Chapter 11 #2
We finish our coffee slower than we need to, because neither of us wants to rush into the day yet. This moment, the morning after everything changed between us, is worth savoring, so that’s just what we do. When our cups are empty, Bear stands and gathers the plates and cups.
“You’d best get a shower if you’re coming with me today. We’ve got our work cut out for us,” he says in a serious tone.
“I can do Rick’s route or do yours and you can do his.”
“No. I need to make all the priority deliveries first this morning,” he answers.
“I’ve got interviews scheduled from twelve to three this afternoon.
Even though we have you on board we still need a couple of other drivers.
Especially if Rick’s gonna be out of action for a while.
If all goes well, we’ll train them right away.
We’ve got to get those routes covered or we’ll not only let a lot of good people down, but we’ll be at risk of losing our contracts with the pharmacies. ”
I come to my feet, eager to get started. “We’ll work together and move double fast.”
Bear’s entire posture changes and a stubborn look jumps onto his face. “No. I didn’t mean to insinuate you’d be making deliveries with me today. I’ll run the routes and you can interview prospective new hires.”
I look up at him. “You need me and I’m coming and that’s all there is to it.”
“You’re safer here,” he insists.
“No. I’m not going to let whoever this is make me afraid to live and work.”
“Don’t argue with me when it comes to safety.”
“You don’t get to give me your cut, promise to protect me and then hide me away upstairs like I’m a secret.”
He goes still. “That’s not what’s happening and you know it.”
I drop the sheet and stand there with my cut in one hand. “You don’t get to claim me and then decide I can’t be near you,” I tell him. “I’m either a help or a hindrance. Pick one.”
Bear’s jaw flexes, and he studies me for a long moment. His eyes drop to my naked body and then he closes his eyes and looks up like he’s forcing himself to think logically about my request.
“We’re stopping at places,” he says. “Someone sabotaged Rick’s brake line. Whoever did that might target me and if you’re with me...”
Cutting him off, I say, “I know that. But if I’m with you, I can keep an eye on your vehicle.”
He sighs and turns back to look me in the eye. “You’re stubborn.”
“I’m not. I’m just tired of everyone running my life. I’d like the dignity of making decisions for myself for once.”
He sighs. “Get dressed, woman.”
This quiet victory drives home the fact that Bear actually listens to what I want in a way that Rick doesn’t.
He understands that I don’t want to be constantly sidelined, even if it is safer.
I want to live life, take risks and make decisions for myself.
These things have been denied to me for far too long.
I hustle into the shower and get ready for our busy day.
We stop at the pharmacies first. While Bear gathers and signs out our delivery, I pick up a few things for my brother. Bear just smiles at me, clearly on board with bringing my brother things to enjoy once he wakes up.
After picking up the meds from the last pharmacy, we make a start on our morning route.
We’ve got a full day ahead of us and are forced to pick up the pace.
We’ve broken the day into four parts, morning deliveries of perishable or critical medications, interviews over an extended lunch and visiting Rick this afternoon and then delivering the rest of the meds into the evening.
It’s a lot, but we can’t let the business fall apart just because everything in our life has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Our first stop is at a regular client’s house. After dropping off his antibiotics I climb back into the truck, I tell Bear, “It might just be me, but Fred’s looking a little better. He’s got more color in his face.”
He shifts gears and pulls out onto the road again. “That’s why Rick and I started this business, so people could get what they need to recover. I’m glad to hear Fred’s doing so well.”
We hit three more houses before eight-thirty. Between stops, I rearrange things in Rick’s gift bag and eventually tuck it behind the seat. It’s silly, I know. But I want Rick to have everything he needs when he wakes up.
We move from one delivery to the next as quickly as possible. Knowing every delivery we make keeps our business alive.
***
The local pub is a block from our last delivery stop. That’s the spot Bear texted the applicants to meet us at. Our first interview is scheduled for just after lunch. We head straight there with no messing about, so we have time to eat first.
The interior is bright, with sports memorabilia on the walls and big, comfortable leather booths. The scents coming from the kitchen are amazing. We slide into a corner booth with a wide view of the entrance and order our food.
“Double bacon cheeseburger,” Bear tells the waitress. “And keep the coffee comin’. I need to stay sharp today.”
I order a grilled chicken sandwich and glance at the list of applicants.
Bear tells me, “We have seven applicants. We need two who can follow directions and who are reliable enough to show up on time. Bonus points if they have good social skills.”
“How many applications did you go through to narrow it down to these seven?”
He glances towards the door. “Twenty-five. I hired an agency to run background checks and check references. That way whoever we choose today can start immediately.”
“Wow, you thought of everything,” I say warmly. Bear is truly impressive in a lot of ways.
