Chapter 8 Miles
EIGHT
Miles
When I step off the elevator at Kappa Holdings, I’m immediately in the office space.
There’s a reception desk and seating, an open area with tables and some large desk cubicles, the printer room, and then the wall of private offices.
Mine is next to Kingston’s, and as I walk past Thea’s office, I risk a glance inside. I wave at Thea, who raises her eyebrows at me.
She glances down at her watch in an exaggerated manner, then scrunches her brows together. “Barely on time there, Mr. Granger.”
“But still on time,” I reply with a wince.
I love Thea. In a strictly platonic way. She’s a fantastic CFO—brilliantly efficient, with a wicked sense of humor. She’s perfect for this office. Kingston and I could disappear tomorrow, and the business would probably continue without a glitch, thanks to Thea.
Opening the door to my space, I take a deep breath as I stare at my chair, waiting for me.
There’s a long list of things waiting to be done. I need to start reviewing applications for businesses that will be part of our newest acquisition. The Legacy building is the largest in Green Valley, and Kappa Holdings recently acquired it, thanks to Kingston and Willa’s efforts.
But now my work begins. I have to sort through what businesses we want to lease to.
I get my computer booted up, and I’m typing in my birthday as my password when Kingston walks in. He must’ve already been in his office, but now he’s sitting across from me in a plush leather chair.
He drums his fingers together and stares at me in a discomfiting way. He might be my best friend, but he also knows how to be annoying. Or maybe it’s because he’s my best friend that he knows which buttons to push.
“So, I heard you have a new roommate.”
I glance at him in surprise.
“I guess Lucy must’ve finally told Willa,” I say.
“You didn’t think to tell me? I’m your best friend.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Do you really care, Kingston?”
“Of course not. I just like to give you a hard time.”
Thea’s head is in the doorway. She’s leaning around the corner like a gopher poking its head out of a hole. Pretty soon, the rest of her body follows, and she sits down in a chair next to Kingston.
“Did you say you have a roommate?” she asks eagerly.
“Is this a board meeting about my housemate?” I open my email.
“It could be,” Kingston says. “What should we ask him first?” he whispers loudly to Thea.
“I’m going to need a name and a Social Security number from him so I can do a background check,” Thea whispers just as loudly.
Just then, Willa walks up to the doorway of my office, glares at me, points two fingers at her eyes and then back at me, then marches away. No words are spoken.
“Ha-ha. So, I’m in the doghouse.”
Kingston shrugs. “Willa saw Margaret at the coffee shop this morning. She said that Lucy was living with you.”
“Wait, Lucy is your roommate?” Thea interjects as she leans forward.
“I’m not quite sure why Lucy decided not to say anything. It’s her business,” I explain to Kingston.
“Yes, but my question is, why is she living with you?” Thea asks, her eyes glinting like she’s sniffing out a story.
I’ve always thought she’d be an excellent journalist. Ruthless.
“Margaret told me she was looking for a place to live and basically cornered me into asking her to be my roommate. I was honestly not that excited about it at first, but Lucy’s been great. We hardly ever see each other, but when we do, she’s good company.”
I don’t need to tell them about the TV shows or bowling. I don’t know why, but it feels like a special kind of friendship I want to hoard for myself.
And apparently, I’m on my way to becoming a dragon.
Thea’s eyes narrow as she looks at me. “Well, I happen to really like Lucy,” she starts.
“You’ve been around her for about five minutes,” I mutter.
Thea waves her hand through the air. “It doesn’t matter. I like her. So, just make sure you’re a good landlord to her. Or else.”
“Or else what?”
“I’ll invite her to come live with me at cheaper rent,” Thea threatens.
I’m not surprised Thea wants to steal Lucy from me, but it kind of bothers me—and I don’t know why—that she would want to poach my new favorite roommate.
“What’s not to like about Lucy? Literally the most likable person in the world,” I tell her. “Of course I’m going to be nice to her.”
Kingston waggles his eyebrows. “And what do you mean by nice?”
“Get out of here. I’ve got things to do.”
“You mean you have work you need to pretend to do?”
I pick up a pen and launch it at him. It makes me feel better when it hits his shoulder.
He stands up and chuckles.
“Good luck with Willa,” he says with a laugh. “She’ll be glaring at you for the next month.”
Can’t you run interference for me? Pretty please?”
“Definitely not. This relationship is new, and I’m not gonna do anything but stand at her side and agree.”
He smirks and leaves. Thea is still sitting there, tapping her nails against her thigh.
“You know, Miles, I’ve never seen you date anyone.”
