No one else seemed glad. I shook his hand. “I hope I can be of help.”
What sounded an awful lot like a scoff came from one of the older gentlemen at the table. I knew his type. Old, set in his ways, and uninterested in hearing what a young buck like me had to say. I took a seat at the table and opened the binder that had been sitting at the open spot.
“We were just going over the latest design options for our fleet,” the owner explained. “We can’t seem to get a unanimous opinion on how to design the hull. We’ve got plenty of ideas, using some of the elements from your designs. We’d love to hear what you have to say.”
I scanned through the various specs and drawings that were in the binder. There were elements of my designs, but none were really exact duplicates, for obvious reasons. “What are you proposing to use for the skin?” I asked.
The older engineer sighed. “The skin isn’t the problem. It’s the hull. Reinforced steel is the best option.”
“It’s also the heaviest option,” I replied without looking at him. “Isn’t the goal to streamline your ships? Cut costs? Save fuel?”
“Yes,” the owner answered. “However, if the cost of production exceeds the cost of operation, I don’t see the benefit.”
His response triggered an argument. All the engineers began to talk at once. One of them got up to draw on the whiteboard in an attempt to get his point across. I wasn’t listening. Truthfully, I didn’t care all that much. I would let them have their say and then I would tell them the right answer. If they listened, great. If they refused to, so be it. It was no skin off my nose.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and quickly pulled it out. It was a text message from Evie.
Did you land safe and sound with all of your parts attached?
I smiled and quickly sent a reply. All the important parts are present and accounted for.
Good. There’s a particular part I was most concerned with.
I had to bite back my laugh. She could be saucy when she wanted to be. I loved playing the game. The men around me were arguing about something. I focused my attention on Evie.
Working? I texted.
Always. You?
I looked up, noticed no one was paying any attention to me, and returned to the text conversation that was far more interesting.
I’m sitting here, listening to men bicker back and forth about shit they don’t have a clue about. It’s riveting.
She replied with a series of laughing emojis. I found myself smiling. We exchanged a few more messages before I decided I better pay attention. They were paying me a lot of money for my opinion and advice. I had taken one look at their proposed designs and knew almost immediately what the problem was.
“Mr. Holland, is he wrong?” one of the engineers asked.
I looked up. “Is who wrong?”
“Carl suggests we increase the sheer,” he said.
I shook my head. “I would not advise increasing your sheer. I would suggest you consider a long span between the perpendiculars. The belly of the ship is too heavy. The weight needs to be more evenly distributed. Using the building materials I suggested last week would also be a huge benefit.”
“Steel is best,” the old guy shot back.
I shrugged. “In some cases, it is. In this particular case, it isn’t.”
The man shook his head. “You kids think you are so much smarter. I have history on my side.”
“I wouldn’t brag about that,” I muttered.
“All right,” the owner said, slapping his hands on the table. “I think that will be enough for today. Why don’t we meet back here tomorrow at ten? I have a couple of my ship captains coming in to offer their opinions.”
I inwardly groaned. Just what we needed, more opinions. I got up from the table and took the binder with me. I said nothing on my way out. I was ready to get to the hotel and hop in a pool or a cold shower. My hired car was just pulling up to the curb when I stepped outside. I practically ran to get into the back of the car. I directed him to take me to the hotel without making any stops.
When I got to my room, I was stripping out of my clothes before the door closed behind me. I headed directly for the shower, stepping under lukewarm spray. The huge shower gave me ample room to turn and make sure every inch of skin was the recipient of the soothing spray.
After finally cooling off and feeling human again, I pulled on a pair of underwear and nothing else. I grabbed a beer from the minibar, not caring that it probably cost twenty bucks, and flopped down on the sofa. I had barely taken the first long drink when my phone began to vibrate on the table. I got up, expecting it to be Evie—hoping it would be Evie.
It wasn’t. It was a number with a whole lot of digits, which told me it was from overseas. There was only one person that could be. “Kade,” I said with a smile on my face.
“How did you know it was me?”
“Because if ISIS is calling me, we’ve got a problem.”
“How are you?” he shouted into the phone. He was clearly somewhere loud. I could hear a lot of background noise and the usual static.
“I’m good. I’m actually in Florida right now. What about you?”
“I’m in a place with a lot of fucking sand,” he said with a laugh. “I’m going to need to go through a pressure wash to get the sand out of my ass.”
I had to laugh. He managed to keep a positive attitude all the time. I knew it sucked where he was—wherever he was. He was never allowed to tell us exactly where, but I suspected Afghanistan. “I’ll be happy to shoot you with one. Spread your cheeks, little brother.”
His laughter broke up over the shitty connection. “Are you still living in San Diego or did you finally move?”
“I still live there, same house.”
“Mansion, you mean. You live in a fucking mansion.”
My house was not a mansion, not by far, but it was certainly bigger than any house we ever lived in growing up. “You can always come and live with me,” I offered.
“Yeah, right. These fuckers own me for another two years.”
I knew he loved being in the Marines. He would likely sign up for another four years when it came time. He was a lifer, career military, just like our father. “I can buy you,” I joked.
“Oh yeah, I forgot you had more money than God,” he joked.
“Not quite, but I’m working on it.”
He chuckled, the line crackling a little. “I’m coming home next month,” he announced. “I’m hoping I can see you.”
“Home to Cali or home to Oregon?” I questioned.
“Oregon,” he answered. “I don’t know if I can make it down there.”
“Kade,” I said. “If I go up there, it’s only going to cause drama. I don’t want to fuck up your time at home.”
“Just say yes. It’s been too long. There won’t be any drama. If there is, we’ll all get over it.”
“I’ll do what I can,” I said.
“Bullshit. That’s a pussy answer. Man up and face the guy. What’s the worst he can do?”
I scoffed. “Easy for the Golden Child to say.”
I waited for him to tell me to just do it. I waited several seconds.
“Hello? Kade, are you there?”