30. Ryan

CHAPTER 30

Ryan

TEN YEARS AGO

" I t's good having my sons here with me," Father said as he raises his pint of beer into the air.

"You didn't always feel that way," Alex said.

"Can't we just let it go for one night?" I asked. "We're here to celebrate mom's birthday and the business's new name. Let's just focus on that."

"You're right, bro. I'm sorry. I need to learn to let some things go." He looked over at our father, who was drinking his beer and not paying any attention to the conversation.

"I have to admit I never thought the day would come that I'd be working for him," Alex said.

"I told you it's not that bad. Besides, you're not in the trenches like I am."

"True, sales is a completely different beast." He drank from his glass, then turned to Father. "I want to talk to you about something."

Father leaned back in his chair. Anger flashed across his eyes for a brief moment as he looked at Alex, but then it vanished.

"Can't this wait until tomorrow?" he asked. "I'm really not in the mood to talk."

"Well, then, just listen," Alex said. "Both of you. Do you remember Harold Weinberger?"

"Are you drunk?" Father scoffed. "Of course, I remember him. He's one of my oldest friends."

"Well, that oldest friend of yours said that he's been trying to call you, but you won't return his phone calls, so he reached out to me."

"That's what this is about? That nonsense? Harold has lost his mind, and I told him so. And if you think what he said can work, then maybe you shouldn't be working with me."

"Now hang on, Father. I was there too when Harold told Alex everything. I think it sounds like a great idea. Harold has several other people involved, other contractors, and businessmen. We should do it. I know it's a risk, but Alex calculated everything, and even if we take a loss, it won't be a big one."

"Ryan is right. I ran all the numbers based on current job estimates and included Harold's costs. There's no way this is a bad thing. If we join up with this group, with these other businessmen, to build this development that's currently in the planning stage, we stand to make millions of dollars. And then from there, the jobs that'll be coming in should be equally profitable."

Father grunted and shook his head before taking another swallow of his beer.

"I can't believe that fool has the two of you listening to him." He continued to shake his head. "But that fool has made himself a lot of money. And if we could get in on it too, that would be something."

"So we're in?" Alex asks. "Because tomorrow is the first meeting, and I was going to go on my own, but I really think the three of us should be there."

Father nods, his face resigned. "We'll be there. But if this doesn't work out, then I don't want to hear any more of your crazy ideas."

"I'm telling you, Father, this one deal will make us millionaires, and before you know it, we'll be billionaires. I promise you won't regret this."