Page 60 of His Hot Mess

Graydon seemed to hesitate, but then let out a breath. “Alright, fine. But only because I’ve still got a shit-ton to do before I take off after the wedding. Now seriously, get the fuck to bed.”

“Alright, Dad.”

“Shit, now you’re gonna make me cry.”

I would have laughed if I didn’t think I might too.

* * *

Thankgod I used the last shred of my brainpower to set my alarm, because it took me a full two minutes of semi-consciousness to understand what that chiming sound was. I’d gone straight from the phone call with Gray to the couch, unable to stomach heading back to my bed and the feel of Sadie in it. Now, blinking in the late afternoon light streaming in through my living room window, I was groggy as hell.

After a good long shower as hot as I could make it, where I scrubbed the shit out of myself, I felt almost human.

Almost focused enough on going back to work as if I’d never met Sadie Fulham.

But not quite.

Despite my best efforts of getting my head back into the Sapphire project, I couldn’t help but think about her in her shop. With Dean.

She was probably beyond pissed at me. I’d given her several good reasons, not least of which being I’d abandoned her job.

Even though I knew it was the right decision to distance myself from her, I couldn’t help the guilt at leaving. I’d never left a job unfinished. I also couldn’t help wondering if she and Dean were getting along. Flirting, even.

Or worse.

Nowthatwas a shitty thought. But what Sadie did was none of my business.

I stripped my bed so I could give myself a fighting chance at falling asleep there tonight, then headed for the front door. The photo album loomed at me from the living room table, and for a moment, I paused, considering it. Then I strode over, picked it up, and hesitated. Part of me wanted to throw it away. Bury it at the bottom of my trash, take said trash out, and never see the thing again.

Instead, I opened the drawer of the coffee table and stuffed it in the back. Out of sight was the best I could do right now.

* * *

When I pulledup to the Ruby Lake job I was surprised to see Graydon’s truck in the drive. Something skipped in my stomach—had we made plans to meet? I’d been so exhausted; my head so clouded I couldn’t remember. There was another truck there too.ARCHER FIRE INSPECTION,it said on the side. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why. Then I realized I called that company a million years ago. Last week, actually, but it felt that far away.

This site was going to be a gorgeous spot for a B&B, if we ever managed to get it off the ground. The owners were in London, England of all places, and tough to reach at times, especially with the time zones. Add the engineering challenges and it would be a wonder if this one didn’t burn through our schedule for the whole year. I was nuts to have thought Dean could have managed it with his level of experience. Graydon must have realized he was nuts for indulging me in stepping away from it for Sadie’s place. That must be why he was here.

I’d booked the fire inspection well ahead of the time we’d need the actual inspection to see if there were any concerns with access on this site given it would be operated commercially. Hank Archer was new to Jewel Lakes--so new he told me I was his very first call last week. But when I told Graydon about him in our meeting two weeks ago, he’d told me to book him right away. He said he knew the guy—he used to live here and had moved back.

Now, as I rounded the path up to the main building site, I saw they must know each other a lot better than Graydon had let on. Gray was clapping the guy in the suit on the shoulder, laughing with him like an old friend. He spotted me as I jogged up the last of the several steps to the site, which was several feet up on a rocky promontory.

“Just the man I wanted to see!” he called out to me. The other guy thrust his hand out at me when I got to them.

“Hank Archer,” he said, crushing my hand in an iron grip. The guy was as big as the two of us.

“Chris Slade,” I said. “Nice to meet you in the flesh.”

“Likewise.”

“Sorry I’m just getting here now,” I said. “Did I miss a meeting?”

“Nah. I was coming by to see you,” Graydon said. “Glad you could finally make it.”

I knew he wasn’t serious, but still the spike of guilt poked at me. I prided myself at showing up early to everything.

“Chris’s got woman trouble,” Graydon said.

A flip of embarrassment hit me in the guts. “Easy now,” I said.

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