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“A lot changed, Irish.”
“Yeah. You aren’t seven anymore and I’m no longer a teenager with pimples covering my face. I don’t want you to stay out of the way anymore, Mak.” The innocence of those days seemed like a stark contrast to the woman sitting across from him now—grown, complex, and cloaked in layers that he couldn’t wait to peel back. When she shifted in her chair, he changed the topic, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
“What about work? Do you need to call them and let them know you aren’t coming in?”
“No. I was getting married today, remember?” She laughed bitterly. “I took two weeks' vacation to get married and go on our honeymoon. Besides, Eugene and I work together. I’m actuallyhis supervisor. I don’t think I’ll be going back. Honestly, I’ve been looking for a change.”
“Oh yeah? The numbers getting to you?”
“No. I love the numbers. It’s just… have you ever needed something so bad it hurts?”
“I have. I don’t know what that has to do with numbers…” He said, trying to follow her train of thought.
“Every day I go to work, and feel like my existence doesn’t matter. I crunch numbers for a large corporation. There’s an emptiness there… I need… more. To feel like I’m making a difference in the world. Like, with what you do with those kids. You make a difference. I’ve been thinking about looking for work at a non-profit. Something like a foster care agency or a women’s shelter. I know it would be a major pay cut, but I have plenty of money saved up and invested over the last decade. I sold my condo. Closed on it a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been staying at my parents’. I was going to move in with Eugene after the wedding. Now, I can maybe look for a job where I feel like I can make a difference.”
“When I retired from the military and Darian made it clear I wasn’t welcome near her or the kids, I floundered. I didn’t know what I was going to do. My friend Hudson told me about this community he’d set up here called Valhalla. They have a wounded warrior retreat they do several times a year. I helped the first year I came out and I thought, there are so many teens who need help, how can I combine the two? He introduced me to Lucky because of my love for bikes and the next thing I knew, I was riding with The Spartan Watchmen. I sat down with some friends and told them my plan. The VA has a business loan available for veterans, I got one and developed the camp. A decade later and it’s fairly successful. But I remember those first couple of months when I desperately needed purpose in my life.”
She nodded. “You get it. Your camp...it's like you're giving these kids their own fairytale ending. Not the kind with helpless princesses and wicked villains, but you turn them into their own real life heroes who can save themselves.”
“Something like that,” Irish said, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile. “My goal is to give them a feeling of self-reliance, yes, but also confidence and hope. If they can walk away from the experience realizing they can do anything they put their minds to and that there are people out there who care about them, I’ve succeeded.”
“See. I wantthat.A feeling of accomplishment. I've been looking for a way to make a difference, not just shuffle papers and crunch numbers. To change lives, even if I do that by helping an organization find funding or cut corners to help another person or…” her voice trailed off.
“It’s a team effort running a not for profit. Every person matters. Those behind the scenes doing the paperwork are as important as the ones in the field. I could use someone like you. I spent the morning staring at spreadsheets. I’d already decided on hiring someone else. Math has never been my strong suit. I don’t know how long you are going to be here but, I could use someone like you in the office. Someone who understands the stakes and is as excited about the mission as I am. Maybe, while you are here, you could come look at my books? I’d pay you, of course.” He held his breath as he watched her consider his offer.
“Are you offering me a job? I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” Makenzie said.
“We need a new accountant. Someone who can keep the camp funded and running smoothly. You have two weeks off, right? Why don’t you stay for those two weeks, let everything die down at home. Get my books in order for me, it’ll make it easier to hire someone if you go back home.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s simple. Say yes, Mak. Spend the next two weeks exploring Grand Ridge and helping me get the spring session going for camp. You have nothing to lose.” And everything to gain. Give me two weeks to convince you that you belong to me.
“Yes.”
He wanted to jump up and grab her, spin her around the kitchen and kiss the breath out of her. But, instead, he stood up and headed back into the kitchen. “How do you feel about homemade brownies with vanilla ice cream?”
“Well, it’s not a wedding cake but it’ll have to do.” She deadpanned before her laughter followed him into the kitchen.
CHAPTER 5
MAKENZIE
The next morning, to Makenzie’s shock, the snow had melted. Every single flake was gone. Irish asked her if she wanted to go with him to The Watchmen’s compound. It took her less than a second to agree. She wanted to see Irish in his world. Walking into the building, she felt like she was on the set of Sons of Anarchy.
Leather and chrome adorned the inside of the clubhouse, mirroring the style of the men occupying the space. Black leather furniture filled the spaces, with silver chrome looking tables. It was as if she’d been plunked out of reality and placed into the ultimate wide open man cave. Two large pool tables were in the back corner, a large bar with multiple stools were along one wall. Stairs led up to what she assumed were office spaces. Spread out across the room were several seating areas with couches and oversized chairs. On the opposite side of the room were four tables each seating twelve. Behind the dining area were two large swinging doors with a burly man walking through them carrying a large dish of steaming food. She looked inquisitively at Irish.
“That’s Tater.”
“Tater?” She asked.
“Yeah, we all have road names. Most of us were known by our military nicknames and kept those. A few were gifted with new ones. Tater believes every meal needs a potato dish of some sort.”
“It does!” The large man explained cheerfully. “I’m a big fan of spuds.”
Makenzie laughed along with the rest of the room. Clover took off, following Tater to the side bar where he was unloading food.
“Brunch,” Irish said, nodding to the buffet. “On the weekends, Tater lays out a spread and as members come and go, they fill a plate. Clover likes to hang around and catch anything people drop.” As if Clover knew her owner was talking about her, she wagged her tail and accepted the fried potato held out to her by Tater.
