Chapter 12

“Oh my God. I’m in hell. Kill me now.” Cash groaned and covered his eyes with his forearm. He sat kicked back in a chair in the conference room across from Reid and Hector.

Reid and Hector shared a look. Hector rolled his eyes and left to grab coffee, closing the conference door behind him.

Reid kicked his brother’s chair.

Cash dropped his arm and glared. “Stop it, dickbag.”

“Then quit being such a pussy and focus.” Reid spoke in words his brother would understand. “We need four more people to round out the team. We have six working trucks. With Dan and Finley managing the front office and work picking up every freaking minute, we can’t afford not to. Plus, we need people in case of injury. What if Jordan pulls a muscle and can’t come in?”

“Is she injured?”

“I said if, moron.”

Cash’s eyes narrowed, and he sat straighter in his chair. “Call me a moron again, Little Brother, and I’ll make you regret it.”

Reid sighed. “Look, idiot, we need to get these people hired. Now.”

Cash growled.

“Before Hector comes back, tell me what was wrong with the last two we interviewed.” To Reid, they’d seemed reasonably intelligent and hard-working, according to their references.

“First off, Air Force Stan thinks he knows everything. That’s wearing on a guy. I’d be more likely to punch him in the face than ask him to pass the packing tape.”

“That’s it?”

“He’s obnoxious. I can’t work with him.”

Reid ground his teeth and wondered what his dentist would think the next time he saw her. “You work with Finley and Jordan just fine. And they’re both obnoxious.”

“Yeah, but they’ve grown on me.”

Hector returned and handed Reid a fresh cup.

“Thank you.”

Hector nodded and passed Cash a soda. “What did I miss?”

Reid answered, “Cash doesn’t like Stan because he’s obnoxious.”

Hector frowned. “So are Finley and Jordan. Martin too.”

“I forgot Martin.” Reid nodded. “Right. So Stan’s hired.”

“Good,” Hector said. “I liked him.”

“Moving on,” Reid said before Cash could argue. “What’s wrong with Heidi? Her pre-interview last week went well. I thought we all liked her.”

Cash and Hector exchanged a look.

“What?”

“You mean besides the fact that Heidi can break Lafayette in half?” Cash asked.

“Please. She cannot.” Hector glared at Cash, then added, “I like her, but she doesn’t talk much.”

Cash nodded. “Yeah, and what Hector said.”

Reid sipped his coffee slowly. “A woman who’s got muscles bigger than Hector, is quiet, and is willing to work for our wages?”

Hector drank his coffee and shrugged. “Reid’s got a point, Cash.”

“Great. More women in the place.” Cash made a face, but Reid caught the sly look his brother shot him.

Hector choked on his coffee. “Um, yeah. You know, Reid, maybe we should give Heidi her second interview and let Cash take a pass. With Cash’s big mouth—no offense, Cash.”

“None taken.”

“You’re liable to be looking at a harassment suit once Tall and Charming here speaks.”

Reid ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah? Well, this shit has to stop.” He turned to Hector. “Mind giving us a few minutes?”

“Not at all.” Hector must have been waiting to be excused because he bolted to the door. “Oh, and I need to help my brother on a job that looks like a three-man deal. Sorry. Good luck on the interviews.” He darted out and shut the door fast behind him.

“Coward,” Cash yelled.

Reid put his foot down. “Okay, Big Brother. No more excuses that you can’t talk to people without offending them because that’s the way you are. Screw that. We’ve worked too hard to make this business a go. You want out? Just say the word. You want to actually stick with something for more than a few months and start advancing? Maybe even make some friends and have a life?”

“That’s rich, coming from you.” Cash snorted, his green eyes glowing, alive when brawling, even verbally. “You do nothing but slave over a desk all day long. Everything you touch turns to gold. Great. I’m so glad this is fulfilling for you. I’m tired of it.”

“Of working?” Reid’s temper continued to rise.

“Hell no. I like working. I actually enjoy physical activity on a daily basis. But this office crap is giving me hives.” He scratched his arm as proof. The way a four-year-old would.

Reid wanted to bang his head on the table. “Look. I know you don’t want to be here. But you’re in charge of personnel. Now quit bitching, put on your big girl panties”—he ignored the finger Cash shot him—“and let’s finish with the interviews. Heidi’s passed the first, so let’s get through this final one and make our decision.”

