Chapter 7

 

 

“WILLIAM, HAVE you been listening?” his father asked from the other side of the conference table.

William sighed. Each day of the last five and a half months had been hell, and his energy levels were running low. “Yes. I was listening the entire time you and the union reps prattled on at one another without listening to a thing the other was saying. You just talked past one another for the last hour. Now tell me what your final offer is, and I’ll handle things from here. I know what we can afford, but what’s going to allow you to save face and then get what the work force needs?” William knew his patience was becoming shorter and shorter with what he saw as a constant waste of time.

“Then why didn’t you handle this in the first place?” Glaring, his father got to his feet and prowled around the table.

William glared right back. “Because you keep listening to Mother and letting her push you into the stupidest things. She knows nothing about running a business.”

“Your mother is a wealth of information and contacts that help keep this business going.”

“No, she isn’t.” William stood, then leaned over the table. “She’s been telling you that for so long, you believe it. People work with us because they like working with you. Everyone on the factory floor knows who you are because you’re down there talking to them. Why do you think the union hasn’t gone on strike even though the contract expired last month and we keep dicking around? It’s because of you, not her.” His mother had been harping on things more than usual, and his father was going along just to keep the peace. William, on the other hand, had been going to battle on a regular basis, and he was getting tired of it.

“What do you want me to do? I’ve been trying to get you to step up and run the entire company, but you keep hesitating.”

Of course he did. How did he tell his father that his dreams had nothing to do with the family business? Instead, they kept traveling back to the Gulf Coast and riding the waves with a certain charter boat captain. They had for months.

“See, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re gone on a flight of fancy, and I’m trying to have a conversation with you.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want to run all this?”

His father gaped. Very little left Maximilian Westmoreland speechless, but he was at that moment. “You what?”

“You sent me to college, picked my major, and told me what I needed to know, and I went along with all of it like a fool because I wanted to make you happy. But this—spending the day in conference rooms, meetings, offices, all of it—drives me crazy and I hate it.” There, William had finally said it. After all these years, he’d grown a backbone where his father was concerned. “It’s like a living death.”

His father blinked at him. “You think this was what I wanted to do? My father did the exact same thing. I wanted to be a jet pilot and fly all around the world in one of those huge planes. Instead, I bought a small plane that I fly out to Nantucket and the Vineyard whenever I get the chance. It’s what I love. But I also have responsibilities, and so do you.”

“But you spend your life here, and the company is in your blood,” William countered.

“Yes. I do like what I do, and you’ll come to like it as well.”

“No, I won’t.” William sat back down and opened his notebook, looking things over. “I’m going to make a contract offer to the union to put this behind us. They won’t get all they want and neither will we, but it will be fair to us and to them.” The soul-baring portion of the conversation was clearly over.

“And what if I don’t like it?”

“It will be something you can live with.” William finished writing his notes, then lifted his gaze to the windows, where snow covered the cityscape and the wind blew flakes off the roof in a mini blizzard that was probably beautiful, but only served to accentuate the cold that always seemed to grip him.

“Very well. Put together what you think best and have it on my desk by two. I’ll consider it.”

“No, Dad. I’ll have a meeting set up and take care of it. This back-and-forth is giving us all a headache.” William didn’t look up. He was tired, cranky, and this whole thing was bothering him. He needed a vacation. It was time for him to book another fishing trip.

Or it normally would be, but he was a little scared. He and Mike hadn’t talked much. A few e-mails, and William had sent a box for Mike, Carrie, and Dolores at Christmas. He had received a card, but that was all. William hadn’t pushed contact any more than Mike had. It seemed they both understood what they’d done and that maybe things were best left as they were.

“All right. I’ll go along with you.”

William lifted his gaze from where the pages swam. “Thanks, Dad.” His heart really wasn’t in any of this. It hadn’t been for months now, though no one understood or seemed to care all that much. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

As his father left the conference room, William saw the hitch in his step for the first time. His dad was favoring his left leg slightly, and he wondered why. The easiest way to find out would be to ask his mother, but if there was something wrong, he’d wait for his father to tell him. Maybe it was nothing at all.

