by Elsa Kurt
I nod. “Thank you,” I whisper when he stops in front of me.
He dips his head and kisses my cheek. “No reason to thank me. I’m just doing my job.” His words are soft, but I don’t miss the bitterness to them. Before I can ask him what he means, he’s closing the door behind him and I’m left alone.
Hugging myself, I look around the large office. An office I have because of Granddaddy. Once I’d graduated with my dual degrees in marketing and business, he hired me as an intern in an official capacity. I followed him to every meeting and he made sure the men respected my presence. Not because I was a Courier, but rather an equal.
After a year, he hired me as a full-time employee and my salary increased to reflect my entry-level position. Everyone had been so accustomed to seeing me around the halls and working on different projects that no one batted an eye at the change.
And now he was gone.
I was numb as I gathered my things. Everywhere I looked in my office there was a memory of Granddaddy. The day had only begun, and I wouldn’t get through it without taking some time for myself. There were responsibilities I couldn’t shirk, and we were preparing for preseason. The company may be in the air, but Granddaddy wouldn’t want me to give up.
After telling Vicky, my executive assistant, that I’m heading out, I hurry to my car and manage to avoid a few people. I take my time driving to my favorite café a few blocks away, a difficult task thanks to the tears obscuring my vision. The coffee here packs a punch, exactly what I need to move past the large lump in my throat. After parking, I pull open the door and am relieved when I don’t see a line. Leaving on my sunglasses, I hurry to the counter.
“Hi, Kylie! What can I—are you okay?” Julianne asks with a tilt of her head.
I clear my throat. “Hi, yeah, I’m fine, just some light sensitivity today. Can I get my normal? Maybe an extra shot to see if it will kick it?”
“Sure honey!” she tells me, concern etched on her face.
I smile and hope it’s enough to stop her from saying more as I pay. Moving to the side, I lean against the wall and close my eyes, I hope no one pays attention to me. My mind swirls with memories of Granddaddy and myself as I wait for my coffee. More tears brim my eyes, threatening to spill in the very public café. I force air in through my nose past the sting of the coming tears.
Thankfully it only takes Julianne a few minutes to hand over the paper cup. Unable to speak past the threatening sobs, I nod and hurry out. I spot the nearby park and drop into a bench, grateful I won’t have to hide in my car. Lifting the coffee to my face, I breathe in the soothing aroma. Of course, it doesn’t help my emotional state, and an embarrassingly loud sob escapes my lips.
Looking up at the sky, I watch a few clouds pass as I quit fighting the tears. Why didn’t Granddaddy tell me about his cancer? How am I supposed to do this without him? I become lost in a storm of questions, emotions, and memories.
Engrossed in my grief, I startle when a dog barks near me. Swiping at the tears staining my cheeks, I turn toward the Yorkshire Terrier. Its owner watches me carefully and my face warms before I offer a small smile as I try hiding what a wreck I am.
“I’m sorry,” the woman says, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment. “We didn’t mean to intrude. Are you okay?”
I press my hand against my lips at her genuine concern and the dam within me breaks. Racking sobs shake my shoulders as I mutter, “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t apologize!” the woman says and sits on the bench next to me. “Get down, Albert!” she scolds the ball of fur when he presses his little paws against my leg. I set the coffee aside and lift the small dog onto my lap. “Be careful, I’d hate to see your nice clothes ruined,” she warns.
Ignoring her, I cradle the dog to my chest and his sweetness washes over me. I don’t know this woman or this dog. I do know that I’ve made a fool of myself in front of them, but for some odd reason, I don’t feel judged. Casting a side glance at her, I see kindness and exhaustion reflecting in her eyes. Whoever this nice lady is, she has her own demons. “Thank you,” I whisper, not meeting her eyes when my tears finally dry. “I got news of my granddaddy’s passing and—”
“Oh! I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s no wonder you’re a mess—”
I laugh at her candidness.
