Friends and Family Series
The Dirk Devlin Story
By:
Ron Robbins
(© 2011 by the author)
Editor:
Frank Perry
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Chapter 5
Scarborough Hall
Brett and Dirk arrived a little past six on Friday evening. The valet greeted them at the entrance and instructed their chauffeur where to park the limo. The valet told them that the butler would be waiting for them at the top of the stairs.
After greeting them the butler said, "Mr. MacGregor has assigned you to Suite C for the weekend and your bags are being delivered to your suite and unpacked. Mr. MacGregor asked that you join the other guests in the living room and he will be with you very soon."
The butler then led them into the living room. There was quite a large group of people assembled in the spacious room. The butler excused himself and left.
A tall, handsome, young man walked up to them and said, "Good evening; I'm Mac Stevens. Scott asked me to be on the lookout for you and introduce you to some of the other guests. You are Dirk and Brett Harcourt, correct?"
"That's right." Dirk answered.
"I've not had an occasion to meet you gentlemen before, but I understand you know my partner, Drew Stevens," Mac said. "Drew asked me to whisk you over to where he is seated, if that's all right with you? Drew told me that the Harcourt and the Stevens families have been friends for years."
"Right you are again," Brett said. "Please lead the way."
Mrs. Baldwin greeted them, "Brett, how good to see you again. It has been ages. How are you, my dear?"
"Just wonderful, thank you," Brett said. "Mrs. Baldwin, I would like you to meet my partner, Dirk Harcourt."
"It's so nice to meet you, Dirk," Mrs. Baldwin said. "Molly has told me all about you. Sorry I missed the christening; I would have given anything to see Molly holding you over the Baptismal font. Knowing Molly, I'm sure she tried."
Dirk laughed, "Molly is much stronger than you think. She has me wrapped around her little finger."
"Now, you must meet the rest of my family." She took each of them by the arm and led them over to where the rest of the families were seated. "It's not often that I'm sandwiched between two good looking young men, other than my son and Mac of course."
"Claudia, Charles, Drew, I want you to meet the newest addition to the Harcourt clan. This is Dirk Harcourt, the young man whom Molly has been bragging about. Of course you all know my darling, Brett."
After the introductions Claudia smiled, "I understand why Molly is always raving about you; you're an attractive guy," Claudia said, "Brett, you and Dirk must plan on spending a weekend with us."
"We would enjoy that, Claudia; you name the date and we'll be there."
"That's settled then," Claudia said. "I'll call you next week, we can settle on a date."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dirk," Drew said. "Brett, it's been too long since we talked, we must put an end to these long absences."
"Gentleman, if you will excuse me, I promised I would give Scott a hand," Mac said, "We'll have a chat later. Drew and I are spending the weekend, too."
"You're a sly one, Drew; you never said a word about the MacDonald-Stevens group," Brett said. "So, Mac is the wunderkind of the industrial world. He acts like a nice enough guy even though he is my competitor. You know that you're bidding against Harcourt Oil don't you?"
"I had no idea we were competing against Harcourt," Drew said. "It's true I'm an equal partner with Mac, but I concentrate on the financial side of the business. Mac runs the show. You might bring that up with him this weekend. I regret we let so much time pass before getting together, Brett. I certainly hope it has nothing to do with business."
"Of course not, Drew," Brett said. "You know I would never let that stand in the way. We've been good friends too long to let something like business interfere. I've only been running the company since January. I saw your name on the bidders list, that's all."
"I'll ask Mac to set something up soon," Drew said. "He handles our social engagements, and everything else for that matter. I've found that life can be much easier if I let him take care of everything. I don't know what life would be like without him."
"Dirk, I understand you worked out a fantastic deal for Noel on his new yacht," Drew said, "You should get some new business because of that deal. Noel is your ambassador of good will."
"Noel happened to be very lucky, everything just fell into place. He was at the right place at the right time. I have not told Noel yet, but that very afternoon another buyer called to buy that hull from us and was willing to pay a twenty percent bonus over Noel's offer. That should make him happy."
"Do you have to tell him this weekend? He'll go on with that story for the entire weekend," Drew said. "Did I tell you that we moved the West Wind to Paradise Island in the Caribbean, Brett?"
"Really? Don't tell me you bought a house in the Caribbean," Brett said. "I guess it has been a while since we talked."
