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“So after one particularly late night that included sushi and a lot of wine, Kenny and I started lamenting our dating lives. We talked about how hard it was for people, especially those of us who were workaholics, to get out and meet people. Why not meet on our phones? Our two partners didn’t like the idea, so Kenny and I decided we’d develop it on our own. It took us about two years, because we were also doing small jobs that paid, and we worked on the side.
“At one point, my landlord decided to sell his house, so I was losing the room I rented. Kenny was losing his roommate, so I moved in with him. We started dating and falling in love so slowly, because we were both completely oblivious we even had feelings. Not until our app was complete and took off. We were twenty-three and had actual money. As phones got more sophisticated and new models kept coming out, we kept up. And the real money started coming in.”
“Are you rich?” Josiah blurted out, then immediately covered his mouth with his hand. “I’m sorry, that was really rude.”
“It’s okay. Am I rich? Yes and no. As our personal and business relationship grew, we broke off from the original team and formed our own firm. I agreed to let Kenny handle the financial aspect as CFO, while I remained director of development. We had a small staff and a nice office. We began to buy things for ourselves as a couple, including a beautiful three-story McMansion out in Barton Hills. We worked and even got married, and for a long time, I thought we were happy.”
“But you weren’t?”
“I was, actually.” Michael scuffed the heel of his boot in the dirt, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets. “We had a dog and a big house. We threw lavish parties, invited all kinds of people, especially in our industry, and we even had the mayor of Austin over once.”
“Wow.” Josiah’s eyes kept growing wider the more he learned, and he held on to every single one of Michael’s words. “So you left all that behind to come here and stay with your father?”
“Yes, and not because I’m some sort of truly noble, selfless person. I would have come, but before I probably would have arranged help 24/7 and then gone home. Back to my life. My father and I had a major falling-out the summer before my final year of college, and I honestly never intended to come back here.”
“But you did. And you stayed. I assume you working at Woods Ranch is part of thenoof not being rich anymore? Wait.” He squinted. “You said Kenny was the CFO.”
“Yes.”
Josiah seemed to put the puzzle pieces together on his own and paint a clear picture so Michael didn’t have to explain. “He stole your money?”
“Yup.” A fresh wave of pain blazed through his chest. “He left me for another guy, took all my share of the profits, even took our dog in the divorce. All he left me of any value was the house, which I’m trying to sell as soon as possible.”
“But...” Josiah stood slowly, seeming to favor his ribs a little, and crossed his arms. “Can he just do that? You helped build that company from the bottom.”
“Trust me, I spent a lot of time with lawyers trying to untangle the financial web Kenny had woven, but he was smart. He knew how to shift things when I wasn’t looking, and he had everything in place before he dumped me. What little was left in our shared account was chump change compared what he took.”
“What about stocks? You didn’t have any stock in your own company?”
“I was told I did.” Shame flooded his belly. “After we lost our steers and quit ranching, Dad got into buying and welding junk into art. So he spent a lot of money buying things. Cash got tight. The only way I made it to college was scholarships and work-study, and I was living on ramen and peanut butter sandwiches for a long time, even after I graduated. Once the money started rolling in on the app, I didn’t know how to handle my money, but I trusted Kenny.” He snorted. “Biggest mistake of my life. When the app went public ten years ago, I didn’t even make sure Kenny got stocks in my name. All I cared about was watching our bank account get bigger and bigger. Well, his bank account now.”
“I’m so sorry someone you thought you could trust betrayed you.”
He held Josiah’s sad gaze. “You know what that’s like.”
“Yeah. Thank you, Michael. For being honest and telling me things that are obviously still very painful.”
“You’re welcome.” The impulse to reach out and hug Josiah hit Michael all at once. He wasn’t used to opening up with employees, especially about things this personal. To stop himself, he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. After all he suspected Josiah had been through, the guy would probably not appreciate being touched. “And if you ever want to talk about anything, my door is always open.”
“How long do you think you’ll stay here in Weston?” Josiah expertly changed the subject without acknowledging his comment.
Michael could take a hint. “I’m not sure. Right now, I’m playing things by ear. I’m still on probation at the ranch, but I have a feeling they’d hire me on. If my house sells quickly, I’ll have the money to hire Dad round-the-clock help and start over somewhere else. Maybe come up with a new app or something. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.”
“But your end goal is to leave Weston?” A hint of something kind of like betrayal coated Josiah’s words. He had to tread carefully with his response so he didn’t hurt Josiah’s feelings in any way.
“It was my end goal when I first moved back here, yes. Am I open to staying? Possibly. I enjoy my work at the ranch and the guys there. I like working for a family ranch again, like we used to have.”
“Maybe this is your midlife crisis moment. A chance to try something new. You can still do computer stuff remotely.”
If Michael didn’t know better, he’d think Josiah was lobbying him to stay. And he was doing a damned good job. Behind his glasses, Josiah’s eyes seemed to gleam in the afternoon light.
“I can still do a lot of things,” Michael said. “Including ask if you’re feeling up to heading over to the Roost with me for a beer.”
Josiah’s lips parted, and it took him several seconds to reply. “Can I get a rain check on that? I’m still a little off after what happened Friday night, and if Seamus isn’t on a call, there’s a good chance he’ll be there on a Sunday afternoon.”
Damn, he hadn’t even considered running into McBride when he made that impulsive invitation for a beer. “Of course. Rain check. Whenever you want.”
“Thanks. I think I’m going to go inside and read for a while. I’ll see you in the morning.” Josiah turned, yanked open the trailer door, and was gone in less than ten seconds.
