2. Cort
CHAPTER 2
Cort
“H ey, man, you got the boys this week?”
I glance up from the contract I’m about to sign to see my younger brother, Eric, casually leaning against the door frame.
“I pick them up on Friday before dinner.” Eyeing him skeptically, I’m aware that he knows this. It’s been this way since their mom, Mary, and I divorced when they were too young to remember us together. “Why?”
“I’ve got tickets to the Bears game on Sunday. Thought you guys might want to come with.”
I perk up at that. The Sherwood Park Bears are a new professional hockey team in town, and we haven’t been able to land tickets to a game yet.
“I’m sure they’d love to,” I respond.
It’s the Bears' first year in the league, and they’re in the finals for the cup. So far, they’re shaping up to be a great team.
“Great. Dinner first?”
I accept before waving Eric away. I have four contracts to read through, one of which I know I’ll dislike the company’s terms because they always try to fuck with me.
They want cheaper supplies, unrealistic completion dates, and half the labour costs. They’re unrealistic and, frankly, egotistical, but that’s what you get from a couple of wealthy men who think they invented money and want what they want when they want it.
I already feel the headache brewing as I sign the second contract.
My family has been in the business for over fifty years. My grandfather started Baker & Sons Construction. Then, my dad and two uncles inherited it, and ten years ago, my brother and I took the reins. My uncles both had daughters who showed no interest, and neither did their husbands, so it came down to Eric and me.
During our time as owners, we’ve expanded throughout Alberta and into British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Eric does most of the travelling because he doesn’t have kids. Once in a while, I’ll go along with him on the shorter trips or if he’s unable to go. Truthfully, though, I enjoy being home where the boys can easily reach me.
Evan and Tyler are my life, have been since they were born. And once upon a time, they had a stepsister, Darling, when I was married to her mom for barely a year. The girl was shy around me, but she took to having brothers like she’d grown up with them. That was the most challenging part about ending things with Kelly. Leaving Darling behind when she seemed so desperate for love and companionship. However, my boys were my priority, and I couldn’t do anything for the girl.
Her father, Collin, and I had kept in touch for a few years–I’m not a complete monster– but around the time she turned fourteen, we no longer talked. I think about her occasionally. Kelly had been…a lot when we were together, but Collin never gave an indication that anything was wrong in the years after I’d left, so I just imagined them having a nice life together.
Shaking the past from my head, I get back to work, both loving and hating my job today. I’d rather be on a worksite hauling lumber, laying foundation, or talking with clients. Paperwork is the bane of my existence.
* * *
“Mom! Dad’s here,” my fifteen-year-old, Evan, yells into the house.
I shake my head at him, and he grins, knowing how much I hate the yelling.
“Hold your horses, child!” she calls back from upstairs. They get it from her.
“Where’s your brother?” I ask just as Tyler comes sauntering from the kitchen with a sandwich half hanging out of his mouth. “You could have eaten that at the table,” I scold, and he rolls his eyes.
“It’s his fifth one,” Evan snorts out.
I raise a brow in question, and Ty shrugs. “I had a four-hour practice today.” Flexing his arms, he rolls up the sleeves of his t-shirt to show off his muscles.
“You guys ready or what?” I glance between them, and they look at each other. Now I know something is going on. “What’s up, guys?” They aren’t the kind to keep secrets.
“Go get your stuff, boys. Let me talk to your father,” Mary cuts in as she makes her way downstairs.
“New hair,” I comment, and she preens.
“Isn’t it amazing?” she sighs as she looks it over in the mirror at the bottom of the stairs, fluffing it up a bit. “The boys have hair appointments tomorrow. Evan also has a consultation with the stylist about colouring his hair.” She hands me a piece of paper with an address and time on it.
“I could have taken them to my barber for this,” I frown. It’s what I’ve always done. Mary has never cared about where they went, so long as it looked nice.
“I know, but I liked this salon, and with Evan wanting to do something different with his hair, I thought, why not?” Her fidgeting ups my suspicion.
“What, Mary?” I finally spit out.
Blowing out a breath, she rushes her words. “Well, I went for this gorgeous new look, and my stylist, who is amazing, by the way, seemed familiar, but it took me a minute to figure out why. We both had the same feeling, and when it finally clicked, I realized who she was.”
I wait for her to elaborate, but the punchline is not forthcoming. “Well, are you going to tell me?”
“I’m still trying to decide that.”
I scratch my head at her demeanour but try not to laugh.
“How about we let it be a surprise?” I suggest, unwilling to stick around much longer. I want a hockey game on the TV, a grilled burger, and a cold beer. “I’ll take the boys tomorrow and get it all figured out with Evan’s hair.”
She smiles brightly at me as our kids burst back down the stairs.
“See you next weekend, Mom!”
Evan is gone to my truck before she can respond, and Tyler kisses her cheek as he walks out the door, laughing at his little brother.
“Well, I guess that’s my cue.”
I follow the boys out to my truck and toss Evan the keys. “You’re driving,” I say.
He’s going for his permit in a couple of months when he turns sixteen, and I know he needs more time behind the wheel.
Tyler disagrees with me as he groans in the backseat. “Really, Dad?”
I shoot him a wicked grin as Evan starts the truck and slowly backs out of the driveway. His mom and I have had him out driving as often as possible, and he’s been taking driving classes, so I have faith that he’ll do just fine on the road.
“What’s practice look like this week, Ty?” I look over my shoulder at him as he finishes the sandwich he had when I walked in the house.
“Mornings on Monday and Thursday, and then after school on Tuesday.”
He has been playing hockey since he was old enough to walk and is obsessed with the sport, insisting that one day, he’ll play professionally.
“When we get home, you can make sure the car is all gassed up for you.”
Mary and I still like being able to communicate about the boys face-to-face. We decided to each have a car at our houses for Tyler to drive back and forth between us. This way, he’s never without it when he needs it, and we aren’t around. Now that Evan is about to get his license, we might have to discuss it again.
“Will do,” Ty mutters as he types on his phone. “Mom tell you about tomorrow?”
At his question, I look back at him, wondering what the deal is about tomorrow.
“You have hair appointments… What else is there to know?” They both shrug, so I change the subject. “Uncle Eric got us tickets to the Bears game on Sunday. Either of you interested in going?”
“Yeah!” Evan hoots.
“Are you for real?” Tyler leans forward so his head pops between the seats.
“Yup. He asked the other day. We’ll go for dinner first.”
“Where are the seats?” Evan’s excitement is contagious.
“I have no idea. I just told him we’d come, and dinner was on me.”
I listen to the two of them talk about the players and their excited chatter over finally seeing Cormac Payne on the ice. The man is the best player in the world, and he’s a local kid who jumped at the chance to join the league's newest team.
As soon as we arrive home, Tyler takes the car to fill up the tank while I get the grill going for the burgers I premade last night, so we’d just have to grill them up. Evan runs along to put fresh sheets on their beds and then sets the table as I mix together a garden salad.
By the time Tyler walks back in the house, I’m putting the food on the table, and we sit to chow down. The boys fill me in on their weeks because even though we text or call almost daily, we try to save the good stuff for Friday nights when we have our first meal of the week together.
If I’m honest, these reconnections have been my favourite days of the month for a long time. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.