by Jessa Eden
What the hell was I going to do about my kid?
I didn’t want to think about it anymore. Thankfully, my cell phone rang, disrupting my thoughts.
“What?” I barked as I answered the phone.
“The Arsenal project is falling apart. The painting crew is threatening to walk because the electricians are giving them a hard time. We need you. Get your ass in here,” Donna explained dryly.
“It can’t be that bad. I’ve only been gone a week.”
“That’s all it takes. This project is bleeding money and only you can save it.”
I sighed heavily. “All right. Call Reeves. Tell him his vacation is over. Have him get over to my place and clean it up.”
“I will as soon as you get in here,” she shot back sassily.
I always appreciated her take no guff from anyone attitude.
I smiled, despite my misery. “You always drive a hard bargain, Donna.”
“That’s why you love me,” she let out in singsong voice.
I chuckled. “I’ll see you in thirty.”
I jumped in a hot, steamy shower, trying to shed a weeklong party from my system. I quickly dressed and drove to the office where all hell broke loose with the electrical union. They were a bunch of babies, too lazy and greedy to get the job done. I’d had it just about to here with their bitching and moaning.
“Donna, get me on the phone with Doug Glass over in Washington. He’s got a top notch electrical crew that can get everything done without all the drama.”
“Doug on line two,” she called as I sat down behind my desk.
“Hey, Mr. Shepard. What’s going on?”
“I’ve got a proposition for you. Do you still have your licensing in Maryland?”
“Sure do.”
“I’ve got a pre-Civil war hotel that needs a serious electrical upgrade. You get this project done in the next three weeks and I’ll double your pay. You ready to go to work for me?”
“You got it, Mr. Shepard. We’ll be up there tomorrow.”
“Better make it tonight. I need this done yesterday.”
“I’m on it. Thanks, Mr. Shepard.”
We hung up, but I wasn’t done solving the problem.
“Get me the president of Electrical Union,” I told Donna.
“What do you need, Shepard?” the president asked in a nasty voice as he came on the line.
“Glad you asked. Your whole damn union is fired, Anthony. You can’t control your guys and this shit is out of hand. You’ve really pissed me off with all this drama queen nonsense.”
“You can’t do that, you fucker! We own this city’s electrical bids,” he growled.
Icy calm entered my veins. “Be very careful, Anthony. I have several very powerful friends who wouldn’t mind taking your job from you. My advice is to get your guys in line and do the damn job at hand.”
Silence met my threat. He was obviously rethinking his attitude.
He cleared his throat. “Uh...yeah, sorry about that, Mr. Shepard. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to my guys.”
“Good to hear.”
Click. I hung up on him.
He could sweat it out.
I was done working with that egomaniac. I wasn’t going to fuck around. If he made one wrong move, I would take him down.
CHAPTER FIVE
Marla:
I sat in my office at Casa Oschun, staring off into space as I tapped a pencil absent-mindedly against the glass top of my desk. Beau was on my mind, especially after our last confrontation.
I hated that all we seemed to do was fight.
We had always been a little feisty with each other, but the passion causing us to clash had once made us a team, which worked well together.
I didn’t know if he would ever recover from the shock of finding out about Charlie and if he did, would he ever forgive me?
My hope was fading.
Fast.
I felt it slipping away, like the current carrying away the tide. I wished things had turned out differently. That some way, somehow I could go back in time and fix the mistakes I had made.
Crushing disappointment filled me once again as I agonized over causing everyone I loved so much pain. These life-altering secrets had been such a burden to bear and I didn’t know how much more torment I could take.
Breathe, Marla.
You’re a strong bitch, work it out.
I took a deep breath and pulled myself together as I tried to get some work done. I grabbed some paperwork and attempted to prioritize it. But I just kept reading the same line over and over on an invoice.
“Hola, chicka! What’s happening, hot stuff?” Emma asked as she entered my office, plopping down in one of the red chairs in front of my desk.
“Not much,” I said quietly as I glanced out the window.
“What’s got you down?”
“Same old, same old,” I muttered, staring at a bird perched on a branch of a bush outside.
“I don’t buy that for a second. You are super sad and you need to tell me why.”
She hadn’t been there when Beau confronted me about Charlie being his son. Although, I’m sure she heard about it from the staff. There were no secrets in a salon.
I turned toward her, my eyes watery with tears. “Everything is so fucked up, Emma.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry you’re feeling bad,” she offered sympathetically, handing me a tissue.
“Me, too,” I said, wiping at my cheeks.
“How can I help?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She smiled mischievously. “Here’s a fact for you to mull over while you’re thinking about your answer. Beau is Charlie’s father.”
I laughed, despite my sadness. “Really? Thanks for pointing it out, Captain Obvious.”
“It’s my job,” Emma teased. “Is that what’s eating you up or do you have more secrets to spill?”
