“Just calling to check in. How’s school, and are you all set for your exams?”
I lean back in my chair, stifling a yawn. “It’s good. More than good.”
“Tell me more.” I can hear the smile in his tone.
“I met a girl.”
He chuckles, and I know what he’s thinking.
“Stevie is special. Things feel different with her. Good different.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
“I just have to convince her to go out with me first.”
Laughter filters down the line. “She’s making you work for it. Good for Stevie. I already like her.”
“You’re going to love her, and I have faith in my ability to win her over.”
“I have no doubt you will. You love big, and you don’t give up when you want something. I admire those traits in you.”
“Thanks, Dad. How are Dawn and my troublesome brothers?”
“Dawn is good. The twins are still troublesome, but someone’s got to keep me on my toes!”
“Tell them I miss them and we’ll hang out over the summer.”
“They miss you too, and that’s why I called. I didn’t put you on the roster for the first week. Figure you need some R & R after your exams.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I have learned about balance from the man who raised me. Dad works hard, but he always makes plenty of time to destress. His family and his health come before the business, and I don’t think there are many CEOs who could make the same claim.
“If you like, you can join us in Cyprus. We’ll be there for the month of June.”
Dawn’s great-grandparents were from Cyprus, and when Dad took her to Paphos, in the early years of their marriage, they loved it so much they bought a vacation home there. It helps that it’s in a five-star golf resort with an award-winning course and a bunch of amenities on site. You can even see the clubhouse, driving range, and the first tee from the upper level of our house. Dad is like a little kid on Christmas morning whenever we vacation there.
“Thanks for the offer. It’s tempting. But I’ll pass. I want to hang out at home and do a bit of hiking.”
“The place is open all of July, so feel free to avail of it. I can take you off the schedule for a week or ten days.”
My heart swells with love for my old man. “I’ll keep it in mind.” Perhaps Stevie might be up for a Cypriot vacay.
“One last thing, I’ve split your schedule between the winery and the lumberyard this year. Alternate weeks. You need to gain a firmer understanding of both businesses.”
I have worked with Dad at the lumber company every summer since I was fourteen. It’s like a home away from home. The winery was a fledgling business back then, only in operation a few years, but its growth has been nothing short of miraculous, and it now accounts for twenty percent of the Allen Company overall annual gross income. So, it makes sense I need to get more involved.
“I look forward to it.”
“Good man.” Pride suffuses his tone. “You can stay at the cabin there on those weeks if you don’t want to drive in and out every day.”
I chuckle. “Dad, it’s only a forty-minute drive to Woodinville. It’s not like I’d be driving to Oregon every day.”
“I stay over sometimes, and it’s nice not to have a commute occasionally. I’m just saying it’s an option.”
“I hear you, and I’ve got to go. This assignment won’t write itself.”
* * *
I’m up early the next morning for a run, but I ditch my usual route through Hendricks Park in favor of a shorter route around the area where we live because I’ve got an early morning tutorial.
