Chapter Ten #2
"Why? What do you mean? What for?"
"I mean about the business cards."
Reaves nodded. "I know it's only a little thing, but it hit me hard when Caleb asked for one yesterday, and the only thing I could give him made it look like I've got nothing to do with the House of St. James."
"I know. I get it, I get why you did it." Ollie looked more serious when he asked, "But you know it begs the question—are the cards just for show, or do they mean something? Are you starting to move in that direction?"
"Yeah, I think I am. I want to. I feel like shit, Ollie. I've let Dad handle everything all by himself for so many years, and there's so much I could have done to help him."
"Yeah, but you were doing your own thing. Your dad's awesome. He’d never want you to feel like you had to do anything."
"I know, but it's not about obligation, is it? It's about…" He fumbled for the words, and Ollie filled in for him.
"It's about loving your dad and everything he built. I get that."
"It is. But it's also about—how the hell am I supposed to run a business I don't understand? I can learn, but I don't know that I can do him justice. And you know it raises the question we're both tiptoeing around."
Ollie nodded. "It sure does. But I think I've been tiptoeing around it a lot longer than you have."
"What do you mean?"
They'd reached his Land Cruiser, and Ollie leaned back against it.
"I'm only going to tell you how I feel and what I've been thinking. I don't want you to make any decisions based on it. Whatever happens, I want you to agree that we'll talk it all through between us, and whatever we decide, we decide together, okay?"
"I'm not sure I can agree until you tell me what we're talking about."
"Ever since I met Callie, I've been thinking about wanting to work less. I don't like being gone so much. I'm not saying I want to give up flying altogether. But the job as it stands… it's a lot."
"Why didn't you say anything before now?"
Ollie punched his shoulder. "Because like I said, we're in it together. I don't need the work. You do." He chuckled. "And I'd get jealous if you were flying with someone else. We're a team, you and me. Always have been."
Reaves smiled. "Yeah, we are. But you can't let me hold you back. I…"
"Reaves." Ollie's tone was stern. "Didn't we just agree that you weren't going to do this?"
Reaves laughed. "I'm not sure that I agreed. But yeah."
"We can think about it and talk about it. See how things evolve with your dad. But no matter what happens, bud, our days of flying together aren't over. Even if we only go up in the Cirrus together on weekends, I'm not prepared to give it up. You, me, and the sky, okay?"
"Yeah, I'm not either." He couldn't imagine not flying with Ollie anymore. They'd gone through every step of their training together, from their initial private pilot's license all the way through to the jet ratings. "I don't want to give it up."
"And like I said, we won't have to. I guess all I'm saying for now is that I don't want you to feel like you're letting me down if you decide you need to step back from flying the DuPont jet—because if you do, I'll step back with you, and we'll figure something else out.
" He smiled slowly. "In fact, if you need part-time help running the House of St. James, I'm up for it. "
Reaves laughed out loud. "You have Stratton Wines yourself, and you've never taken an interest in running the place. Why…?"
"You know damn well why. Or you should. It's not about the wines, or a business.
It's about the people involved. I love your dad.
" He made a face. "And you. And it's not just about helping.
It's about still being able to spend time together.
Callie won't want me in her hair the whole time, so I'd probably be coming to hang out at your dad's place with you guys anyway. You might as well put me to work."
For the first time, that heavy weight in Reaves's stomach seemed to lighten a little. "We do make a good team. Maybe we could figure it out between us."
"I bet we could. But don't feel like you need to include me if you and Alara want to figure out how to do it between the two of you."
Reaves could only shake his head. "I can't even go near that thought. There are so many steps between here and there that need to be figured out. But even if it comes to that, and she wants to be part of it, there'll always be room for you, too."
"Okay. Well, on that note, I'm going to head home. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Talk to you tomorrow."
~ ~ ~
"Prince Daddee!"
