“This place looks fantastic,” I said.
“It’s still a little empty,” Deacon said. “But we have time. Eventually we can build a building, but for now, this should do us pretty good.”
“There’s three of us, though,” I said.
“Yeah, Ev and I are going to share an office for now,” Deacon said. “You’re the executive, the one who knows the most about the industry. So you get your own office until we have a whole building.”
“Oh, thanks,” I said. “This is great, guys.”
Deacon and Everett smiled, proudly looking around the trailer.
“Well,” Everett said, “I stocked the fridge with creamers, sodas, and water bottles. The freezer has a couple of things in it, and the cabinets have some soups and peanut butter and stuff. Enough that we can make lunch here if we want, but unless you want something to eat, we should jump on work.”
“I’m good,” I said. “Big breakfast this morning. What’s first on the checklist?”
“Well, we have a cable guy coming out here tomorrow, so for now we have to use our phones to broadcast internet. But we need to put up some job listings on the website,” Deacon said.
“I have a desk I’m going to put right here,” Everett said, gesturing to a big empty space by the front door in what I assumed was the dining room area. “We need to hire a receptionist to sit there so there’s someone in the office during business hours. Someone that can file paperwork and answer calls and all that too.”
“We also need labor,” Deacon said. “The three of us can do a lot, but we are three men. We’re going to need a crew.”
I half expected him to mention that one of the three of us was also hobbled, but he didn’t. They were both still a little touchy about mentioning my injury or poking fun of it in any way. Considering I got the injury quite literally keeping them alive, I understood, and I appreciated that they didn’t want to make it seem like I was to be pitied in any way.
“Alright, then,” I said. “Let’s get to work.”
A few hours passed, and we had done pretty much everything on the checklist, including going out and surveying the land. The weather was still rather warm, and by the time we got back to the trailer, we were all ready to call it a day and go get a beer. A celebration of sorts was in order. I finished up some emails while the two of them headed out to the bar and left just a few minutes after them. It was just past five when I got onto the main road leading down the mountain toward town.
My phone rang from where it sat on the holder, and I clicked the button on my steering wheel to answer it. The radio stopped, and a voice came through the speaker that I recognized happily.
“Hey, man,” Brett said, “what are you up to?”
“Headed to Sergio’s actually,” I said. “We just finished our first day of the new business and were going out to celebrate.”
“No shit,” Brett said. “Aiden and I just got to Sergio’s. We were calling to invite you down.”
“Mind if my buddies join us?”
“Bring them on down,” Brett said. “We can get to know them too.”
“Ten-four. Be there in about fifteen minutes or so.”
When I arrived at the bar, I saw Everett’s truck parked just outside and, going in, saw that they were already at a table with Brett and Aiden. I waved to them as I came in and sat down in an open chair.
“You made it,” Aiden said. “These two showed up a few minutes ago, and we figured they were your boys.”
“Yeah, this is Everett and Deacon,” I said. “I think I told you about these guys at the birthday party.”
“We just met,” Deacon said. “I ordered us a pitcher. They have their own craft brews here?”
“Yes,” I said. “This place is awesome. I actually ran into Aiden and Brett here about a year ago when I moved back. They also have some bomb-ass pizza.”
“Well, if it’s bomb-ass…” Deacon said, teasing me.
“Seriously, Sergio’s is the best,” Brett said. “He’s right. Bomb-ass is the correct term.”
“Let’s get a couple of them,” I said. “My treat.”
We ordered pizzas and drank our beer, hanging out for a couple of hours. It was nice to see my guys getting along with and making friends with Aiden and Brett, who I had come to be close with. They were very welcoming, and we all got along great with no weird tensions that sometimes happens when groups of friends interact. It was the best kind of evening, and I enjoyed what was becoming a comfortable life after the military.
Still, when the conversations around me didn’t include my direct involvement and my mind wandered, they fell back to the visions I had in the shower and the real girl who starred in them.