And maybe we could finally stop wearing tool belts every damn day.
“You know what this means, right?” I say, glancing over at Noah. “We could finally level up. Big league stuff. No more scrambling between job sites like we’re in a marathon.”
He nods slowly, the weight of the opportunity sinking in. “We could stay in the office. Oversee. Manage.”
“Delegate,” I say with a grin.
Austin leans back, folding his arms with a smirk. “You two supervising from an office? That’ll be the day.”
I flip him off without looking, still caught up in the what-ifs. “I’m serious. This could change everything. We’ve been busting our asses for years. This kind of project? It’s the shot.”
Noah tilts his head. “What’s this guy like? McNeal?”
Austin’s face shifts, softening just a bit with respect. “He’s sharp. Self-made, started with nothing and built the McNeal Group from the ground up. He’s from Florida.”
I raise my eyebrows. “No kidding?”
“Yep. Grew up working construction with his old man. Then went into development, learned the business side, started small, and now…” Austin whistles. “Now he’s one of the biggest players in boutique hospitality. Still a family guy, though. Married with three kids. Smart as hell. Quick-witted, knows what he wants.”
I whistle low, impressed. “Sounds like the kind of guy I’d like to have a beer with.”
Austin grins. “Well, you’ll get the chance at the meeting next week. I’ll be at the meeting too, just to bridge the intro and keep things smooth.”
“Where’s it happening?” Noah asks.
“Here in town. He’s flying in to tour the land where the resort’s going to be built. We’ll meet at the site office near Briar Ridge, then head into town for lunch.”
I glance at Noah again, and he nods almost imperceptibly. We don’t even have to talk about it—we’re in.
“Alright,” I say, slapping my hand on Austin’s desk. “Let’s do it. Let’s go big.”
Noah’s grin widens. “Knew you’d say that.”
“Exactly,” Austin says. “He’s big on trusting the people he hires. If he likes you, he’ll give you the freedom to do things your way, as long as the job gets done right.”
Noah sits forward. “This is really happening.”
Austin grins. “Get ready, boys. This could be the beginning of something big.”
The Bistro at Honey Springs isn’t the kind of place Noah and I usually find ourselves in. No dust, no noise, no smell of sawdust in the air. Just dim lighting, warm colors, polished silverware, and soft piano music playing through hidden speakers.
Austin leads us in like he owns the place, nodding to the hostess, who guides us to a quiet corner booth. I take in the place as we walk, clean lines, subtle elegance, a wall of wine bottles, and soft chatter from midweek lunch patrons. Noah and I are dressed to impress, or at least as close to it as we get. He’s in his signature black-on-black, beard trimmed sharp, hair actually combed back. I went with a light blue button-up with the sleeves rolled just below my elbows, black dress pants, and loafers I had to dig out from the back of my closet.
We definitely clean up nice. Hell, I even put on cologne.
As we pass a table near the front, I catch a couple of women turning to watch us. One of them leans into her friend, whispering something with a smirk.
I nudge Noah and drop my voice. “If this whole construction gig doesn’t work out, I say we start a calendar. Blue-collar babes of Honey Springs. What do you think? You can be Mr. October.”
He gives me a side glance. “Only if you’re Mr. February. Gotta let the ladies thaw out after that chill you bring.”
I laugh, and Austin rolls his eyes as he slides into his seat.
“Can you two behave like professionals for thirty minutes?” he says.
“No promises,” I say, smirking as I take the seat across from him. Noah sits beside me and quietly scans the menu, probably not even reading the words.
Truth is, I’m nervous. I’ve been nervous since the moment Austin told us about this meeting. For the last few days, this has been all I can think about. I’ve been running timelines, budgets, team expansion plans, and even website upgrades in my head like a damn hamster on a wheel. We’ve built our company from the ground up. Every project, every long day, every busted knuckle has led us to this moment. And I don’t want to screw it up.