"I gave Paradise Island to Mac as my wedding present. We fell in love with the island when we were on our honeymoon. He wanted a place where we could get away to recharge our batteries on a regular basis and he bought the island while I was in Paris. Mac keeps our estate and the surrounding land private. He has since developed the rest of the island. Today it is one of the most exclusive private islands in the Caribbean. It is truly one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen.
"We moved the West Wind there four years ago and have never regretted that decision. In fact, we're able to sail year round, and it's not crowded like Long Island. We enjoy sailing more than ever."
"I'd heard about a limited offering for millionaires mentioned at my club a few years ago, but I wasn't interested then," Brett said. "It's a different story now that I'm married."
"If you and Dirk are interested, I'll introduce you to Pete Schneider. He heads up that Division for Mac. In fact, I think Noel has one of the latest videos on the Island. We take the kids with us on vacation now that Mac has built a private school on Treasure Island, the resort complex strictly for children."
"I think we would like to talk to Pete Schneider," Brett said.
"Good! He's standing over there by the window," Drew said, "Let's walk over and I'll introduce you to him."
"Pete, I would like you to meet my friends, Dirk and Brett Harcourt, they want to talk to you about a villa on Paradise Island," Drew said. "Gentlemen, I'll leave you in Pete's hands."
"You will not have any trouble getting into Paradise Island if Drew is sponsoring you. We can get your application started and put you on the wait list for the next available condominium. I'm sorry to report that we have nothing available until the new high rise condos are completed. The price range on those units is running from three to five million each, plus your yearly maintenance and staff expenses. That does not include the fees for the yacht basin, aircraft tie-down space and the children's day-care village.
"I can process your application if you both agree to the covenants in the deed. The restrictions are tough, but you must sign them before I can begin the process and your check must be attached to your application."
"Can you give us a run down on the restrictions?" Dirk asked.
"Most of the restrictions deal with your responsibility to the other members in the community. For example, a member must sponsor all prospective candidates. Each application is investigated then passed on to the board of directors for approval. The candidate must be a solid citizen. They will reject a notorious celebrity, or a person who would draw unfavorable attention to our island. The same rules apply to your guests. Your deed to property is not transferable to your estate upon your death unless the corporation approves your beneficiary. If not, the property reverts to our corporation. The corporation will reimburse your estate at the current market value, unless the deed is a joint tenancy. The applicant, his staff, and guests will be investigated at the applicant's expense and each will receive an identification card. That is the only way you are allowed on the island. If you can live with those covenants, you will be welcome. No owner or guest shall ever be bothered by Private Investigators, or paparazzi on this island. You are safe there. We have never had any unpleasant incidents here and we want to keep it that way."
"It sounds like Paradise. We'll have no trouble with your rules," Dirk said.
"Can you tell me if the Kings and the Baldwins own homes on the Island?" Brett asked.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to say," Pete explained. "That information is confidential. Ah, here are two more of Mac's VPs. Have you met Mike Lee and Carl Landsdorf?"
"We've met Mike, but not Carl," Dirk said.
"Carl, I would like you to meet Dirk and Brett Harcourt, the couple I told you about," Mike said. "Where is your other half, Pete?"
Pete chuckled, "He'd better be on the way here with the Rothachers. They are supposed to be here by seven. Brett, I'll find that videotape of Paradise and have the butler drop it off in your suite. I'll send the application over on the bird tomorrow morning. I think you will be safe with Mike and Carl for a while."
"It's good to see you again, Carl. How long has it been anyway?" asked Brett?
"It must be two years now," Carl said. "I tried to reach you at the office, but your secretary said you had left for the day. Did you know Mike and I are a couple now?"
"God, no; I didn't even know you were gay. This comes as a complete surprise to me."
"We must get together, and soon."
"Sounds great! Are you still living in Paris?"
"Mike and I spend about a third of our time there, but we spend most of our time at our estate at the Retreat. It makes it convenient walking to the office every morning. Mike's two children live with us and attend school at the Retreat. Drew built a private school within the office complex, so it makes that very handy as well."
"Well, it looks like you have found a good life together."
"We have a wonderful life together, and my children adore Carl," Mike said. "The kids have really adjusted to living with us. Private schools are fine, but there is nothing that beats living at home with your family. One of us is always home every night, and we take the children with us when we stay in Paris. Carl has taught them French, and we both speak German and Spanish most of the time to keep them fluent. God has been good to us."