Bear grunts. “Yeah, I’m great and all, but I told the recruiter that I ain’t babysittin’ anyone. If they can’t follow a fuckin’ map, show up for work, and act like an adult, they’re out.”
Our food arrives and we make short work of it. Which is good, because the first applicant, a wiry thirty-year-old named Charles Vane shows up. He’s fifteen minutes early and all kinds of polite. Unfortunately, he fidgets nonstop and talks a mile a minute about networking and expanding the brand.
Bear leans back in his seat, stone-faced. “This ain’t a fuckin’ startup, brother. It’s med delivery. You show up, drive a route, and don’t lose the packages. Can you handle that?”
Vane blinks, then nods fast. “Yes, sir. I just think I have more value to add to your business than delivery.”
Needless to say, Bear discards his application the minute the interview is over and Vane’s out the door.
The next one is a young woman. Her name is Angie Marlow. She’s sharp, direct, and used to working with elderly clients. She knows the importance of patients getting their meds and is good with the elderly.
After she leaves, I lean towards Bear and whisper, “I like her. She seems like a person who likes to work rather than listen to the sound of her voice.”
“Yeah,” he mutters. “She’s not full of shit. That’s fuckin’ rare.”
I can tell that interviewing is not his favorite thing in the entire world. However, having it take place in a pub clearly is, as he ends up ordering an extra serving of fries to help with the decision-making process.
“Is this the first time you had outsiders working for the business?”
Swallowing the bite of food in his mouth, he answers, “No, we’ve had to hire before. I broke my leg once. And we also hired a guy temporarily for a couple of months last summer. Rick normally takes care of that shit. Unlike me, he’s good with people.”
“What? You’re doing great holding down the fort. You’re making sure all the deliveries are made, hiring, and looking out for me. Rick would be proud of you. I know I am.”
“You’re too good for my ego. Yet another reason to keep you around, beautiful. Now who else do we have coming?”
I read the names off to him. They turn out to be a bit of a mixed bag.
One man seems quite competent, one is a no-show, another tries to look tough in a fake cut.
Then there is the woman who clearly thinks this is some kind of speed dating event.
She nopes out the second she realizes we’re wearing matching cuts and mine is a property cut.
By the time we’re down to the last two names, Bear’s coffee has been refilled three times, and I’m picking fries off his plate without asking.
“You got no fear,” he says, watching me swipe another.
I grin. “You gonna fight me over a fry?”
“Nah,” he smirks. “I like a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it.”
His words send a tiny thrill up my spine, but I try to keep my mind on the job. I look down and circle two names. “So… Angie Marlow and Robert Rockwell, right?”
“Yep,” he agrees. “They were both a cut above the rest. Rob’s quiet and asked smart questions. I’ll text them and ask them if they’re ready to start tomorrow.”
“Don’t we need to do training with them?” I ask.
Bear shrugs his big shoulders. “Ideally. But they’ve both had experience and we need the help. As long as they can pick up the meds and deliver them to the right people that’ll do for now.”
I watch while he types out messages to each of them. His phone pings, and he glances up with a happy smile on his face. “They can both start tomorrow. Fuckin’ hell, nothing in my life is usually this easy.”
He pays the tab on his business credit card because it was a working lunch, and we head back to the truck. Bear opens my door first like always, his hand lingering at the small of my back as I climb in. “Let’s go see your brother,” he murmurs.
***
When we arrive at the hospital, I leave my property cut in the truck.
If Rick wakes up, the last thing I want is for him to see me wearing Bear’s property cut.
He made me off-limits, and then I got with Bear anyway.
We both fought it, him harder than me, but it happened and I don’t regret a thing.
That doesn’t mean I want to throw it in his face the moment he wakes up.
I clutch the gift bag close to my chest as we take the elevator up. Bear’s quiet, but he looks like he’s thinking deeply about something.
“We’re still trying to figure out who did this to him. Once I get some help in place for the business, I’m gonna help ‘em. We won’t rest until whoever did this pays.”
I reach over and wrap my free arm around his waist and give him a hug. “Let’s just take this one step at a time. If not, the stress will keep pulling us down.”
He nods, dropping a kiss onto the top of my head. When we make our way to his room, Bear opens the door and steps aside so I can go in first.
The hospital room is quiet except for the low steady beep of the monitors.
My brother is lying in the same position as he was when I left yesterday.
He looks lifeless and pale and the wires are still there.
I realize I’m not hearing the mechanical hiss of the ventilator and he’s breathing on his own. That’s got to be a good sign.
I step closer and take in bruises sprawling across his collarbone and down one shoulder, disappearing in long scrape marks where his arm made contact with the pavement. The other arm is in a cast.
A strong arm slips around my shoulders and pulls me closer. “He looks better already,” Bear says gruffly. “He’ll be up flirting with the nurses in no time.”
I nod. “Yeah, he’ll wake up soon. I just know it.”