“Never really had the time.” I open the email from Emmett Butterfield, my old college advisor.
“Oh, please. You’d make time if you wanted to,” Thea says, calling my bluff.
“My last girlfriend left me for my cousin,” I tell her dryly.
“What?” Thea actually looks shocked.
I glance at her before I get distracted by the email.
“Yeah, both of them are real winners. I guess it’s safe to say I don’t really trust my own judgement on relationships anymore.
Besides, between working here and working with my parents’ business, when would I have time to take someone on a date? ”
“Well, it would be a lot easier if you lived with them,” she says in a singsong voice as she walks out of the office.
I never took Thea as a matchmaker. In fact, she isn’t a fan of people in general.
But the first time Thea met Lucy, when Willa was newly working here, she acted like they’d been long-lost sisters.
I’d never seen her giddy before. But Lucy had her giggling.
Something I hadn’t known Thea was physically capable of.
This morning has turned out to be interesting—and maybe not in a good way.
I turn my focus back to the email and read what Emmett sent.
He had a huge impact on my life, helping me get through college and graduate school with multiple job offers. He’s recommended business tactics, books, conferences, et cetera ever since I graduated. He’s always pushing me to improve in the area of running businesses, and he loves hearing updates.
My old mentor is proud of the success I have…but I can’t help but think that his approval is starting to feel like a weighted vest.
I’m not sure I have the capacity to be as cutthroat as he wants me to be.
Thea pops back in to tell me about an issue with the county inspector at the Legacy building we’re working on, and then I’m out of the office.
Hallelujah. Sometimes, it feels like the walls of my office are trying to suffocate me.
I breathe in the brisk morning air as I walk to my FJ Cruiser. I’m ready to get back in the hills. It’s time for some hiking and camping.
Unfortunately, I’ve backed myself into a busy work schedule.
Dad calls me at lunchtime. “Are you busy?”
“No, just eating lunch,” I tell him around a mouthful of Italian sandwich.
I hunch over my desk, filling out a stack of forms I’m going to have to take to the county and try to get approved as permits to do more renovations on the Legacy building.
Oregon is notoriously difficult to get permits in. I remember hearing my parents always complaining about it as a kid…and now, I’m following in their footsteps—complaining heartily about the legal red tape.
It’s good to keep tradition alive.
“I sent you an email with a list of products I’m thinking about doing some testing on to see if it’s something we should carry in the store. I was just curious if you would mind giving me your input.”
Dad’s voice brings me back into focus.
My dad and mom started a small outdoor gear store in the tiny half-car garage of their first home. Since then, they’ve become camping vloggers, bloggers, and TikTokers, and are running an awesome outdoor gear store that involves all three of their kids.
It feels like cheating that my mom and dad worked so hard to get to this point, and I get to just step in and be a part of the business they’ve created.
But if I’m honest with myself…it’s my favorite thing I do.
My phone chimes, and it reminds me that I haven’t checked texts all day. I’ll have to remember to read them later.
“Ainsley said something about coming over to visit you soon.” Dad abruptly changes the subject.
“Ha, thanks for the warning. I’ll change the locks on my doors,” I joke.
Dad laughs. “I figured you’d like the heads-up.”
My middle sister has a habit of showing up randomly. And when she does, she leaves a random trinket in my house. Usually something delicate and breakable that I would never buy myself.
“How did you know what you were supposed to do?” I ask, dropping the question like a grenade.
“Do you mean with the product list or your sister?” He sounds confused, and it’s safe to say that I didn’t do a good job of explaining the question.
“I mean with your life. Your career, specifically. How did you know you were pursuing the right thing?”
“Aha.” It’s the universal, omniscient aha of wise dads everywhere.
“Not everyone’s going to have the same opinion about it, Miles, but for your mom and me, we both had this underlying sense of peace when we started our business.
That’s not to say it wasn’t hard. There were long hours and lean years when we were taking side jobs to pay the bills.
But even in the midst of those hard seasons, we were content.
We loved the business we were starting, and while it was a steep learning curve, we knew it was what we wanted to do. ”
I listen quietly and mull over his words.
“I’m sorry it’s not a tangible answer, but it’s how your mom and I feel.”
It isn’t the answer I’m looking for. I want someone to tell me what I’m supposed to be doing.
I don’t want to figure it out myself. Right now, I’m not feeling content or peaceful about the business I started, which is not how it should be.
I love my coworkers. I brainstormed this business with Kingston. Of course I should be happy.
But going off of my dad’s version of knowing what the right thing is? I’m doing it all wrong.
We talk for a few more minutes before saying goodbye.
I never do remember to check the texts on my phone.