Cash shot to his feet, swore under his breath some more, then yelled down the hall for Heidi Schneider. Reid poked his head out the doorway.

Unfortunately, their conference room sat between their main office and the clothing shop, which had opened its door early this morning. The computer and watch repair shops hadn’t opened up yet, thank God.

So along with Heidi leaving their office and walking down the main hall like she owned it, a short, middle-aged woman with attractive features and distinctive blue eyes behind black glasses stormed toward them from the opposite direction.

Heidi reached them first and entered, passing Cash, who gave Reid a look after she moved by him. Heidi had to be six two because she’d nearly come eye to eye with his brother.

Heidi had short blond hair, plain if pleasant features, and a clearly muscular build. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt that said “USMC Proud.”

Reid raised a brow at it. “Hi, Heidi. It’s nice to see you again. You remember Cash, my charming brother.”

She didn’t smile.

Okay then. He started to close the door to the conference room, but the woman—Miriam West, if he remembered right—hurried toward them and shoved her high-heeled foot in the door before he could pull it back.

“I need to talk to you two,” she warned and pointed…something…at them.

Reid gaped. “Uh, is that a…a… What is that, Mrs. West?” Because to Reid, it looked like the older woman wielded a ten-inch dildo.

Cash stared as well, his mouth open.

Heidi took a seat and waited, no expression on her face.

“What do you think this is, Mr. Griffith? It’s a dildo. And it’s Ms. West, not Mrs.”

Cash coughed.

Heidi just stared.

Reid tried to take control of the situation. “A large neon-blue dildo.” This had to be some kind of joke. “Did Hector or Lafayette put you up to this? No. Wait. It was Finley, wasn’t it?”

“I’m trying to conduct a class,” she said, waving around the sex toy like a conductor preparing her orchestra. “You need to keep the noise down. My girls can’t expect to reach the climax of success if you’re bellowing every five seconds.”

Cash’s eyes widened. “Climax?”

Miriam turned to him, and Reid saw that the silk dress she wore wasn’t inspired to look like a robe, it was a robe. The heels she wore had a fuzzy red trim. She moved again, and he caught a flash of bare leg. No. No way she meant what she’d said to be taken literally. The sex toy had to be some kind of prop.

Heidi blinked but remained quiet.

“I run a liberating class on female empowerment,” Miriam announced, set eyes on Heidi, and nodded. “You should check us out, honey. I’m right next door.” She pulled a business card out of a pocket and put in on the table, then slid it to Heidi. “We’re on chapter four right now. Experiencing the essence of what it means to be a woman. But all this hollering is distracting.” She glared at Cash and Reid, but her expression soon turned calculating. “You know, if you wanted, you could come on over and help with a few demonstrations. Have you ever thought about showing women how they can help achieve oneness with themselves with the right support? A man’s point of view would be so…stimulating.” She smiled.

Cash had a shit-eating grin that didn’t bode well.

“I have,” Cash admitted.

“No,” Reid said clearly, not caring what he’d said no to exactly. His brother’s involvement in Miriam’s group couldn’t end well. “We’re sorry for interrupting you. We’ll keep it down.”

“Well, if you don’t plan on helping my class reach fulfillment, you probably should.” She gave a lingering glance at Cash and Reid, then turned on her heel and left.

Reid stared after her, confused and slightly unnerved.

“I thought she sold vintage clothes,” Cash rumbled. “That was…interesting.”

“Very.” Heidi had spoken, her voice surprisingly light, though she had a slight accent. German, he thought but couldn’t be sure.

They turned to see her sitting with her hands folded on the table. Miriam’s card had vanished.

Reid didn’t say a word and prayed Cash wouldn’t. “So sorry about all that, Heidi. We usually have pretty uneventful days at Vets on the Go!”

She stared at him, and he felt dissected under that piercing gaze. “That’s not what it looked like on the TV. I first heard about you there.”

“That was all me,” Cash said and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned against the wall and stared down at her. “You passed the interview, and your background check came back clean. But out of all the applicants we’ve seen, why should we hire you?”

Reid sat across from Heidi. Not how he’d have started the interview, but Miriam had frazzled him.