God, let Dad be okay. Dammit, he didn’t want the weight of the entire family business falling onto his shoulders.

William called the corporate lawyer and asked him to join him in the conference room, where he hammered out the details of their proposal. The lawyer offered to present the deal, but William was determined to see this through himself. In his opinion too much had been done through middlemen, and some face-to-face talking and listening was needed.

Once the deal was finalized, William went down to the factory floor, and the leaders met him at the door. Within an hour he had a tentative agreement that was going to work for everyone, and he talked it over with his father.

“But that’s essentially what I offered two weeks ago!” He rolled his eyes and sat tiredly at his desk.

William looked around the paneled room that hadn’t changed since his grandfather had occupied the space. He’d always hated it. Everything was heavy and oppressive, with only two windows for light. His grandfather had said he’d done the office this way to intimidate the people he was dealing with.

“Sometimes it’s in the presentation. I sat down with them and listened. The main difference is that we gave them a little more hourly than they were asking for, but they agreed to pay a slightly larger percentage of their health-care premium. So in the end, for the company it’s a wash, and for us it means that the employees are now invested in keeping the health-care costs lower. I also added that next year a union representative will sit on the committee to choose the health-care provider.”

“But….”

“Dad, that line item is killing us, and they need to see how expensive it is. Then maybe they’ll agree to something other than the Cadillac plan we already provide. As it is, they will pay 20 percent of the premium and we’ll pay 80. In two years it goes to 25/75, and by then they will have a voice in the cost, so our wishes will be in line.” William handed his dad the details.

“When is the vote?”

“Soon, and favorable, judging by how happy they were to have a little more input into things.” William turned to leave the office. He was tired but pleased this episode had been brought to an end.

“Did you have a chance to look at the proposal for Howard Yachts?”

“Yes. Send it back to sales and tell them to smarten it up. We’ll deliver the engines to New York and they can be responsible for shipping them out from there to wherever they’re needed. Otherwise, they can pay the shipping costs plus 25 percent for our efforts.”

“That’s not how we’ve done things.”

“Yes. But they’ll take it. They’ll get the engines at a more reasonable price because we’ve been building in costs so we don’t lose out on wherever they will be shipped.”

His father sighed. “And that’s why I want you to take over. You don’t see anything wrong in doing things differently. It’s why I need you.”

“Yeah, Dad, I know.” William paused with his hand on the door handle. “But do you see that everyone seems to need me? You here at the office. Mom wants me to help with her benefit for Hasbro Children’s Hospital because it’s getting too much for her. And Rachel comes to me whenever she has a problem with Mom because she won’t stand up to her, so I’m supposed to. I can’t continue being the one everyone comes to for every damn thing in their lives. Something has to give, and right now I think I want everyone to go stuff themselves and leave me the hell alone.” William pulled open the door and left the office without looking back, swinging the door closed behind him. He paused at Linda’s desk for only a second. “Stay out of there for a while, unless you still have that bottle of Scotch in your drawer for emergencies. He’s going to need it.”

William went back to his office, closed the door, and let his calls go to voice mail as he stood at the windows, staring out over the city in the distance. He liked this space. It had larger windows and was so much brighter. Snow began to fall, and William closed his eyes, wishing for the sun on his face and warm breezes circling around him. He wanted—no, needed—some time off. He had for a while. On his winter holiday, he usually went to Florida and spent a day fishing, but he’d been putting off calling Mike.

He wanted to. That wasn’t the issue at all. William just wasn’t sure how Mike would feel after the way they’d left things. Yes, they’d parted well, and William had missed Mike like a limb for weeks, but that had faded somewhat. But what if Mike didn’t feel the same way and he’d moved on while William had been holding on tighter than he probably should have? He was being a coward; he knew that.

William picked up his cell phone and pushed the button for the contact, then waited for an answer. What he got was voice mail. William left a quick message and hung up. If Mike didn’t return the call, then William would at least have his answer.

He turned at the soft knock on his door, but Linda poked her head in before he could answer. “Your father wishes to see you.”

