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“Family.” Ordinarily I didn’t say much about my personal life to people I’d just met. I preferred to bypass the questioning looks and the loadedHow are you doing?with work contacts who hadn’t known about my wife. But for some reason, Weston’s laid-back air inspired me to be the same. “My wife passed away almost a year ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear.” He didn’t sound surprised. A guy like him would make sure he was informed.
I nodded, not feeling the usual tug of despair, wondering how the hell I was going to adequately raise two kids and keep two businesses financially afloat. “My sister moved to Crocus Valley. And I thought it’d be a nice getaway while I’m still close to everything. My kids are, uh, moving schools, and we might be apart for a while.”
He went quiet for a few moments, his fingers tapping on his knee. “I have to admire Barnaby. He set up Knight’s Oil Wells for remote work. A lot of guys would’ve ditched the ranch for the money and a corner office.”
Not my father. “The money was a way to remain on the ranch, and it’s better to stay close. My youngest brother manages the horses and cattle, but I’m the financial guy. My other brothers are still involved too.” We had to be, but Lorenzo would check on the extent to which we were tied to the companies.
“All that can be remote unless you like getting your hands dirty.”
God, yes. I wanted to spend more time in the sun and less time under an LED light. With that damn trust, it wasn’t possible. “Barns’s dying wish was to have us stay with the family companies. He tied us to it.” I had no problem admitting my situation to Weston. He gave off a down-to-earth vibe that made me think he’d understand and realize working with me and Knight’s Oil Wells wasn’t working with my father.
His gaze burned into me, but I kept my focus on the road, willing the speed limit to suddenly bump up another twenty miles an hour so I didn’t have to get into the subject further. I didn’t want to lose his confidence in me or the company.
“It’s not a coincidence King Oil reached out to you now, Cody.”
I glanced over. His expression was considering, like he wasn’t sure he should keep talking. He didn’t have to worry. I knew why. “My father was a hard man to deal with.”
He dipped his head. A confirmation. “That he was. He had a good head for business, but if you don’t mind me saying—he was also shit at it.”
My laughter was like a pressure release valve. I could probably spill all the trust issues Barns left me and my brothers with, and Weston would understand completely. My father hadn’t delved far into the oil world, but his reputation went further. “Agreed.”
“I’ve been impressed with you, though, and if I could poach you, I would.”
I was on King Oil’s radar as more than the owner of some wells? The only confirmation I got that I was good at my job was the low turnover rate and the fact that our doors stayed open during some challenging economic times. Hearing a guy like Weston low-key offer me a job was a compliment. “I’m honored, but I can’t move to Billings.”
“You can move anywhere, Cody. It’s whether you want to or not.” He dug out his phone and glanced at it, then shoved it back in his pocket. “That can wait. Anyway, I’m surprised it’s the move that’s an obstacle and not the fact that you wouldn’t be at the top anymore.” Since I was CEO of both of my family companies and Weston Duke would continue to be the head of King Oil. “Billings would have more schools to consider for your kids. More activities. More recreation.”
My teeth were locked together. His offer sounded perfect and was absolutely the last thing I wanted. Grayson and Ivy would be raised by teachers and daycare while I was stuck in an office. At least I’d been in a home office. Besides, it didn’t matter. “I need to be close to Buffalo Gully.”
He made a noncommittal grunt. I doubted any job offers would come my way. “It’s home?”
Noalmost flew off my tongue. It was where I lived, but it’d ceased feeling like home a long time ago. The house in Buffalo Gully was as much of an obligation as my job. The only times I treasured in my hometown were when I was working cattle with my brothers, and the last time I was there had only been the best in memory because my father was gone.
And because of Tova.
“Yes.” My answer rang empty. “It’s home.”
“My wife didn’t want to move to Billings. She claimed Coal Haven was where we should be. I told her that home was where she and the kids were.” I nodded, but he shot me a rueful look. “I’m not sure she ever agreed with me.”
“Yet you left anyway.” I didn’t mean to sound censuring. I was mostly curious. His wife sounded like my conscience telling me that change didn’t need to happen, that if you were content somewhere, it was okay to stay.
I hadn’t been content in a long time.
But he spoke as if his wife had moved with him. Where was Tova going? We were barely in the dating phase of a relationship, and I couldn’t move my kids to California.
“We moved,” he said. “My youngest is going to college in the fall. Things worked out.”
“Good.” Was it, though? For a guy who was open about his thoughts and details, he was suddenly succinct.
As if he noticed that he wasn’t willing to expound on whether the move was a good thing, he shrugged. “You make a decision, and then you make it work.”
I’d made a decision. Did I want to make it work? “New decisions can always be made.”
“And then you make those work. The real circle of life.”
There were situations where I didn’t have a choice. My mama had left, and Barns wouldn’t step up to the parenting plate. It was me or no one. Meg got sick and passed away. I tried to keep our life the way we had it, and it hadn’t worked. So I’d made a different decision, one I thought would finally make her happy since I’d failed when she was alive.