Alara looked up, startled. She'd been lost in her work since lunchtime. Zia had been playing quietly, making gifts, she said—but now she was hurtling, arms wide open, to where Reaves stood in the doorway. Her heart felt like it filled up and overflowed when he squatted down to greet Zia.
Zia flung herself at him so hard that she knocked him on his ass. The sight of the two of them laughing together on the floor made Alara's eyes sting.
"Hey, little buddy."
"Hi. I'm glad you're here." Zia glanced at Alara. "Mom's been working hard all day."
Reaves met her gaze, and she nodded. She wanted to tell him all about it, but she really needed to finish. She was so grateful to him when he got to his feet and scooped Zia up to sit on his hip.
"It looks like Mom still is working hard. Do you want to come water the sunflowers with me while she gets finished?"
Zia studied Alara closely. "Will you be okay if I go, Mom?"
"I will. I'll be fine. Thanks, Reaves."
He nodded.
"Do you think Grandpa Grape will want to come?" Zia asked, looking thoughtful. "He's not happy today."
Alara felt bad that she hadn't checked in with Charles herself, but Zia had trotted off to visit him a couple of times, surprising her each time when she returned. The look on Reaves's face did nothing to ease her concern.
"I just checked on him. We'll see him at dinner. He won't mind if we water the sunflowers without him this once."
"Okay. Let's go then."
She turned in his arms to look back at her sheet of paper on the floor. She'd managed to keep most of her glitter on it, but Alara planned to grab the vacuum before she went to bed. She didn't want Faye having to clean up after them.
Zia didn't notice the mess. Her little face lit up when she spotted her completed works in the corner.
"I made you something, Prince Daddy." She wriggled, and he set her down. She snatched up something that looked like a small, glittery pom-pom and presented it to him with a huge smile. "I made you a keychain. Now you'll never be able to lose your keys."
Alara bit back a laugh. She'd have to figure out a way to get him out of it. The poor man couldn't be expected to walk around with a ball of fluff and glitter attached to his keys.
To his credit, he didn't even flinch. He took it from her with a huge smile. "You made this for me?"
Zia nodded solemnly. "I did. Do you like it?"
"I love it," he said seriously. "In fact, I think it's my favorite gift I've ever received."
Zia jumped up and down on the spot. "I knew you would.
" She glanced over at Alara, as if she knew what her mom was thinking, and gave her a small nod.
"I made Grandpa Grape a gift too. I want to give it to him.
But…" Her smile faded. "I don't think he's happy today.
I think it will cheer him up. But…" She sighed.
Reaves offered her his hand. "Maybe he'll feel better after dinner. Let's go water those sunflowers, shall we?" He turned to Alara. "Should we come back for you later, or wait for you to be done?"
She looked down at her work on the desk. "It won't take me long now. But I do need to finish."
"How about you come find us when you're done, then?"
"Thanks, Reaves. And when I'm finished, I want to show you my work, too," she added with a tentative smile.
He grinned. "You do? Awesome, I'd love to see it."
Zia tugged at his hand. "She's very clever, you know.
She's painted it all, and when she's finished, she'll make it into a picture on the computer instead.
" Her little eyebrows drew together. "I used to think that the computer would take a photo and that would be good enough.
But it doesn't work like that." She looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"It's something to do with the pixies. They're in the computer, you know. "
Reaves shot her a puzzled look, and Alara could only shrug. She'd tried to explain computer graphics in terms of pixels—and of course, Zia had turned them into pixies. And hey, it worked well enough.
After they'd gone, she sat back down at her desk.
She only needed to make a few finishing touches, but she really wanted to get it done tonight.
And as quiet as Zia had been, she was grateful to Reaves for taking her out into the sunshine.
It was so much easier to stay in the flow when she wasn't checking on her daughter every couple of minutes.
It wasn't that Zia was a distraction—not like her phone, which Alara had turned off while she worked. Zia was more than that. She was a priority. But for this last little stretch, Alara was grateful that she could make the work her only priority. Until it was finished.