William shook his head. “Tell him I have back-to-back meetings all day. Hell, tell him anything, but I want to be left alone.”

The door opened and his father strode past Linda into the office. She backed out, shutting the door.

“I raised you better than that.”

William shook his head. “Actually, the nannies did that.” This was like déjà vu. “I need some time to think, and I want a vacation.” Maybe two weeks of sand and fun would make him feel better.

“Perfect,” his father said, and William had to make sure he’d heard right. “Before you went off like a Roman candle, I was about to tell you that I got a call from Winston Cunningham. He has the Vargo docked in St. Martin at the moment, and he ordered and installed some of our newest engines. He thought his yacht was underpowered so he went a little overboard. Anyway, he called because he wanted someone from the company to come down and put the engines through their paces for a couple of weeks.”

William gaped. “You have to be kidding.”

“No. He figured you would be a good man for the job, and the ship would be yours. The only snag is that his captain has come down with malaria. Nasty stuff. He was apparently working relief efforts in Haiti and got it despite being vaccinated. He wondered if we knew of someone qualified to pilot it for him. He’s willing to pay a reasonable rate.”

“All right.” A sense of delight ran through him. “If I can find someone that will meet Winston’s approval….”

“The ship is yours for two weeks, rent-free. All you need to do is make sure it’s performing the way it should.” His father smiled. “Now how is that for a vacation? As well as getting you away from your mother and sister for a while.”

William sighed, smiling. “Just what I needed.”

“Good. He wants you down there in a week, and I think that should fit with your workload here.”

William stood and walked around his desk to hug his father. It wasn’t something they usually did, and William felt his dad hesitate and then close his arms around him, squeezing tightly.

“And just hope your mother doesn’t get wind of this or else she’ll want us to join you.”

He groaned. “Oh God. Doesn’t she have at least six events to go to?”

“Yes.” His father seemed pleased, and William was starting to guess that his parents’ marriage had lasted as long as it had because his mother was busy enough to give his father some peace every once in a while. “Now, you need to get on the horn and see if you can find a qualified captain.”

“I’ll get right on it.” William released his father and watched him go, still concerned about his leg. William got down to task and was about to make a few calls when his cell rang. It was Mike, and an idea blossomed. “Hey.”

“I got your message. Are you coming down?” There was a touch of excitement in Mike’s voice that had William’s heart racing.

“Yes. I was calling to see when you were available. But something else has come up. Do you happen to know someone who can captain a yacht?” he asked with a smile.

The scoff he received was loud and clear. “I did tours as a navigator and in engineering on destroyers while I was in the Navy. How big is this yacht?”

William grinned. “About 110 feet or so.”

“Okay. I think I can manage that just fine. I’ve been contracted to captain some larger boats a few times when people were in a pinch here, and I’ve kept my Coast Guard certifications current.”

“Great.” That was amazingly easy. “Then I have a proposal for you. I’m going to give you the name of the owner so you can talk to him. Think of it as a job interview. If he approves, I’ll send you a ticket to St. Martin in a week. Basically our task will be to check out the new engines my company has installed, and the Vargo will otherwise be ours for two weeks.” He was so excited, he could bust.

Mike, however, hesitated. “What about Carrie?”

“Bring her with you. I know she’ll miss some school, but this will be educational for her. Maybe she can write a report on the trip. We’ll have some work to do, but mostly the yacht will be ours to go where we want and do as we please.” The very idea was exciting as hell. “All you need to do is make an impression on Winston.”

“I’ll do my best. But what about the charters?”

“If you feel you can’t do this, that’s fine. But you’ll be paid two thousand dollars a week to temporarily captain the Vargo.” William thought that was fair given the inconvenience.

“I only have a few charters booked. It’s colder here this year, and everyone wants sun and warmth for their winter vacations.”

“Well, if you can help me with this, we can have two weeks in the sunny Caribbean with a luxury yacht all to ourselves.” God, the very idea had his pulse racing. “That is, if it’s something you’d like.”