Shock registers on her face, which only makes me laugh more. “I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay. I’m sure you’re right.” I hold the dog up and meet its eyes. “Your sweet face helped more than any words could. Maybe I should get a dog?” I say to myself.
“Dogs are therapeutic,” she says with a nod.
“I’m Kylie.”
“Jenna.”
“Thank you for—”
“Being nosey?”
I laugh. “For showing me kindness and not judging me for having an utter breakdown in a public park.”
“Glad to help. Although it wasn’t me, it was Albert.”
Smiling, I bring the dog’s face to mine and kiss him between the eyes. “Thank you, Albert. If I do get a dog, I’ll have to name him after you.”
Jenna laughs. “Well, if you do and need my services, here’s my number.”
The business card is simple. Jenna’s name and number printed neatly on one side of the card and the other side left blank. “Thanks. I’ll give you a call if I do find myself with a four-legged friend.” Pressing the dog to me, I hug it tightly and place it on the ground. With my coffee in hand, I push to my feet. “I better go. Granddaddy wouldn’t want me to grieve over him like this. It was really nice meeting you, Jenna.”
“It was nice meeting you too, Kylie.”
Chapter 2
Brendan
Thankfully my office is located across from Kylie’s and no one’s around, even though Kyle had an open-door policy. I lock the door and head for my desk. If it wasn’t going to be such a clusterfuck of a day, I would have removed my tie.
The first order of business once I’d learned that Kyle passed was to tell Kylie. Breaking her heart was one of the worst moments of my life. Losing a man who meant so much to me was a close second.
There weren’t many people who disliked Kyle Courier—except for maybe his son. That was an entirely different matter. I open a filing cabinet and reach in the back and find a folder I stashed, updating the files throughout the years. In it is a copy of Kyle’s will and a list of things I need to get done.
“I know my passing will be hard, son. But I need you to hold it together for Kylie. She will need you now more than ever.”
His words flash in my mind and I almost feel his hand on my shoulder as he squeezed it. Kyle loved with his entire being. Something my own father hadn’t done. I’d been supremely lucky the day Kyle Courier hired me. It surprised many in the circle around him, including his spitfire granddaughter, Kylie.
I still remember the way my body reacted when I’d met her. Her dark blue eyes were hard, her lips pulled into a thin line, and her arms crossed under her full breasts. I’d gone rock hard over the gorgeous woman, but she was off-limits to me. Not because anyone had told me, but because I needed to prove myself to this man who had taken a chance on me.
Scrubbing my face, I dial Michael Courier’s number. It was my job to notify the man that his father died. Sure, in a normal, healthy family, Kylie would be making this call, but the relationship between Michael and his family was anything but functional. Setting aside my personal feelings for the asshole, I listen to the ringtone and gather my thoughts.
“Yeah?” he asks, groggy and most likely coming down from whatever shit he’d taken the night before.
“Hello, Mr. Courier. This is Brendan Knight.”
“What does my grand ol’ dad want now?” he grunts.
I sigh. “I’m sorry to inform you that your father passed away.”
“What?” he asks and for a moment I think I hear regret in the bastard’s voice.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’d like to read the will to you and Ms. Kyl
ie Courier later today if it would suit you?”
Michael clears his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, the earlier the better.”
And then I hear the greed in his voice, like clockwork. I can imagine the way his eyes are sparkling, little cartoon dollar signs flashing in them. Pushing aside my hatred for the man, I turn to the screen and pull up Kylie’s schedule. “Will three in the afternoon—”
“I’ll be there,” he says a second before the call ends.
I stare at the receiver in my hand. “Sorry you’re so distraught over your father’s death, asshole.”
After I hang up, I add the meeting to Kylie’s calendar. It’s rare I need to add something to it, but long ago, Kyle decided it was easier if we had access to each other’s schedules. Any time a new event was added, the system alerted the person by email, so we knew it wouldn’t be skipped.