She still only knew half the story. “I may have more secrets.”
“Hmm, sounds intriguing. I had no idea my sister was hiding so much.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, you had to know Beau was Charlie’s father.”
“I strongly suspected, but I wanted to respect your boundaries and let you come to me.”
“And I appreciate that. Because you could have told Charlie anytime growing up and you never said a thing to him.”
“It wasn’t my place and I knew you were keeping it close to your chest for good reasons. How are you doing with all this, by the way?” she asked
“Not great. Now that Beau and Charlie know about each other, I’m in the land of the lost about how to make things right between them.”
“Yeah, that’s a tough call. Although, I have faith you’ll figure it out. Besides, it might be best to let nature take its course and let father and son find their own way.”
I sighed, blowing my bangs out of my face. “That sounds great in theory; but it’s another thing to sit on the sidelines and watch this drama unfold. What if Beau ignores Charlie?” My face filled with horror. “I don’t think I could stand that.”
“Do you really think that’s what is going to happen?”
I stared out the window, trying to find my composure. “My heart tells me to believe it will all work out, but I don’t know, Emma...” My eyes flickered with doubt as I turned back to her.
Her gaze was all sympathy and care. “All you have to do is hold on to your faith today, in this moment. I don’t know how everything will work out, but what I do remember is how you believed for me when I couldn’t. So I’m going to believe for you now.”
I nodded, hoping her faith would somehow fuse into me. But my situation was so different from hers. I could only pray her hope in me was well placed.
“How’s Charlie doing with news about his dad?” she asked.
I shrugged. “You know he doesn’t say much about Beau. I think he has hopes to get to know his dad, but Beau’s been MIA and hasn’t made any a
ttempt to contact me or Charlie.”
“He got the shock of his life, Marla. You’ve had years to think about and plan for this time. He’s only had a couple of weeks to wrap his mind around the fact he has a son, who is already an adult. Plus, men think differently than we do and he’s not going to react the way you would.”
“That’s true. It’s just hard to be patient.” I sighed again. “For so long, I only worried about protecting you and Charlie. I didn’t really think about the messy aftermath once the truth was out.”
“Do you wish Beau still didn’t know?”
“God, no! Even though everything’s crappy right now, the relief is stronger than the sadness.” My eyes overflowed with tears. “At least Beau knows.”
“Oh, Marla,” Emma raced around the desk to give me a big hug from behind. “You’re the bravest woman I know,” she said, kissing me on the temple.
“I don’t feel very brave,” I admitted as I wrapped my arms around hers and leaned back against the chair.
“You don’t have to feel brave to be brave. You just gotta keep showing up by being there for Charlie and be prepared to help when Beau’s ready to get to know his son.”
Her words helped. “Do you really think Beau’s gonna reach out?”
“I do. I think he’s a good man. If anything I remember about him is true, he’ll come around.”
She had my curiosity. “What do you remember about him?”
She tapped her chin. “Let’s see...He was tall and big, but still gentle. I remember the way he talked to me, like what I said mattered and he always listened to me.”
“You remember a lot more than I thought.”
“It took me a little while for me to remember that small time I spent with him, but what I recall most of all is how happy you were with him.”
“God, Emma, I was so happy with Beau. I loved him big time. I still love him.”
“I know you do. Stay the course, big sister. It’s all going to work out.”
CHAPTER SIX
Beau:
Throwing on a yellow hard hat, I traipsed through the Arsenal Hotel, surveying the progress being made by my team. Most of the demolition was completed, but we had preserved the integrity of the historical details, like the built in bookshelves in the lobby and the ornate crown molding.
I wasn’t waiting any longer for those damn permits from the Historical Society. I knew we were in violation as we moved forward without their consent, but I didn’t give a fuck.
I was done playing their game. Let them take me to court. I would have the renovations done before they would be able to slap an injunction on me. I would see to that. I paid big bucks to have a team of lawyers at my disposal, who could squash an investigation at any time.
We toured the second floor, walking up the newly built oak staircase with a wide banister, which curled out on the bottom step. It was another custom job that would be stunning when the last coat of maple stain dried.
Eager to see progress, I took two stairs at a time, eager to see the rest of the renovations. The rooms were coming along nicely. Each suite would be sleek and modern with dark hardwood floors, and cream, teal, and brown accents, tying the look together. Eventually. We weren’t quite at the decorating stages yet.
The electrical and plumbing work were mostly done and the drywall was in the final stages of being hung. Some of the painting had even been completed, now that I wasn’t having any difficulty with the electrical crew. The new team was top notch, working fast, but doing a fantastic job. They were bringing the project back on track. Overall, I was pleased with the progress.
“So when is the drywall in the rooms going to be complete?” I asked as we headed downstairs.
“Another week or so. We’ll start on the bathrooms next,” George, the contractor informed me.