Heidi considered Cash. “I’m a hard worker. I spent six years in the Navy, another seven in the Marine Corps. I got out so I could pursue my love of athletics.”

“Says here you like to race?” Reid read.

“Yes. I’m a triathlete, and I travel a lot to compete. For fun.”

Heidi didn’t appear as if she knew what the word fun meant. She had yet to smile, but Reid liked her attitude and the competent vibe she gave off. “You’ve read what we’re offering. You seem like a good fit. We’ll work you on a trial basis for a month. If it’s still working, you’re hired. Any questions?”

He answered a few about benefits and time off as well as her need to be part-time during certain parts of the year while she trained.

“Sounds good. Anything else you’d like to share with us, Heidi?” Reid glanced at Cash, who’d been surprisingly quiet during the interview. Apparently he liked her as well.

“I’ll work hard. I expect to be paid on time and treated with respect.” She shot Cash a look, apparently sensing he’d be the one to watch.

Cash nodded to her.

“I like sports. I like people, but I do not like to talk.”

“We’ll get along just fine then,” Cash said.

“And I like women. All kinds, really. I take it that won’t be a problem?”

Cash frowned. “You like women?”

“I’m a lesbian.” At Cash’s continued frown, she added, “I like pussy. Understand?”

Hearing her speak so bluntly after being so polite and contained threw Reid once more.

Cash gave her a slow grin. “I like pussy and sports too. Sounds like you’ll work, Heidi. Welcome aboard.” Heidi stood, shook hands with Reid and Cash, then left.

Reid blinked. “Did she just say she likes pussy?”

“Yep.” Cash chuckled. “What was I saying about not liking this admin shit? I’m freakin’ loving it. Who’s next?”

They interviewed a dozen more people, keeping the meetings short since those attending had already passed the first round of interviews a few days ago. More than half of their applicants were quick no-go’s. A few of the applicants had potential, like the guy with a passion for reptiles and the other who loved music, so much that he whistled when nervous. Reid had liked him. Cash had said hell no, but Reid had decided to throw him a bone.

After a ten-minute lunch, they’d screened more people. They’d had to take a short break to air out the office after one applicant, who believed in a natural remedy to being dirty—and that didn’t include bathing.

They’d finally reached quitting time, and Reid took a look at his notes. Out of the lot, four applicants looked fairly solid.

Stan and Heidi they’d hired. Funny Rob, a tall, muscular Asian man who hadn’t cracked one joke, looked good to go as well. Cash had grunted his agreement on the guy. Mannie, their last interview, seemed the most normal of the bunch. Which wasn’t saying much.

“I liked Mannie.” Cash leaned back in his chair and sighed. “But those tats looked a little edgy. For all that his background check was clean, we should keep an eye on him.”

“We need the help, and he looks good so far.” Reid stood and stretched. “So we’ll give him a shot. I think it’s safe to say we put in a full day. I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, let’s get dinner.”

Reid saw that the hour had reached six. The repair shops and Miriam’s had likely closed. A glance to the left of the conference room showed the main office door still open, with Finley at the desk. He saw them walking and nodded to his right.

Once inside the office, Reid nearly ran into a giant. At first glance, the guy looked a lot like Cash. Same height, hair and eye color, even the same sneer.

“You guys Vets on the Go!?” the man asked, his voice deep and raspy.

Cash smirked. “Well, we ain’t Miriam’s Modiste, that’s for sure.”

Reid shuddered, remembering Miriam and her silicone dick.

The guy shot Cash a look filled with venom, and Reid took a closer step toward his brother. What the hell?

The man blinked, and Reid wondered if he’d seen things. Cash didn’t seem put off by the guy at all.

What a long day. “Yo, Finley, thanks. You can go. I take it Dan left at four?”

“Yep.” Finley leaped over the desk. “Later.” He left.

Just Cash, Reid, and the stranger remained.

“So, I’m here for an interview.” The guy looked from Cash to Reid, his gaze measuring, evaluating. Odd. But then, after the day they’d had, why should this applicant be any different?

As if reading his mind, Cash sighed. “Sure, why not? We can do it here since the office is empty.”

