Chapter 12 #2
“I’m planning on making it a jungle in here too.
It’s south facing, which apparently is great lighting for most plants.
I haven’t done enough research yet. Or more specifically, haven’t had Marielle do the research yet.
” At Hawk’s raised brows, I explained. “My assistant. She keeps me organized and on track. And pulls all the research I want to read.”
Hawk nodded like that made sense, but his focus was on his phone, which I hadn’t seen him dig out of his pocket. A second later, he was holding it up in front of him, and it was making that particular ring that meant a video call. A moment after that, the call was answered.
“Hello, brother mine. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” A decidedly masculine voice said. He sounded a little bit like Hawk, actually.
“Kee. Check this out.” He tapped the screen and then panned the phone around the room. I heard this Kee suck in a breath and Hawk said, “What kind of plants would you put in here?”
“All the plants, Hawk. All of them. Holy shit, bro. Where are you?”
Hawk flicked his gaze to me. “A friend’s place. He wants to fill this room with plants.”
“What direction does it face? Is he willing to build? I can think of…so many things to do with that space!” Kee’s voice rose with excitement.
I closed the distance between us and sat next to Hawk, eyebrow raised in question.
Hawk hesitated for a second, then flipped the camera back around so that both of us were in the picture.
Kee looked like a Harrington, no doubt about it.
And even though his mouth dropped open for a second, he fixed his face immediately.
“Keegan, this is Carter Cahill,” Hawk introduced us. He glanced at me. “Kee is getting his degree in horticulture. He knows a thing or two about plants.”
“ Cahill Cahill?” Keegan asked, his voice shocked. Before I could figure what that meant, Keegan cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you, sir. I’m envious of all that natural light.”
I decided to let the hint of strangeness go and put on a smile. “Thanks. It’s pretty outstanding. And to answer your questions, it’s south facing and I would be more than willing to build. What would you do with the room to bring in the jungle?”
Keegan groaned, but in a covetous way. “So much. Rails above the windows for hanging baskets of trailing plants. Some statement plants, like a bird of paradise and a monstera, or maybe a Ficus or dieffenbachia for the corners. Shelves and shelves of plants around the window bases.”
“Would you be willing to design the space for me?” I asked, only for Keegan to freeze. I saw his nostrils flaring, so I knew the video hadn’t glitched. I quickly added, “I’ll pay you for your time.”
Keegan’s eyes cut to his brother. “Is he for real?”
“Yes,” Hawk and I said at the same time.
“Absolutely, I would,” Keegan gushed, excitement lighting his eyes. “You don’t have to pay me, sir. It would be my pleasure.”
“Nonsense. Your time is valuable. Of course I’ll pay you. And please, call me Carter.”
Keegan gaped for a second or two, then started nodding. “Okay, Carter. Then I need detailed pictures and all the measurements. I also need to know what kind of care you’re capable of or willing to provide.”
“Excellent. I’ll send you all of that. I can get your email from Hawk?”
“Sure thing,” he said, like he still didn’t believe this was happening. He looked to Hawk once again, and Hawk gave a slight nod. “I’ll look for your email, then.”
“Thanks, Kee. Talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye Carter.”
“Goodbye,” I got out just as Hawk ended the call. I turned to look at him, squinting. “What was that about?”
“A friend helping a friend. I know a guy that can help you, so I put you in touch.” Hawk’s smirk was really too cute. If we weren’t just friends, I’d kiss it off his face. But we were so I staunchly ignored it.
I grinned. “I appreciate it. I would have ended up reading through whatever Marielle put together and then hired someone anyway. At least this way, your brother gets the perk of the payday and I know I have an expert handling the details.”
Hawk was quiet for a long moment. “It’s good of you to pay him for his time.”
I shook my head. “It’s honest. No one should undervalue themselves. And I’m not saying every favor should be paid, but when people are giving you their expertise, it should be compensated. Besides, I have plenty of money to spare.”
“How did you make your billions, anyway?” Hawk asked, then his eyes went wide. “Shit, that was rude. Never mind.”
I laughed, settling back into the couch and getting comfortable. “It wasn’t rude. It’s just friends getting to know each other. That’s all. And I don’t mind sharing. But it’s a bit of a story. You want the short version or the long one?”
Hawk thought about that a second, his gaze roving all over my face. “What’s the short story?”
“I got in on the ground floor with a tech startup just as the internet was really taking off.”
He nodded, still studying me. After a second, he asked the question I’d been hoping he would. “And the long version?”
“Ah, that starts way back. You want a beer?” I stood and crossed to the fridge, pulling out a can of Dale’s Pale Ale.
It was a sort of local brew that I’d become quite fond of since moving to the area.
Hawk thought about it for a second, then nodded, so I handed him one too.
Once we cracked them open and I was seated again, I began.
