June 8, 2004, Fairfax, Georgia
Adam Fairfax stepped out from behind his desk and greeted his brother-in-law with a smile, a warm handshake and a friendly thump on the shoulder. âRon, itâs good to see you. How was your flight?â
âNo major problems for once, but I travel too much and the flyingâs getting real old, if you want to know the truth.â Ron Raven clapped the younger man on the back and pumped his hand. âYouâre looking fitter than ever, Adam, damn you. Still running those marathon races of yours?â
âHalf marathons these days. Itâs all I have time to train for. But I guess I canât complain. My work scheduleâs a stroll in the park compared to yours. Every time I speak to Avery or Paul they tell me youâre on a plane or just getting off one.â
Ron sighed. âSeems that way to me, too, and flyingâs no fun these days, thatâs for sure. Shuffling through those security lines in your socks is about as enjoyable as watching mold grow on the shower wall.â
Adam reached into his top desk drawer and pulled out the loan agreement that had been ready for his brother-in-lawâs signature for the past week. âIt must be stressful, too, even when youâve learned all the insider tips for making the process a bit easier.â
âYouâre right, itâs very stressful. My blood pressureâs through the roof.â Ron looked momentarily gloomy, then chuckled. âBut that sister of yours is something else. A tyrant who looks like an angel. Averyâs determined to keep me healthy even if we both die in the attempt. She tells me Iâve gotta eat lots of fish and green leafy vegetables and then Iâll live to be a hundred. I told her that if all I can eat is fish and vegetables, why the hell would I want to live that long?â
Adam laughed in sympathy. âBut Avery doesnât listen, of course.â
âOf course not. Just keeps serving the damn spinach. And salmon. Thatâs her other biggie. Iâm surprised you didnât tell me my skinâs turned orange from all the salmon she makes me eat.â
âThatâs my sister for you.â Adam gestured for Ron to sit down. âBeneath the Southern charm, sheâs just like our motherâas stubborn as a mule.â
âWell, thatâs not unique to Avery, or even your mother! I swear stubborn is built into the female DNA.â Ron chuckled. âStill, I wouldnât be without âem, not for all the tea in China. You should try getting married, Adam. Workaholics like us need women to keep us in line.â
âThe hell we do.â Adam smiled. âListening to you always reminds me of all the reasons Iâm happy to be a bachelor.â
âYou just havenât met the right woman,â Ron said. âTrust me, youâre gonna fall hard one of these days and then youâll wonder how you held out so long.â
Adam pulled a wry face. âHas my sister deputized you as her front man? Youâre parroting her lines.â
âWell, shoot, Adam, you caught me out. But what do you expect? Iâm just a western cowboy. Iâm no match for a steel magnolia like your sister. When she gives me orders, I salute and say, Yes, maâam,â Ron replied. âIâm a brave man, but Iâm not stupid.â
Adam sighed. âIâve learned there are few things in this life harder to resist than the genteel nagging of a Southern lady. I should just give up and marry the next woman Avery parades in front of me.â
âDonât.â Ron was suddenly serious. âIgnore the nagging, genteel or otherwise.â He stabbed his forefinger into the desk for emphasis. âDespite what I said earlier, donât marry to satisfy anyone except yourself. Iâve seen what happens when a man marries to please his family and it isnât pretty.â
âAt the moment, Iâm in no danger of marrying, period. Running the bank hasnât left much time for socializing this past year. And speaking of socializing, I hope you have time to stay for lunch today.â
âI was planning on it. Thanks.â
âWeâll go to the Oak Room.â Adam gave a conspiratorial glance. âTheir beef is the best in townâand I promise not to report back to Avery if you order French fries.â
âYouâre a mighty fine brother-in-law, Adam. Knew I could count on you for more than money.â Ron grinned as he drew out a stack of papers from his briefcase, and Adam grinned back, appreciating his brother-in-lawâs camaraderie. Both men were perfectly well aware that Ronald Howatch Raven, founder and senior partner of Raven Enterprises, Inc., could raise money wherever the hell he wanted and that Adam, in fact, was very much the junior partner in this deal, even though he was the man handing over the money.