11. Willing To Do The Same
WILLING TO DO THE SAME
“ W ell, this is a first for me,” Elias said.
“What? That someone wants to get to know you?” she asked, frowning.
“Pretty much,” he said. “Normally they want to know about me because of Fifth Kid. They know that part first. Once they know about West, it’s all about him.”
“If we are being honest, I know some of how that feels. Once people find out I’m an attorney and where I work, I worry they are more interested in that. I don’t have that worry with you, do I? I hope you don’t think I’m looking for that. I’m really not.”
“No,” he said. “I don’t.”
Because either she was a superb liar—which he didn’t believe—or she truly wanted to know him and only him.
“Then tell me about your parents, if it’s not too intrusive. Are they divorced?”
He sighed and took a drink of his beer. He’d poured himself the same as her even though sweet beers weren’t his preference.
“My father was in the Army. He died overseas when I was nine. West was eighteen and became the man of the house. Even when he left for college, he came home every weekend and made sure things were set.”
“But you said you’re the fifth of eight. There were others older that could help out too,” she said.
“And they did. Braylon was next. He was fifteen. He had a lot on his shoulders. He’s an attorney now and works with West in Manhattan. He’s recently married to Lily, who works for my sister Laken. Laken is next; she’s getting married in March to Jamie Wilde. Not sure if you follow football.”’
“Not really. I’m assuming he played or something?”
“Ex-quarterback and now an analyst on Fox Sports ,” he said.
“Bet they get a lot of eyes on them, but she was probably used to it working for West. She’s not an attorney, is she?”
“No,” he said. “She’s Vice President of Acquisitions. She’s got her finger in every single pie. Just like she did as a kid. Always had to know everything and everyone and what was going on.” He knew he was smiling when he said that, but he didn’t enjoy it as a kid.
“Matt was like that in our family. Who is next?” she asked. She’d climbed on the chair at the island and put her chin in her palm.
She’d come in without a jacket on, but wore a heavy teal sweater that rested on the hips of her jeans. Not light or dark, kind of in the middle of the blue color spectrum.
They were a little baggy on her, but he knew it was the style. They were fitted enough in the waist for him to see how small of a frame she had.
She had designer sneakers on her feet and he was happy that she’d dressed casual, but it’s not as if he expected her to be ready for court either.
The fact she appeared more like a woman he wanted to know and not an attorney on the clock made him feel better about things too.
“Next is Foster. He’s our tech guy. Vice President of Technology is his fancy title, if you must know. He lives in Merrick on Long Island. He handles everything West has a pulse on.”
“Is he single?” she asked. “Just getting the players here. I had seen that West was married.”
“West is married to Abby who works for Laken too.”
“Wow,” she said. “I think it’d be great to be the boss of my brothers’ wives.”
She was laughing when she said it. “They all get along well, but if I know Laken, she pokes fun at West and Braylon about that.”
“So, Foster?”
“He got engaged at Christmas to Charlotte.”
“And then there is you,” she said, holding her hand up, her fingers wide. It’s as if she was ticking them off as he went along.
“There is me,” he said. “I didn’t want to work for West like the rest of them.”
“You wanted to make beer,” she said. “And good for you for going out on your own.”
“I always had a taste for it,” he said. “I will admit my business model isn’t exactly what West thought it’d be, but I proved I could be just as successful.”
“I’m sure you did,” she said, smirking. “And then some.”
“Next is Rowan. We are only a year apart in age. We are the closest in terms of the timing of the births, but I’d say I’m closest to Foster. Foster is quietest, and I’m probably the most laid-back. I let him be him and we got along well.”
“That’s nice,” she said. “What about Rowan? Where is he? So far everyone is in the Northeast.”
“Rowan is in Long Beach. He’s got his own business. Does custom surfboards and has a line on the pro circuit. He’s always been the one living the surfer dude life. Went to college in California, learned to surf and found his calling.”
“I love how that happens,” she said. “Single?”
“He is the last I knew. Next is Nelson, he works for West and also in Manhattan right now. Or wherever West sends him. He and Rowan are close like Foster and me. Though I’d say that Nelson is the opposite of a beach bum. He’s pretty bougie and all, but those two get along great.”
“Sounds like you all get along. That leaves one more. Your last sister?”
“Talia,” he said. “She’s the baby. Twenty-four and still trying to figure out her life. She’s going to be working with me starting next week.”
“She wants to brew beer?” she asked. “That’s nice.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “She doesn’t and I don’t want her to touch anything.”
“That’s not nice,” she said, grinning.
“She is trying to find her calling. We all did or had to. West will support or invest, but you know, you need a business plan like the next person.”
She laughed. “You’re joking, right?”
“Nope,” he said. “Nothing is free in our family. We all work for it. Hope you don’t think otherwise.”
Though West paid for their education. He didn’t share that.
“I don’t,” she said. “Many believe that with me too, which isn’t the case. I worked hard for what I’ve got and where I am. I like to know I’m spending time with someone else who thinks the same way.”
“My mother would never let us think any way else. She’s one tough woman raising us all on her own. Even when my father was alive, he wasn’t always around.”
“Bet she learned quickly how to knock heads together.”
“That and our weak spots along with our strong ones. She’s the best. And since she lives an hour from here, I see her the most.”
Not by choice.
Normally his mother was doing her surprise visits to him while he was at work.
She’d check out the brewery, find him on the floor, and then make him take a break for lunch.
He always struggled to tell her no and Aileen Carlisle knew the important traits of her kids to play them well.
“My mother is the same way,” she said. “She knows the right things to say when. I want to say it’s part of her job, but then I realized it’s more being a mother. As busy as she was and as hard as she worked, she put us kids first for years.”
“Good for her,” he said. “Not every woman does that with a career.”
He was eying her to see what her reply would be to that.
“Are you asking me what I’ll do?” she asked, sipping her beer.
“Sure,” he said. “What are your thoughts of family, kids, and careers? Kind of early for that type of conversation, but let’s get it out there.”
He turned to check on the burgers and spun the pan around, then got out the pasta salad to put on the island.
“I’d like to have children someday. Not eight of them. Not even three.”
“I don’t think anyone in my family plans on having eight kids like my mother did. Hell, my mother’s brother has nine kids. A couple of sets of multiples in there, but still.” He shivered over the appalling thought of sleepless nights for so long.
“Not to insult anyone. But nine kids? Are they nuts ?”
“My Uncle Austin owns a pretty big law firm in Florida. I don’t know, do you think he’s nuts?”
She laughed. “I’m pleading the fifth on that. How many of those kids are attorneys?”
“Right now,” he said. “None that I know of. One is still in college. I don’t keep track of too much of their lives or careers.”
It was hard enough for him to keep track of his own siblings.
“Who has time?” she asked.
“But I’m going to make time to keep track of you,” he said. “If you’re willing to do the same.”
“And miss baked burgers and boxed pasta salad?” she asked. “Do I look like a person who’d say no to that?”
He wanted to say yes, she did look it.
But she didn’t act it and it was good enough for him.