The trailer door squeals. I peek over my shoulder to find Cliff filling the gap created by the open door. The December night rushes in, a shock to the system. “Got a problem out here, Knox.”
Knox sighs loudly enough for the crew to hear above their giant equipment. “I’ll be there in a minute, man,” he grumbles. If anything, his hold on me tightens, as if he’s not any more ready to go than I am ready for him to leave.
“No,now. Looks like Crawford broke his leg.”
I know Knox cares about his men, so I figure it’s a testament to his extreme fatigue the way he throws his head back and groans, “You havegotto be kidding me.”
Cliff grunts. “Don’t I wish. And for the record, your brother is freaking out.” He ducks back outside and the door bangs.
Knox shakes his head hard and stands. “I’m sorry, Everly. I’ve got to go.”
“Of course you do.” I pat his arm, my hand sliding along his sleeve as he moves toward the row of hooks where his coat hangs. He puts it on, grabs a hard hat off a chair, and turns, grinning. “I was really looking forward to that chicken fried steak.”
“It’ll be here when you get back.” Whenever that might be.
“But will you?”
I check my watch, even though I already know the answer. “They need me at the diner.” Suzy didn’t like the idea of being left in charge.
His smile is resigned. “That’s what I thought. Won’t be the same without you.”
Our eyes touch and hold. So many feelings. I clear my throat. “You better hurry.”
Another longsuffering sigh shows the depth of not only his fatigue but of his reluctance to leave…me.
Lest any doubts remain about him using work to dodge me, the exhaustion and sheer frustration lining his face erase them. “I’ll call later.” He throws his head back, shakes it. “I’lltryto call.”
“I’ll be there when you do.”
Softness plays through his eyes, and his attention lingers as if he’s memorizing my face until next time. “Alrighty then. I’m gone.”
I rush toward the door. “Hey, Knox?”
He pokes his head back in. I’d say he’s cute in his hard hat, butcuteisn’t nearly a strong enough word.
“Christmas Eve is in three days. Will you come for dinner?” The idea has been bouncing around my head for days. I finally made the suggestion to Mom, and she was on it like a kid begging to open presents on Christmas morning.
His face splits slowly with sparkling delight, brighter than the megawatt lights making nighttime work possible. “Text me the time, Ev…and I will be there with jingle bells on.”
Chapter 25
Knox
If it’s not one thing, it’s another.
I’ve never felt this oldie but goodie cliché more acutely than I do now. The Chandor job has practically become a comedy of errors. Makes me question my competence. If I weren’t the boss, I’d fire myself.
My time with Everly has fast become the only redeeming aspect of my stay in the smallish town I’d otherwise be in a rush to leave.
And what a redemption my time with her has been. I’m putting one big boot out on a limb and acknowledging that my holiday season assignment has taken on the feel of a defining moment, every bit as giant a one as last year’s.
They say when you meet the right one, you know. It’s early yet, but a sense of certainty has been crystalizing in my gut since…well, since the night Everly tore into me for stiffing her on dinner.
I pull the lever, lowering the bucket into a trench. Crud, it stinks so bad that all I have time for is work. And every time it rains—literally and metaphorically—my work gets tougher. The crew is well rid of Mike, but now with Crawford out of commission, we’re down two skilled workers. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate, their absence has created a need for my butt to spend hours running a backhoe.
Poor guy, Crawford won’t be decking the halls any time soon. His tibia will be receiving a pin sometime later today. Jumped down from the cab of the machine and wiped out in the mud. A move that happens a hundred times a day, but this time…man, this job is snakebit.
Always with his business mind in gear, Rand pushed for the discreet option of driving him to the emergency room in a company vehicle, but the fracture looked serious enough to make me worry about shock or something, so I insisted on calling an ambulance. I won the argument, which doesn’t happen all that often.
