Cane nodded and, with a heavy sigh, left. I glanced at the clock and grabbed the pamphlet that advertised all of the public bids in Arizona and started pouring through them. I began compiling a list of plans for Lucy to acquire.
A few hours later, a text popped up on my phone, breaking my concentration.
Cane:Grady says he has no clue.
I didn’t bother responding;there wasn’t anything to say. I didn’t have any answers, although I wished to hell I did.
I had managed to clear my head as best as I could and got some work done. A few hours later, I was ready to just go home and be with Kari. I started putting things in my briefcase when a light knock sounded on the door.
“Yeah?” I asked without looking up.
“Hey,” Sam’s voice said softly. “You okay?”
I nodded, latching my briefcase shut. “Did you give me Kari’s stuff?”
A look flashed across her face before she replied, “You know what? I forgot it at home. I’ll try to remember it tomorrow.”
I sat my briefcase on my desk and put one hand on either side, leaning forward and looking at her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“We had a job on the schedule as a possibility for next week. I went ahead and added it into the estimating program in case you wanted to play with it,” she said, her face falling a bit. “And I’m really sorry about today, Max.”
“Yeah, well, shit happens,” I sighed. “Thanks for entering that one. I’ll log in from home tonight and see if it’s worth our time. At this point, we need something big.”
“I hate that you’re working all day here and then all night at home, too. You need to try to rest a little. You’re wearing yourself out.”
She was so right. Every bone, muscle, fiber in my being ached. I didn’t have the energy to even walk to my truck, let alone pour through more projects when I got home.
“The boss doesn’t get to rest until the work’s done,” I smiled halfheartedly. “I’m gonna need you to come in early for the rest of the week if you can. It’s all hands on deck until we get something figured out.”
She grinned. “Of course. No problem.”
I don’t know if it was the light coming in the window or thefeeling of knowing she was there to help, but Sam seemed so grown up standing there. She had been in my life for a long time, but I didn’t really know what was going on in hers. “What are you doing tonight? Anything fun?”
She tucked her tongue into her cheek, her eyes glimmering before responding, “I’m going out again with Blaine.”
“Ah, how’s that working for ya? Nice guy?”
She shifted her weight. “He is. He’s a super nice guy. Very cute, very sweet.”
I nodded, happy to see her happy. “That’s good. He has a job and a clean criminal record?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Stop acting like my big brother. This guy is a total catch...ifI can get him to get past his hang-up on his ex-girlfriend.”
“If anyone can do that, it’s you and your relentlessness,” I laughed.
“You mean it’s not my award-winning personality?”
I pressed my lips together. “Ah, no.”
“Thanks a lot!” she giggled. “No, seriously, he’s really great. We’ve gone out a few times, but he seems kinda skittish. All I know is that some girl put him through the wringer. He’s told me bits and pieces—that they were going to get married and then she wound up pregnant and he wasn’t ready for it. By the time he kind of got his head wrapped around it, he heard she aborted it. It kind of messed him up, I think.”
“Wow,” I said, my mouth dropping. “That would mess with your head. I feel bad for the guy already. Just give him some time to come around. It’ll work out if it’s supposed to.”
Sam bit the inside of her cheek and I knew her head was going a million miles an hour. She dipped her chin and looked at me through her lashes, a mischievous grin on her face.
“What?” I asked, knowing I was going to get talked into something.
“Want to do me a favor and scan him for me?”