"Well, here is our birthday boy now," Carl said. Noel and Scott appeared at the door and everyone shouted 'Happy Birthday', in unison.
"This is a delightful surprise," Noel said. "Thank you all for being here to celebrate my twenty-ninth birthday. I especially want to thank Scott for making this all possible. Now, how about a hip-hip-hooray for Scott." Everyone gave a rousing cheer for Scott.
Noel circulated through the crowd greeting everyone and then made an announcement. "My good friend, Dirk Harcourt, has put together a video presentation of my new yacht and has kindly agreed to make his presentation after dinner, for those who are interested. Any of you yachtsmen interested in seeing a beautiful yacht, are invited to attend."
When all the guests had arrived, Scott nodded to the butler and the guests were ushered into the main dining room for dinner. Scott sat Dirk and Brett on either side of him at the head table.
"This dining room is absolutely beautiful. Everything is so perfect. You really know how to entertain, Scott," Brett said.
"I wish I could take credit for all this, but the estate came with everything that you see," Scott said. "I fell in love with this estate when I drove through the front gate. This is the first home I have been happy in since I left Canada. It's also the first time I've had the opportunity to entertain such a large group. This is the way the original owners intended it to be used.
Scott told them a little about the history of Scarborough Hall and the last family who lived there. "The former owners loved to entertain and spent a small fortune designing and purchasing the finest table linens, china and vermeil flat ware for the dining room. They even hired a writer to create a book with detailed drawings and photographs on how the table should be set for each special dinner party. Nothing was left to chance; there were even instructions as to the location, and how to care for, and protect the china, linen and silver that would be used."
"For tonight's party, all I had to do was give the butler the number of guests, and the dining table would be set according to the book. I hired a gourmet chef and extra help to prepare and serve our dinner guests. The chef created a beautiful birthday cake for Noel that will be served in the ballroom after dinner. I also hired a small dance band for later on. I think by that time our guests will be tired of listening to the string quartet. A jazz band will play until eleven o'clock tonight in the ballroom."
"You should feel very proud of yourself," Brett said. "You have done a fine job for a crowd this large. I don't think I would be up to this."
After everyone had cake and coffee, half of the group headed for the family room to listen to Dirk's presentation. The video presentation only took twenty minutes. After it was over, Dirk spent half an hour answering questions. Noel finally said, "All right people, Dirk will pass his cards around and you can call him at the office. Let's get back to the party."
They returned to the ballroom until the party broke up and everyone retired for the night. It was a long day and everyone was tired.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Early the next morning, Brett met Mac in the gym for their workout. After they showered, they walked around the grounds and watched the sunrise.
"I love to watch the sunrise every morning," Mac said. "You can take the boy from the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. I've always enjoyed the beauty of nature."
"I was impressed at the way Dirk handled that presentation last night," Mac said. "It's obvious he likes what he's doing and he has a friendly outgoing personality."
"What's troubling you, Brett? Do you feel like talking about it? I assure it will go no further.
"Dirk is everything you said and more," Brett said. "He is a remarkable man and I love him deeply. He comes from a modest, yet wholesome family background. He has worked very hard to make something of himself. His family background is a loving one that has molded his character and his work ethic. He is a kind human being and we have a good life together. I fear that he is at the point where he has outgrown Harcourt Marine.
"I started Harcourt Marine from scratch several years ago and today it is a thriving business. I doubled my investment in it two years ago.
"I met Dirk when he pulled me over for speeding. He was a county police officer at the time. I knew instantly that night that he would become an important part of my life. I didn't know until later just how important. He was a troubled man and I threw him a life preserver. He started to work for me at the Marina the week after we met and we have not been apart since then. His rise in the business was phenomenal. He went from salesperson to operations manager within six months. He is now the president and owner of the business. That was my birthday present to him.
"We were married in Hawaii and my mother legally adopted him. We are expecting our newborn babies to be delivered in a matter of months.
"I'm running Harcourt Oil now and have found that someone in the firm is undermining the company and that is why I hired Mike Lee. I really don't enjoy running the company and I would gladly trade places with Dirk and go back to the Marina business once again. Dirk is the man who should be running Harcourt Oil. I know he would do a great job, but he is not ready yet. He needs time in the corporate environment to learn how the games are played. I know my staff would be hurt if he took over now, even though he is a Harcourt.