“Of course. When I got your call, I was hoping you’d be down for a few days. It would be nice to see you. It’s been too long.” The longing in Mike’s voice was enough to make William weak in the knees.

“It has. Almost six long months.” He held out hope that Mike felt the same way he did. Six months of unhappiness and wishing he was somewhere else. Six months of loneliness, even though he lived in a house with five other people. Six months of cold and misery, doing what he didn’t want, and being the last place he wanted to be. The walls of the family house and his office seemed to close in a little more day by day.

“I’ll talk to whoever you need me to and then we’ll go from there,” Mike said, and William passed on the contact information. Mike promised he’d contact William as soon as he had an answer.

They ended their call, and William smiled brightly, filling with happiness for the first time in a long while. Things were looking up and maybe were about to go his way… for a few weeks at least. He could worry about everything once he’d had a couple weeks of sun, sand, warmth, and reconnecting with someone he wished he’d never let get away.

 

 

THINGS CAME together quickly. William arranged for airline tickets and spent the next week packing and making sure everything at work was buttoned up for his father.

“I can’t believe you’re actually abandoning your father for two weeks,” his mother said as she breezed into his apartment at the family house as he was finishing his packing.

“You know, Mother.” He closed and latched his bag, then hefted it onto the floor. “I’m tired of this.” He turned to face her. It was time to take charge. “You’re my mother and I love you, but I won’t allow you to run my life any longer. When I come back from this trip, I’m going to buy my own home. I think some distance between us is warranted.” He remained calm and didn’t raise his voice. “I’ll also be using this time to evaluate where my life is heading and what I want to do with it.”

“To what end?” she asked, her gaze hardening.

“I hate my job and I don’t want to do it any longer. It’s dull and boring for me. I want my own challenge.”

“But what about after your father retires? Who will take over?” she shrieked.

William sighed. “As things stand right now, if Dad were to retire, I’d take over and immediately put the whole thing up for sale. I need some time to decide what I want rather than you telling me what I’m going to do.” He took a step closer. “Now back off.”

She clearly didn’t know what to do with that information and seemed to realize she’d pushed him too far. She raised her arms placatingly and said, “Then take the time, but this business you think so little of is what’s paid your way through college and for everything this family has.”

“I know that.” William needed to slow down. Exhaustion and his family demands were causing the walls to close in on him. “So give me some time. I have things set, and Dad can call me if he needs to. Besides, this is a business trip for a client.”

“Two weeks on a yacht.” She rolled her eyes and lowered her arms.

“I’m checking out the engines for a client.”

“Maybe your father and I will come down and join you….”

William put his hands up and shook his head as panic welled inside. “No. If you and Dad want a vacation, take one. But I need this time to myself.” It was his mother who was driving him insane. “Besides, once we leave St. Martin, the plan is to spend most of the time at sea, unless there’s a problem.”

“You’re spending two weeks alone?” She of course didn’t count the service staff and crew that would be on board.

“I’ll be fine.” He kissed her on the cheek. “This is what I need, and when I come back, you, Dad, and I will talk about what I want to do.”

She left the room, and William finished getting his things together and went to bed. He had to get up early the following morning.

 

 

HIS PLANE touched down on the island a little before noon, and William was in another world. The sun shone brightly, radiating off everything, palm trees swayed in tropical breezes, and soon afterward, he was off the plane and in a taxi on his way to the harbor on the Dutch side of the island.

William watched out the window as they drove down the main street of town, tourists wandering from shop to shop, everyone and everything in bright tropical colors. He felt lighter and happier already. The taxi pulled up to the marina, and William got out, paid the driver, and then approached the entrance. He showed his identification and was escorted to the Vargo. The ship gleamed white in the sun, sleek and sophisticated. She was beautiful, and one of the crew members hurried over to meet him.

“We could have met you at the airport,” she said, hefting his bag and carrying it on board. “I’m Antoinette, your steward. Let me show you to the main cabin.”

“Excellent. Has our captain arrived yet?”

