Dirty Old Man, Maybe Not

"You two sound like great friends," Gillian remarked.

"Yes we are. George is one of the closest friends I've ever had."

During the ride I told Gillian about the dates and adventures that Kathleen and I shared. "It was after the horseback riding fiasco and our talk at the café that I realized that I wanted her friendship more than a romantic relationship with her. Also that started me thinking that with some experience and mentoring she'd be a great addition to my management team."

The drive took a little over two hours before we pulled into the driveway in front of my farm house. It actually an old farm house that I'd had renovated and modernized. It had two master suites on the second floor along with two more bedrooms. The house sat on the crest of a hill overlooking a big valley and I'd had a balcony added to each of the master suites on the second floor; the view from there was spectacular. I'd added a screened in porch running around three sides of the building.

My caretaker and his wife, Ralph and Millie Stone, came out to greet us. Ralph shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder. Millie hugged me and scolded me for staying away so long. Then they helped get the ladies squared away in their rooms. "Put on your jeans and boots and come down to the barn when you get settled please," I requested. "George you can stay or go back to the city; your choice."

"I'm your 'security consultant' so shouldn't I be close enough to consult?" George asked with a big grin. "I can stay in the guest house."

There are two guest houses, just behind the big house. Ralph and Millie lived in one and the other was for overflow if I ever needed the room; like now.

"You're not fooling me Sergeant. It's the fishing you want to consult on, not my security," I replied laughing.

Ralph and I had been at the barn for less than ten minutes when the ladies joined me. They found me talking and stroking the neck of a big buckskin gelding. There were two other horses saddled and tied to a hitching post.

"I thought you didn't like horses," Kathleen said.

"Don't usually, but Buck here is an exception. We've come to an understanding. He's the boss and I'm just along for the ride; no pun intended. He lets me pretend to tell him where were going and how fast and I pretend to know what I'm doing."

Kathleen had walked over to the tied horses and talked and stroked the forehead of the big grey filly. "It's good that you like that one; she's the one I picked out for you," I told her.

She looked at me, puzzled and I said, "C'mon let mount up and take a turn around the farm or ranch or whatever it is. Guess I'm going to have to make up my mind about what to call it."

I got the laugh I wanted and the three of us took a tour of my spread. About 45 minutes later we stopped under some trees next to a large creek. I'm not much of a country boy but this was my favorite place on the whole property. I had turned it into a picnic spot with a couple of tables and a brick bbq pit. Getting off Buck I pulled a bottle of wine and three plastic glasses out of my saddle bags and we sat at one of the tables.

"If you don't like horses why do you won three of them?" Kathleen asked. "When did you get them?"

"Actually I only own Buck and the filly. The mare that Gillian is riding belongs to a neighbor that lets me borrow her sometimes; like today with three riders. The filly's new but Buck's been around for about a year."

I poured the ladies some wine, but put three fingers of bourbon from a hip flask into my glass. "Never understood the whole wine thing so I drink bourbon when I drink," I said in explanation.

"Ralph and Millie seemed very glad to see you," Kathleen said. "Do all your employees feel that way?"

"They're special people. I guess technically they do work for me but I never think of them that way," I replied.

I could see the questions in Kathleen and Gillian's eyes so I continued. "Ralph was my dad's best friend, before Dad passed away. Ralph and Millie owned it back then; it was a farm then instead of a ranch. After my mother left us, Dad and I would come out here to unwind; mental health days Dad called them. Ralph always treated me like his own son and Millie mothered me constantly. Both my folks are buried in the cemetery up on that hill there." I stopped to take a few sips of bourbon.

"About two years ago I heard from a friend in Black, that's that little town we passed through to get here. My friend told me that Ralph and Millie were going to have to sell the ranch. A tornado came through and tore up the fields and the crops. It also did a lot of damage to the house. They were hurting financially but they could have gotten by the damage and loss of the crops. What they couldn't deal with was the lien that the IRS put on the property." I paused to overcome my anger.

"Take it easy Jason," Gillian suggested.

