“Well, I guess that kind of depends on how today turns out. If I still have a job at Hart Construction, I may need to wait a bit. If I don’t have a job, that’ll be hard. I have my nest egg, but I’ll need that to more than likely open up my own firm.” Leena has known about this for a while, but no one beside her and Asa does, actually. Even my parents don’t know. I love them, they’re amazing in their own way, but they aren’t risk takers. My dad’s a company man. You go to work, you do what the boss says, you stay the entire day, no taking off for appointments, and even if they release you early, well, he chooses to stay. My mom is unique in her own way, loves what she does but would never go out on her own either. She needs structure, like working her nine to five job as a bank teller, won’t even take a promotion because the risk isn’t worth the reward.
“Montana, you’re going to fit right in. Whatever is bothering Deke, they’ll work it out. I think more and more, though, if he’s so hell bent on starting an Alabama office, maybe he should.” She holds her hands up when we all attempt to say something. “On his own. Deke needs to do it on his own. With the Hart Construction name and the funding. It’s going to suck having him away from home, but it’s not too far away. Change isn’t always fun, but he needs it. There was a time I would have thought Asa would have run like the wind; it seems like Deke is taking his place instead.” I sit back in my chair, slowly sipping my drink. Mrs. Hart knows her kids, clearly. She knew about Asa and me when we thought everything was hush-hush. Now, with this, I think she may be on to something. I only hope it doesn’t break their family apart in the process. When you come from a small family, you don’t have this type of atmosphere where you sit and duke it out. Instead, Dad would go into his home office, I’d stomp into my bedroom, leaving Mom at her place in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in her hand, silently losing her shit because no one was pulling as much weight around the house like she was. To see the Harts come together, even with attitudes thrown every which way, I know this is what I want with Asa, forever.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
asa
“I know I’m not a perfect man, know that I don’t deserve Montana, not in the least. Do I have a past? Abso-fucking-lutely. So do you. So does every man in this room, and even the women out there on the patio. What I don’t deserve is my own flesh and blood treating me like the scum beneath his shoe. I never in a million years thought I didn’t want to be in a room with my own brother. The way you’ve been going about things, Deke, it’s like you’re itching for a fight.” I let my words soak in. Dad is in the corner of the room, standing with his shoulders squared and a look of disappointment on his face.
“I’m just being truthful. When’s the last time you had a true meaningful relationship, when you weren’t full of jokes and pick-up lines?” Deke is still on it, full throttle. I’m beginning to think my brother is a lost cause when it comes to our what I thought was friendship along with brotherhood.
“That right there proves you know nothing because you should be looking in the mirror. When’s the last time you lived, didn’t eat, breathe, and sleep work? Sure, you may not hide the things I do behind jokes. You let it all out with nothing but anger. Just when I thought Keller had a chip on his shoulder, rightfully so, too, it seems like you’ve got a rock there when it comes to me.” I’m done fighting a losing battle when it comes to Deke. I’ll let the others sort his shit out. “Dad, Tanner, Keller, I’ll be outside. If things don’t change, I think you’ll know I’ll ask to be assigned to another jobsite.” Keller rocks back, as if I’ve visibly smacked him in the face. I’ve never asked to be away from any of my brothers. I’ve been the resilient one, letting shit roll off my back, but fuck this.
“Deke, boy, you know your mother and I love you, but clearly, there’s another issue here you don’t want to work through. I try not to wade into the business side of things. You know that I’m here if you need me. Other than that, your mother and I stay out of it. Even your relationships or lack thereof, those are your own.” Dad’s right. He’s never stepped into anything unless he was asked, not since Tanner started Hart Construction on his own dime, wanting to make a name for himself and our family, knowing Mom and Dad had their hands full, worked so much that sometimes it’d be on him to make sure we younger kids were taken care of. It trickled on down the line, each of us taking turns as the older one worked longer hours, to help out with the others. Once Mom and Dad got to a place where they were comfortable financially, that’s when things changed. Don’t get me wrong, they were always there for us, there was food on the table, a roof over our head, and we had clothes on our backs.