Page 15 of Letters Book Two
“It’s just... well... Now you come home and want all of us to be more friendly, more relaxed? How do we do that, Perry? We don’t know you the way we knew Jack. We didn’t get to grieve Jack with you because you never addressed it with the Hamptons team.”
I was failing at the,not being angry promise. “Then why are you still here?” I asked.
“Because we loved Jack. Because he loved you. And to be honest... because he asked us to.”
“Asked you to? What does that even mean?” I stared at mydecade-on-the-jobassistant. His eyes were wet and mine were empty by this point. “What the fuck do you mean by that? Why would Jack ask such a ridiculous thing of the staff?”
Jeremy looked at me incredulously. “He didn’t tell you?”
I was upset now. “Tell me what? What the fuck are you referring to?”
“At last year’s Christmas party for the team, when Jack gave us our holiday bonuses, he called us into a circle to hand out the checks. He’d never done it this way before. Jack always tried to make it personal with one-on-one chats.” Jeremy furrowed his brow. His grave face was serious, like he was revealing a deep secret. “Are you sure Jack never told you about the huddle?”
“I’m quite sure.” Had Jack kept a secret from me? We didn’t do secrets. We promised each other. I turned and walked toward the fireplace before turning to hear the rest of the story. I crossed my arms. “He never told me a thing about it. So, please, go ahead, enlighten me.”So much for calm.
“Well, of course, he was his usual wonderful self. He thanked each one of us. Hugged each of us and was very much the same Jack we always saw. However, after we received our cards, he asked us to join hands and when we did, he asked us for a favor.”
My breath hitched and I felt my heart skip. “What kind of favor?”
Jeremy was apprehensive at revealing the next part. “Ok, well, he started by saying that nothing was going to happen to him. He reassured us of that, first off. But, then he asked that just in case it did, would we promise him that we would stay on with you until you found your way.” Jeremy paused and took a deep breath. “He died three days later, Perry.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Lucas
“Do you think we can put the purchase of the station on the back burner for a bit?” I asked. Mr. Howard and I were sharing his desk as we ate our lunch together. The meal was another tasty leftover lunch from Mrs. Howard. Today’s menu consisted of meatloaf sandwiches and some sliced carrots and celery sticks.
“Yeah, son. We can do that.” He finished chewing and swallowed before pointing at my plastic container. “Make sure you eat those vegetables. Or at least throw them away. I don’t know if you noticed but the missus has been pushing healthier choices for the two of us.” He wiped a smear of mustard from his lips. “Back to your buyout question. It is probably wise to wait until you and Perry get things straightened out. Have you called him yet?”
“I’ll eat the veggies, don’t worry about fibbing to your wife, sir,” I said, trying to avoid the last question.
He didn’t give up that easily. “Good to know. And... about that call?”
I turned away. Who would think a seventy-year-old southern gentleman would be giving reminders to me to get to work on my gay relationship? “I haven’t, sir.”
“Anything to do with the Bowers kid staying over the last coupla nights?”Jesus!He didn’t miss shit.
“Hell no! Of course not!” I was shocked by my knee-jerk reaction.
“Now don’t be sassing the old man about prying into your personal business. If you and he are something then just spit it out.” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
So, this must be what it feels like to have involved parents or grandparents. “Well, sir. If you must know, Clint Bowers is a friend. A friend-friend,” I explained.
“Yes, son. I know what a friend-friend is.”
“Good. I want that to be clear,” I said.
“I also know what afriend with benefitsis,” he stated, arms still crossed.
I snorted cola out of my nose. “You didnotjust say that!” I wiped my face with my sleeve. “And, no. We sure as hell are notfriends with benefits.”
“What? An old man can’t have had a life once? I was nineteen once too, you know.”
“I’m telling Mrs. Howard on you, sir.”
“Go ahead. Who do you think myfriendwas?” He had a shameless expression on his face.
“Well, it isn’t like that with me and Bowers. So, you can scratch that from your mind, sir.” I heard a ding from the fuel lane. “And just so you’re caught up on stuff, I’m getting around to calling Perry!” I turned and headed out to the drive.
“You better! And fix it, boy!” he hollered.
