Page 98 of Single-Minded
I took a step back from the office door, tossing my screwdriver down and closing my eyes as I let the facade fall.
Magnolia came in and pulled me into a hug. We stood there like that while time ticked silently by, with me bracing against the emotional pain and her just holding on.
“I know that had to be hard, but you did so good,” she said. “I want to be as strong as you when I grow up.”
That made me grin. “I don’t feel very strong.”
“But you act strong, and sometimes that’s what counts. It’s just me here now, hon. I can lock the front door, and you can cry your eyes out or punch things if you want.”
I straightened and shook my head. After sucking in a shaky breath, I said, “There will be no more tears shed over stupid boys today.”
“Is it too soon to start up one of your brand-spanking-new coffee machines and make us some awesome java?”
“Brilliant idea.” I marched out to the counter where my shiny, expensive machines were and busied myself brewing the first two coffees from The Bean Counter.
But just because there weren’t tears didn’t mean I didn’t hurt like hell.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Two weeks later
West
Everything was coming up roses, or whatever the damn saying was.
Today was Monday, my first day back at work after the weeklong trip we’d squeezed in. I’d just dropped off all three of the girls for their first day of school—Nova in her second year of preschool and the twins in second grade—so I was a few minutes late for work. Levi expected it. I drove toward the office for a post-vacation meeting with him.
My hard work on Presley’s home renovation project had paid off. I’d gotten the promotion the week after it was finished. Better yet, so had Nick.
Levi had made us both foremen, saying he needed leadership as the projects kept coming in, and he’d committed to growing the company. We now had two full-time crews and were booked through the end of the calendar year. With the promotion came a healthy raise that I was thankful as hell for.
Presley was true to her word. I’d received the remaining balance on her coffee shop within three days of emailing her the invoice. As planned, I’d used the money for our first-ever family vacation.
Instead of choosing one of the places the girls were lobbying for—Colorado, the Grand Canyon, and Chicago—I’d chosen a neutral location they’d all love. We’d road-tripped to the Florida panhandle and spent six days on the beach. We nearly had to rent a trailer to haul back all the shells the girls collected, not to mention the souvenirs.
Witnessing their first experience with the ocean was something I’d never forget. Their sheer joy, their wonder at its vastness, their shrieks as they dipped their toes into the saltwater… Worth every minute of Are we there yet, Daddy?
We’d gone on a dolphin tour and a sunset cruise. We’d eaten at beachside restaurants and taken picnics to the beach. We’d swum at the hotel pool every day and built sandcastles on the shore. The girls had thanked me countless times for taking them.
I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for our first trip as a family of four.
As many good memories as we’d chalked up though, I could fully acknowledge that my heart had only been fifty percent in it. Just admitting that to myself made me want to punch things.
I parked at Dawson Construction and headed inside, forcing the scowl off my face. The girls had accused me of being sad for the past two weeks, an accusation that bowled me over because I’d thought I was hiding my inner bullshit from the world.
Kids picked up on all the shit you didn’t want them to.
“There he is,” Levi said as I walked into the office. “Welcome back, West. You were missed.”
“Didn’t much care for covering my crew, huh?”
“I’d gotten used to bouncing between the two crews, running sales calls, and filling in wherever you all needed. How’d we do this with half the employees before?”
“We had half the work then. Everything go okay?”
“Couple weather delays. Both crews are behind schedule.”
“Sounds about right.”
