Page 62 of Because of You
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I snort out a laugh. Plans changed, I look up at Charlie. “I’m ready, let’s talk.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ben
My parents’ house is quiet when I walk through the front door. It’s a big old brick house in the North of Forbes part of Squirrel Hill, one of the residential neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. My parents have lived in this house my entire life. Every inch of it, from the living room with vaulted ceilings and soft old leather furniture, to the big bright kitchen where I spent so much of my childhood, is warm and familiar and will always be home to me.
I considered going back to sleep after Hallie left, but the unsettled business with Stonegate was poking at my brain. Even though we have months to give them our decision, I don’t want to wait. I know what I want. But I also know it won’t feel final until I have this conversation. My dad is working at home today, so here I am. My mom was right when I talked to her at the lake, and Hallie was right last night. My dad wants what makes me happy. But it still doesn’t stop the nagging feeling that my bar isn’t enough. That I should do more and be more. Like him.
Frustrated with myself, I walk down the hall and knock on my dad’s closed office door.
“Come in.”
I open the door and walk into the office that has changed very little since I was a kid. The big mahogany desk. The shelves covered in books ranging from real estate law tombs to paperback thrillers. The mini-fridge stocked with the lime seltzer he can’t get enough of. Walls covered in family pictures. The whole office gives laid back family man. No one would guess that multi-million-dollar deals happen here almost every day.
My dad’s face lights up when he sees me in the doorway.
“Hey, Benj,” he says, as he gets up to wrap his arms around me in a bear hug. It’s the only kind of hug Steven Parker knows when family is concerned. My parents have always been easy with their affection, to each other and to us. Everything I know about being a good partner I’ve learned from them. I hope I can take care of Hallie even half as well as I have seen my dad take care of my mom over the years.
“What are you doing up and around so early on a weekday?”
I sit down on his office couch, and he joins me. “Hallie had an early meeting. I got up to make her breakfast and got started with my day when she left.”
My dad grins at me. “Breakfast for Hallie, huh?”
“Yeah, dad, breakfast. You might be familiar with it. I’ve seen you make it for mom every day for my entire life.”
“Smartass. I like that you’re carrying on the Parker tradition of men making breakfast for their girls. And I like even more that your girl is Hallie. So, things are going well? You both seemed happy at the lake.”
This, at least, is comfortable territory. I have always talked to my dad about relationships, even though none of mine have ever amounted to much until now.
“Really well. I love her, dad. I want to make breakfast for her every day. She’s it for me. I’m just waiting for her to catch up. I know it happened fast, but it feels right, you know?”
My dad smiles, but his eyes get a little misty. “Ben, Hallie has been it for you since you were kids. Your mom and I have been waiting for you both to figure it out. I don’t think there is such a thing as too fast when you’ve known someone your whole life. Enjoy the ride. She’ll get to where you are.”
“It’s not a little weird for you that it’s Hallie?”
“Watching one of my children fall in love could never be weird. You are the best man I know, and I have loved Hallie like one of my own for her entire life. I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Deep down I’m still a little boy looking for his dad’s approval. Because at his words, every part of me that has been worrying that Hallie and I are moving too fast quiets. Nothing that feels as right as Hallie and I do could be wrong.
“So, did you just come by to hang out, or is there something on your mind?”
Now or never, I guess.
“There is something, actually.” I take a deep breath and dive in. “It’s a business thing.”
My dad’s eyebrows shoot up. I feel a raw edge of guilt at how surprised he is that I’m coming to him to talk about business. It helps me push on.
“Someone from Stonegate Restaurant Group came to talk to Jeremy and me last month. Before the lake. They made us an offer.”
My dad nods but says nothing.
“It’s a big offer. Huge, actually. They want to put a Fireside location in every stadium they are contracted with for food service. They’ll foot the bill to get the locations up and running, and then we get a percentage of the sales from each location. It would make us famous. Well, it would make Fireside famous, and I guess Jeremy and me by extension. Like I said, it’s big.”
“So, why don’t you seem excited about it?”