“He called this morning and said that his flight was delayed and he expected to arrive at about two. I made room for him in the crew quarters. I also understand he’s bringing his daughter. I can put them in the normal captain’s quarters, but—”

“There’s no need to move the captain’s things. Put Captain Mike in one of the guest suites and his daughter in one that a ten-year-old girl would like best. Mike and I are old friends.” He felt that was enough of an explanation. Though with the close quarters aboard ship, he doubted there would be many secrets for very long.

“Excellent.” She led him down one deck and into a spacious cabin with a king-size bed. The space was a model of efficiency. “Would you like me to put your things away for you?”

“It’s not necessary, if you have other duties….” But it was her job so William left her to it. “Thank you.”

He wandered up to the main deck, with its salon and open dining area near the stern of the ship that opened onto a sundeck with lounge chairs and deep cushions that screamed luxury on the high seas. The appointments were stunning, with rich woods and a bar with crystal glasses. At the end of the two weeks, William was sure he wasn’t going to want to leave.

“Would you like some lunch?” Antoinette asked a while later.

“That would be very nice, but only if you and the others would join me.” William didn’t want this to be formal. He needed to remember that he was here to check out the engines. Yes, this was a vacation for him, but he also had a job to do. “I’d like to go over the plans for the next two weeks.”

“All right. I’ll tell the others.” She hurried away and then brought lunch. The chef, as well as the other staff, sat down and made introductions.

“I’m Rodrigo, your chef. Please let me know if there’s anything you especially like to eat. This is Anna—she’s the housekeeper.”

“She’ll help look after the captain’s daughter,” Antoinette said. “Philippe is the first mate, and he’ll work with the captain when he arrives.”

“It’s good to meet you all. I’m William Westmoreland, and as you know, new engines were installed, and Winston has asked me to check them out over the next few weeks. So yes, I’m also a friend of the family.”

“So this is business and pleasure, then?” Rodrigo asked.

“Yes. But I’d like things to be informal.” He passed the dishes around the table, making sure the others helped themselves before he took a portion. The fish was amazing, and he moaned softly, making Rodrigo smile. “The captain, when he arrives, is a friend of mine and is helping me out. Please give him any assistance you can.”

“What are your plans?”

“Winston specifically told me that he has berths in St. Thomas as well as Antigua open to him, with most of the other islands available through advance arrangement, so I thought we’d sail first to St. Thomas tomorrow to check out the technical specifications on the engines and make sure they run in properly before taking a longer cruise to Antigua. We’ll stay there a few days and head back here toward the end of the two weeks. I want things to be leisurely, but I also want to put the engines through their paces.”

“Will you be diving?” Antoinette asked. “I am a certified instructor.”

“I think that would be great. I’d love to learn, and I think Carrie and Mike will as well.” Winston had made it clear that in return for helping him like this, all the amenities of the yacht were open to him and he was to enjoy himself. “From there we’ll play it by ear. I know you’re all good at your jobs and Winston has spoken highly of each of you.”

“Thank you,” Philippe said with a light French accent.

“If you have any questions, please ask me.” There weren’t any at the moment, and William ate his lunch. The conversation was subdued, which William figured was because the crew wasn’t sure what they could say in front of him. “How long have you been here in St. Martin?”

“About a month,” Philippe answered. “The last engines were causing trouble, and Mr. Cunningham arranged for the new ones and they were installed here. There is a shipyard on one side of the island and the work was performed there. Since then we’ve run the engines some, but mostly we’ve sat at berth waiting for you. The checkout would have been completed by now if the captain hadn’t gotten ill.”

“How is he doing?”

“Very well, so we’re told, and he’s expected to be back in a few weeks.”

“Excellent.” William stood, and the others began to stand as well, but he motioned them to remain seated. “I have a few things to take care of, so please enjoy the meal.” The long hours from the past week and the early-morning flight were catching up with him. He went below to his cabin, which was neat as a pin, and located where everything had been stowed. Then he lay down, listening through the open windows to the sound of the birds and water against the hull, falling to sleep in a few minutes.

A gentle knock woke him a while later. “Sir, the captain called from the airport. Philippe went to pick him and his daughter up. They’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“Thank you, Antoinette,” William said as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. He stretched and left his cabin, heading up on deck so he could see Mike as soon as possible.

