He tapped the keys on his phone in response:
Plane delayed
He’d been texting back and forth with Curtis for the better part of the last week, working through the logistics of getting him to Coyote Ridge. As luck would have it, Jared was being offered a second chance to start over.
Knowing that he had to get away from the soap opera that his real life had turned into and start over, Jared had talked to his father, Gerald. That conversation had resulted in a phone call to his Uncle Curtis and Jared had learned that his management skills would actually come in quite handy with his cousins’ business.
So, after a conversation with his cousin Travis, Jared was on his way to work for Walker Demolition. According to Travis, they had recently taken on another venture and really needed someone to come in and focus on the demo company.
Jared had jumped at the opportunity and here he was, hanging out at the airport waiting on a plane to take him to his new life.
Text when you get on the plane. I’ll pick you up at the airport
Jared nodded at his phone as though his uncle could see his reply.
Will do.
Instead of spending New Year’s Eve with his family or out on the town, Jared had spent the night, and the better part of New Year’s Day morning, in an airport, waiting to get on a flight out of El Paso. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t agreeing with all of his well-intended plans.
He could only hope things were about to start looking up.
♂♀
Curtis
Curtis glanced down at his phone, reading the response from his nephew before shoving it into his pocket. When he woke up that morning, he fully expected to be heading to the airport to pick Jared up; however, he’d received several texts through the night letting him know that the plane was delayed.
It was still delayed.
Hell, at this rate, Curtis could’ve driven up to El Paso to get him faster.
He felt sorry for the boy. He knew Travis was anxious for him to get down there, anxious to have someone who could come in and put their sole focus on keeping Walker Demolition thriving now that the resort was about to open. That didn’t mean the boy had to spend the holidays in the damn airport.
Travis’ original plan was to talk one of the twins into stepping into the role. When they offered the job to Brendon and Braydon, both of them had laughed their asses off. The memory of that conversation made Curtis grin.
“Seriously, Bubba?” Braydon asked, grinning as he glanced back and forth between Travis, Sawyer, and Curtis. “Y’all trust either of us to take that on?”
“Why the hell wouldn’t I?” Travis argued.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe ‘cause you’ve said it,” Braydon said with a laugh.
Curtis watched Travis’ expression, noticing how his oldest boy turned a fascinating shade of pale.
“Well, if you want it, it’s yours,” Travis said gruffly.
“No thanks,” Brendon said, leaning back in his chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. “If anything, I’m waitin’ for you to offer me a job at the resort.”
“The resort?”
“Yup,” Brendon smiled deviously, glancing over at Braydon. “Ain’t that right?”
“Yup,” Braydon confirmed. “From what we’ve heard, there’s plenty of trouble we can get in over there.”
“Hey, what about Jaxson?” Brendon asked, his expression going from joking to serious.
Curtis had originally suggested Jaxson, his sister Mary’s oldest boy, but he quickly learned Travis’ and Sawyer’s opinion on that. And, they had a good point. Jaxson was so close to the boys, he wasn’t sure Ethan or Brendon or Braydon would actually take him seriously.
Ironically, Jaxson was the one to come to Curtis, and it wasn’t because he was looking for a job. As it turned out, Curtis’ brother Gerald’s oldest boy was having some problems, and they were hoping Curtis could help. Based on what he learned from Jaxson and then from Gerald, and after he explained the story to Lorrie, they had invited Jared to come down and stay with them.
If only Jared knew what he was getting himself into, Curtis thought as he looked into the kitchen to see Lorrie putting something into the refrigerator. If the boy needed some extra special motherly love, he was about to get it. Which meant, at the very least, the boy would be fed well and often.
“Are you almost ready?” Lorrie called as she closed the refrigerator door and turned to face him.
“Whenever you are,” he replied, grabbing her coat and his from the rack near the door. Patting his pocket, he made sure he had his phone. As soon as Jared let him know he was boarding the plane, Curtis would be off to the airport to await his arrival.