CHAPTER EIGHT
Auggie
When Worth came home that night, I had Betsy tell him I wasn’t feeling well and would be sleeping in a guest room. She was to say that I thought what I had was catching, and he shouldn’t disturb me because he might get sick too. He was so busy, he couldn’t afford to miss work.
It worked. He tapped on the door, said goodnight, and I feebly call out “Night” in return as though I was too miserable to talk. In turn, I was sitting on the bed, cross-legged with my laptop. I did, however, have the blankets pulled back and my nightshirt on in case he decided to come in anyway.
The next morning, he tapped on the door again as he left and I watched out the window as his car went down the driveway. I texted Bernie and told him to wear riding clothes and be at the house at nine a.m. He was prompt and I met him out by the show arena.
I gave him the tour and he took notes as we walked, jotting down everything I told him that still needed completion. I could tell that he was bubbling inside with anticipation at the ultimate picture of what this would all become. I knew he was a horse lover as much as I was. We formed a sort of kinship, as though we were the members of a two-man club where no one else was invited. I loved that and recognized he was a very fast learner.
My phone buzzed several times and Worth’s name came up, but I shut off the ringer and let it go to voice mail. Let him think I was still sleeping off whatever bug I’d contracted.
Bernie and I saddled horses and we set off for a ride to the back part of the property where the Steeplechase course was to be built. I was thrilled to hear of his many suggestions. He had tremendous vision when it came to the possibilities, including how to position the various outbuildings, such as restrooms, jockey locker room, and even the stables. The objective was not to block any of the beauty of the surrounding lands or the course itself, in any way. I found that I was actually learning from him which was exactly why I’d hired him.
His job description was now going to change, however.
We let our horses graze and sat in the tall grass overlooking the area where the course would be built.
“Bernie, do you have a girl?”
“A girl? You mean girlfriend?”
“Well, yes.”
He plucked a stalk of grass and bit into it. “Auggie, will it be a deal breaker if I tell you that I really don’t like girls?”
I caught on to what he was saying and broke into a grin. “No, not at all. In fact, that’s even better.”
He had been facing straight ahead, tensing for my response but now turned toward me. “Excuse me?”
I leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner. “Would you like to play a role for me?”
“What role might that be?” he asked, suspicious.
“Well, let’s just say that sometimes there are certain people, husbands, shall we say, who need some lessons taught.”
He looked very serious and said, “I’m sorry, Auggie, for whatever’s happening to you. You don’t deserve to be treated any way but like a princess.”
“Well, we don’t always get what we deserve.” I twirled around and kicked at a piece of sod with the heel of my boot. “But I think he deserves to get what he earns and for the sake of my son, I’d like to ask you to play along. If you’re willing, that is?”
“Auggie, you can imagine the problems and treatment I’ve dealt with over my life. I would welcome the chance to be holding the reins just once.” His face held resentment and then delight as his mind considered the fun that lay ahead.
“I couldn’t be happier than to hear you say that!” A laugh burst out of me as I gave him a quick hug. “Now, are you a very good actor?”
“You’re talking to a guy whose own parents didn’t know until just last year. What do you think?” He smiled and those blazing white teeth sent chills of anticipation down my spine; anticipation of how jealous Worth would be.
I giggled like a kid planning an elaborate prank. “Okay, here are the ground rules. You’re to act like you’re smitten with me. Don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but don’t ham it up too much so that it’s a giveaway, either. You can take your cues from me, but don’t be afraid to be creative. Any money you need to spend will come from a debit card I furnish you so this won’t cost you anything. Next, remember one thing. You work for me. No one else can fire you. Not Worth — no one but me. I don’t want anyone to know about this, not even my dad or your best friend. Lastly, please take care for the time being not to show up with your personal friend anywhere that Worth might frequent. We don’t want to give away the game. If it gets too rough and you want out, just say so, okay?”
Bernie scrambled to his feet, seized the lead from his horse and executed a deep bow from the waist. “It would be my extreme pleasure to be of service to m’lady,” he mimicked and I laughed.
I stood and curtseyed as we both grinned. We were going to be very, very good friends!
***
I suggested to Bernie that he should keep a small wardrobe at the estate because we were likely to be doing a variety of different tasks, then assigned him one of the guest rooms as his own. “You might even need to sleep here from time to time,” I advised and sent him home to get his things. In the meantime, I showered and changed and by the time I was downstairs, Bernie was waiting for me, similarly attired.
