by Jill Sanders
Chapter Seventeen
When Luke walked into his father’s office the next day, he was shocked to see his old man behind the desk. His mother was sitting in the corner quietly reading a book.
“Mom.” He nodded to her and continued to walk across the floor towards his father. “Dad, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be on bed rest for the next few weeks.”
His father’s eyes narrowed. He typed something on his computer and then spun the screen around so he could read it.
“What have you done to my company? Why are half my employees working from home? Where are my weekly reports? What is this about discount meals for employees?”
He sighed and sat down across from his father and started to explain all the changes he’d implemented during his father’s absence.
When he walked into his apartment just over ten hours later, he was exhausted. Looking around the large space, he realized he had nothing here he wanted to move with him. All the furnishings, all the decorations had been picked out by the hotel interior decorator years before.
Walking into his bedroom, he thought that the only things he’d take with him were his clothing and a small box of items that had belonged to him and Calvin when they were kids.
He had been so busy all day, explaining everything to his father, that he hadn’t told them about getting married. It wasn’t as if it had slipped his mind. On the contrary, he couldn’t stop thinking about it—being with Cassey, starting a new life with her. It’s all he had thought about all day long while his father was reaming him for the changes.
Even after he had explained how productivity was up and employee costs were down, his father had undone everything he’d changed in the last few weeks. It was the biggest slap to the face his father could have given him. Even with all his hard work the last few weeks, his father still wouldn’t trust him to handle the business. Which only assured him that his move to Surf Breeze was the best thing he could have ever done.
He picked up the phone to dial Cassey, looking at his watch. It was a quarter to midnight and he knew that on a normal night she would be in the thick of things with still almost an hour until closing time. But since she was spending the holidays with her family, she may have gone to bed earlier. He hoped she would still be awake.
“Hello,” she answered in a soft whisper.
“Hi, I miss you.” He smiled as he removed his shoes and leaned back on his bed.
“Me, too. How did today go?”
He groaned.
“That good, huh?”
He chuckled. “You’ve no idea. I just don’t get how I came from someone like him. Can you believe that in one day he undid everything I worked hard to accomplish in the last few weeks?”
“Even the flex hours?”
“Yeah. Said that it was a nine-to-five life as far as office personnel.”
“Did you mention that some of your connections are overseas?”
“Yup.” He shook his head. “I guess my dad is just too old school to realize how big globalization really is.”
“Well, just think, by this time next year you will be running your own business how you want. Some of his employees might even jump ship and join the winning team.”
He smiled as he thought about it. “What did you do today?”
She sighed.
“Don’t tell me you worked. You took a handful of days off and you spent them glued to the computer, didn’t you?”
She laughed. “No, actually, I spent a few hours kicking my brothers’ butts in basketball.”
“I didn’t know you played.”
She chuckled, and he realized how much he missed hearing her laugh and seeing the smile on her lips. “I don’t. We were playing on the Xbox”
“Oh.” He smiled. “I’m pretty good at those games. How about you see if you can kick my butt next time I’m up there.”
“It’s on.”
They talked until the sun started to rise, and then he showered and got ready for another day of dealing with his dad and his high demands.
