“Where’s Darren?” I asked. “With Greg?”
Dad shook his head. “No. Greg spent the morning making some tweaks with the guys, and now he’s running some tests rides on the track. Darren is off with Victor.”
I laughed. “Ah. All right, you guys keep up the good work. I’ll talk to you later.”
Darren being with Victor meant he had returned to his single-minded mission to trim off a few pounds. The lighter the rider, the faster the bike, and he had it in his head he could shave off some weight and be an even better competitor.
Next, I made my way into the main office building. Immediately, I smelled cinnamon and headed to the employee kitchen. Just as I expected, I found Mom in there, surrounded by baked goods. She was leaned over at the oven pulling out a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls, which she placed on a cooling rack on the counter beside a huge bowl of cream cheese frosting. Baking up a storm was how Mom always handled stress.
The kitchen was also where I found Merry. She and Glenda were standing over a plate of brownies, and I salivated as Merry broke off a piece of one and placed it between her full lips, licking the fudgy remnants from her fingers when she was finished.
“It’s funny. Minnie was just saying she does all this baking when she’s feeling stressed out or worried about something. That’s exactly what’s going on with my brother. He’s at my house cooking all the time because he’s upset about the divorce and having to leave his job,” Merry said.
“So, you have it coming at you from all directions,” Glenda laughed.
“You’re right about that. After eating everything he’s been making for me, I thought coming to work was going to be my safe space. But now we’ve got Minnie Stewart over here making the most delicious goodies in the world.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your brother, though. That’s really rough,” Glenda told her.
Merry nodded. “The divorce is really sad, and I know he’s upset about it, but she cheated, so that is what it is. His job is what’s really getting to me. He worked so hard to get where he was and had so many hopes for the future. It’s terrible because he’s really good at his job. Working with his in-laws was great for him. He was being groomed to take over the company one day, and everything seemed set. Until his floosy of a wife decided to blow that all to hell, and now he has no wife, no house, and no job,” Merry said.
I felt guilty about eavesdropping, but this explained why she looked upset when she was sitting outside working, and it gave me a little more information.
“That’s awful,” Glenda commiserated. “What is it that he does?”
“He’s an accountant,” Merry said, breaking off another piece of brownie and bringing it to her lips.
That was the magic word. I sidled up to the counter and leaned in close.
“We’re looking for a new accountant. Our guy is about to retire. Probably a good thing. He’s like a hundred,” I said. Merry’s eyes snapped to me, wide with shock, and she swallowed her bite in a deliberate movement. I realized that approach wasn’t the best. “Sorry. I overheard you talking, and you mentioned your brother’s an accountant. I was just thinking we needed to look for a new accountant to replace Artie, so it jumped out at me. But, really. Your brother needs a job, we need a numbers guy. Tell him to talk to my mom, and we can see if he’s a good fit.”
I walked away quickly, not even giving Merry the chance to respond. I crossed the kitchen right to the pan of cinnamon rolls Mom was dousing in cream cheese frosting. She protested as I reached in and grabbed one of the rolls. The still incredibly hot pastry sizzled on my fingertips and the melting frosting was sticky. Mom’s cinnamon rolls were worth the inconvenience. That and I needed anything available to get me out of the conversation with Merry.
Getting a cup of coffee, I left the kitchen and hurried to my office where I could close the door and be alone with all my disquieting thoughts. And there were plenty of them. It felt weird being so invested in helping her and her brother. I could tell how worried she was and how much she wanted to help him figure his life out, and as soon as she mentioned the accountant, the offer just popped out of my mouth. I didn’t even get a chance to think it all the way through before I said it and had her looking at me like I was a total maniac.
But it wasn’t just that. I could barely even look her in the eye. I needed to snatch my cinnamon bun and run as fast as I could because it was too awkward to stand there and look at her with the memories of jerking off to fantasies of her in my mind still so fresh. It was the hardest I’d come in a long time thinking about all the things I wanted to do to her.
As much as I enjoyed it and it released the tension I was feeling, it put me in a weird place I wasn’t familiar with. With Merry, even without her knowing, I felt like I was crossing lines with her left and right.
Offering to have Mom interview her brother wasn’t about my attraction to her, though. I told myself that a dozen times as I ate the cinnamon roll and shot Artie a quick email to have him come in for a meeting. That offer was purely about business and what was going to be beneficial for everybody. We really did need the help. Artie had been working for Freeman Racing for even longer than the mechanics. Most of them had come along no more than fifteen years ago. Artie was the accountant around here even when Dad owned Freeman Racing and it was just a tiny operation. Nothing like what I’d built it into.
Artie had started talking about retiring two years before but had never gotten around to it. He was too committed to the company, and we never had anyone lined up to take his place. Of everyone working at the complex, he definitely ranked among the hardest working, and he deserved to spend the rest of his life in a recliner somewhere. I looked forward to being able to tell him he could feel good about retiring and enjoying his golden years.