"My plan is to bring him into the firm. After he proves to me that he can handle the job, he'll take over the company. I think he can do that within two years. He has put together a good team that can run Harcourt Marine and he can still control the company as chairperson. Those are my thoughts right now. My fear is that I may be letting my heart rule my head. I just don't know."
Mac smiled, "Do you think you are? What makes you feel that Dirk is the man for the job?"
"He is a dynamic and creative executive. There is no doubt in my mind that he is capable of handling the job. My only fear is that he may be overwhelmed in the beginning. He will need a lot of encouragement and hand-holding to start. Once he is over that hurdle, it will be a race to the top. I know Dirk is a born leader."
"Then you should talk to Dirk about joining the firm and helping you run the company. If he does not like it after a trial period of six months, then he is free to return to Harcourt Marine. I think once Dirk has a taste of a large corporate environment, he won't go back to running the marine business. I happen to agree with you — I think he will make it."
"I feel much better after talking to you Mac. I also want to talk to you about how our firms can work closer together. I know we compete in some areas, but that should not prevent us from doing business if it's to our mutual advantage. I would like to know more about this new medical plan Scott was telling me about."
"Can you and Dirk get away for a week?"
"We can if we have advance notice. Why do you ask?"
"Plan to be our guests next month on Paradise Island. We have set up special guest quarters for honeymooners on the main island. We'll also plan several side trips together. It's a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. You can also take a look at the villas and our plans for the new condos."
"See what your schedule is like for three weeks from next Thursday. If you're free, you and Dirk can fly over to the Retreat and spend the night with us. You both can sit in on our Friday morning division meeting and have a chance to chat with my people. They might have some ways we can help your company save money and improve the morale of your employees in the process. I feel that it will help Dirk to see how our operation works. After the meeting's over, we will take off for Paradise Island."
"Great, we'll do it. I'll double check with Dirk to make sure he doesn't have a conflict.
"Thanks for being a good listener. I have one more favor to ask of you. I have always felt that I could die suddenly, like my dad. It may seem silly to you, but would you and Drew help Dirk through the rough spots if anything happens to me? I feel he will need friends he can trust. Dirk is a very strong willed man and will try and tough it out on his own. The odds are in my favor that nothing will happen to me, but I must plan for the worst and hope for the best."
"You have my promise. You can put your mind at ease on that score. If you ever feel the need to talk about this, or any corporate problem, please do not hesitate to call on me. After all, that's what friends are for. You can rely on us to do the right thing. We must help one another if we want to keep what is ours. There are too many sharks swimming around out there."
"God, I feel good knowing that we're not alone. You're right about one thing though; there are a lot of people who hate us because we are gay."
"It's sad but true," Mac, said, "Let's get back to our loved ones, shall we?"
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Dirk was still sleeping when Brett returned to their suite. He stripped, climbed into bed, nestled close to Dirk, and fell asleep.
Dirk awoke later that morning, shaved and took his shower. He was naked when he returned to the bedroom where he sat on the bed next to Brett. He removed the covers, turned Brett on his back and straddled him. He began kissing and licking his fresh, clean body until he reached his penis. Brett was awake by then and fully erect. He sucked the testicles and then his penis until Brett could not hold back and climaxed. Dirk lay on top of Brett and kissed him.
"I couldn't resist. I love your beautiful body, and besides that, you taste so good."
"Now it's your turn, my handsome stallion." He brought Dirk to a climax, and then they lay in each other's arms again.
"You are one talented sex machine, my love," Dirk said. "I think I'll keep you for another sixty years."
"That's very kind of you. While you were having your beauty sleep, yours truly had a long talk with Mac. He has invited us to spend a week with them next month on Paradise Island. Do you think you can break away for some fun in the sun?"
"I'm ready now. I hope you would said yes."
"I said I would let him know after I spoke to you. He wants us to sit in on one of his board meetings and talk to his division heads to show how they can save us money and make our employees happy in the process. After the meeting, we'll fly to Paradise Island with them."
"Now, my beautiful one, I want to know what's bothering you. You have that look about you. Why do you want me to sit in on this meeting with Mac?"
"It's impossible to keep anything from you anymore. I wasn't going to bring this up until later but, here goes. I want you to work with me at Harcourt Oil. I need your support, Dirk, and I feel that you have a lot to contribute to the company. Anyway, it's a good idea since you own a quarter of the company, my love."
