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My tone is deeper. “Don’t even think to threaten me, old man. You’ve done the same to my mother for years but she’s too afraid to leave you. Juni got out and she’s never going back, so tell that son of yours to man up and do the right thing. His deadline is in three days or your family’s dirty secrets are going public.”
There’s a silence and I can envision exactly how red Preston’s face is. No one stands up to him and no one gives him ultimatums. “You’re bluffing. Juniper doesn’t want that attention.”
“No, she doesn’t,” I admit with a hard edge to my voice. “But she needs stability and Joshua’s going to give it to her for all the hell he’s put her through. She’s willing to push this thing all the way. You hold sway over him, Preston. Get him to do the right thing and it all goes away.”
He sighs loudly and it’s the sound of fatigue. “I’ll see what I can do. But she needs to consider something less than half.”
“I can’t speak for Juniper. That’s between her and her lawyer, but I’m sure she’ll consider something fair that will help take care of her father for the rest of his life.”
I don’t know if she’ll consider that or not, but truth be told, I’m taking care of Coy and his medical needs for the rest of his life and I’m taking care of Juniper too. She just doesn’t know it yet.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Preston says and then disconnects.
Part of me is hopeful he will get Joshua to see reason. Preston still very much wears the patriarch’s cloak in that family. He’s also the majority shareholder in their business dealings. While Joshua is quite wealthy in his own right, his dad still calls all the shots and I’m sure that would extend into his personal life.
A knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts and I see Brienne standing there. It’s a bit of a shock, not to see her here but to see her so casually dressed. She’s wearing a pair of cropped jeans, a black Iron Maiden T-shirt and gold sandals. As I stare at her, I’m not sure I’ve ever actually seen her in anything but business attire at the arena on a workday.
“Hey,” she says casually, stepping across the threshold. “I just came in to grab a few files and saw you sitting there with some deep worry lines etched on your forehead.”
“Part of them are allocated to the way you’re dressed.” I arch an eyebrow, one corner of my mouth lifted to match. “Iron Maiden?”
She shrugs, tucking one hand in a back pocket. “I have layers.”
“That you do.” I chuckle, but then turn to business. “I’m interviewing a candidate for the assistant athletic trainer position.”
Brienne stares at me blankly.
“The position that’s open,” I prod. “Because Benny took a head position with Dallas.”
Brienne’s voice is droll. “Yes, I know exactly who you’re talking about. I’m just wondering why you’re pointing out another interview when I know you’ve had several. It’s not my decision who you hire and, more importantly, why those worry lines were in your forehead when I walked in.” She then plops down in the chair opposite my desk and crosses one leg over the other. “Spill it.”
Frowning because I can’t tell if she’s serious, I go with the easiest piece of information to deliver. “The candidate I’m interviewing is a woman.”
Brienne’s eyebrows shoot upward, a smile playing at her lips. “Really?”
“Really.”
“There have only been two instances of a female trainer in professional hockey,” she notes, and I’m impressed she knows that. It was two temporary call-ups to fill in for a thin staff, but it made news.
“She doesn’t have the experience the other candidates have but you know I won’t hire just based on that. I thought I’d give her a shot.”
“Thank you, Callum.” Brienne’s presence is almost demure and I know her gratitude isn’t coming from her position as owner, but rather as a woman. But then her smile flattens and she asks, “What’s got you worried?”
I wave a hand at her. “Just personal stuff. Nothing to bother you with.”
“Are we not friends?”
Until right now, I thought I was sure of the answer. Mostly, Brienne Norcross is my boss, but it can’t be denied that we’ve discussed personal matters and relied on each other’s advice. Most recently, she’s been involved in helping keep Juniper out of harm’s way. It was her personal jet that I took when my mom had surgery and it was her jet that flew Juni and me out of Nevada. It was also Brienne’s work that got Coy into the best care facility here in Pittsburgh. On top of that, I’ve divulged to her my past and how things came to be the way they were.
Plus, Juniper now hangs out at Brienne’s house getting drunk on champagne, so there’s no reason why I shouldn’t consider her my friend.
“Of course, we’re friends. I just don’t want to lay problems—”
Brienne waves her hand just the way I batted down her earlier question. “Don’t do that. If I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t have asked. Not saying I have a solution, but I might.”
Leaning back in my chair, I steeple my hands before me. “Okay, you asked for it.”
I give Brienne a deeper construct of my past relationship with Juniper and how we broke up. While I tell her about Joshua, I do not divulge the abuse because that’s not for me to say. I only tell her the situation was untenable.