We drove to Sunset Village and I gave Bernie the tour of all the improvements our foundation had managed to accomplish. I even introduced him to Mrs. Jessup, standing very close to Bernie as I did so. Her eyebrows went up a bit as he smiled at her. Few women could not be affected by his good looks and the fact that he was my “assistant” led others to speculate. I knew if Mrs. Jessup picked up on that suspicion, it would get through even Worth’s thick scull.
Next, we stopped by Brandon’s office. He was a former schoolmate and the primary architect of the Sunset Foundation. He wasn’t terribly fond of Worth, only because he’d had a bit of a thing for me since school. He shook Bernie’s hand and when that smile flashed, Brandon looked at me quizzically and asked, “How’s Worth?” His meaning was not subtle.
“It’s complicated,” I said simply and Brandon nodded. He knew me as well as a brother would and knew I was up to something. He wouldn’t interfere. I knew he wouldn’t. There was nothing he’d like better than to get Worth out of the way.
I invited Brandon to have a drink with us and he needed no more persuasion, but grabbed his laptop case and saluted his secretary on the way out of the office. We met at a casual place on the east end where you could opt for liquor, their sweet iced tea or enjoy a full meal.
“I’m mad at you,” I began as we were served our respective drinks.
“Why?” He was puzzled.
“You didn’t come to my Derby barbecue,” I spilled out as if he shouldn’t have to ask.
“I guess you didn’t hear,” he said, loosening his dark navy tie that contrasted nicely with his blond hair. “My uncle passed in Ohio. It was quite sudden and I had to get Mother through it. I’m sorry. I should have called, but I knew you would have your hands full and didn’t need my problems.”
“Oh, Brandon.” I got up and put my arms around him, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “I hadn’t heard. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my arms still around his shoulders.
Brandon patted my cheek and hugged me back, then released my arms. “He passed unexpectedly. We had no idea he was ill. It was Mother’s only brother, you know.”
I’d heard Brandon speak of his uncle when we were at college. He’d been quite fond of the man and I knew this had to hurt. “I’m really sorry for being so petty.” I tried to smooth over my faux pas.
“Thank you, but you didn’t know, honey,” Brandon said, using the familiar reference he’d always used when we were in college.
I’m fairly sure Bernie picked up on this and recognized we had a past. So far, not much got past him. “My condolences,” he said respectfully, to which Brandon nodded.
“So, you going to tell me why you have a new assistant?” Brandon asked, fishing for some detail that would explain what was going on.
I stirred my tea with my straw and looked at him from beneath lowered lids. “I’m building things,” I started.
“I assumed as much,” he answered and spread his napkin upon his lap.
“Bernie loves horses the way I do and he’s fresh from stacking his degrees. I hired him to be my backup as I finish the arena, build the course, start the breeding and boarding aspect and complete any needed supervision on the estate. He has his hands full.”
“He certainly does,” Brandon agreed with no little bit of sarcasm. “I take it that he and Worth have met?” He was digging deeper.
“Not yet, but it’s not a problem,” I said. “I have my own money, you know.”
“Yes, I know, Auggie, but you’re a mother and that involves responsibility,” he pointed out. I noted that he didn’t include the title of “wife” in his admonishment.
“Exactly the reason to hire Bernie. I want Ford to have a normal childhood and need to spend plenty of time with him. I can’t be dragging him around like a papoose and there is so much to be done with all these projects. I took Bernie over to Sunset before we came by your place. Mrs. Jessup loved him.”
“I’ll bet she did,” was his only response.
“But listen, Brandon. There’s something more important I have to tell you and now is a good time for Bernie to learn about it as well. This is serious stuff.” I sipped my tea and straightened my skirt over my lap. I looked back up at Brandon and saw that his eyes were still on my ankles. “Up here, Brandon,” I said, pointing to my eyes.
“Aww… you’re no fun, Auggie.” Brandon smiled, making light of it.
“This is serious.”
“Okay, tell me.” He put down his fork and gave me his full attention with his best bland, lawyer face.
“I can’t believe you haven’t heard, but then you’ve been busy with your family, but it seems that Linc LaViere is no longer dead.”
Brandon continued to look at me with his lawyer’s face. “I’m waiting for the punch line.”
