Chapter 8 #2
“Maybe there’s some small part of me that wishes I could have seen it,” I admitted.
“I think I certainly felt that way in those first few hours. But I don’t regret that I left.
Not at all. And coming here, seeing that tree in the park, was the best thing that could have happened.
It was like I was getting a sign that I’d made the right choice. ”
He offered a small smile in response, setting his fork down on his empty plate. “That’s good. So, you feel good about your choice to walk away?”
“I do. I had to.” He shot me another sympathetic look.
While I didn’t want to get into all the details of the former romantic relationship, I found myself feeling more and more comfortable around Taj.
So, I said, “While there have been a few trying moments over the last week, I can’t tell you how great it has been for me overall.
There’s nobody to answer to. I’m my own boss.
I can come and go as I please. I can do what I want, go where I want.
” I picked up a dinner roll. “Eat what I want. It’s just been so nice. ”
“I’m glad for you that it’s been mostly positive.
” He took a sip of his drink and added, “As for the tough moments, I’d suggest giving yourself some grace.
You made a huge life decision. And from what you have shared, it seems as though there were unintended consequences resulting from that choice.
You’re allowed to need some time to cope with all of it. ”
I smiled. “If only everyone could be as understanding as you.”
One half of his mouth quirked, and he teased, “What can I say? You have no idea just how lucky you were that I approached you in the park.”
My laughter could not be contained. I loved that Taj wasn’t uptight around me. I’d been around far too many people who were stiff. Unemotional. Fake. For the first time in my life, I believed I was spending time with someone who was relaxed. Passionate. Genuine.
Our server returned with our meals, setting them down in front of us before removing our salad plates and leaving us alone again.
“You don’t have to tell me twice. I got to snowboard today, and I’m going shopping for a Christmas tree tomorrow. I’m having so much fun, I might need the next week to recover.”
He chuckled. “Don’t do too much recovering. You need to find yourself a place to live.”
“I have every intention of checking that off my list this week. Maybe you can send me some places that would be good spots to start.”
“I can absolutely do that for you.”
For the next few minutes, Taj and I enjoyed our dinner.
He even offered me a taste of his, which was an utterly thrilling experience for me.
It wasn’t about it being seductive or anything like that.
For me, it was just being able to do it that I loved.
If Taj had been anyone else from my former life, he never would’ve made the offer and done something so unbecoming and improper.
I’d never be able to quantify just how grateful I was for every experience he gave me, no matter how insignificant it seemed to him.
And it was that gesture, mixed with all the sweet and wonderful things he’d done up to this point, that had me eager to learn more about him.
“So, you’re the guy in charge at Blackman Boards,” I declared.
“I am.”
“And those clothes you had delivered to the hotel were all from your company, weren’t they?”
Taj nodded. “They were.”
I smiled and said, “I feel like I’m supposed to know more about the company, about the brand, and I’m sorry to say that I don’t. I’d love it if you’d fill me in. I want to know more about Blackman Boards, the specifics of what the company does, and what it means for you individually.”
After taking another sip of his drink and placing the glass on the table, Taj shared, “Well, I guess I should start at the beginning. Blackman Boards was opened by my father when he was in his twenties. It started as a very small operation then, and the sole focus at that time was snowboards. Not even everything that went along with snowboarding, like the boots, bindings, helmets. Just the boards. Over time, it grew, and he signed his three best friends to the team. They were so good, and it catapulted the company’s success.
So, my dad took his time expanding the brand, adding all the necessary snowboarding gear to the lineup of products.
With such increased production needed, he purchased a new warehouse right beside the old location, and once things were up and running there, he focused on making Blackman Boards the leader in extreme board sport production. ”
“That’s the skateboarding and surfing you mentioned, right?”
“It is,” Taj confirmed. “Between those new lines, continuing to pour resources into snowboarding, and raising a family, he had his hands full. Luckily, my mom was right there with him, doing just as much. My parents decided to retire early, and while they still own the company, I’m basically running the show.
My sister is very involved, too, and the both of us will inherit it one day. ”
Lips twitching, I set my fork down and asked, “And so now you just get to kick back and relax?”
Horror washed over him. “What? No. What would make you say that?”
I shrugged, trying to stifle my laughter. “That first day you texted me and we were discussing what you did for a living, I remember wondering what kind of job would afford you the time to communicate with me like you had.”
The tension eased out of his frame. “That wasn’t funny.”
His tone was light and playful, so I knew he wasn’t truly offended. “It bothered you to think I believed you didn’t work hard.”
“In my position, it’d be easy to just kick my feet up and collect paychecks. My parents worked extremely hard to build the company to what it is today. But that’s not what I want. I’m looking to add something more, to prove I’m worthy of the position I hold.”
The more he talked, the more I learned. And while I was sure I’d soon be an expert on Blackman Boards, what I was learning about Taj was far more valuable.
I’d been blown away by him from the start, and it was becoming clear to me that he was just this kind of guy in every aspect of his life.
He didn’t slack or take the easy way out.
He was a man who would put in the effort for whatever the desired outcome was.
I liked that about him. I liked it a lot.
“I’d imagine everyone you work with can see how important that is to you,” I said.
He sighed. “I hope they do. Especially considering I’ve taken on a project to revive the old warehouse.”
“The one your father had started the company in?”
Nodding, Taj explained, “It wasn’t necessarily a small building, but it was too small for the continued growth and expansion of the company. For years, the building sat, and I’ve decided to do something with it.”
I loved his ambition, his willingness to work hard.
“What are you planning for the building?”
His expression changed, his face lighting up in a way I hadn’t seen before.
“I’m planning several things. Most of my ideas stem from wanting to create a bit of an experience for fans and customers.
We have a team of professional riders in all three sports, so I’m planning to have a spot where fans could come and meet their favorite professional Blackman Boards snowboarder, skateboarder, or surfer.
Beyond that, we’re going to do a build-your-own board program.
Riders can come in and design their boards.
Then, they can watch from a viewing area as their board is built.
Finally, we’ll have a store in there. Nearly everything we do now is online sales, which makes sense given that we’re a global brand.
But folks travel to this area in the winter to ride, so I thought we could give them a place to do some shopping, whether for gear they need or just to have something memorable to take home with them. ”
My eyes rounded. “Taj, this sounds amazing. What a huge undertaking it must be.”
He let out a laugh as he jerked his chin down. “It’s been quite a few months of renovations inside the building. But we’re nearing the end of that, so it’ll soon be time to get to the fun stuff.”
“And you said I should be proud for merely attempting to snowboard today,” I murmured. “You’re like a machine.”
“Like I said before, that was some rather impressive snowboarding you did,” he teased. “The best I’ve seen in a while.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, you did say we were celebrating my efforts, so I’m expecting dessert this evening.”
Laughter spilled out of him. “I’ll have them bring over a dessert menu immediately.”
As Taj caught the waitress’s attention, I kept my eyes on him, marveling at just how wonderful he was. And it made me wonder if Taj was another sign that I’d finally made a good decision in my life.