Page 69 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

“Even the past few years?” he asked. “With my grandfather not taking as active of a part in it?”

“Yes,” Kyle said. “Mostly. In terms of revenue, yes. I let your grandfather continue because it was a pride thing.”

He nodded. “I understand that. I appreciate you doing that too when maybe many wouldn’t.” It told him a lot about his girlfriend’s father. “But you’d also want to protect your investments at the same time.”

“I would and did. I always will. Just like your grandfather wanted this left to you, my legacy will go to my kids and their kids and their kids through the generations.”

Van had lived most of his life not even thinking of legacies. He suspected most people did.

Generational wealth wasn’t all that common for the average person.

“What are your thoughts now?” he asked.

Kyle walked over and shut his door. “I don’t have any problems but want your take on Christian. I think you’re a good judge. Do you have questions for him?”

“I do,” he said. “More than I realized. A lot has to do with the way the security is run. I’ve found there is a slow response time and that more calls have happened in the past year than the previous years. Maybe you can answer that.”

“I could answer some of it,” Kyle said. “But you could say those were things I noticed too. They were brought up to Christian and he was working on them. I’d like you to ask. I want to hear his answer.”

He frowned. “Do you think he’ll give me a different answer than he gave you?”

“I’m not sure what he is going to say but would like to hear it.”

This just told him that Kyle wasn’t as keen about Christian as he let on. “What’s your beef with him?”

“No beef,” Kyle said. “We have different management styles. I run things tighter than him. Doesn’t make his way wrong.”

“It does if it’s a conflict or costing money,” he said.

Kyle grinned. “There is your grandfather in you whether you want to believe it or not.”

“Hard for me not to,” he said. He grabbed a coffee and then sat at the table with Kyle to talk some but found himself saying, “I opened the envelope two nights ago.”

“Good for you,” Kyle said. “That had to be hard.”

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. He didn’t find it odd that Kyle didn’t question him on anything. If he learned one thing, the guy had a good sense of timing.

He held back when he had to, talked when he felt he should.

Nothing like his daughter who at some points didn’t shut up.

He found he liked that trait of Kelsey’s though.

“Do you mind if I look at some of the questions you’re going to ask Christian? I might have some follow-up to them and can be prepared.”

He pushed his folder closer for Kyle to open it and see the notes he’d made.

Again, it went back to Kyle wanting his pulse on everything and he found it odd that Kyle wasn’t telling him things before Christian got here.

He sipped his coffee in silence. It never bothered him to do that before and wouldn’t now.

Kyle was reading and looking through the notes that Van had made, then was making some of his own.

“Am I off base?” he asked. “Or coming off like an idiot?”

Kyle looked up and grinned. “Not at all. You’re right on track and actually picked up on things I wouldn’t have. You have something to offer here if you’re willing.”

He was starting to think he was. “I don’t want to step on toes. I’m not out to take a job from someone.”

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