Bernie stiffened next to me, even though he had no idea who Linc LaViere was or why he was dead in the first place.
I spent the next ten minutes sharing the entire story, during which neither Bernie nor Brandon took a single bite. They were transfixed.
“Why didn’t you call me? Even as your friend, if not your attorney?” Brandon asked, his feelings on his sleeve.
“It moved so fast. We hoped he would go away, but by moving into the LaViere farm and putting Mother in the spare bedroom, it became apparent that neither one of them are going anywhere,” I concluded. “I looked sideways at Bernie and asked, “You still want on board this train?” He nodded, although I could see confusion in his eyes. My bet was that his alternative was watching soap operas with his mother and this paid better, so he’d stick around. “Then Worth did something very strange.”
“What?” I had his full attention.
“He invited him to our Derby barbecue.”
Brandon cocked his head. “Maybe he figured it would be better for appearances’ sake?”
“Have you ever known Worth to be concerned with appearances?”
Brandon shook his head. “Good point. Did you ask him?”
“He said to trust him. Which I’m having a bit of trouble doing at the moment because Worth also invited his new clinic director for Cincinnati. She’s a looker.”
Brandon’s brow relaxed then and he nodded, suddenly understanding the man at my right. He didn’t say a word. I think we all knew, but it was sort of a complicit silence.
“Why do you think he invited this Linc?” He pushed me to answer.
“I really have no idea. I’m not entirely sure that he did invite him. Linc may have just pushed his way in and Worth chose to let it go so there wouldn’t be a confrontation. Linc is very confrontational in nature.”
“Apparently.” Brandon nodded. “So, what about this syndicate thing?”
“I’m blank on that part. I don’t have experience with that, Brandon, you know that.” I wiped my mouth with the napkin and pleaded with my eyes.
He sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “I know enough to stay out of their business, Auggie. You should too.”
I pressed my fingers to my temples. “It’s not like any of this was my doing or my idea. I have only one person I worry about — Ford.”
“They’re not your world, Auggie. Don’t get your back up on this one, believe me. Let Worth handle it and if he falls down on the job, come and talk to me. I don’t have any influence, but I do have contacts. Either way, you stay out of it personally. Promise me you will, Auggie.”
“I’m not a fool, Brandon.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“I know my limits.”
“I certainly hope so.” We were done with that topic; he made it clear. “Where can I find this Linc?” he asked.
I exhaled, frustrated. “Just told you. He’s on the family farm and brought my mother there to live with him.”
“He took in Caren?” Brandon rolled his eyes. “That was a mistake.”
“That’s what I thought,” I agreed.
“Maybe he’s not as smart as he wants you to think.”
“He’s like a bad version of Worth, Brandon.”
He nodded, thinking. “So, Bernie, you sure you want in on all this?”
“Yes, sir. Auggie is giving me a wonderful opportunity and I plan to prove that her confidence was not misplaced.”
“Good. She’s good people, Bernie and I wouldn’t take kindly to anyone who was to cross or hurt her.”
“Message received, sir, but you have nothing to fear from me.”
“Bernie…” Brandon went on in a speculative tone, “is there any legal reason you wouldn’t be permitted to carry a concealed weapon? Have you ever used a gun?”
“Oh, yes, sir. I’m quite comfortable with them. Only reason is that I don’t have a concealed permit, but that’s just an application away.”
“Good man. Get it and come see me. I’ll give you a weapon that will suit the situation and I want you to carry it any time you’re with her, is that understood?”
“Yes, sir. Consider it done.”
Brandon reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of his business cards, sliding them across the table toward Bernie. “Here, keep my number handy.”
“Already have three of them and you’re in my phone favorites. Let’s just say I anticipated your stewardship,” he grinned and I could see in Brandon’s eyes the reaction to those beautiful teeth. It made you feel slovenly just to look at them.
We finished dinner and hugged before we left. Brandon walked us out to the parking lot. “Auggie, take care. You know where I am.” He kissed me on the cheek and I nodded, hugging him back.
The men shook hands and Bernie and I climbed into my car. As I fastened my seatbelt, I took the precaution of saying, “By the way. That NDA you signed includes anything and everything you may hear, see or learn in connection with me.”
Bernie nodded. “Understood and unnecessary to worry. I was way ahead of you,” he reassured me and while I drove, he was looking up class times for concealed weapons permits. He was a very fast learner.