Chapter 34
SPENCER
“You get laid last night or what?”
The taunts started before my truck had barely rolled to a stop.
“What?” I asked, jumping out of the cab into the sun. Adjusting my sunglasses, I walked towards the half-finished house. It had been a while since I’d been on site. Usually I was trapped in the office dealing with the paperwork. Some days, when the sun was high in the sky, I hated Kane.
“What’s with the grin, pretty boy?” Kane asked as he leapt from the scaffolding, landing with a thud.
“Who’s happy?”
“Don’t even fucking deny it. That grin on your ugly mug can’t get any bigger.” Kane clapped his hand on my shoulder heavily.
“Deny what?”
“Either you got some or you’re going to. Nothing else makes a guy that happy this early in the morning.”
“Is that all you think about it?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not like that,” I explained, waving him off. “Windows here yet?”
“Yeah, arrived yesterday. Half are already installed. Don’t try and change the subject. What do you mean it’s not like that?”
“It’s just not.”
“Zoe?”
“Yep. She’s coming home.” I couldn’t hold back the smile as it consumed me. I felt my heart race but didn’t care. Zoe coming home felt too damn good to pretend otherwise. It was about time.
“Home?” Kane queried, shooting me an odd look.
“Yeah?” I didn’t understand his question.
“Nothing,” he dismissed, leading me across the site as I settled my hard helmet on my head.
For the next couple of hours I managed to forget everything and concentrate on the house in front of me. It was taking shape?and ahead of schedule. I checked over plans, the construction, and caught up with the guys on site. Since Kane and I had started this business a couple of years ago we’d made the commitment to employ only local workers. As long as they showed up, did the work, we’d never had to look outside for help. Today wasn’t any different. Of the half dozen guys clambering around the house, dressed head to toe in fluorescent yellow, I recognised all of them. Calling out my hellos as I passed by, I filled two pages in my notebook with things to be looked at later.
Tossing my hard hat in the backseat, I slipped into the truck and headed back to the office. As I put the truck in gear, I heard my name being called out.
“Spencer!”
“What?” I replied, looking around before my eyes landed on Kane jogging towards me.
“You heading to the office?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Just thought you’d be heading home to your wife!” Kane laughed.
“Asshole,” I cursed, shaking my head. “You home tonight?”
“Nah. I’ll leave you two to your reunion. I’m sure I can find a special somebody to keep me warm.” Kane mocked as he strutted towards the house.
Without another word, I bounced off the gutter and pulled out onto the road. Now Kane had put the idea in my head, I realised I didn’t want to go back to the office. There was no way I’d be able to concentrate. Not now. Even with the pile of notes and a to-do list longer than my arm, I couldn’t find the energy to care. I may have been able to forget about Zoe for a while, but at the mention of her imminent return she once again consumed me. I felt the smile sneak across my face. There was no way in hell I’d be able to play it cool. Not this time. She was already on her way. I couldn’t have been more excited.