I nodded, took a deep breath, and continued. "Apparently there were some tax problems with a business that Ralph had owned several years ago. The IRS gave him six months to pay the back taxes and the penalties; if he didn't they would take the farm." By this time I was pacing back and forth.

"When I heard about the problem I told my attorney to buy the property and settle the debt to the IRS. The written offer and all the paper work listed PSI as the buyer. Ralph and Millie didn't know until closing day that it was me."

I smiled remembering the day we closed the deal. "My legal beagle signed all the paper work; I came in and handed Ralph and Millie a check for the property. They were really surprised that I was the new owner."

"Well at least the place is going to someone that will appreciate it," Ralph said. "We should have enough to buy a small place in town after we pay off the government."

"That's already been taken care of Ralph. Part of the deal," I told him.

Ralph and Millie started to say something about they couldn't let me do that but I interrupted them.

"I want something in return. I want you two to be my live in caretakers for the place. Return it to the way it was when Dad and I used to come out here. We'll discuss salaries and such later."

Sitting back down I added, "That's how this place became my ranch."

Gillian looked around, admiring the view and said, "You have a beautiful place here Jason."

"Legally it's not mine; it belongs to PSI. The land is listed as a retreat and seminar venue; something to do with taxes and such. It's all over my head but my attorney understands it all. Three or four times a year I invite everyone out here for a BBQ weekend. I, or rather my accountant, can write most of it off as a business expense."

Kathleen looked at me with a smile, "You have a devious mind, Jason."

"Not me, it's all the bean counters and the lawyers. They said it's just good business." I paused for a minute looking at the stream flowing by. Besides I like sticking it to the asses at the IRS. Speaking of business, it's time to call this meeting to order."

"What meeting?" Kathleen asked. She looked at her mother but Gillian just shrugged with a smile playing around her lips.

"This first meeting of the 'Jason getting what he wants and helping Kathleen at the same time' group will now come to order," I answered. "Is there any old business? Wait there can't be any old business, this is our first meeting. Okay, new business then." The puzzled look on Kathleen's face made Gillian and I chuckle. When we stopped laughing I continued.

"I've decided that I don't want to be a dirty old man," I leered at Kathleen. "But I hope to have a relationship with someone someday. If I find someone I don't want the business to come between us. I don't want what happened between me and Julie to happen again." I hung my head for a few seconds, remembering and regretting.

Shaking myself I said, "I need a successor, well not a successor, a second in command to run the show if I decide to take off to Hawaii or something for a week or a month or six months. That's where you come in Kathleen."

She was still puzzled, not understand yet what I was saying. "I have no idea what you're talking about Jason."

I smiled, nodded and said, "I want to offer you a special position."

"What kind of position?" Kathleen couldn't keep herself from asking.

"Okay, here's the deal. I'll arrange for you to finish your MBA at St. Louis University. You'll go to school three days a week. That way you'll be able to finish your studies in about a year instead of the three years it's going to take you going to school at night."

"St. Louis U doesn't have a program like that. You have to go to scheduled classes. I know I checked into it," Kathleen objected.

"They will have; I know someone that knows someone and I'll get it done. Back to the proposal, the other two days you'll train with me at PSI. I'm going to show you a world of business you've never seen at Doan."

"Who do you know and why would they change a class schedule for me?"

"The head of the Board of Regents owes me a favor. I donated the equipment and software for the schools new computer science lab, to the tune of 750 thousand dollars. He'll get things set up for us."

I can't afford the tuition at St. Louis, especially only working two days a week," Kathleen responded.

"We haven't got to the best part yet, little one. I'll foot the bill for tuition and you'll continue to draw your full salary while you're going to school. After you get your degree, you'll sign a five year exclusive contract with PSI. and we'll renegotiate your pay scale. We'll revisit the contract after five years but I hope by that time wild horses couldn't drag you away; pun intended. How's it sound so far?"

Kathleen looked at her mother who just smiled. Gillian and I had already discussed this. "It sounds too good to be true. Why would you do this and what do you get out of it Jason?"

