269 barbecue

Jeffrey Carson was large, much like his sons, a cold and hard man who always behaved in inappropriate ways. He used different methods to test people, one of which was not saying a word; even though he didn't say it, there was a time when he envied Thomas Carson, who, in his eyes, was an idealist—something he both liked and disliked. However, his son was a force to be reckoned with; he religiously read the Sunday newspaper every morning and didn't mind seeing that his nephew had enough money to buy fifty ranches. He had a preference for the entertainment world, but the birth of someone famous didn't impress him much. It was a different story for his incredulous sons, who now looked at everything with different eyes.

-Sir, - Billy replied.

-Ma'am, - Billy responded to Savannah, attentively. At least he had humility, but of course, as a businessman, he must have been an expert at reading people. He observed it in some experienced ranchers—the clean face, almost unflappable by emotions. When he raised his eyebrows, Thomas's face appeared, only Billy was more tanned and confident at Thomas's age.

-Come, I'll introduce you to the boys, and you, miss, it's nice that you're with us, - Savannah replied, making a conciliatory gesture as she greeted Gwyneth with a kiss, with some particular interest in how everything unfolded—only the women somewhat included the petite blonde.

-Thank you, Auntie. This is Gwyneth Paltrow, my companion. She wandered away from home a bit and decided to tag along with me, - Billy replied.

-I just follow Billy, who usually has many important things to do every day... I can't keep up with his schedule. I like following him now that he has the decency to relax, - Gwyneth said.

-Don't even mention it, honey. They always embark on tasks until nightfall, dawn, dusk, and night again, always busy doing many things they shouldn't be doing, - Savannah said.

Introducing the young children of the Carson family, the eldest was working and couldn't join, but he hadn't been home for a while. He followed in his father's footsteps; he was a rancher, cowboy, and the strictest of them all. Next was Colton, who was nineteen and would be going to university next year, followed by Cassidy, the woman and darling of the house.

The youngest was Aaron, who was still a baby. Very tender. Colton managed everything that needed to be done for the gathering, while his father tried to get him to mingle with the people Jeffrey put in view. The barbecue began as the guests arrived; the interest in talking to Billy was obvious, and many of them were present only because of Billy, who wanted to establish some connections. He responsibly answered all the questions posed by the people who approached him.

Among them were some town councilors, smaller-scale businessmen who focused on state-level sales of livestock products, and ranchers concerned about their land, but most were businessmen who played at being cowboys, according to the words of his grandfather, who had joined the words of those businessmen and descended into the multiplication of his income years ago, now dedicated to agriculture, livestock, and shares in leather materials sales, a special garment company still owned by Richard, supposedly to be handed over to Thomas in his lifetime, something Jeffrey disagreed with, as he wanted it for his family.

-We'll adjust, - Billy said, observing the circles forming around him.

-No problem, let's have a drink, have some of that good beer your dear uncle is serving, and lighten the mood. I see you're still talking business in a family setting. My father says that happens when people can't understand each other and prefer to find a middle ground to solve the absent space of words, which is business—you must know that many people just want to continue with the family gathering, but talking with you is somewhat complicated, - Gwyneth said, alongside Billy, trying some spicy meat skewers.

-I guess I'm complicated... I try to be as open as possible. I don't see why things started shaping up that way, - Billy said.

-It's the demeanor. My father always says that demeanor makes people retreat. Try to smile at them a little more and calm down. Have you tried, or do you want us to step away for a while and relieve your stress? We couldn't relax you yesterday, - Gwyneth said, stroking Billy's forehead. She had long hair, due to her previous roles that required long hair, and she hadn't cut it, but the detective profile required her to cut it.

-Simple solutions, - Billy repeated, a word he heard from Kurt Russell. Relationship problems often have basic roots, like people's tendency to bond when meeting others repeatedly. He used small gestures to support his reserved behavior.

-Simple solutions; your father is getting married soon, - Gwyneth said.

-Yes, on December eighth, two days before the 'Seven' casting. Have there been any updates on the movie? - Billy asked.

-I'm not really up to date, but apparently, many people have turned down the role, - the blonde replied.

This role was ignored by Sylvester Stallone and Denzel Washington, both for more or less reasons. To Billy, it was a dream, but others were present, and many probably saw the charm of the script, though it wasn't particularly unique or noteworthy. Like many movies, its success or failure would only be evident in its execution, and only then would the outcome be seen.

-Billy, let me introduce you to Robert. He's a councilman and an old friend from high school, - Richard said, presenting an older, gray-haired man of the same age, who appeared more well-kept.

-Robert, come here. This is my grandson Billy, the entrepreneur, - Richard said. Robert was tall but hunched, wearing a suit that even hugged his neck tightly. He sported a dark blue suit with a vest adorned with brown designs along the edges, exuding elegance. He came from a long-standing family tradition—they owned a large ranch that accommodated 4,000 to 6,000 head of cattle per year, along with a small lot for celebrations. Their children ventured into politics and veterinary medicine. A clan, that's what they were.

-I see. He's the one with the gaming company in Dallas, - Robert remarked.

-Yes, sir, - Billy replied, well aware that he might have been the friend who helped his grandfather with the building purchase, given the number of friends he must have had after 30 years in politics.

-How's the company going? I'm not particularly knowledgeable about gaming companies, although yours is among the most successful young companies in the county, - Robert replied.

-Everything's been fruitful. We continue to expand, and I believe next year our sales will double compared to this year. The gaming sector has grown considerably, and in a few years, we'll see gaming companies becoming more prevalent in some areas, - Billy said.

-Technology has begun to be a significant part of the country's GDP. There are new inventions that have made a lot of money. As Richard was saying, we provide essential goods, but we'll continue under the same guise. I'm surprised things aren't aligning with our perspectives, and before long, we may leave or be consumed by these divergent industries, - Robert commented.

-I don't think that's possible. While it's true that they'll change people's lives, I don't think that order can be simply rearranged. Investments may shift elsewhere, but meat will remain a fundamental part, as will raw materials, agriculture, and other needs of suitable places, - Billy remarked.

-Relegated to a corner to box on our own, - Robert said.

-A very spacious corner, - Richard replied, oblivious to Robert's digressions. The young ones will make their way as best they can, excelling in their fields on their terms.

Jeffrey joined them and spoke quietly with Robert, while Billy watched Colton, who seemed more concerned with getting close to a young woman who had come than paying attention to his surroundings. They danced for a while and played cards in the evening, both leaving early to prevent Richard's occasional bouts of strong, dry coughing that choked his chest.

-I can't believe how much you love meat. You've got two kilos of just meat, - Gwyneth said.

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