Phoenix
I wear it with pride. Heading home. Late night for me.
Was there a fire?
Phoenix
No. But Trudy Lawson decided to bake cupcakes at two o’clock in the morning because she couldn’t sleep.
Cannon
Is baking cupcakes a crime? I love cupcakes.
Phoenix
When you put them in the oven and then fall back asleep and set off all your smoke alarms because you’ve burned the damn cupcakes—that’s where things get hairy.
Bass
She couldn’t just take them out of the oven before going to sleep?
Brody
Seems logical.
Phoenix
Not if you take a sleeping pill, and don’t hear the smoke detectors, and wake up your neighbors who are pissed about being the only ones awake, so they call us.
Cannon
I love when Nix is in a good mood. It warms my heart.
Phoenix
I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll see you guys for lunch later.
I leanedback in my desk chair and picked up the phone when I saw my uncle Bridger’s name flash across my cell. He fired off several questions about the house I was building, which I happily answered, and then we moved on to the design that Gracie was working on.
“Yes, Gracie and Emilia have talked through the design, and she’s been busy getting orders placed. Floors go down this week, and things are rolling.” Gracie had been working with my designer aunt ever since she got here.
“Wow. We should be in by early October?” my uncle asked.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Great. We’re on track.”
“We are. And things will move fast now,” I said. “We’ve got cabinets going in next, and then things will really start coming together.”
“I’m glad to hear it. And I’m grateful that we’ve got Gracie taking over the designing and doing all the ordering. It takes a lot of pressure off of Emilia.”
“Gracie’s happy to be working on this project. I think she missed doing what she loves, and she’s already placed a ton of orders. She said deliveries start next week. Hell, she’s been here for all of a week, and she’s already got sample boards going, and she’s been meeting with the subs at the house. She’s a beast.”
“I’m glad she’s back. And I can tell you are too.”
“Yeah, it was weird having her so far away. I wouldn’t mind keeping her as long as I can. Not thrilled about her moving to New York in three months, but at least we don’t need a passport to visit one another.”
More laughter, which was a compliment because Uncle Bridger didn’t find many people to be humorous. “You two sure have an interesting relationship. Always have.”