"I'll have to make some changes at Harcourt Marine, but I should be able to leave in a month. Is that soon enough?" Brett grabbed him, kissed him, and squeezed him in his arms, "You're wonderful, and I love you so much!"
"Now let's not get all sloppy and teary eyed. I knew it would only be a matter of time before you wanted me to join you at the gas station. Let's face it. You miss not having me around all day. Frankly, it's not the same without you either. I miss working with you more than you know. We get along well working together, besides which, I like to squeeze that sweet ass of yours when nobody's looking."
"This is wonderful. I thought you wouldn't like helping me run the gas station."
"Let's get something straight, my love," Dirk said. "I told you from the very beginning that you were my world and I would do anything you wanted. I love you more than anything in this world. That has never changed. I know it's not going to be easy at Harcourt Oil, and I expect to take some flack because I'm not a 'blood' Harcourt. However, I don't give a rap about what other people think. You're the only one I care about and we'll be together again. I'm delighted you want me there to hold your hand."
"It's the least I can do to make you happy. Christ, you've given me everything in the damn world already. You're mine now, handsome, so stop sniveling and give me a kiss. God, I hope you are not going to carry on this way at the office."
Brett stopped crying and smiled. "I promise I won't embarrass you in front of the hired help."
"See that you don't," Dirk said. "Now, my little bundle of joy, it's time to have a hearty breakfast and see how the poor people live. I hope you don't ruin that beautiful skin with another shower. I think we should give each other a tingling lotion rubdown later this afternoon while our hosts are slaving in the kitchen. If that doesn't do the trick, we'll have to have another application tonight. I see you are getting all excited about that prospect. Come on, let's go, or we'll have to take a cold shower so I don't make love to you again."
They found Noel in the family kitchen having breakfast with the boys. "Good morning. What would you people like for breakfast? You can order anything you like from the main kitchen, or you can prepare your own breakfast, the choice is yours."
"If you don't mind, we'll fix our own breakfast, thank you," Dirk said.
"Great, as long as you don't ask me to do it. I'm saving my energy for our big dinner tonight. Have you met my little family? Ignore that tall good-looking guy, he's not mine. Nevertheless, he is my favorite nephew, Lance Stevens. He belongs to Mac. Now, this good-looking teenager is my oldest son, Jason, and the other handsome guy is my youngest, Eric, the terrible. Scott is up in the nursery with the princess. They should be down in a little while."
"Thanks for the well-deserved compliments, Uncle Noel. I've already had the pleasure of meeting the Harcourt's last night," Lance said.
"Lance is always so polite. In fact, all three of the boys are well-mannered. I sometimes wonder if they're in the wrong house. Lance has decided to do the right thing and join my honorable profession, becoming a lawyer like me and his dad. Jason has decided to become a doctor like his Uncle Scott, and Eric, my youngest, has decided to become a financial genius and watch over our money."
"That reminds me. I may have to tap your allowance, Eric, to pay for last night's party."
"I guess I'm going to have to settle for the Jeep instead of the Rolls for college," Eric said. "Right, Dad?"
"It looks that way. Now, what outrage have you three planned for today?"
Jason smiled, "Aunt Claudia has invited all of us over for the weekend. We wanted to know if that was all right with you."
"Did you run this by Uncle Scott? He has the duty this weekend, and I don't know if he had anything special planned. I thought we had scheduled a lobotomy on Eric this weekend."
Jason laughed, "No, Dad, we did that on Thursday. Haven't you noticed how well Eric is behaving today? We checked with Uncle Scott already. He said it was fine with him. We just needed your permission."
"What about Lance? Isn't he your weekend guest?"
"Uncle Mac said Lance could go with us."
"Are you all packed and ready to go?"
"Yes, sir."
"What about you, Eric; are you all packed?"
"I helped him pack this morning, Dad; he's fine."
Noel called security and said, "The boys are ready to leave for Pound Ridge. Will you order the helicopter and notify their security guards, please?"
Noel called Charles King to let him know that the boys would be on their way in ten minutes.
"You guys be good, and don't give your Aunt Claudia any trouble. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon. I hope you have your homework done."
"We did it last night, Dad."
They got up from the table and hugged their father, kissed him on the cheek and left.
