Page 4 of The Grizzly Situation
“But that was his way, and it’s understandable. We all do things like that, because we’ve been taught the power of words. I prefer actions, because they’re far more telling.”
She stood. “Thank you, Mr. Lockhart.”
I shook my head. “Brent, please. And it was my pleasure.”
When I got up, I was surprised that she hugged me. “Your wife was a lucky woman.”
“Oh, no,” I insisted. “I was the one who won the gold. Where do you think I learned it from?”
That brought a megawatt smile. “Then you were both lucky.”
That I would accept. “Thank you. Now, I suppose I should head off before they revoke my place in line at the airport.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “You will get through this, and the two of you can come out stronger, because you’ll be walking together. If that’s what you choose to do.”
“Yes,” she answered without hesitation. “That’s what I want. I love him, and now that I can see his actions are more important than his words, I have to wonder if I’m communicating so he understands me.”
“Maybe. You do great here, so it’s possible you?—”
“No, it’s not,” she said quickly. “I think back to the times when Devon tried to talk to me, and I was too busy or thought he wasn’t serious. My own hurt feelings always kept me fromgetting out what I wanted to say.” She sighed. “You’re right, we both need to work on it.”
“Then use this time off to start laying a foundation. Make sure it’s built of something sturdy, so that no matter what happens, it’s strong enough to withstand the strain. Think about what you want out of your marriage, and let him know that. Don’t hold anything back because you think he won’t do it, or you can live without it. Will compromises have to be made? Yes, of course, but even there you’ve got things you can work on together. This isn’t going to be his way or your way. It has to be both of you moving forward together toward whatever goal you set.”
My phone chimed, “And that’s going to be Gregory, because he’ll be twitchy that I’m not there yet.”
She chuckled. “I’m sorry I kept you.”
“Hush. My sleuth is always important. And you? If it wasn’t for you, I’d never know the best place to get my caffeine fix.”
Cait turned and headed toward her office, and I grabbed my briefcase and got ready to take a trip that needed to be done quickly. After all, I had a promise to keep.
Chapter Two
ULY
Four plates,two mugs, and it wasn’t even eight yet. Uncle Dom was right. This job wasn’t for me. Or, rather, I wasn’t right for this job. The pitying looks I got each time I dropped something were old the first day. Now they upset me, and that made me more anxious. It was a vicious cycle, feeding on my own doubts and insecurities.
A blast of cold air had me shivering in the warm diner. I looked up to find a group of six men entering. One of them was obviously in charge, considering how everyone else was following behind him. He was a big ol’ drink of water. Tall and broad, with a neatly trimmed beard and mustache, plus a suit that molded to his frame, he was the master of his world. I might have hated him just a little. I didn’t want to be the master, but it would be nice if I could be more than... me.
I snatched menus from beneath the counter and headed toward the men. “I got it, Uncle Dom.”
“Uly, I’m not sure?—”
Before he could finish his sentence, I was already at the table. I handed them the menu, then stood, pad and paper in hand, waiting to see what they’d say. Some places had those nifty little handheld devices where you could input the order, and it would show up in the kitchen. Uncle Dom wanted to be more old school, so I had to write it out and hope I could read my own writing by the time I got back to the register.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen. What can I get for you today?”
“An IV of your strongest coffee, please,” the biggest of the men said right before he groaned. “And about forty ibuprofen.”
The others sat stone faced, and I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or not.
“My assistant said you had a coffee called Death Shot. I need four, with extra shots.”
“Four double shot Death Shot coming up. And you, sir?”
The man I spoke to scowled at me, then returned his attention to the other man again. “Can’t we continue this back at the office?”
The glare he got had the guy almost whimpering. “I need coffee if I’m going to think. We’ve been going round and round about this all morning, and frankly I’m tired of it. Not one of you can explain to me why you’re losing money, so I have to sift through all the financials to see where the problem is.”
“But we told you, there should be no discrepancy. Our accountant is one of the best in Milwaukee, and he assures us that?—”
