“Neither Motherlode nor the bees are a hobby for me either. Besides, I would think someone who owns a nursery would understand the importance of bees, especially in terms of agriculture. Not only can they provide another source of revenue that fits in perfectly with our current business in providing honey, which may I remind you has been more successful every year since I’ve been selling it at the marketplace. But if I can expand, I can rent hives to some of the nearby farms that pay a lot for pollination services. With this extra revenue, it can make weathering the off-season a lot easier.”
His father sighed in response because they’d had this same discussion many times before with neither side bending. “Maybe I need to see you master the core business first before you start gambling on something else. You didn’t build this business. Your mother and I did. And it’s not that I think you’d purposely make bad decisions, it’s just that you’re still quite young and have a lot to learn. Let’s be honest, are you really ready for this kind of risk? Do you really want to have something like a business bankruptcy following you around the rest of your life? You need to understand that a business is bigger than you and your needs. You can’t let something, like a crush on a girl, cloud your judgment.”
And there it was. The same old argument popping up to bite him in the ass again. “Come on, Dad! Am I ever going to live that down? That was a while ago.”
“Six months wasn’t that long ago.”
“Six months? Try two years!”
Six months. Two years. It didn’t seem to matter. To his dad, the event was fresh enough to always feel like yesterday and Mason could never escape the shadow.
“I don’t want to argue about this again,” Daniel said. “What’s done is done and I have to do what’s best for your mother and me. And even though it doesn’t feel like it, maybe this is the best for you too.”
Mason threw up his arms in frustration. “Apparently, it will never be done because no matter how hard I try to make up for that, how much I apologize, it’s always going to sit between us.”
“All I’m trying to do is protect you.”
He did his best not to explode. “Why does everyone act like I need to be protected from myself? Like I’m incapable of learning or improving. Is this really how you see me?” Having this revelation hurt. How could it not when it seemed like his own father didn’t believe in him. The mistake he’d made two years ago cost him a lot more than whatever monetary amount he had borrowed.
Daniel studied him, his expression shuttering as he rubbed a hand across his face. “Mase.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—I didn’t mean to say you’re not capable. It’s just that I worry that after I’m gone… You don’t know what it’s like to have a business all on your shoulders. To have employees who completely depend on all this to survive year after year. It’s tough on me and I’ve been doing it since before you were even born.” His father took a few moments to focus on him. “Do you really want this? You’ve decided this is what you want for your life? And don’t bullshit me. It’s fine if you don’t. I won’t be upset if you want something else. I just want you to be sure.”
“Yes.” Even though he tried to sound absolutely sure, a wave of fear went through him at the small seed of doubt planting itself inside him. Could he actually do this? Could he have all that pressure directly on him and do as well as his father had done? And what if he did his best and lost it all? How could he manage the guilt of being the one responsible for ruining his father’s legacy? But, in spite of this, Mason decided he did want this.
“I want it,” he said.
Daniel nodded slowly. “This thing with Charlie isn’t set. We’re just talking right now. But how about this? I’m going to give you this season of Poinsettia Paradise. It’s all on you. You’ll be the boss and run the show. And don’t see this as a test, but rather as an opportunity for you to see if you really want this for yourself.”
“Okay,” Mason agreed.
But regardless of what his father said, he couldn’t see it as anything but the biggest test of his life. He had to make it work, to finally prove his worth once and for all.