"Nice, well-mannered boys," Brett said.
"Yes, they are, and we are very proud of them. They have turned out just fine. Their mother did a fine job raising them, God bless her. We still fly down to Charleston on her birthday and Mothers' Day to visit Leanne's grave. Scott has been wonderful with them and they adore him. He is a gentle person and very patient with the children."
"They run to him with all their aches and pains. He listens to their stories and fills that need for them. I keep telling him it's only because he's a doctor. Wait 'til you see his daughter; she is adorable."
"The boys have become very attached to Drew's family. The King family are the best, which is a good thing. Claudia adds that female touch that they need."
"I can't get over Lance, he looks like Mac," Dirk said. "What a fine young man he is. He is so polite and well-mannered. I talked to him for a while last night. He is very intelligent and acts and thinks like an adult, a remarkable young man."
Noel smiled, "He is an adult. He can buy and sell all of us. I love Lance like one of my own sons. He has been a good influence on the boys. They're almost like brothers since they're always together, either here, or at the Retreat. All the MacDonald-Stevens children attend the Lenore Stevens Academy that Mac and Drew began as a memorial for Lenore. The King family children attend as well. They are super kids, all of them."
"The boys became very tight, I guess because they both lost their mothers. Lance didn't have the opportunity to live with Lenore that long, but they had formed a close bond in that short time. Lance is so much like Mac. You would never know that Lance is not his real son. The similarity does not end with their physical appearance. It goes way beyond that. Lance acts and thinks like Mac. It's uncanny at times; never-the-less, it's true. That was another match made in heaven; there is no other way to explain it. There is a strong bond of mutual understanding and affection between them. To this day Lance never goes to sleep until he says good night to Mac. Mac will call exactly at eight every night, even when he's out of town. If it's impossible for Mac to make the call, Drew will fill in for him. Those three are like the holy trinity, not to be disrespectful, but that's the way they are. Lance has dinner with them every evening and knows everything that goes on in both firms. They discuss the business in his presence and encourage him to participate in the conversation if he has something to add. They feel it's a good learning experience for him. Lance is a genius, yet he's down to earth like any other boy his age. We like to have him around and the feeling is mutual. Of course, he's very close to Scott. He's the surgeon who gave Lance his new face. Scott visited him faithfully every day during his recovery."
"Ask Drew to tell you the story about Lance one day. Be prepared to shed a few tears, because it's so sad. Mac refuses to talk about those days. All I can say is that he is a remarkable young man when you consider what he went through; maybe that's why he acts like an adult. Scott feels he is very well adjusted and has the right attitude. He has completely adjusted to his new life and he is happy. As far as Lance is concerned, Mac is his father and Drew is his uncle. The three of them are compatible. As I've said, there is a mutual understanding between them that is remarkable. I've seen Lance walk into Mac's office as quiet as a mouse if Mac is working. He'll sit in one of the chairs and not say a word; usually he'll read, or doze off. Mac said Lance does this when he needs to reassure himself every once a while."
"Lance will do the same with Drew. It never seems to bother them. Drew told me he enjoys the company, even if he doesn't speak."
"I hear the helicopter arriving," Noel said. "Join me while I wave goodbye to the troops."
The three men walked out to the front entrance. The boys and their two security guards were waiting for the chopper blades to come to a complete stop. Then they picked up their bags and walked to the aircraft. A few seconds later, one of the security guards ran to Noel and handed him an envelope. The engine came to life again and they lifted off the pad.
Noel handed Brett the envelope, "This is from Pete Schneider."
"He's a man of his word, our man Pete."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Harcourt Oil Building
Three years had passed since Dirk joined Harcourt Oil. Brett was no closer to the culprits who were causing problems in the company.
Dirk thrived in the corporate environment and was enjoying his position as VP of Special Projects and Advanced Planning. He was, in essence, Brett's troubleshooter and traveled all over the country calling on the Harcourt Refinery, or the petrochemical plants. The position allowed Dirk the opportunity to work with the people in the field, which he enjoyed. He was in his element and he was efficient and fair-minded. He had the knack for finding the underlying cause of a problem and helping to cut the red tape to short circuit the bureaucracy. The professionals enjoyed working with him to get the job done. All it took was a phone call to Brett, and bingo, it was approved. The word quickly spread to the managers and they looked forward to his visits. They had the ear of the big boss, and so it went.