I’m sorely tempted to return to her office, but she needs her space now more than ever. Her life’s about to dramatically change, and she lost the one man in her life she could count on. Aside from me, but she doesn’t need to know that.
I’ve admired her from afar and grown to know her throughout the years. Hell, today was the first day I’d crossed any line. Lines I set when I started working for Kyle. I lean back and chuckle. On numerous occasions, Kyle had hinted that he wished Kylie would find a man like myself. While I fantasized from afar, she chipped away at me without trying, her granddaddy doing what he could from the sidelines.
A smile fills my face at one memory. Kyle and Kylie were to attend a fundraiser, and the day of the event Kyle backed out with some bogus excuse.
Kyle entered my office, his brows knit together. “Son, I need a favor.”
“Is everything okay, sir?” I asked, looking him over. He’d revealed his cancer diagnosis only a month prior and I’d been struggling with my own emotions over what was to come.
He waved a hand in my direction. “Stop your worrying. I’m feeling fine. Look here, I was supposed to take Kylie with me to this fundraiser tonight, but my sciatica is killing me. Is there any chance you’re free tonight and can escort her? I’d hate for her to go alone. She gets enough unwanted attention when I’m around, and I don’t know how the gold diggers will behave if she’s by herself. Not that I don’t think she can take care of herself.”
My eyes moved over Kyle and I couldn’t help but notice what a liar the old coot was. “Maybe we should have the doctor come in to see you?”
“Oh no, I’m sure I’ll be better after a good night’s rest, no need to call in Doc,” he told me and rubbed at the offending joint with exaggeration.
An evening out with Kylie was dangerous but there wasn’t a chance in hell that I would send her in by herself…something both Kyle and I knew. That fundraiser nearly did me in. Pompous asses looking for a connection leered at her and I had to stop myself from doing something to taint the Courier family’s name.
On a few other occasions, Kyle finagled himself out and me in as Kylie’s escort. It was an honor to be at her side, but I knew I needed to keep my hands to myself. Something I’d managed each time until this morning, not that I regretted any of it. If anything, a seed of need and want was planted deep within me.
I shake my head free of my memories and concentrate on the long list in front of me. Today the Cougar family would mourn their leader, number one supporter, and fan, and the adopted grandfather we all received when we joined the family. The Cougar family was unaware of our profound loss and I would help Kylie keep her granddaddy’s memory and legacy alive however she needed.
Chapter 3
Kylie
One hour. It was all the time I took before forcing myself to get back to work. With Granddaddy gone there would be chaos and a list of things that needed to be handled. Tamping down my anxiety and grief, I open my email and find a few different calendar invitations from Brendan.
The first one twists my gut in a knot.
Reading Kyle’s will with Kylie and Michael Courier.
The others read as a checklist. Seeing the time, I realize the first item is in an hour. A meeting with the staff and players to notify them of granddaddy’s passing. I email the psychologist on staff and give her a heads-up. Granddaddy may not have passed in some traumatic fashion, but I want everyone to know they can use her for grief counseling if needed.
I rise and move to the hidden safe. Deep inside I knew the importance of this file when Granddaddy handed it to me, but I had refused to acknowledge it. I stuffed it in the safe toward the back behind copies of important documents. As my hand feels for it, I remember his words that day long ago.
“Here is a list of all my usernames, passwords, and accounts,” Granddaddy said.
“I don’t need that, you old coot!” I snapped and stepped away from him, my head shaking as I refused to imagine a world where I would need use of it.
“Now Kylie, as much as we both would love for me to live forever, we know that just isn’t the case. You don’t want to be caught with your pants down. Having this information will give you a start. Sure, Jeffrey has some of this information, but if for whatever reason something happens to both of us, now you have it too.”
“Fine!” I snapped as I grabbed the file and thrust it into the back of the safe. “There, now I have it. Stop talking crazy and go back to your office.”
