Page 52 of The Wrong Guy
But I can take it. For Wren.
“By the way, I’m Bill. This is Pamela,” Wren’s dad says finally.
Shit. I probably should’ve shaken their hands or something, since this time I’m not here as the help. Awkwardly, I lift a hand their way. “Uhm, nice to meet you. Again? I’m Jesse.”
Pamela grins, though, waving a dismissive hand at me. “Oh, we know exactly who you are, dear. And I remember what a help you were for Winston’s wedding. I think we’re just a little surprised at our rather prickly daughter’s reaction to you.”
Instead of seeming put off, she’s smiling like I’m a magician who pulled a rabbit out of a hat.
Wren snaps her fingers and points at the book in her hands, and we all get the message to get back to work.
I look at the index in my chosen book, find the listed page, and start reading. I have no idea what all this legal mumbo jumbo is, but construction shit? I got that part down. Thank fuck, because I’m three books in before I know it, and my eyes are crossing from reading the unfamiliar words and phrases. But Grandpa Joe is snoring loud enough to wake the dead, so at least I’m not the most useless in the room.
Avery is dancing around with baby Joe, trying to put him to sleep like his namesake, while writing on the dry-erase board as we find things to note. “Guys, I think we should try to consolidate this because we’re starting to repeat information.”
Wren looks up, scanning the board quickly. To my dismay, she climbs out of my lap and walks over to the board. “Okay, let’s see here ...”
What happens next, I can’t describe because Wren, Ben, Bill, and Francine start talking lightning fast with words that are totally part of the English language but make zero sense to me in the order they’re saying them.
At one point, I ask, “Is Chrissy really gonna get the business? I mean, she can wish in one hand and shit in the other, and see which fills up faster, but she’s not really going to get it, is she?”
Wren frowns sadly, filling me in on what I missed by being late. “Jed gave her the keys. He gave in, only arguing for his name. He said it’s so she doesn’t sully his name, but ...”
Bill pops in. “It’s so he can throw out a new shingle and compete with Chrissy. That’s how he is. He’s going to take whatever money he gets, start a new business, and then take complete and utter glee in driving her into the ground. It’s a way to punish her for daring to question him and leave him.”
Damn. I might say some shit about Hazel, but it’s all in love. Bill talks about his brother with no love lost between them.
“Has anyone else met Lucy?” When everyone shakes their head, I offer, “It was weird. Jed and her were all baby talk and lovey-dovey. Suuuper handsy in the most disgusting of ways. But in a weird way, he seemed ... happy?”
Bill scoffs. “Yeah, I feel for her, whoever she is. She’s a new plaything he can control.”
“Family drama aside, I need to protect Cold Springs from this. What’s our best play?” Francine poses the question to the room at large, not just the smarties who’ve been talking through legalese like it’s a kiddie book.
“It’s still Jed’s company until the divorce is final. What if we delay it a bit, get those boys back to work, and get Township all sewn up?” Grandpa Joe pipes in, apparently following the conversation despite his snores.
“Yeah! We could tie Chrissy up with legal stuff until Township is done,” Avery echoes.
Hazel laughs evilly. “Or literally tie her up in a barn somewhere until Jesse’s done. I’ve got rope and could borrow a barn, no problem. How long do you need?”
I shrug as I do the mental calculations. “At least a month, maybe closer to two, to finish the bulk of it. We’ve got three more streets, but the last one at the back of the development is shorter because of the pond.” In my mind, I’m already making a cut list of what I’d need. “I could push the guys. Most of ’em would be good with sunup to sundown for a short time if it meant big paychecks, piling in the overtime. I’ll warn them that after this build-out, jobs are in question, though, so nobody goes out and plops the cash down on a new truck or some shit. And materials were ordered in bulk when we started, with a delivery schedule per street. I could see about moving up those dates. As long as the weather holds, I can get it done.”
“Jesse—” Winston knows how much work I’m talking about. He’s been eyeball deep in Jed’s operation before, and understands the scope of work a development like Township requires. “You really willing to do that for Cold Springs?”
“Hell no,” I answer, shaking my head. “But I’m willing to do it for Wren. She said this contract is important to her, so if I need to turn myself inside out so that it doesn’t fall apart, I will.”
Wren drops the book she’s holding to the floor and strides directly toward me. One hand on each arm of the chair, she bends down to meet my eyes. “You are an amazing man, Jesse Sullivan.” And then she kisses me solidly.
I can’t believe we were so stupid for so long, her worried she’s too much and me sure that I’m not enough. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Because together, we’re perfect, and she can use my rough edges to polish the shine of her diamond all she wants.
“That’s really sweet and all,” Francine says, “but I also don’t want a whole development speed built that’s going to give our residents problems later. No offense, Jesse.” I dip my chin, understanding her concern and that it’s not a slight of my work. “What if we rewrite the contract with Chrissy? We could add in some clauses to our favor.”
Ben and Wren have some sort of sidebar conversation that I don’t get, and after a minute, Wren says, “We agree. I’m going to have to work with Chrissy and Oliver to revamp the contract. That also means that all construction is going to have to stop, because the deal they’re built under is no longer in place.”
She looks at me apologetically, but it’s not me who needs an apology. It’s my crew.
“Effective when?” I grit out. She’s doing what she has to do, but I’ve got an entire site and a bunch of guys I’m responsible for who she’s affecting in the worst way.
“Uhm ... as soon as I tell Jed and Chrissy that their contract with the city is under reconsideration.”