16
Merry
“What’s the best breakfast to eat before an important interview?” I asked when Brandon came into the kitchen the next morning.
He stared at me through sleepy eyes, apparently shocked to find me awake before him and already brewing the pot of coffee that he had gotten used to making. I probably should have thought about that before I did it. For anyone else, brewing a pot of coffee wouldn’t be that big of a deal. It was just stuffing the carafe into place and hitting a couple of buttons. But for my brother, it was the routine that really mattered. He was nothing if not a creature of habit. Those habits were what kept him feeling like he had some control in his life, especially now. He had to change the ones he already had and find new habits, but even in the few days he’d been living with me again, he’d latched onto certain ones.
Getting him out of the apartment and back to work would be just what Brandon needed to start feeling normal again.
“Um. French toast?” he asked.
“Is there any scientific or anecdotal merit to that, or are you just pulling out the first thing you thought of?” I asked.
“First thing I thought of. I don’t think there is an official breakfast for the morning of an interview you never thought you were going to have to have after walking away from the career you spent your adult life building because your wife had an affair and you’re getting a divorce,” he said flatly.
“You sure do know how to take the zip out of a morning with your sparkling attitude and incredibly long sentences,” I told him.
He shrugged and went about gathering the ingredients for French toast. It was a favorite breakfast of ours growing up. Our mother would make it for us on special occasions like birthdays and holidays.
“So, you remember, Quentin is the owner of the company. He took over for his father, Gus, when the older Freeman retired years ago. At least, Gus is supposed to be retired. He actually spends most of his time at the complex, anyway. His wife, Minnie, is the one who will interview you. She handles the hiring. She’s really sweet, and she bakes when she is feeling stressed, so that should give you something to talk about.”
“Yes, because nothing says I’m a responsible and rel
iable professional you should hire to manage the finances of your company quite like discussing mental instability and suffocating stress,” Brandon pointed out.
“Just keep it in your pocket unless the topic comes up for some reason,” I said.
As he made breakfast, I went to his room to raid the clothes he’d gotten from his old house. Like I expected, most of them were the stuffy clothes he wore to work every day at the firm. Those weren’t going to fit in at the complex. Though I was sure he would have been just fine if he did show up in a suit and want to work that way, I was getting used to the Freeman family and had a feeling they would be more comfortable with him in a more casual outfit. Still professional and put together, but not so stark. I chose a pair of slacks and a polo shirt. I laid them out on his bed and went back into the kitchen to put together a fruit salad to have alongside the French toast.
“Darren is the youngest brother. He’s the racer. Greg is their other rider who just started racing with them, but he isn’t one of the brothers.”
“How many brothers did you say there are?” Brandon asked.
“Four. Vince and Nick aren’t technically part of the company, but they’re around sometimes for specific things. They come to races and events,” I told him.
I continued the rundown on the family, the complex, and everything I’d learned about the company as he got dressed and we drove to the complex. It wasn’t until we got there that I realized I hadn’t even asked him if he was interested in the position. Instead, I came home full of excitement and informed him he had an appointment in the morning to be interviewed for the accountant position. I didn’t even really remember his reaction. Maybe I should have waited to see how he felt about it before all but dragging him to the complex and throwing him through the window of Minnie’s office to make sure he got there. At the same time, Brandon wasn’t great at change and might be hesitant to jump in if I didn’t give him that push. I knew this was the perfect position for him, and it would mean we would get to work together, which we’d never done before.
We got to the complex, and I brought him directly to Minnie’s office. The door was closed, so I led him to a chair outside and pushed his shoulders down to seat him.
“All right. Here we are. She should be out any minute. She knows you’re coming. I told her I’d bring you here first thing in the morning when we talked yesterday. Remember, her name is Minnie. Do well,” I said.
“Don’t think this means you get to be the older sibling forever, now,” he said. “Eventually I’m going to figure myself out again, and I’m going to take that back. But Mom and Dad would be amused.”
He was right. They would think it was hilarious the little girl who followed Brandon around and had said his name as her first word would be taking care of him now.
I was reluctant to leave him alone there in the chair. I wanted to just hover there and wait for Minnie to come and take him in for the interview, then wait until he came out to learn the news. But I forced myself to walk away. This wasn’t the first day of kindergarten, and I wasn’t dropping my little boy off for the first time. He was a grown man going to what was not his first job interview, and he would survive just fine.
Once in my office, I did my best to distract myself with work. The whiteboard had been reconfigured with new hashtags and some were erased, so I stood and examined them for a while, adding a few, making notes in color-coded ink next to others. When that ran out of usefulness, I went back to my desk and sat there going over posts, working on the new blog I was putting together for the company, and engaging with a few fans who were online. All the while I kept one ear to the door, waiting to hear Brandon come to tell me how it went.
Finally, I heard footsteps and I jumped up, but it was Quentin. I realized I felt a little burst of happiness in my chest when I saw it was him and told myself to knock it off. Those weren’t thoughts I should be having about my boss.
“Good to see you, too,” he laughed.