“Sounds good. You’re doing a great job, George. This isn’t an easy project, but you’ve been a real pro.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
I smiled as we walked back into the lobby. “Just keep up the good work.”
“Will do, boss.”
After my inspection, I jetted across town to be on hand for the Micah and Emma Turner Foundation press conference announcing plans to build a full-fledged educational sports facility, which would benefit the city’s disadvantaged inner youth.
As one of the major donors, I was asked to say a few words. Standing in front of a bay of windows, overlooking a pretty park with a playground, I addressed the media crowd.
I smiled big, turning on the charm. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is an exciting time for the Micah and Emma Turner Foundation. I am so pleased to be a part of such a great project. So many people have donated their efforts to make this center happen. When these doors open, kids will have a safe place to go to after school. They will receive help with their academics, train in a sport of their choice, and learn life skills they may never have a chance to explore,” I explained as a few pictures were taken of me.
“Now we come to the fun part.” I removed the dark sheet covering the building plans located on the easel to the right of me as everyone leaned forward to look at the state of the art building.
An excited ripple went through the crowd as I continued to speak. “Shepard Development is proud to donate the land and contribute to the general building fund to see this wonderful center open by the fall of 2016. Thank you to everyone who is making this dream happen.”
After a polite round of applause and a few soft questions by reporters, I was greeted by Micah and Emma as the press conference broke up.
“Thanks for doing that, man. You were great. I appreciate it,” Micah commented as he shook my hand.
“No problem. I really believe in what you’re doing. It feels good to help out,” I answered with a genuine smile.
“Well, we appreciate everything you’re doing for our foundation,” Emma supplied, standing next to her husband.
“It’s all for the kids. I’ve always wanted to be a part of something like this, so thank you for putting it together.”
“And we appreciate that. It’s good to see you, man. But I need to talk to a few more people before they leave,” Micah volunteered as he patted my arm.
I smiled. “Sounds good, man. Talk to you later.”
Micah took off across the room, but Emma stayed conspicuously behind, clearly wanting something from me as she glanced at me.
She gave me a sweet smile, which lit up her lovely face. “It’s good to see you excited about this project. I think you actually smiled as you were speaking. I was just telling my sister I remember you smiling all the time when you were with her. But now, it seems rare for you to smile like that anymore.”
She wasn’t pulling any punches. I made my face unreadable. “That’s because I grew up.”
She shook her head, while her blue eyes glowed with compassion. “No, there’s a sadness in your face these days. It wasn’t there when you were with Marla.”
I scoffed. “A lot has changed since then.”
“Yes, it has. But I know my sister. She never does anything without reason. She’s as solid and practical as they come and I think there’s more to her story than you know. I think you should really consider the possibility that you don’t have all the facts.”
Why did everyone think it was a good idea to dig up the past?
“No offense, Emma, but I can’t take advice from you. You have no idea what she did.”
She put her hand on my forearm as she leaned toward me, meeting my gaze directly. “I know how much she loved you, Beau. That counts for something. Don’t throw that away because you don’t want to look at the past.” She patted my arm and gave me a sympathetic glance. “You’re a good man, Beau, even if you don’t want the world to know it.”
*****
Emma’s words bothered me. She had no idea the turmoil I was experiencing on a daily basis as I questioned my life. I was taking a long, hard look at the way I had been living.
&
nbsp; It wasn’t pretty.
Empty and hollow were two words that came to mind.
It was in the little things, like eating dinner by myself and not having anyone to talk to about my day. It had never bothered me before, but now it did.
So I cut out going out so much. I had partied a million times before and it was always the same. Boozing and schmoozing to get into some girl’s pants I wouldn’t remember in the morning had lost its appeal. It was old and I was tired of it.
For all my success, I wondered what I really had in life. I had one grandfather I cared about, one friend in Micah, and no one else I was close to. Plus, I had a kid I had no idea how to connect with.
Speaking of which, the concept of family was everywhere I seemed to look. It started when I went out for a jog and saw a father and son in the park, playing catch. It seemed innocent enough. But it got me thinking.
Could I actually develop a relationship with Charlie?
What would it even look like?
It was daunting to consider.
Did he even want to know his old man?
That was even scarier to think about.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t ignore that the world was full of families. I started noticing things, like kid photos on my employees’ desks. Happy children, adoring parents...hell, even a couple of puppies on TV caught my attention.
What the hell was I supposed to do with a grown-ass kid?
The answer wasn’t coming very quickly.
One thing I was sure about, though, was I didn’t want a sign from the universe telling me what to do. I would decide on my own damn time, if and when I would get in touch with Charlie.
Meanwhile, things ramped up when the FBI showed up in my office one day unexpectedly. I was coming back from a meeting with the contractor on the Arsenal project when Donna stopped me at the elevator.