"I get someone I can trust to do exactly what I would do if I was there. I get someone I can turn the company over to for a few days or weeks or whatever and know that it's being run right. I get someone to take the pressure off if I ever met someone special and not have business screw up the relationship. But in addition I get to help someone that I admire and respect."

She reached over with one hand and took her mother's hand and wiped a couple of tears off her cheeks with the other one. Gillian was smiling and had tears of her own at seeing how surprised and happy Kathleen was.

"Now we come to the horse," I added.

Kathleen sniffed and asked, "Horse? What horse?"

"The filly you've been riding all day. She's yours. You can keep her here on the ranch if you like."

"Mine?"

"Call it an incentive; well call it a bribe to get you to agree to the program. By the way, I think you know me by now but just in case, this is strictly business; no extras are required or expected." I took Kathleen's hand and looked into her eyes. "I need your help here kid. Care to give your adopted uncle a little assist?"

Gillian was surprised too, she knew about the offer but she hadn't heard about the horse. Kathleen put her arms around my neck and kissed me on the cheek. "You bet; I'll help you Uncle Jason. I'll call my horse Gilly, after my mother."

That evening the four of us, Kathleen, Gillian, George and myself, went into Black for dinner and a celebration. I took them to Ruby's, a family owned steak house. If Ruby's had been in the city you would have had to wait for over an hour to get a table. The food was that good.

When we walked in Ruby greeted me at the door with a hug and led us to a table. "Your friend in town, I gather," Gillian said with a smile. I just nodded. There was no need to go into how close that friendship had been at one time.

We took another ride the next morning after breakfast. George had gone to my neighbors and borrowed another horse and joined us. The ride took us to another part of the ranch but we ended up back at my special picnic spot.

"Now I know why you bought Gilly but I don't understand why you bought Buck; I mean considering your dislike of horses" Kathleen said.

George was the one that answered. "Our boss is a big softy. He was in town and heard that the man that owned Buck couldn't find a buyer for the animal and couldn't afford to keep him. The owner was going to sell the animal to a dog food company." George had Kathleen and Gillian's attention.

"Jason came back to the house and told Ralph to come with him. They bought Buck and brought him back to the ranch. Jason's explanation was that Buck had been gelded and had already suffered enough. At least we can give him a good home is what he said." George finished and gave me a big grin.

"Bull shit George. Buck is just another tax write off," I replied.

This time it was Gillian that put her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. "Thank goodness for tax write offs Jason. But I don't believe you."

The ride back to the city that afternoon seemed to go quickly. Kathleen and I talked the entire trip about her new position, when she could start classes, and about her training.

******************

Four months into the new arrangement things were going good. I was right about Kathleen; she was smart and picked up the training I gave her very easily. She was learning things about the IT business that she'd never seen at Doan. I even thought I'd found a special someone to share my life with.

I don't know if I subconsciously thought that if I couldn't have the daughter I'd take the mother or what. All I know is that I enjoyed Gillian's company very much. I could see where Kathleen got her intelligence as well as her looks.

Gillian and I had several adventures and dates over the first four months of the new program. We went out at least once a week; some weeks it was more. She got me to try horseback riding again; same result as with Kathleen. I could ride Buck and enjoy myself but the horses at the stables just didn't measure up to the big guy. We tried sky diving.... just once. I never understood why anyone would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

We had a couple of make out sessions but had never slept together. Well, yes we did but only twice. One night at a dinner dance we both enjoyed the Champaign a little too much. We ended up wrapped around each other, still clothed on top of, not in, my bed. The other time was at her house. It was raining and nasty so we stayed in and watched a couple of movies. We fell asleep cuddling and snuggling on this oversized sofa.

One evening Gillian met me at my office and just as we started to leave, and emergency call came in. One of our clients pushed the wrong button and shut his network down. I don't know that's what he said anyway. He was a very big account so I had to try and help him.