I shook my head and settled back into my chair.
“I thought you were my brother coming to tell me how his interview went,” I said.
“Oh, is he here today?” Quentin asked.
“Yes. He’s in with your mother now. Thank you, by the way, for the recommendation. I really appreciate it. And so does he.”
“Not a problem. If it’s a good fit, it’s really helping both of us out. Besides, like I said, I try to keep the company feeling like a family affair. We like how you’re doing and feel like you fit in with that, so bringing him aboard just makes sense,” Quentin said.
I was floored by the declaration. I thought I was doing well, and the results from fan engagement were showing it, but Quentin going out of his way to say that was unexpected. But I didn’t get much of a chance to think it through because suddenly Brandon was standing there behind Quentin. I jumped up again, and Quentin turned around, stepping out of the way to let my brother inside. Brandon turned to him and extended a hand.
“Brandon Holster,” he said. “You must be Quentin Freeman.”
Quentin took his hand.
“Yes. You’re Merry’s brother? The accountant?” he asked.
“Yes. I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity.”
“Absolutely. Glad to do it,” Quentin said. “How did the interview go?”
“Yeah, Brandon. How did it go?” I asked.
He turned slowly, then flashed me a grin, and I squealed with excitement. Running around from behind the desk, I gave him a hug.
“Congratulations!” I said. “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.”
“I am, too,” he said.
“We have to celebrate. Bar tonight. You and me. Olivia. Quentin, if you want to come. Invite some of the guys,” I said.
“That sounds great,” Brandon said. “I’ll make some calls.”
“Great. Quentin?” I asked.
“I might be able to do that. A buddy of mine is coming back into town tonight, so if I make it, he’ll be coming with me,” he answered.
I nodded, not really paying attention to anything beyond him saying he might come.
17
Quentin
All day I had been excited to finish up work and get home. I’d been eagerly anticipating Cole getting back in town for so long, and he’d finally landed the day before. I offered to pick him up at the airport, but his flight didn’t land until the middle of the night and he said he didn’t want to inconvenience me like that. As a welcome-home surprise, I hired a town car, so a chauffeur was waiting for him at the luggage claim, white gloves and holding a sign with his name on it and everything. It was the kind of thing that would make him laugh, and I wish I was there to see his reaction. Cole was definitely not a fancy-car-and-personal-driver type of guy. He wouldn’t really care what kind of vehicle pulled up at the curb in front of him as long as it had four functioning tires and got him home in one piece.
Having the elegant, expensive car waiting for him was the kind of ribbing he and I did to each other all the time. We’d been friends most of our lives, since well before I’d built up the company and racked up the millions in my bank account. Knowing me before my success meant he got to make fun of me for becoming one of those rich guys who didn’t know how to do anything for himself. He knew that wasn’t the case, but it meant I could in turn make fun of him for being one of the common class or make him uncomfortable by putting him in fussy situations like the hired car. It had been a long time since we’d seen each other, so it felt good to get back to the usual routine.
I was fully expecting some kind of joke in return that night, and I looked forward to catching up with him. Cole’s situation was one of the reasons I felt so much compassion toward Merry’s brother and wanted to do anything I could to help him. Like Brandon, Cole had recently gone through a divorce. It was pretty brutal, and by the time it was over, he was a shell of his former self. I tried everything I could think of to help him pull through and get back to the person he used to be, but that was s
omething he had to do on his own. It was only a few weeks after the divorce was finalized when he came to me and said he was going to Tibet for six months.
Of course, the first thing I did was ask him why on Earth he would do something like that. He told me it was to get himself back. Those were his exact words. I promptly joked I thought his ex-wife got him in the divorce just like she got everything else. In retrospect, that probably wasn’t the best thing for me to say. But he was decent enough to force a laugh, say that wasn’t too far from the truth, and admit he felt like he just needed some time away from his normal life to figure out who he was again. He and his wife were high school sweethearts, and it was easy to see he didn’t really know who he was as a person without her alongside him.
As soon as I opened my door and saw him standing on the porch, though, I could see he was back. There was a sparkle in his eyes that hadn’t been there in a long time, even well before they filed for divorce. He was skinnier, but he looked happier and more at peace. His face broke out in a huge grin, and he reached out to pull me in a hug, pounding me on the back a few times.
“I missed you,” I told him. “It’s so good to see you man.”
“It’s so good to see you, too,” he told me. “Nice trick with the driver last night. I told him to charge a five-hundred-dollar tip to whatever payment method you used.”
I laughed.
“Fair enough. Come on in. Are you hungry?” I asked.
He followed me inside and let out an exasperated sound.
“Everybody is asking me if I’m hungry,” he said. “I went to see my mom this morning, and the first thing she said was ‘are you hungry?’ Then I stopped by my sister’s house, and she asked if I was hungry. Is that some sort of new conventional greeting that’s spread around the country and I missed it while I was gone?”
The Freeman Brothers: A Secret Baby Romance Collection Page 9
