“I’ll answer the first question,” Scarlett blurted, ignoring his silent urging to let him deal with this scene. “Your father apparently hired a P.I. to investigate me. He knows where I lived before this place, that I spent Christmas with Margie and Roz, probably knows what size bra I wear and other creepy shit. Nice to know how much he trusts you, huh?”
Jackson shook his head in disgust. “Frankly, I’m surprised you haven’t pulled a cheap stunt like this before now, Dad. But having your own son followed, and his girlfriend investigated, might be a new low for even you.”
Barton scowled, clearly displeased at being scolded by his youngest son. “Perhaps if you’d been a little more honest with your family about what was going on with your life I wouldn’t have found it necessary to figure things out on my own. You’ve always been too close-mouthed and evasive for my liking, Jack, but over the past few months you’ve more or less shut all of us out. Claiming you weren’t dating anyone right now, that you wanted to take a break from that sort of thing and focus on work. Bullshit. I sensed all along you were hiding something from us. And after reading the report on this foul-mouthed little tart I can understand why. I’d be ashamed of bringing someone as low class as her home to meet my family, too.”
In nearly the blink of an eye Jackson was standing face to face with his father, not touching the older man, but there was such a menacing look on his features that Barton backed up instinctively.
“You stuck up old bastard,” hissed Jackson. “You tend to forget, Dad, that you didn’t always have money. That you grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, very nearly wound up in jail a few times, and that your own father was a lousy drunk who never worked a day in his life. Oh, I know you try to brush all that off, even deny it, but it’s all true despite how you always try to whitewash the facts. As far as Scarlett is concerned, I have never been ashamed of her for any reason. Just the opposite, in fact. I’d be proud to bring her home and introduce her to all my family and friends. The only reason I haven’t is because I knew how you’d react when you found out she was Neil’s daughter. And while I don’t give a shit about Neil, I do care about how my sister and niece would react, which is why I’ve been working on a way to break the news to everyone gently.”
Barton jabbed a finger at his son forcefully. “You’ll keep your goddamned mouth shut about this, Jack. No one is going to learn the truth about Neil’s bastard daughter. I swear if you dare to even hint at the matter to your sister or mother or Hannah, I’ll make good on my promise to fire the whole lot of those Brockmeyers.”
“And I already told you if you did that I’d go right ahead and hire them to work for me,” replied Jackson calmly. “Or get them jobs with other companies, friends I’ve already reached out to who wouldn’t hesitate to do me a favor. Friends you have zero influence or sway over, Dad. Friends whose businesses are actually doing better than ours is right now.”
Barton waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t believe that for a second. Gilmore Construction is the largest and most successful construction company in the state. And what’s all this crap you keep spewing about starting your own business? You always did have crazy ideas, Jack. You have a fantastic job, make tons of money. Why in the hell would you want to give that up?”
“So that I can make some of those so-called crazy ideas a reality,” Jackson told him bluntly. “So that I can be my own boss, develop my own ideas, and not have you continually shoot me down because that’s not the way you’ve done things all these years. Well, news flash, Dad. The times they are a changing, as Bob Dylan once said. You’ve been lazy about keeping up with new trends, new practices. Which is why we’ve lost out on several big projects lately.”
Barton shrugged, trying to seem unconcerned, but it was obvious to Scarlett that Jackson had just touched on a nerve with his father.
“Those projects weren’t worth the effort,” retorted Barton. “All that crap about having to conform to environmental this, and green this, and energy efficient that. I suppose your harebrained idea for starting your own company embraces all that feel-good bullshit.”
“I’m not prepared to discuss those ideas with you, actually,” replied Jackson. “Still in development. But let’s just say I have several interested investors, ones that you have zero influence over. So if you think you’re going to screw this up for me, guess again.”
Barton jabbed that same finger in Scarlett’s direction this time. “This is all her doing, isn’t it?” he barked. “She’s somehow convinced you to turn against your own family, to break away from the business and take huge risks with whatever half-assed venture the two of you cooked up. I thought you were smarter than that, Jack. That I raised you better.”
“And I thought my father trusted me enough not to sic some private investigator on me,” snapped Jackson. “Jesus Christ, Dad, I’m almost thirty years old. I’ve been living on my own since college, never got into any sort of trouble, worked my ass off for the company. And just because I decided to keep my private life private, you couldn’t stand not being in control of everything, not knowing what so-called secret I might be keeping. I’m pretty pissed off right now, and totally disgusted. As for Scarlett influencing me about this new venture, nothing could be further from the truth. This was all me. In fact, I just discussed the business plan with her last night. A business plan that I have zero intention of discussing with you, by the way. Not only am I not going to give you the slightest opportunity to screw this up for me, but you wouldn’t approve of it or even understand half of what I want to do.”
Barton’s mouth tightened angrily. “Are you quitting on me then, Jack? Should I consider this your official resignation?”
“If that’s what you’d prefer, sure,” answered Jackson easily. “I’ve got plenty of money saved up until I can get my new business off the ground. Worst case I can pick up odd construction jobs if necessary. Construction workers are in high demand up here in the Bay Area.”
“For God’s sake, Jack!” Barton burst out. “You’d take a goddamned construction job rather than continue working for the company? A company, by the way, that I had always planned for you to take over one day.”
“To take over on your terms, you mean,” corrected Jackson. “I know exactly how that arrangement would work, Dad. You’d be officially retired but still in the office every day, demanding that things still get done your way, still not letting me put any of my ideas into play. So no thanks. I’ll turn down that offer, because like it or not you’ll never stop being the boss. And I’m finally ready to be my own boss. As far as leaving, that’s up to you. I’ve still got a bunch of projects I’m involved with, so if you want me to stay on until they’re finished I can do that. Unless you want to reassign them to Grant or Alex.”
Barton shuddered at the mention of his two older sons. “No. Those two - well, never mind. As far as staying on, that’s up to you, Jack. See if those so-called plans of yours ever materialize, or they blow up in your face as I predict they will. And if it’s the latter, as I suspect, then no harm done. You just keep on as you’re doing now.”