Warmth flooded me, but I knew better than to dive in. I’d had enough of impulsive relationships. Besides that, it was possible that I was leaving soon. I’d only been contracted for these first two jobs. I didn’t want to get too attached and then have to leave my heart behind. “It’s probably best if we just take it slow. See where things go. Just until the production is finished.”
His chest rose and fell silently for what felt like a long time, an eternity, but eventually he nodded and spoke quietly. “You’re right. We should keep… whatever this is… to just the next few weeks. Until the post office restoration is done.”
We were both quiet after that, and soon Asher was asleep. My mind whirled as I tried to sleep, thinking over the conversation we’d just had and trying to parse out how I felt. All I knew was that I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I was happy.
Chapter 17 - Asher
Iwas anxious about going back to work for several reasons, not the least of which because I was also alone in the house to get ready for the day. I got myself dressed and out of the house with enough time to spare that I was able to swing by the coffee shop on the way to the job site. I spent more time than was strictly necessary thinking about my conversation with Micah from the other night, where we’d sort-of agreed that we’d keep our… situation quiet and on a time limit. I hated both of those ideas, but I knew it was for the best.
When I arrived at work, I parked and made my way into the foreman’s trailer where I found Jake. He was focused on what looked like a set of plans on his desk, but he looked up as I entered.
“Asher,” he said brightly. “Glad to have you back. How are you feeling?”
I nodded and shoved my hands into my pockets, feeling a little self-conscious. “I'm good. Mostly back to normal. Still a littleembarrassed.”What kind of carpenter can't use a ladder?The unwelcome thought raced through my mind.
He waved away my words. “Don't be. We've all gotten hurt on the job site a time or two.”
“Thanks,” I said sincerely. I stood there quietly for a moment before speaking again. “So… what's the status of this place? Any updates I need to know about?”
“Of course. Come on over here and let me show you what we're up to.”
I pulled a chair up to Jake's desk and sat as he explained what was happening. So much work had been accomplished in the past two weeks, especially compared to a more typical job—one without a camera crew breathing down the necks of the construction team. I was impressed and said as much.
Jake shook his head. “Don't be. It works because we have dozens of people here pushing hard to get to the next step. On a normal job site, we don't have a producer breathing down our necks constantly telling us how we're running out of time.” He smirked. “It's a good thing I love him.”
I chuckled and nodded. “I'm sure he appreciates it.”
As we continued to discuss what the next steps were, there was a knock at the door, just two quick taps. The door opened and Max walked in. We hadn't met, but I'd seen him around town with Jake often enough to know who he was.
“Speaking of,” Jake said, turning to Max. “Were your ears burning?”
Max chuckled and shook his head. “Must have been.” He gave me a warm smile. “Asher, right? Jake has told me a lot about how good your work is.”
My face heated and I shifted from one foot to the other. “It's not that special.”
“Don't be modest. If that was true, we'd be working with a different carpenter.”
And if that was the case, I wouldn't have hurt myself in the first place.A beat later, I realized what that would’ve meant. No injury, no need for Micah to stay with me for the past two weeks. Things would have turned out very differently if I hadn't fallen off that ladder. My chest squeezed in sadness at the thought. In a way, I was glad I'd fallen. I was glad I had…reconnectedwith Micah, at least. “I appreciate the chance to show off my skills then.”
“Of course,” Max said.
“I hope Tyler has been living up to my reputation.”
Max nodded. “He’s been a hard worker.” A moment later, he turned his focus to Jake. “Not to interrupt, but we need to get the day started. We’re wasting perfectly good daylight. Brooks is champing at the bit to get filming started.”
“I’ll show you wasted daylight,” Jake muttered, but he stood and clapped his hands together before turning to me. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
I followed Jake and Max out of the trailer and into the post office to where Brooks, the director, was waiting. Tyler was there, hand leaning on a sawhorse, listening and nodding as someone talked to him, their back to me. I recognized the lines of the person’s back immediately, the haircut, the voice. Micah. My stomach leaped into my throat and my heart began to race.Be cool. Don’t make a big deal out of this.
Tyler spotted me and smiled. “Hey boss. You’re back.”
Micah turned then and our gazes met, his face flushing with color as he rubbed the back of his neck and gave me an uncertain smile. “Hi there.”
I nodded.Act casual, I told myself.Just be normal.“Hey.” Heat crept up my neck, warming my cheeks and ears.Be normal. I hesitated for a beat before clapping my hands and rubbing them together. “Well, let’s get to it.”
Tyler showed me the status of the projects he’d been working on—that Goddamn trim had been installed, to my relief—before turning to me. “I was thinking we’d start today with cutting and prepping for the built-in shelving units. Is that okay?”
I smiled and nodded. “I’m sure it’s fine. You’ve been running this job on your own. I trust your judgment. Show me where I can help.”