“My father had money. A lot of it.” I glanced at Hawk to see the expression I expected cross his face.
Internally, I smirked, because he had no idea where this was going.
“Until he lost it in a bad deal, and then a second one that was supposed to recoup his losses from the first one. My mother fucked off when her husband was no longer rich, and left me with him. And Father dearest started chasing one get rich quick scheme after another. That was why he needed me gone that summer I met Athena.”
Hawk’s expression softened and I saw the sympathy there. I didn’t need pity, but I didn’t mind it so much coming from him. “I’m so sorry, Carter.”
“Thanks. It sucked, not going to lie, but it could have been worse. Anyway, that was my catalyst to work hard at everything I did. To make sure I was honest in everything I did. I made it to college with a crapton of loans, double majored in finance and business management, and graduated cum laude. At the same time, a couple of friends were starting a business that focused on the way the internet was taking off.”
Hawk nodded and took a sip of his beer. I did not watch him swallow, entranced for a moment at the way his throat worked and imagining other things. Because friends didn’t do that.
I cleared my own throat. “They were ideas guys, and they had a good one. But they didn’t have a head for money or business.
I did. So we partnered together to form Omicron Corp.
And for nearly twenty years, everything was gravy.
We made money hand over fist, and our coding software was the pinnacle of the game. ”
“So what happened?” He asked softly, rightly picking up on my tone.
“Caught that, huh? Well, things have changed drastically, especially in the past few years. Open source has become a much bigger thing and the newer generations are much more tech savvy than ever before. I tried to correct course and get my partners to do the same, but they wouldn’t listen.
I forced a buyout and walked last year. I came out on top, Omicron Corp is circling the drain, and I started a new adventure in life. ”
“Ramona.”
I nodded. “She’s part of it. But I wanted out of that life.
I’ve made my millions.” I shot him a look to correct his earlier statement to which he smirked, but his eyes lit up with amusement so I called it a win.
“And eventually, I’ll find something else to do with my time.
But I worked hard for a long time and deserve a break. ”
Hawk played with the pull tab on the top of his can. “Sounds like it. Good for you.”
I propped my arm on the back of the couch and rested my head in my hand. If it allowed me to look at him more fully, then it was just a coincidence. “Your turn.”
Hawk’s head shot up. “My turn what?”
“Tell me something about you,” I requested softly, trying not to make it a demand. I was dying to know more, but I didn’t want to seem as though I was pushing.
Hawk shifted, but I didn’t think he was uncomfortable. He turned his gaze to stare out the window. “What do you want to know?”
“Anything,” I said honestly. But I sensed he needed more direction than that. “How long have you been training horses?”
“My whole life,” he answered immediately, and so full of conviction, I knew it was his truth. He shot me a little smirk and thankfully elaborated. “I started following my dad around before I could properly walk. But I trained my first horse when I was nine.”
My brows shot up to my hairline. “Nine? Holy shit. Tell me the story?”
He set the can down on the end table and leaned back.
He still wasn’t looking at me but he started to talk.
“There was this ornery as hell pony. I swear, she was only like twelve hands but she acted like she was eighteen. She actually belonged to a friend of Dad’s, who bought her for his daughter.
Only they couldn’t do anything with her and he wanted to sell her.
But the daughter loved this mare, so he asked Dad if he could ‘fix’ her. ”
That last bit was said with derision and I got it. Hawk would vehemently defend any horse. “So what? Your dad brought her home?”
Hawk nodded. “She was in a paddock with a couple of other horses and she ruled them all. But she was stubborn and kicked and was head shy. Now I wonder exactly what this guy did to her, because I’m sure it wasn’t anything good.
Or maybe it was from before he got her. Anyway…
.” Hawk took a breath and cracked his knuckles.
“Dad told us to stay away from her until she learned some manners. But I didn’t listen. ”
“What did you do?” I murmured, not wanting to break his concentration but wanting him to keep going. I was enthralled with his story.
“I went in there and just sat. She hated it. Until she didn’t.
She let me halter her. She let me lunge her.
And then Dad told me what to do to train her on groundwork.
When she left us six months later, she was a different horse.
” Hawk shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but I knew better.
I’d seen him in action, I’d heard his lectures, and I’d read a ton over the past couple of weeks.
“So even then, you were magic.”
Damn, but I really loved the blush that swept his cheeks. Too bad it disappeared a few seconds later. I cast around, trying to think of anything to keep him talking. I really could listen to him all day. And all night.
“Tell me about your favorite horse you’ve ever trained,” I requested softly.
“Humphrey, my gelding,” he said, his face lighting up. My breath caught but I covered it with a sip of beer.
Hawk needed no further prompting, telling me about how the horse was born and how he’d been with Humphrey from day one. I sat there and listened, making appropriate noises and interjecting when necessary, letting his voice wash over me.
That’s what friends did, after all.