“Not much to tell. My dad works a lot, my brother is doing really good settling in with life after the military, and my sister is a pain in my ass who thrives on making my father happy.”
The nervous chuckle she let out made me draw my brows in some. “Do you not get along with your family?”
“What?” she asked as a shocked expression covered her face. “Yes, um, yes, we all get along great.”
“Okay,” I said with a chuckle. “That was just the vaguest answer I’ve ever heard someone give me when I asked about their family. You said they support your career?”
She nodded. “Did your mom and dad not want you to go into the family business?”
I let out a roar of laughter. “Oh yeah. My dad pretty much told me I would be disowned if I didn’t follow in his footsteps. When I first mentioned wanting to go into the Marine Corps, I thought he was going to have a heart attack. I wanted to be a pilot. Even took some lessons in high school when I saved up the money to pay for them.”
Her eyes lit up. “Wow! The Marines? Your dad didn’t want y
ou to join?”
“Nah. He was in and loved serving his country, but he came home and took over the construction business his father had started. It had been struggling and there were times we hardly had food on the table. But my father got it going, made enough money that we lived good, not great, but we had food and money to have decent holidays and family vacations. He put us through college, and in some way, I think he feels like I owe him for that. When I told him what I wanted to do, he told me it would break my mother’s heart and she’d do nothing but worry like she had when he was in—and he would never speak to me again.”
“Nash, that’s terrible.”
“It is what it is. I did what he wanted me to do, went to college, got a business degree, and went to work for Barrett Construction. It’s not the life I thought I would have, but I met Tucker and Blake my freshman year, then Jim, Terri, and Charlie. We’ve been best friends ever since. I can’t imagine my life without the five of them in it.”
Our food was brought out and Kaelynn started firing off question after question. I knew it was her way of keeping me from asking about her family.
“How did Morgan manage to get away from the family business?”
“She’s a girl. Dad knows she wouldn’t make any kind of a living being the office manager. She’s always had a passion for art and helping people since the girl could hold a paintbrush. I guess he figured that was a better way of life than being a Marine.”
“Are you happy though? Working for your dad?”
“I am, I guess, for now. I live a simple life and don’t really want for much. Some day I’d like to buy some land . . . a few hundred acres in the hill country. The price is going up, though, so I’ll probably have to be pretty damn far out. Doesn’t make sense to buy and try and build. Not when most of my work is in and around Austin.”
“Where do you live now?”
“In a house in south Austin. The lady was desperate to get out and was selling low. I purchased it, and within three years it’s pretty much doubled in value. It’s in a nice neighborhood. Nothing fancy, houses are a bit older, but everyone takes care of their places. I’ll make a nice profit when I sell it.”
She smiled. “You’re lucky.”
“How so?” I asked, taking a bite of food.
“I don’t know. You’re just so down to earth and so nice. I’ve never met a guy like you before.”
“What are the guys like in Utah?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Not like you. It’s about the people you surround yourself with, what’s in your heart that makes for true happiness, and it seems like you have that. I can see how much you and your friends care about each other. I’ve never really had friends like that. Not until Morgan anyway.”
Staring at her, I finally let a small smile play on my lips. “I guess I am lucky in that sense then.”
Kaelynn chewed on her lip. “Morgan told me you swore off women after what happened with Lily.”
That statement had caught me off guard. “Yeah, I suppose I did.”
“Why?”
“Why?” I asked.
“Well, I mean, just because one woman does something bad doesn’t mean all women will be the same.”
“I know that.”