Page 12 of Standing Still

“This guy did an amazing job today,” Anthony nudges Denny. “You gonna offer him a job?”

“Don’t get carried away,” my brother scowls. “I’m burning these clothes when I get home,” he looks over at me. “Worth it though,” he rubs his hands together. Denny is blonde haired and blue-eyed, like our mom and Lewis, our second oldest brother. The rest of us are dark like dad.

Clearly, Denny thinks he’s funny. Although right now, I’m not sure I have the energy to try to talk him out of borrowing the car.

“Why’d you look pissed?” Charlie asks, getting to the heart of the matter. “Don’t tell me. He fucked you over.”

I pull out a chair and sit down, eyeing Charlie. Despite how long he’s worked here, there was no love lost between him and Acer. They argued like cat and dog and rarely had a good word to say about each other. Neither one of them would walk away from an argument.

When Charlie heard Acer was gone, he’d grunted and walked away without saying anything else. Whether he wants us to know it or not, it was clear to me he was upset.

“Not completely,” I say. All eyes turn to me. “Hehasleft the business to me, but notjustme.”

“I don’t get it, one of us?”

Charlie gives Dev a look like he’s an idiot. He does it often. No matter how much Dev cajoles Charlie, he refuses to engage. “So, what did the old fuck do?”

“He’s given me a fifty percent share. The rest has gone to his daughter.”

“Oh, things just got interesting,” Denny smirks, leaning back and crossing his legs so his ankle rests on his knee. He puts both hands behind his head and stares at me. “What did Elle have to say about that?”

I explain what happened again. It doesn’t get any easier. In fact, it winds me up even more. Charlie just shakes his head, finishes his coffee, and gets up. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

We all watch him leave.

“Is he always so personable?” Denny asks.

“He just doesn’t give a shit,” Anthony points out. “I’m sure he’s sitting on millions in that shed he calls a home. He just likes working on the water.”

“What are you gonna do, boss?” Dale asks.

“I’m gonna have to try to figure things out with Elle,” I say, feeling the back of my neck getting hot. Anthony knows all too well about my relationship with Elle. He is one of my other closestfriends. He’d known Elle in school, too. My eyes catch with his and I see it written all over his face. He’s uncomfortable for me. Dale and Dev never went to our school and have no idea why this is a big deal.

“I spoke to Lewis before,” Denny speaks up. “He said he saw her in town with Dawn Greenwood. Said they looked all friendly and having a good time.”

I frown. Dawn Greenwood was Elle’s best friend in school. I still regularly see her. Her husband, Tom sometimes hangs out with us. I know for a fact she hasn’t spoken to Elle in years. Seems she is more forgiving than I’ll ever be.

I want to be irritated that she can be having fun when I’m worried sick, but I suddenly feel tired, plus I need to get into a different mindset. If I’m going to meet with Elle and have even a semblance of a productive conversation with her, I’ve got to be receptive and calm. I don’t have Elle’s number, but if Dawn has seen her, I’m sure she has.

I overheard Elle telling Larry she was hoping to leave for New York tomorrow, just before I hurried to the bathroom, so if I want to get things sorted, I need to do it today.

We discuss the implications for the business if we don’t come to some agreement with Elle and the guys all leave far less buoyant than they had been when I got here. Denny doesn’t rub salt in the wound by discussing borrowing the car. He does offer to tell mom and dad which I jump on. That isn’t a conversation I want to have, not with what I’ve got to do now.

Locking the front door after they all leave, I head to my office and sit at the desk, the chair creaking beneath my weight. It’s as old as I am. I’d spent a lot of our budget on computers and any repairs and upgrades the boats and equipment needed. Finding Dawn’s number in my contacts, I call, leaning back and putting my feet up on the desk. She answers after only one ring.

“Well, can’t say I wasn’t expecting this,” she says. “How did it go?”

“You haven’t spoken to her?”

“Not since yesterday. I was expecting a call after the meeting, but nothing yet.”

“Heard you were getting cozy.”

“Ben, I don’t hold grudges, you know that. Elle had a lot on her plate before she left. I’m not holding anything against her. I’m proud of her. She left here shooting for that dream, and she got it. And I can say I know her when she is like JK Rowling,” she giggles, but then sighs. “Life is too short, Ben. Maybe you should cut her some slack. Besides, it’s been over a decade. If you’re still pissed off, then I’d be worried about what that means.”

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. I don’t need to go down that road. “Do you have her number?”

Dawn is silent for a moment. “Yeah, but I’m not sure I want to give it to you without asking her first.”

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