1
Sawyer
“Sawyer, I’m going to need you to put in some extra time on the Meyer group. We need to be sure they’re completely happy with their vacation. They’re paying us a lot for a package that you’ve done well at marketing. Now you need to follow through.”
I stared at my dad, waiting for him to finish. Only I didn’t get to answer because Richard cut in right after Dad stopped talking.
“I’ve noticed you’re cutting out early a lot lately. You’ll need to go back to your normal hours in order to help us seal the deal with this group. The income they could bring from not only repeat visits, but by telling their friends and family about how great we are would really be a dream,” my brother Richard said.
I just glared at him and, in turn, my father. Somehow leaving at three one day for a doctor’s appointment was early. I’d been at work until almost midnight every day for the past several months. Yet, that was “normal”?
“I left early one day for a checkup with my doctor. And since when is working from 6:00 a.m. until midnight normal hours?” I asked.
“You have to give the lodge your all, Sawyer, and then some. You’re young. You don’t need to go to the doctor for a checkup. And if Richard says you work until midnight, you work until one in the morning. We need to bring in new clientele. Having the Meyer group here will do that. Now get off your ass and go make sure they have an enjoyable visit,” Dad said.
“My job is public relations and marketing. I’m supposed to make you look good. Not the customers. And it’s not my job to make them happy once they’re here,” I told them.
“It is now,” Richard said. He stood up and tossed a packet toward me, and I barely had enough time to catch the thing.
“I’m not an event manager. Get Shelly to do it,” I said and held out the packet. Richard glared, and his cheeks turned red.
“She’s not feeling the best and is only working half days.”
“Oh, so it’s fine for your wife to work part-time, but I have to slave to you two? Fuck that,” I said as I stood up and tossed the packet on our father’s desk.
“Sit down, Sawyer,” Dad growled out.
“No. I’m not going to sit down.” I pointed a finger at Richard while staring at our father. “I’m not feeling well either and need to cut back on hours.”
“Absolutely not,” Richard said.
I looked to my father, and he shook his head at me. “Whatever it is that you think you have, work through it. The company needs you to pick up the pace. You’ve been slacking, and that’s unacceptable.”
“Fine. Then consider this my two weeks’ notice. I’ll have a written one on your desk within the hour.” I stepped around the chair and headed to the door. I knew I wasn’t going to get through to either of them.
“You step through that door, you can just get off the property. I’ll not have a son of mine shirking his family duty. When you’re ready to do as your brother says, you can come back. Not until then.”
I turned around, my hand on the doorknob, and glared at my father. “Fine. I’ll grab my stuff from my desk and be gone within a few minutes. I can’t believe you’d choose a ski lodge over the health of your own son.” I looked at Richard with contempt. “But then again, I’ve always known that I’m definitely not the favorite.”
With that, I left the office and let the door close behind me. I heard shouting almost immediately, but I didn’t care. I was finished.
I rubbed my stomach when a sharp pain stabbed it. I needed another antacid it seemed, and a quick glance at my watch said I needed to eat again soon. I’d grab something on the way home to my apartment because I didn’t want to stay here any longer than necessary. Who knew what Dad or Richard would try to pull.
I printed up a formal resignation when I got back to my office and signed it. A quick glance around the tiny room that I’d worked in for the past six years had me feeling disgust. My office was a fucking closet while Richard had one that was just as large as our father’s. And sadly, there wasn’t anything in it except my desk, the chair that was uncomfortable, and my laptop. I