’s what Brock had named the plush, rounded dragon, would work his magic.
“Aunt Nique will be here in a lot of sleeps. She’s got to do some things before she comes to check on you. While you wait, have Charlie send a message to her that you’re doing A-Okay.”
“Dad, I’m not a baby anymore. I can count. How long before she gets here, I miss her. I think I need one of her hugs, really bad.”
It tore Asher up to see the look on his son’s face. The kid had never gotten past how his mother neglected him for her drug habit. Now, he clung to Monique like she was his last breath of air. What Asher didn’t want to admit was that he feared his son would never love him as much as he’d love his mother or Monique.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed next to his son, Asher opened his arms. “Come here, buddy.”
The little boy rushed out from under the covers to sit in his lap. Asher exhaled a sigh of relief, thankful his child hadn’t totally refused him. He wrapped arms around Brock and began to rock him back and forth like he’d seen Monique do to get him to go to sleep.
“Dad?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you going to leave and go back to work?”
A pang of hurt hit Asher square in the chest.
“No, why?”
“I don’t know. I just thought you’d be gone like you do.”
“No buddy. This is our vacation to the mountain vacation home, remember? I’m going to take you up to the real mountains so you can see some huge caverns. And, there’s even a gigantic waterfall that we’re going to check out. I told you, we’re going to spend the entire summer together.”
“Then when do I leave you? Aunt Nique said I’m going to go to camp up here. I’m not sure I want to go.” Brock sat up and put his little hands on either side of Asher’s face. “Dad, I’m not sure I want to leave you here by yourself either.” He looked around the room and said, “Everything is too big here. I think I need to stay and protect you, right?”
Brock giggled when the low rumble of laughter exploded from Asher.
“Nice try, dude. I think we’re going to be able to take care of each other. And, summer camp starts next week. You might be so sick and tired of seeing me every day that you run to camp. Hey, did Aunt Nique tell you that you’ll only be there during the day, but here with me at night?”
Brock shook his head no.
“Yeah, the camp is only during the day. No sleepovers. So, you must come back and take care of me at night. How does that sound?”
Brock smiled revealing baby teeth. Asher zoned in on one of the front ones that looked like it was going to come out soon. Boy, this was scary. Brock would be six soon. His son wasn’t a baby anymore.
“We’ll see,” is all the little boy said as Asher began to tickle his stomach through his pajamas.
With Brock finally down for the night, Asher went outside to do what he’d been waiting to do for so long. He’d steal a few minutes to take a quick flight. Quiet as kept with no signs of life in sight, Asher was convinced it was safe to fly, if only for a few minutes. He looked out across the large backyard, taking in the pool, pool house and the guest house he’d built for when Mo
nique would come and stay.
Dark, but reflecting a facade like the main house, Asher chuckled at the thought of his “adopted” older sister’s “personal vacation house” as she’d referred to it. That woman was like a beast when it came to her personal space. He knew there would be no way she’d want to stay in the main house with him and the kid when she came for visits. Choosing a style that would do in case she wanted to have a “Boo” as she called her boyfriends, up for a weekend, he’d had the house designed to have double master suites. She’d stayed here all of two nights as part of his only trip up here to make sure the house was to his specifications.
He took in a huge inhale of fresh cool night air and leaped. The transformation was fluid and quick. Thankful for a good weather night, Asher took his time adjusting to the shift. His wing span had grown in the last few years, matching the growth of his dragon body. That was what happened. Unlike his human form, which was mature at thirty-six and no longer growing, his dragon body would continue to grow for as long as he lived. At six foot five and built more like a rugby player, Asher was impressive in human form. But, even he had to marvel at how much his dragon had grown in the last year.
Catching a gust of wind, he used it to glide up a few more feet with a few flaps of his wings. This was what he’d needed for a while. After his last girlfriend had caught him landing from a late-night flight on a cloudy night back in Atlanta, he’d stopped chancing it. That had been close to a year. The little bitch had even tried to blackmail him to keep his secret. What she didn’t know was that a few of the prominent judges and lawyers in the region were also dragon shifters. A quick call, cease letter with a strong threat of criminal charges for extortion, and she’d slinked away to find another poor dope.