Page 12 of Triplet Babies for the CEO

That’s not why I hired her…is it?

Chapter Four

Tasha

The alarm on my phone starts blaring at five a.m., and I’m out of bed in a flash, noticing that the sun hasn’t even risen outside yet when I enter the bathroom.

Despite my stomach feeling like twelve snakes tangled together, a jumbled mess of nerves and excitement, I’m not about to be late on my first day.

I yawn. Opening my suitcase, I pull out a pair of jeans and a tank top and throw a flannel over it. Jasmine loaned me the flannel. She said it’d make me look like I belonged there.

Sitting on the open sofa bed I lace up my brand-new steel-toed boots, the ones I splurged on last night after getting the job.

They’re stiff and uncomfortable, but they make me feel like I can take on anything, and I hope to break them in over time.

The drive to the site is quiet, with barely any cars on the road and the sky slowly lightening into shades of gray and pink as ripples of orange break over the eastern horizon.

When I get to the Thorne and Thorne job site I was told to arrive at, the place is already buzzing, workers milling around in hard hats, trucks pulling in, and the deep scent of fresh earth and concrete in the air.

I spend what feels like hours watching demonstrations on how to spot hazards, how to lift things properly, and how to use a fire extinguisher, just in case.

I fill out a mountain of orientation paperwork, and by the time I’m done, I’m convinced I’m never going to see the actual site itself.

But then, finally, I’m out of the stuffy room in the temporary building, squinting at the bright morning sun and stepping onto the job site. I look around, taking in the noise, the energy.

It’s like a whole different world. And honestly? It’s fun. I’m used to being on my feet all day as a waitress, and I never really thought getting a desk job was right for me. I just didn’t know there were jobs like this out there to go after.

Mr. Thorne’s words float through my mind.“Because I don’t just sit behind a desk, like hardly ever. I’m always out on job sites.”

I can’t help but steal a few glances at Brody as we start working on tasks together. He’s got this rugged, no-nonsense look to him, and I’m not gonna lie, he’s hot.

He’s not just hot, though. Hot almost feels like an understatement. It’s more like he’s way hotter than any boss has the right to be.

But he’s also sharp. He knows his stuff inside out, and from the way the crews talk about him, it’s clear they respect him.

It’s all very cool, even if it makes me feel a little out of my depth sometimes. Any time I have those doubts about myselfthough, I just remind myself that all jobs feel this way when you’re new. In a year or two, I’ll be doing this with my eyes closed.

At one point, muttering something about needing the right kind of screwdriver, I see him sorting through a toolbox. He’s rummaging through different compartments, and I step in, picking out a Phillips head from the pile.

“You mean this one?” I ask, holding it out.

“Yeah, that’s it. How’d you know which one?” He raises an eyebrow, looking a little surprised.

“Growing up broke, I had to learn how to fix my own things. Couldn’t afford to pay someone to do it or to buy new things very often.” I shrug, a small smile tugging at my lips.

“That’s handy,” he says, giving me a grin. “Might have to put you to use more often.”

He nods like he’s impressed, and I feel a little thrill at that.

I laugh gently, but inside, I’m glowing like a giant star.

There’s something so satisfying about proving I’m not just some clueless girl.

Maybe I can actually be good at this…

The rest of my first day is a whirlwind. First, we drive around from one job site to another, checking on progress, talking to the foremen, making sure everyone has what they need.

I get introduced to multiple crews, each a group of guys with rough hands and even rougher jokes. They look me up and down with morbid curiosity when Brody introduces me, their expressions steeped in doubt.

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