He’d been selling himself since he pulled his head out of his ass after graduation.
With no formal education, he had to work harder and start lower than most guys to get where he was.
A little hard work hurt no one. Got that from his grandmother.
He just didn’t want to be busting his ass like this for the next fifty years.
“If I don’t do it, I can’t expect anyone else to,” he said.
“That was always my thought,” Grant said, slapping him on the back. “Garrett and me, we had to learn to hustle. The same with my older brother, Gavin. If you can’t find pride in your work, no one else is going to.”
“You sound just like my grandmother,” he said.
“Bet she’s a wise woman,” Grant said. “Jim, Royce. We got lucky today. Chance is our man.”
He shook hands with the two men, pushed away the fact that Jim’s daughter had been in his arms yesterday, and walked around the space checking on the work.
“Everything looks good. I’m going to sign off on it now.”
“My men will be in here with the paint and flooring next, get this punched out in a week and get those tenants in here,” Royce said.
“That’s what we like to hear,” Grant said. “Move things along fast. I was just telling Jim the other day that it was nice to see Jocelyn taking an interest and getting out of the building. You two said you knew each other.”
What the hell? How did this come up?
“We went to school together,” he said. “Not that we hung around in the same crowd or anything.”
“My daughter was friends with everyone,” Jim said. “Always been a friendly girl and well liked.”
“She was, if I remember correctly,” he said. He was looking between the men. Royce was grinning as if there was some joke he didn’t know about, Jim frowning, and Grant smiling.
“We won’t keep you here too long,” Grant said. “I’m sure you’re busy.”
“I am. Talk to you later,” he said and left the building.
Should he let Jocelyn know he just talked to her father?
Nah. That’d be stupid. It was work related. He’d been talking to her father for years and this was no different.
“What was that all about?”Jim asked Grant when Chance left.
“He’s throwing bait in the water,” Royce said. “Been there, done that, and have seen the signs for years with everyone else in these buildings.”
“Thanks, Royce,” Grant said. “I was trying to get a feel for things.”
“What things?” Jim asked.
“I’m out of here,” Royce said. “Got things to do on another floor.”
Jim watched his daughter-in-law’s brother walk out, leaving him there with Grant. “What are you baiting?”
“Jocelyn,” Grant said. “With Chance.”
“What? You’re kidding me.”
“Nope,” Grant said. “When the two of them were together a few weeks ago, there were enough sparks flying in their gaze that I thought for sure Chance would change gear to put the fire out.”
Interesting.
