A sarcastic laugh escaped me. “Says the most stubborn fucker I’ve ever met.”
“Hey, it takes one to know one. And it’s easy to let pride get in the way. But you’re burning the candle at both ends, and you’re going to run yourself into the ground.”
He was right, no doubt about it.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I know. I’m fucking tired. I’m working sixteen-hour days. Doesn’t help that I work from home, so the minute I’m up, I’m one foot out the door to get started.”
“I get it. It’s all about balance. You’re growing faster than planned, and that’s a good thing. But you’ve got to bring on more help, and you need the right help. People you can rely on. So let’s get Brenner to interview a few more people to do field work for you.”
“That’ll be a little more complicated than hiring an office manager. They need to be skilled artisans with experience working with both wood and aluminum. They need to understand horses and that these are custom designs for a reason.”
I felt overwhelmed by the thought of finding help. Good help. People I could trust. My name was on these trailers, and I was proud of the work I did. I couldn’t have someone just come in and fuck that up.
“They need to be skilled, yes. But you can direct them and tell them what your expectations are. It’s all about delegating. No one is going to be as passionate about your company as you are. That’s the simple truth. So if you’re looking for that, you’ll never find it. But youcantake things off your plate. You’ve got to be more flexible.”
I chuckled, because my cousin was a brute by nature, with this gruff, asshole exterior, yet he had a heart of gold underneath. He’d also been written up inForbesmagazine many times for the successful IT company he’d built, and he was one of the wisest people I’d ever known.
“Damn. Emilia really has changed you,” I said with a loud laugh. “You’re acting like you’ve got a heart.”
“Fuck you, asshole. I’m exactly the same.” He added, “Well, maybe she encourages me to be a bit more patient with people, so I’m working on that. But I’m still an asshole, and don’t you dare try to tell me differently.”
“Hey, it’s all good. I’m happy for you.” I chuckled. “And don’t worry, you’re still an asshole.”
I glanced out the window to see a car pulling up as my older brother Archer and his daughter, Melody, stepped out of the car.
“All right, I’ve got to go,” Bridger said. Just know you’ve got help coming this morning, and Brenner will continue looking for someone permanent. Reach out and give him the details about what else you need, and he’ll take care of the rest.”
“Thanks, B. I appreciate it.”
He ended the call abruptly, just like he always did, as the back door flew open.
“Uncle A! I’m here to give you a hug,” Melody called out as she ran toward me. They stopped by every Monday on the way to preschool, because I’d get her a little treat to start off her week.
It was our thing.
I bent down, catching my niece midair, and wrapped her up in a hug.
Melody Chadwick was the light of my life. My brother was raising her all on his own, and the rest of the family pitched in where we could.
Archer was a rock star father, and I admired him for the way he’d stepped up to the plate.
He loved his little girl fiercely.
“You on your way to preschool?” I asked, setting her down on the counter and plopping my cowboy hat on her head, because it was always her favorite thing to wear when she came over. I moved to where the white bakery bag sat.
“Yes. And Daddy just signed me up for summer camp when it’s June time.” She smiled and clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to go to camp.”
“He told me that he was going to sign you up this summer. You know, all your uncles and Aunt Em went to the Rosewood River Country Club summer camp back in the day.”
I handed her the bag, and she looked inside and squealed. “Daddy, it’s a pink donut!”
Archer chuckled, and I tossed him the other bag with the bear claw inside.
“I can see that, baby girl. What do we say?”
“Thank you, Uncle A,” she said over a mouthful of pastry. “And I can’t wait for camp to start, so I can be just like my aunt and my uncles.”
She was wearing some jeans and a yellow tee with her favorite pink high-tops.