He and Reid sat in the waiting area. The guy, Smith Ramsey, according to his application, remained standing. He looked down at them, and Reid tried but couldn’t catalog the big guy’s expression. He clearly had the build and demeanor of a warrior, though Reid would make sure they looked up the references he’d listed before possibly hiring him.

Reid read through the information on the application then handed it to Cash. “So you want a job with us?”

“Yep.”

Silence.

Cash continued reading.

“Tell us a little bit about yourself.”

The man stared at Reid. After a long pause, he spoke. “Former Marine. Just got out after back-to-back tours in Afghanistan. Time to settle down. I’m not fragged or fucked up. Just a civilian needing a job.”

Cash glanced up. “1st Battalion, 7th Marines? Saw some shit, eh?”

Smith shrugged.

Reid saw something strange in the way the larger man regarded Cash. He couldn’t put a finger on it though. “So you’re okay with an average wage and a job that’s physically demanding?”

Smith snorted. “Same as when I was in. But there, they let me shoot a gun. They don’t like you doing that in the civilian sector.”

“No, I can’t think they would.”

“At least with you guys, I won’t have to sit behind a desk all day listening to some sniveling asshole cry about his hard life working nine to five. Fuckheads have no idea what real work is.” That sneer again.

“I feel that,” Cash agreed, studying him. “You sure you want to work here? We’re all fellow vets, and we hire all kinds. Men, women, black, white, gay, straight. You work here, you get along. You seem like an asshole.”

Interesting Cash wasn’t all over the guy, who seemed like a slightly younger version of himself. According to Smith’s sheet, he was thirty-two years old.

Smith didn’t break stride, that sneer still present. “Well, you’re an asshole, and you seem to do well here. If you can do it, I’m sure I can fit it.”

Great way to get a job, insulting your boss before you even have it.

Cash shot him the finger.

Smith crossed his arms over his chest. “Big words, big man.”

Despite a sense he was missing something, Reid found himself kind of liking the guy. He choked back his laughter when Cash glared from Smith to him and cleared his throat. “We’re still reviewing candidates, but we’ll let you know. Just one question: why us?”

Smith stared Reid in the eye. “I need work. You hire vets, and you guys seem honest. That’s all I’m looking for right now. An honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. What you see is what you get. You want me, my number’s there.” He nodded to the application form. That said, he turned on his heel and left.

“Huh.” Cash stared after him. “I don’t like him. Besides, we already have four picked out, right?”

“We do… Why don’t you like him?”

“He’s a prick.”

Reid thought it funny Cash didn’t like the guy for being just like him. “Like looking into a mirror, eh?”

“Ha ha.” Cash swore at him under his breath. “Can we get something to eat now? I’m starving.”

They locked up and walked down the hall. But as they passed Miriam’s closed door, they heard definite laughter within. And if Reid wasn’t mistaken, what sounded like a moan?

Cash and he shared a glance, then Cash took a step closer to the door. “Maybe I should—”

“No.” Reid grabbed him by the arm and dragged him down the hall. “Let’s grab something to eat and get Evan in on this. Before my stomach is permanently stuck to my spine.”

“No shit.”

They ended up eating two large pizzas at home. Evan had work left to do but had agreed, via a phone call, with Reid’s rundown of the day.

Reid felt physically and mentally drained and couldn’t understand it. “I swear, today was harder than any day we’ve had so far, and that includes when I used to do the moving with you at the beginning.”

“Lightweight.” Cash mowed down his food as if he’d never get another meal.

“So what did you think of the last guy? Smith?”

“A ballbuster. He could be a real asset or a serial killer. I’m not sure which.”

Reid chuckled. “I thought it was just me. I got a weird vibe off him too. But hey, we have the four we needed and two we can use part-time. That’s it. I think we’re done hiring for a while. And you know, we’ll eventually have people coming and going. But if we can keep a core group, we’ll do well.” He and Evan had gone over the numbers to death, and they both knew that between insurance costs to cover the business and the employees, they would need to really move to make a profit. But hell, this venture was their own baby. They were the bosses; they made the decisions.

Reid glanced at his brother, now eyeing Reid’s pizza. He shoved a few slices at Cash. “Go for it.” Reid liked knowing that with Vets on the Go!, Cash had a job and a future. A way to build toward something more instead of always having to start over somewhere else with people who couldn’t always appreciate his work ethic because his mouth got in the way.

