“I didn’t drink any of the stuff people were ‘home brewing.’”
Jack cracked a beer open for him.
“This is much better,” Grant said appreciatively.
“Jack made it,” his father said. “It’s brewed with the honey from the bees on the estate.”
“It’s really impressive,” Grant said.
Jack seemed more relaxed since Grant had met him. He looked suspiciously at him, wondering why he was in such a good mood.
His father looked at his expression with a grin. “He’s back from visiting his sons, so he’s in a good mood, which is very uncharacteristic for my dear older brother.”
“I see,” Grant said. He didn’t want to put himself in the middle of their family dynamic.
“Someone has to keep you in check,” Jack said with a quirk of his mouth.
“How are your kids?” Grant asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever run across them. I mainly operated out of the West Coast bases.”
“They were on the East Coast,” Jack said. “But they’re fine. Well, fine enough. I’m trying to convince Mark to end his service agreement. He’s been in eight years and achieved captain’s rank.”
“Tell him to hurry up. We have work for him,” Walter said.
“I know,” Jack said.
“We’ll even find something for Carter to do.”
Jack shook his head, annoyed. “I wouldn’t let Carter within a hundred feet of the company. I don’t want him to do another combat deployment, but being warehoused in the military was probably the best place for him. He’s so out of control.”
“He’ll be fine,” Grant said. “I’ve seen a lot of guys come in complete hotheads, and they tend to straighten out as they enter their twenties.”
“He’s slowly getting there. He made lance corporal,” Walter reminded Jack.
“Yes, for the third time.”
“He keeps getting busted down to private?” Grant asked. “For what?”
“Not doing anything heroic like how you got demoted a rank for killing those child rapists. Last time, it was because he punched his lieutenant in the face. He’s been in almost six years and is still a lance corporal.”
Grant guffawed. “I’ve never met a lieutenant that didn’t deserve it. I can’t believe I didn’t hear about it!”
“Maybe he’s turning over a new leaf now that he knows he’s almost done,” Walter offered.
Jack grimaced. “It’s doubtful. I’m sure I’ll receive a call from Mark about some trouble he’s been up to.” He sighed then said, “He was supposed to be a girl. I always wanted a daughter. I was so happy when the doctor said it was a girl. Then he wasn’t. He came out screaming, and he’s been a holy terror ever since. When Walter’s daughters were born, it was like I had been given the daughters I always wanted.” He shook himself.
The mood at the table had darkened.
“Probably why I shouldn’t drink,” Jack said ruefully and stood up, excusing himself.
Grant and his father remained sitting outside. Grant felt the wind blow and looked up and saw clouds roll in.
“Is it supposed to rain today?” he asked, trying to make conversation.
His father ignored the question and said, “All Jack does is complain about Carter, but he’s part of the reason he’s like that. Jack was so busy at our company, working a hundred hours a week, and was never home.”
“You two built it together?”
“It was actually Jack’s business first.” His father took another sip of his drink then grimaced. “I was only going to help him one semester; Jack never thought or maybe even wanted Holbrook Enterprises to grow this large. I guess I sort of edged him out and took control of the company away from him. Money and business and family are complicated, especially when you mix them all together.”