Mike looked good as he walked down the dock, holding Carrie’s hand. William smiled and waved, getting a smile from Mike and a wave and excited jumping from Carrie. He met them at the gangway, and Carrie hugged him hello, looking all around.

“Daddy, can we get one of these?”

“Sweetheart,” Mike cautioned and turned to him as soon as he stepped on board. “William, how are you?”

William desperately wanted to show Mike how he was by taking him in his arms and kissing the life out of him. “I’m great now that you and Carrie are here. Let me show you where you’ll be staying.” Antoinette had already taken their bags, so William led the way below and showed Carrie her room first.

“Is this for me?” Carrie asked, stepping inside. “It’s bigger than my room at home. Daddy said our rooms would be small and part of where the crew stayed.”

“Nope. You are my guest, and your daddy is the captain as well as my guest, so you’re staying here.” The look on both their faces was priceless. “Anna is the housekeeper on board, and she’s going to be taking care of you. So she’ll put your things away and help you with anything you need. Okay?”

“Okay!” Carrie grinned, and William had no trouble imagining Carrie as a princess.

“Mike, you’re over here.” He went just down the gangway to the next cabin door, opened it, and they stepped inside. William closed the door and waited no longer to satisfy the urge that had egged him on for months. “Damn, I missed you.” He kissed Mike hard and nearly came in his pants when Mike closed his arms around him.

“Two weeks….”

“Yeah.” William was tempted to push Mike back on the bed and start divesting the man of his clothes, but with Carrie nearby, now just wasn’t the time. “That door leads to my cabin, so I was hoping that you wouldn’t be using this bed as much as that one.” William opened the door leading into the luxurious master cabin.

“Did you somehow plan this whole thing?”

“Of course I did. I called you.” He smiled.

“I mean, did you rent this yacht?” Mike asked, narrowing his eyes.

William shook his head. “I may have some money, yes. But renting this for two weeks would be about twenty-five thousand a week.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Oh. So this whole thing isn’t just a ploy to get me into bed with you.”

William laughed. “Honey. It’s exactly that. I get you for two whole weeks. There are some things we have to do as far as checking out the new engines, and I have people on speed dial if there’s the slightest hiccup. But when my dad offered me this assignment to allow me to get away and they said they needed a captain, the first and only person I thought about was you.”

“But what if I couldn’t skipper this bad boy?”

“Then I’d have found someone else, and you and Carrie would be here as my guests, just like you are now. I’ve missed you, and not just because of what we do in the bedroom.” William stroked Mike’s stubbly cheek.

“Are you sure about that? A smart, worldly guy like you, and—”

William glared at him. “Don’t even say it. Okay? You’re a hell of a lot more than you give yourself credit for.” William kissed him once again, and damn if it wasn’t like coming home.

Mike held him a little tighter, and when he couldn’t breathe, William rested his head on Mike’s shoulder, dragging in some air. “You’re wound tighter than I’ve ever seen you,” Mike whispered into his ear, and William nodded. “The family?”

“Everything. I love being on the water and down here. Adore every second of it. But my family wants to stick me in an office, and the fucking walls start to close in. I’m not my father, and that’s who they want me to be.”

“Does anyone understand?” Mike asked.

William nodded. “I think my dad is starting to.”

Mike stood still until he heard Carrie calling, and William inhaled deeply and backed away. “I’m going to go meet the crew, and we’ll put together a plan for this engine test.”

“Okay. Philippe knows the overall plans. I told him at lunch.”

“Good. I’ll look over the engines and check out everything. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

“Good. And there will be plenty of time for you to get this baby out of here and spend some time seeing how she manages.”

Mike backed away and went back to his cabin, then closed the door. A minute later William heard Carrie and Mike talking through the connecting door before all was quiet.

William needed to let go of this tension, and there was only one way he could do that. He needed time outside, in the sun and the breeze. Hell, what he really needed were strong arms and a broad chest plastered to his, but that would have to wait. Just like so many other times, he had to wait for the good things to come his way.