He was also earning the reputation as a tough-minded executive. He did not hesitate in firing any employee who was not a team player. Not only was he doing an effective job learning the business, but also he was helping to improve employee morale. He made it a point to inspect every plant from the bottom up and was on a first name basis with everyone in the plants. He was the first Harcourt who ever did that. God help you if you did not deliver on a commitment. The people in the field loved him, because he was their kind of people.
It was that time of year again, the annual Board of Directors meeting. Brett was the chairman and Molly was present as vice-chairman. The meeting was called to order and the presentations made. After the routine business was concluded Brett said, "I have a few announcements to make before we adjourn this meeting. Glen Lambert called me earlier this morning to inform me that he will be going into the hospital next week for quadruple bypass heart surgery. His doctor said he will be out of the office at least two months or more."
"Glen asked that I appoint Dirk Harcourt to stand in for him while he is on medical leave. As of Monday, Dirk will become acting President of Harcourt Oil until Glen returns."
Brett turned to his secretary, "Will you read the names of the three candidates nominated for promotion to senior vice presidents and executive vice-president please?"
"Do I hear a motion on these promotions?" Brett said. One of the directors made the motion to approve the slate, and the motion was seconded and that was all it took to make Dirk, president of Harcourt.
Molly said, "Congratulations, Dirk, would you like to address the board?"
Dirk was stunned. He looked at Brett who winked to him and then around to the rest of the board. "Mr. Chairman, Madam Chairman, fellow Directors. I had no idea walking into this meeting that I would become acting president. It is a great honor for me, even if it is for only a few months. I look forward to working with you and ask that you give me the same cooperation and support that you have given Glen."
Dirk sat down and he was given a round of applause. They all shook Dirk's hand and left the room. The only ones left in the Board Room were Molly, Brett and Dirk.
"This is a great opportunity for me," Dirk said, "I want to thank you both from the bottom of my heart for this honor."
"You've worked hard and have proven that you are presidential timber," Molly said. "You've earned the promotion and I can't think of anyone who deserves it more. I know you will both make this company, once again, the great company it was. God bless you both. If you will excuse me now, I'm late for my doctor's appointment. Come on, boys; give your mother a big hug."
After walking Molly to the elevator, they went into Brett's office and closed the door. They walked into Brett's private bathroom. Dirk pulled Brett into his arms and kissed him. He held him for a long time saying nothing. "You did it again, you beautiful creature; you have given me another gift. God, what did I ever do to deserve a wonderful spouse like you, my love?"
"That's easy. You fell in love with me and married me, so you see it's really quite simple. Mother has agreed to hold down the fort and watch the children for a whole week. Our bags are packed and loaded on the plane. We are leaving for Paradise Island as soon as you unhand me. I figured you would need the break before you start your new job as president."
Dirk kissed him once again, "Let's go, baby, I'm ready."
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They were having breakfast on their patio the next morning looking out over the blue-green water of the Caribbean. "I love you more than I ever thought possible," Brett said. "Every time I sit here with you scanning this lovely view, I think of the glorious four years we have been together. Do you realize how fast time has flown by? Our four babies are growing up. Just think, next year the older ones will be starting kindergarten, and your two daughters are in high school. I never thought I could be so happy."
"You're still the most romantic and exciting lover I have ever known," Dirk said. "I fell in love with you five summers ago, yet you have become more handsome and more appealing every day. We have been blessed with fine, healthy children and we have a good life together. I hope that you feel the same way fifty years from now."
"You know," Brett said, "sometimes I miss our days together at Harcourt Marine. Life was so much simpler then. We spent so many marvelous days working together. It was a more peaceful life. I don't feel the same way running Harcourt Oil."
"Look, my love; if you don't like running Harcourt Oil, than let's get out of it. Why spend life doing something you're not happy with? We can go back to Harcourt Marine and fall in love all over again. You are the most important person in my life. I love you and want you to be happy. I'll do whatever you want. Hell, we can stay home and take care of the kids. We don't need the money. Let's do what makes us happy; screw the oil business. We can sell it to Mac."
"Don't think it's not a tempting offer," Brett said. "I'll tell you what … let's give it two years. If we both feel the same way, then we'll sell the company to Mac."
"You've got a deal, my love; now I think we should go to bed and make love."
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To be continued...
Posted: 05/11/12