"Not sure my dad would want your ugly lips on his ass anyway." I laughed as he popped me in the chest. "Keep your money, old man. I'm good right now."
"You sure, Finn? I don't mind paying for the switch."
"Naw. It's good. You have three kids at home and it's almost Christmas. Use that on them. I'm alright right now. Honestly."
He patted me on the back, and I grabbed three donuts and a napkin before returning to my dad's office.
"You want one?" I lifted my hand to show two of the donuts hanging from my fingers.
"No. I want them both." He reached out and took them, giving me a wicked smile and shoving a whole one in his mouth. "Sit."
"Shit?" I asked, tilting my head to
the side.
"No. Sit," he mumbled around the donut and reached for his massive mug of coffee that went wherever he did.
"No shit?"
I sat down and smiled, unable to help myself. It was rare for my father to be in a good mood, and he wasn't that morning, either, but I'd take anything I could get.
"Did Cliff talk with you?"
"Yes, Sir. I switched with him."
"And, he's paying you to do that, right?" My father lifted his eyebrow.
"He wanted to, but I'm good. He's got kids at home, and I don't mind the manual labor. Keeps me in shape for the ladies." I rubbed my chest and wagged my eyebrows.
"You moved out two months ago and have had to borrow money each month to make your rent. You need to stop being so damn nice and start getting paid for all of these favors, Finn. A real businessman makes money, not gives it away."
I nodded. "I know, I just couldn't take it from him. I'll pay you back. I'll pick up a few extra days on the schedule."
"That'll work." My father glanced down before looking back up at me like he had something else to say.
"What?"
"You spending Christmas at the house?"
"Of course, Dad. I'll be there on Christmas Eve and that morning. Don't expect nothing big, though. My boss is a stingy mother fucker." I stood up and leaned over, rustling some of the papers on his desk.
"Get out of here. Pain in my ass." He kept his face turned down, but I could see the hint of a smile on his lips. It made my day.
I stopped by the supply room and stole a pair of thick gloves and lifted three shovels from the bin that held them before walking back out into the freezing cold wind. We'd had a great snow a few days back, which was kick ass for the slopes and the tourists, but for those of us who worked and lived on the big mountain, not so much.
"Be safe out there, Finn," Milly called to me as she walked out of the front door of the warehouse.
My dad's secretary would have made him a perfect girlfriend, but he saw her as a business associate and nothing else. The woman was beautiful, with long blonde hair that she braided down one side of her shoulder and big blue eyes. Her body was a little on the thick side, but curvy and feminine. If she wasn't twenty years my senior and so good to my father, I'd have already taken her to bed.
"Yes, ma'am. Take care of my father? Make sure the old bat eats something healthy today."
"Will do, baby. Just be safe."
I smiled and climbed into the truck. I had to find a way to get them together soon. Milly was starting to grow restless in life and would do what most women who didn't get what they wanted did...she'd leave and find it elsewhere. That would be a huge loss for my father.
I popped my cellphone into the hands-free device and hit the button for my best friend Brian before turning on my lights and windshield wipers. The snow had started to fall again, which would make for a long and painfully cold day.
"Hey, buddy. Why are you calling me so damn early? Not all of us work our asses off for a hot meal and warm body to sleep next to."