Someone’s phone buzzed. Reid checked his and found it clear.

Cash frowned at his phone, chewing. “Crap. Gotta go. See you later.” He left without mentioning where he was headed or cleaning up. No surprise.

Reid leaned back and contemplated grabbing a beer. It wasn’t too late, and though he wanted to relax, he had too much on his mind to chill just yet. Ever since he’d visited his mother last week, he’d needed to see for himself that she was still okay.

“We’ll see you in June, Ma,” Cash had said.

Her response, “I don’t think so,” still bothered him.

Reid drove to the assisted living home with an hour to spare. Visiting hours ended at eight thirty, so he hustled to his mother’s room. And found it empty.

Concerned, he knocked again, then used a key to enter.

Inside, he found her gone.

A knock at the door distracted him, and he turned to see an older gentleman with a walker and an oxygen tank watching him.

“You the boy?”

“One of them,” Reid said, trying to remain calm. “Any idea where my mother went?”

The old man nodded. “Angela had a seizure. They took her away this morning.”

Reid tracked down an orderly. After a few phone calls—and a twenty—the guy rattled off the name of the hospital Angela had been taken to. Reid raced to the administration desk at the front. Getting confirmation that the orderly had been correct, he asked the question burning at the forefront of his mind.

“Why wasn’t I told about this?” he asked the desk clerk.

The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir. But according to your mother’s instructions, she listed someone else as a contact.”

“What? Who?”

“I can’t tell you that. Our patients’ privacy is important, and your mother was firm that her friend not be named.”

What the fuck? In an icy voice, he answered, “She’s my mother.”

The lady looked sympathetic but refused to budge.

Reid at least had the information he’d needed. At the hospital, he learned she continued to go in and out of consciousness.

The head nurse, after seeing his identification, called Angela’s doctor, who let Reid know that his mother likely wouldn’t make it past the week. She’d had a stroke, and her organs had started shutting down. She also showed signs of malnutrition and confusion.

He’d known his mother hadn’t been right and that of course someday she’d die, but the reality of it floored him.

Reid called Cash. “It’s Mom. She’s dying.” He rattled off her room number and the name of the hospital.

“On my way.” Cash disconnected.

Reid didn’t know what to feel. A hazy relief that she might finally know peace mingled with guilt and anger. Now he’d never know the mother he’d always dreamed she could be. Hell, his asshole of a father had spent more time raising him than Angela ever had.

“Fuck.” He wiped his eyes, furious to be crying over a woman more invested in soap opera weddings than her own sons.

Cash arrived, heard the prognosis, and responded with a much more stoic attitude. “Well, she’s finally gonna get to go live with her telenovelas in the sky.”

“Nice.” Reid managed a chuckle.

Cash’s smile was strained. “She say anything?”

“I haven’t been allowed in to see her.” Reid frowned. “She didn’t list either of us as her emergency contact at the home. I only found out because I swung by tonight to see her.”

“What the hell? Angela doesn’t have any friends. Not real ones, anyway.”

Reid ran a hand over his jaw. “I know.” He stared at Cash. “Where were you, anyway?”

Cash shrugged and sat next to him. “Jordan had a problem I thought I could help her with.” He grimaced. “Turns out she already had some guy helping her.” The grimace turned into a scowl. “Some dick named Rafi. Sounds like a stuffed poodle to me.”

Reid felt for his brother, but hadn’t he warned Cash not to get involved with Jordan? The same way he warned you not to get involved with Naomi?

Reid wanted to call her so much, it alarmed him. The need to share with her, to hear her voice, see her sweet smile. He still remembered the feeling of her hand touching his as she offered comfort.

He forced himself not to call her, not even to respond to her work email either. He’d deal with her later, when he could function again.

“We should probably tell Evan. Unless it’s Aunt Jane that Mom talked to.”

Hell. Cash was calling her Mom now. The big bastard would go squirrelly when she passed. Reid mentally geared up for his brother needing him. Like the business needed him and Evan and the others needed him.

He’d be strong, keep it together. His grief could wait.

He tucked it deep down, right next to his dreams of a happy family and a future filled with laughter and fond memories. A future that would now never come to be.