“You’re too soft to run this damn business. I warned your mother-”
“You leave my mom the hell out of this,” I growled. I’d finally had enough. He wasn’t going to insult her memory in front of me. I’d never been one to raise my voice at my father, but I wouldn’t tolerate that. I would fight him if I had to. She was not a topic for discussion.
My mother put up with his ass for too damn long as it was.
“You are too soft. You bow to every damn sob story, and you bend anytime someone has an excuse. That’s not the way you run a business," he snarled. He was angry. Well so was I.
But I wasn't going to back down.
“Look at the numbers, dad. I’ve got a higher yield on grains than any time in the last decade. Whatever I have sacrificed in the margins my workers have been made up for me and then some.” I’d been doing a hell of a good job out here, and I knew it.
“But you could be doing so much better,” he said.
“No. I couldn’t. If I didn’t show the people who work for me, who farm the land for me, that we were partners, that I cared about their needs,” I explained. “They perform better than they ever have because it isn’t a partnership borne out of fear. They trust me. I trust them.” It seemed so simple, so reasonable when I said it, but my father didn’t understand. He didn’t get it.
His mouth just turned down into a frown. “They are taking advantage of you, can’t you see that?” he said. I could almost see him break. He was genuinely worried.
I just shook my head. “Take your coffee and get out of my office. I have work to do.”
He was never going to understand. It wasn’t in his nature. The man was a born tycoon.
He just stood and shook his head. “My only son. I thought you would have learned by now. Thought I could pass on the business to you.”
“The only son you know of, father. I’m sure there has to be offspring floating around out there somewhere. Maybe one of them is just as mean and nasty as you.” I wasn’t going to let him rattle me. Not when I had so damn much to do.
I grabbed my phone and dialed it, my nerves on edge. I needed to talk to the one person who could calm them. The one person I was looking forward to seeing.
“County Permits Office, how may I help you?” Her voice was sweeter than a strawberry sundae in July.
“Hey darlin’, you wanna play hooky today?” I asked. “I know a quiet stream where we could catch our dinner and just sit and talk.”
“Wyatt?” she asked. Her voice was small, far away. I needed her closer.
If I could just wrap my arms around her. If I could pull her close and just relax everything would be all right.
“Do you have another suitor?” I asked. I was only kidding, but a small stab of concern rose up in my throat.
“I can’t,” she said, “I have so much work to do. I can’t just take off.”
“I bet you can. I bet you are just as tired of being around suits all day as I am,” I reasoned. I wasn’t tired of everyone, just one giant ass in a suit. “Come on. I’ll make a date of it. Buy you some lunch and everything.”
“I’ll have to see,” she said slowly, but I knew she’d be able to get out of it. Hell, if she wasn’t I’d call ol’ Bill up and ask him for the favor myself.
“I’m already on my way,” I said as I stood up from my desk, “I’m coming for you, baby.”
I was already out the door.
Chapter Eleven
Hooky. I hadn’t done anything like that even in high school, and now I was going to skip out on the rest of work?
I shook my head and looked at the clock. Bill probably wouldn’t care anyways. I’d been stretching the truth just a little when I told Wyatt that we were packed. We hadn’t seen more than two people the entire day. But that was busy for Laurel.
I stood up and walked over to the office where I found Bill playing solitaire at his computer.
“Busy day, huh?” he joked as he looked at me.
“About that, I was wondering if I could go ahead and leave? It looks like we aren’t going to get much business in, and I’m still feeling a little queasy.” I wasn’t lying when I told him that, but it wasn’t for the reason he thought. The tiniest of white lies that I doubt he would mind.
“I don’t see why not. It doesn’t look like we are going to see much action today,” he said as he looked towards the door of the building.
“Thank you,” I smiled and walked to my desk right as Wyatt was coming in the door. He must’ve been on his way when he called.
“Are you ready to go?” He asked as he reached for me and pulled me into him.