Gillian smiled and said she understood. She said she'd just go home and we could go another night. I suggested that George could keep her company at dinner and I'd join them for desert. Finally I was able to get to the restaurant. George and Gillian were laughing when I walked up to the table but they quickly stopped.

George smiled at me and said, "Well the cavalry has arrived. Time for me to head back to the barn." I told him he should stay as did Gillian but he shook his head and left.

Gillian and I had desert and I took her back to her car at my office. As I parked next to her car and started to get out, I heard those four words I'd learned to hate. "We need to talk," she said with a sad little smile. "Do you know you talk in you sleep?"

"What?"

"How long has it been since you and Julie divorced?"

"What?"

"How long?"

I didn't understand what my divorce had to do with anything but I answered her question. "Four years and eight months. Why?"

Gillian gave me that sad little smile again. "You see, that's part of our problem."

"What, my divorce? Why is that a problem?"

"Not the divorce but the fact that you remember and know exactly how long ago it was," she replied.

"Of course I know how long ago it was. It was a very bad period in my life."

"Yes but you didn't say four years or about four years. You know exactly how long it's been; you don't even have to stop and think about it. I bet you can tell me how many days too."

"Sixteen," I answered without thinking. Damn.

Again with the smile. Gillian continued, "Jason, you're a good man. In spite of being filthy rich you're a good person. I respect and admire you and of course I'm grateful for what you've done for Kathy. But we can't be more than friends because I won't settle for being a consolation prize."

"What? A consolation prize, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I could fall in love with you very easy but I'd always be second best.....You're still in love with Julie." Gillian chuckled sadly, "Do you know you talk in your sleep? You ask her not to leave. I guess I don't play well with others and don't share."

"But Julie and I are history, Gillian."

"Maybe legally but not in your heart. It may be guilt because you feel your actions made her leave but I think you still love her. If we got close, I would always wonder what you would do if Julie came back. You're an honorable man and I know you wouldn't leave me but you might want to. It would just make both of us miserable. I won't live that way...I can't live that way."

I looked at Gillian for what seemed like an hour but was less than a minute. "I didn't realize I talked in my sleep. Guess when I'm awake I force myself not to think about her........ "I'm sorry Gillian; I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't but you could have if we let it go on."

"So where do we go from here? I don't want to lose you. Can we be friends?"

"Of course we can," Gillian answered. She took my hand, gave me a little smile and said, "Friends have things in common; we have Kathleen."

*************

Eight months have gone by and Kathleen just got her MBA. Now the real world business training goes into high gear. She'll work the same schedule I do and I'll teach her everything about business that I know. I figure it'll be about a year before I feel confident enough to take some time off.

Two weeks after Kathleen began her training she asked me to take her to lunch. "I want to talk to you about something," she told me.

Damn, that's the same as "we have to talk". What now, did she want to renege on our contract? We went to the same little café where she let me know I was a father figure to her.

I thought I would be funny and use the same line I had back then. "All right Miss Gallagher, you called this meeting. What's on your mind?" I waited, dreading her answer.

Kathleen smiled and then laughed; she remembered our last lunch here. "I want to talk to you about my mother."

"Gillian?"

"She's the only mother I've got," Kathleen laughed. "She told me all about your 'we need to talk' moment and just for the record, I think she's right; you are still in love with Julie. But that's not what I wanted to discuss with you."

"I repeat little one. What's on your mind?"

"Mom has met someone that she likes very much, but she needs your help."

I was puzzled. "Gillian wants romantic advice from me? With my record I'm not the best one to ask about things like that."

"No silly, not advice," Kathleen chuckled. "She needs you to talk to the man and get him off his butt."

Now I was really confused. "Maybe you should start at the beginning again. I'm totally lost here."

"Mom met this guy and she really likes him. She pretty sure that he feels the same way about her but he won't ask her for a date. I want you to talk to him and explain that it's okay for him to ask her out."

"Why would he care what I thought? Besides, if Gillian gets together with him it means I won't be able to spend as much time with her as I do. I don't want to lose our friendship and I would if she starts dating this guy. No man wants a former suitor or even a close male friend hanging around," I told her.