There was a sting in her heart for several people, people who would always carry Jelly Bean’s memory with them, but Trent wasn’t one of them. As far as she was concerned, he didn’t deserve to be a daddy. Jelly Bean’s passing wasn’t his fault, but he’d added a layer of pain to Carolyn’s suffering that the sweet girl did not deserve.
“Trent Hill, you’d better hide your sorry self, because if I find you, you’ll live to regret every word you ever said to my sister.”
CHAPTER TWO
3 months later
Cash Lowell pulled his silver pickup truck around to the side of the Expo Center. There was a lot of gear to load—gear that should have sold—and he didn’t feel like lugging it across the parking lot. Not after his cousin and his self-satisfied smirk had walked by. He made quick work of stowing the larger boxes while taking up an illegal parking spot.
“Cash, where do ya want these?” asked his temporary employee, Trent.
Cash glanced at his clipboard before answering. “Put them in the back of my truck and I’ll bring them tomorrow morning.”
Trent found a spot for the box and dusted off his hands. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“It could have been better.” Cash admitted.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap, went the pen against the clipboard. There was a lot more product in their booth at theOutdoor Expo than there were sales. If tomorrow didn’t pick up, Cash would have some hard decisions to make.
Before he let his worries get the best of him, he clapped Trent on the shoulder. “Thanks for staying late tonight and helping me pack up. I didn’t feel right about leaving the product on display.” What he didn’t tell Trent was that he didn’t feel right about leaving his product on display when his hyper-competitive cousin was in the mix. Family feuds should stay within the family, so he didn’t tell Trent that his cousin was his main concern.
The arrangement proved to be beneficial to both of them, as Cash was in the middle of his busy season. He often ended up storing Sweet Birch products in his garage between production and distribution. Trent had been more than willing to offer a hand now and again.
Cash glanced down at the clipboard. What he really needed was to land a contract with a large distributor. Cabela’s would do nicely, but he wasn’t picky. Since this was his second year of production, he felt he had the experience, the man power, and the equipment to take his company to the next level. That’s what Atlanta’s Outdoor Expo was supposed to be for him … an opportunity. The way his back ached, it was more of a grind.
All day long he sold camo shirts, hats, and other gear to hunters and fishermen, but his specialty was a line of packs he’d designed and developed for hiking, hunting, and fly-fishing. He wanted to expand into rifle cases this year, but he had to clear a substantial profit to make that happen.
Several investors had approached him, but they wanted a say in not only how the company was run, but in the designs too. That just wasn’t going to work for Cash. These products... this company ... was his dream. He’d worked long and hard to get to this point and he wasn’t about to hand the reins over to some investor with a large wallet and sticky hands.
“Speaking of tomorrow, do you need my help again?” asked Trent. He leaned against the truck and stared out over the lake of concrete and asphalt.
“Naw. My dad’s coming. Between the two of us, we should be able to handle it.”
“That’s good,” said Trent as he hefted the last box. “I’ve got to get out of town. I heard my sister-in-law was snooping around the Gas-N-Go yesterday. I won’t see ya for a bit.”
Cash’s head came up. “She’s still after you?”
“Yeah—can you believe it? The woman has me kicked out of my apartment, gets me fired, and now she’s trying to have me sign somethin’ that says I’m responsible for Carolyn’s bills whensheleftme.” He shook his head. “She’s one crazy lady.”
Cash tucked the clipboard under his arm. Trent had come to him in a rough spot in life. Over a warm dinner at the diner, he’d opened up about his wife’s coldness throughout the marriage, how she’d scream at him for working extra hours and then complain that he was never home. Then, when he thought all was going well and they had a baby on the way, she miscarried and her hoity-toity sister showed up, threw a bunch of money around, and ruined his marriage. He hadn’t even been allowed to talk to Carolyn at the graveside service for the premature baby.
Trent had needed a friend and Cash was all too grateful he was in a position to help. “Hey, do what ya gotta do.”
“Thanks man. I’m gonna head out right now.” Trent hooked a thumb over his shoulder.
“Do you have what you need?”
“My bug-out bag is in my truck.” Trent pointed to the beat-up Dodge.
“’Kay. I’ll see ya.”
“Yes sir.” Trent closed the tailgate.
Cash climbed behind the wheel for the forty-five-minute drive to his cabin off Lake Lanier. He took off his ball hat and tossed it in the passenger seat. He ran his hand through his hair and groaned at how long it had been between haircuts. His cheek itched with two-day stubble.
His company was doing well. The trouble was differentiating his products from the ones currently on the market. There were packs out there, with name brands, that would fall apart after one backcountry hike. Not his stuff. When you bought Sweet Birch Gear, you bought gear that you could pass on to your kids. Yes, it cost a little more than the competition, but the durability was worth the expense. Somehow, he needed to get the big guys to sit up and take notice.
It was time to bring in a consultant who could help his business go to the next level. He sighed, knowing he had to spend money to make money. Rolling down the window to let in the cool evening air, he hoped the breeze would also clear the business out of his head so he could enjoy his evening.