Ignoring the section on his accounts, I found the sheet that listed his usernames and passwords. I sit in front of the computer and log out of my Cougar email and log into his. Some business emails had been coming to me for a while now, but there were other things Granddaddy handled that I would need to be apprised of, so I could switch it over.
Scrolling through, I make notes on a few items and stop when a familiar name catches my eye. An email from Granddaddy’s old friends, the Breitenbachs.
Dear Kyle,
I hope this email finds you well, old friend. I’m writing you ahead of the arrival of your formal invitation to the Machi Foundation. We hope to see you and Kylie for this cause near and dear to our family’s heart.
Your dear friends,
The Breitenbach Family
The words stare at me as I consider the devastating task ahead of telling them of Granddaddy’s passing. Not attending the event isn’t an option. Granddaddy would roll in his grave if I didn’t support the family with my attendance. Lifting the phone’s receiver, I punch in the country code before putting it back in its cradle. Emotion clogs my throat with words that don’t sound right in my own mind.
“This can wait a few more hours at least,” I tell myself with a nod.
I compose myself as I put on my business façade and commence to make notes of other things in Granddaddy’s emails. When a knock sounds on my door sometime later, I startle. I look at the clock and call them in. Brendan enters, looking better than he did when he left me a couple hours ago.
“I’m sorry for all the invites.”
I wave away his apology. “Don’t be. I appreciate your help on all this.”
He stops in front of my desk, one hand in his pocket. “How are you doing?”
Leaning back in the chair, I sigh. “Today sucks. I just found an email from the Breitenbachs about the Machi Foundation fundraiser coming up. I need to tell them about Granddaddy. I even started dialing…but I couldn’t make the call.”
“Give yourself a break, Kylie.” Brendan’s voice is stern and yet gentle. “We just lost him and we’re trying to roll with the punches. Do you plan to go in Kyle’s place for the fundraiser?”
“I know, I know, it’s so hard…there’s no way I can miss it. Granddaddy would have a conniption if I missed it because I was too busy being sad of his long life versus Machi, who was taken way too early.”
“I’ll go with you. Tell me when it is, and I’ll make sure to clear my schedule.”
At first, I’m surprised before I remind myself that he’s escorted me to plenty of events when Granddaddy wasn’t feeling well. “You don’t have to—”
“It would
be my pleasure. Plus, we know that Kyle didn’t like you attending events by yourself.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, he really didn’t like it.” My eyes flit to the clock and I sigh. “In other news…having to tell everyone downstairs is going to suck.”
Brendan chuckles and the sound soothes my frazzled nerves. “Yes, it does. If you don’t think you can talk to them, I’ll do it for you.”
His words are spoken softly, and I see it’s not that he doesn’t think I can. “Thank you, but I need to do this. He loved everyone like family, and I don’t think he’d be very proud of me if I acted like a coward now.”
“It wouldn’t make you a coward, Kylie.”
Blue eyes bore into mine and his lips are set in a hard line. I wish I could make him laugh again, if only to see his eyes brighten. His faith in me does something to my insides that I don’t quite understand. “Thanks,” I say, and the word is raspy, unlike me.
Brendan’s gaze moves to my lips briefly before he clears his throat. “We better head down now. Do you know what you’re going to say?”
Whatever moment—if that’s even what it was—between us ends and his professional armor returns. After pushing to my feet, I meet him around the desk. “I’ll figure it out.”
The walk to the field is one I’ve made thousands of times. It’s the only place we can fit everyone, and being outside is refreshing. I’ve walked side by side with Brendan on numerous occasions. This is the first time I’m nearly crawling out of my skin by the time we reach our destination. The air around us is charged and I’m not entirely sure what’s changed in the last few hours.
I’m about to notify the Cougar family of Granddaddy’s passing and all I can think about is how firm and comforting Brendan felt that morning. It wasn’t the first time I’d admired the man, but we worked together. I didn’t want to embarrass Granddaddy by becoming enamored of the family lawyer. Now that he’s touched me it’s all I can think of even as everyone quiets at my approach.
