“I’ve got a thing that evening.”
“Tix for you and a guest,” Stryker explained to the group. “Includes parking and grub. You buy your own booze and if you show up, you better donate.”
“When is it?” someone asked.
“Thursday night,” Stryker answered.
“I’m out,” Brooks replied.
“This coming Thursday?” asked another exec.
“How did you get hired, here, exactly?” ribbed Danielle.
Stryker laughed. “Play nice, Fox.”
Stryker’s assistant popped her head into the conference room. “You about done?”
“Yup,” Stryker replied, as his three-year-old nephew pressed his face against the glass of the conference room. When he saw Stryker, he grinned, then toddled toward the conference room door, squeezed past the assistant, and tumbled onto the floor.
After pushing to his feet, he said, “Hi, Uncle Syker Tooman.”
Everyone laughed as Stryker picked up Aaron. “How’s my big guy?”
The assistant held open the door so Stryker’s sister could enter. She was pushing a stroller, the seat piled high with bags.
Trudy said hello to his staff, then set one of the bags on the table. “Open it.”
“Is this what I think it is?” Brooks lifted out a large, plastic plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies covered in clear plastic wrap. “You are an angel. These are the best cookies I’ve ever eaten.”
Danielle lifted out a second plate from a bag, pulled off the cellophane, and bit into one. “Mmm, this is better than—”
Stryker’s sister laughed. “They’re notthatgood.” She placed all the bags, save one, on the table. Word spread fast. Within seconds, the room was filled with hungry employees snatching up the homemade treats. Trudy pushed the stroller out the door, then turned back to Stryker. “Got a second?”
Brother and sister walked down the hall toward his corner office, the tyke still in Stryker’s arms. When they entered his office, he set the child down. Trudy pulled out a plate of cookies, removed the outer wrap, and handed one to her son, along with a sippy cup. Then, she set the plate on Stryker’s small conference table.
“We need to talk,” Trudy said.
“So, you didn’t stop by to deliver cookies and spread springtime cheer?”
“No.”
Stryker and his older sister were close. Her husband was a high school math teacher and Trudy stayed home to care for their three young children. Money was tight, but Stryker made sure they were never without.
“I got you something.” Stryker pulled out a credit card and handed it to her. She just stared at it. “Take it.”
“For what?”
“I added you as a second user on this account. For groceries.”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t do that.”
“Look around. I built this. Mom and Dad aren’t here to share it with us, so that means more for us. Take the card.” He smiled. “Buy food. You and the hubs get a sitter and go out to dinner without the kids.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You are so good to me.”
“That’s because I like you. You wouldn’t be saying that if I didn’t.”
She laughed.
