Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Out of Nowhere Sneak Peek

J ason stood with his back facing his executive team gazing out the window. Discussions were swirling on all around him—but barely any of it registered.

Spectacular. The view of the city from the top floor of CkR International, Inc. was breathtaking. Why hadn’t he ever noticed given they’d moved into the building more than five years ago?

CkR International had both US based and overseas locations but Minneapolis was their corporate headquarters. Jason was proud of the multi-billion dollar–technology company his grandfather, Charles Kincaid Rutherford, founded. The man built it from the ground up until he transitioned leaving it to Jason’s father. He successfully ran the company for thirty-five years, before passing the baton to him. Needless to say, Jason had been groomed to run the family business since he was a small child.

Even though he was at the corporate office for a meeting, Jason mainly worked out of their Atlanta branch. Atlanta was a great city, but it had been hard to get used to. He never would have moved there if it wasn’t for his girlfriend, Bridget. It was a sacrifice Jason had to make if wanted to build a life with her.

Their relationship had been heavy on his mind because it was getting harder and harder to define. Frustrated, Jason ran had behind his neck. Could he even call her his girlfriend given she’d left him two days ago to stay at a friend’s place because she needed time to think .

“Jason is there anything you’d like to add before I conclude this portion of the meeting?”

He had no idea what his CFO had been discussing and no idea how long he had mentally checked out of the conversation.

Jason took a minute to gather himself as Franklin played interference by recapping the conversation under the guise of summarizing it for the team.

Franklin was a true friend and had been since they were ten. They’d met at the prestigious Kirkland School for Boys. There was no one Jason trusted more than him. Franklin was also the chief financial officer of CkR International, Inc.

During Franklin’s summation, Jason was able to shake off the feelings that were slowly starting to consume him to focus on the task at hand – a robust discussion regarding the current and upcoming fiscal year.

“No Franklin, as usual you’ve painted the financial picture very well. I’ll take it from here.” Jason turned to face his team. “Let me put a finer point to all the pretty charts and graphs. Revenues are good but margins are not. No one is going to like the upcoming budget cuts, but they were necessary to streamline processes and get creative juices working. We are going to have to make some tough cuts.”

When the meeting ended, unlike everyone else who hightailed it out of the conference room, Franklin lingered. “What happened earlier? As long as I’ve known you you’ve never checked out during a meeting. Is everything ok?”

Jason wasn’t quite sure how to answer that question. Something in his gut told him that there had to be more to life than just this . The problem was he couldn’t even define this . At the of age thirty-four, Jason wondered if he was already suffering from a mid-life crisis.

“I don’t know how to answer that. I can only tell you that I’m feeling . . . unfulfilled? Hollow? I can’t quite put my finger on what I’m feeling or the cause of it.

Franklin walked over to close the door so that they could speak privately.

Jason continued, “From the outside everything in my life looks fine. My business overall is fine and until the day before yesterday, my love life was fine, too.”

Franklin had an idea of at least part of the problem. He moved over to the bar and poured them both a drink, “I thought you told me a few months ago that you were going to ask Bridget to marry you? What happened?”

It was a good question. Why hadn’t he? Again, it was something that should have been easy to answer but was difficult. When did it all change ?

“Brigit is ready to get married and I thought I was too.” Jason accepted the snifter of brandy from Franklin and took a sip before responding. “I was all set to propose. I bought the ring and everything. I’d planned a romantic evening at our favorite restaurant and when the time came to ask her, I just couldn’t do it.” Jason walked back over to the beautiful panoramic windows he’d been looking out of earlier, and sighed, “Franklin, I just don’t know. What the hell is wrong with me? Bridget is perfect. The sex is pretty damn good. She’s beautiful, witty, funny, and a great partner. You know how well she can work a room. She’s good for business, gets along great with my friends, family, and can handle all the shit that comes with dating someone like me.”

As Franklin downed his drink he walked over and clapped Jason on the back, “There is no rush. When it’s right—or if it’s right—you will know it. There will be no hesitation. One rule of business that I’ve learned from you is to trust your gut. If you’re unsure don’t make any moves. Hold tight the answers will come.”

Jason tossed the rest of his drink back too, “Yeah, but will Bridget be willing to wait?”

“That’s a good question and if you’re not ready to marry her, a risk you’re going to have to take. At the end of the day, it is your life. Not your father’s, not your grandfather’s—but your life.”

Jason’s administrative assistant gently tapped on the door before opening it a crack, “Bridget is on the line.”

Speak of the devil. Jason wasn’t ready to talk. “Tell her I’ll call her when I get back in town.”

She nodded, walked out of the room, and closed the door.

Tense, Jason rolled his neck around shoulders, “I’ve got to get a move on if I’m going to make it in time to catch my flight.”

Franklin looked confused, “You’re flying commercial?”

Jason smirked, “Dad and Mom have the jet on a second honeymoon or something.”

Franklin shook his head, “Must be nice. Anyway, safe travels.” Franklin left the conference room. Jason packed up his files, and a few minutes later he was standing alone in the elevators. He leaned back and rested his head against the wall before closing his eyes as the elevator descended to the main floor. Jason replayed his conversation with Franklin as the elevator made several stops on different floors. Typically, after a conversation with Frankly, and being able to talk out his thoughts, he would feel some clarity; yet, Jason still didn’t feel as though he hadn’t made any more sense out of his senseless situation. Dilemmas he’d seemingly created all on his own.