Page 4 of The Summer Dare
Grief radiates from her features and not only does my chest tighten, but eventually my manners kick in. “Sorry for your loss…” Shit, I don’t even know her name.
Needing to rectify this, I clear my throat and stick out my hand. “I think we’ve gotten off to a bad start. I’m Ryan Murdock.” When she doesn’t take my hand, I press the issue further, “And you are?”
“I’m… Melanie Lancaster.” Her lower lip slips under her teeth and she looks to the siding I’ve begun removing before glancing to the roof then she mutters, “Would it have killed her to keep us in the loop?”
Yeah, I’m thinking that’s a rhetorical question—or at least one I’m not touching with a ten-foot pole. I don’t know why her grandma planned this reno so far in advance. I know we were booked pretty far out this past year, and sure these things need replacing, but they still have a couple of years left on them. Then again, we are at the coast and it’s best not to let things get dilapidated if you want to keep damage minimal.
Thankfully, Lanie answers her own question with a shake of her head. “It’s just like her… doing these things so my sisters and I wouldn’t have to deal with it later. Nana always thought of everything.”
“She sounds like a smart woman,” I add, not knowing what else to say.
Lanie’s slow smile makes me wonder what else she’s thinking.
On a nod, she agrees. “Yeah. She was.” Her grandma must’ve been one hell of a lady.
“So…” I draw out, wondering where she’s at with the project. “Are you good with me continuing the job?”
Cocking her head to the side, she places her hand on herhip and stares up at me. “Are you gonna keep waking me up at the ass-crack of dawn with that hideous tool each day?”
“I’ve only got so many hours of daylight,” I pointedly remind her.
“In my defense, you scared the crap out of me. Here I was in a dreamless and peaceful sleep on my first official day of summer… and suddenly I thought you were coming through the walls.” She cringes and my heart sinks when I realize I’ve totally traumatized her. “I seriously thought you were the Texas Chainsaw Massacre or something.”
“Please tell me you didn’t watch those movies as a kid.” I cringe remembering my cousin forcing me to watch scary movies with him.
Shaking her head, she laughs. “No… not as a kid. A freshman in college… and that was scary enough. My roommate went away and I didn’t sleep the entire weekend.”
Yeah, I’m not ready to relive that particular movie either, though she doesn’t need to know that bit of information.
“But back to the subject. This is my first day of summer and there’s no way in hell I want another morning like this.”
“Okay, how about this…” I start with a compromise. “I’ll promise not to start any machinery until eight if you don’t mind I’m here earlier to prep things. I’ll stay out of your hair the best I can, but I can’t make any promises that I won't inconvenience you. There are only so many sunny days in Seaside without rain. I need to take advantage of them while I can.” Then I glance at the overhang above me and realize not everything is under my control, so I quickly amend, “However, when we get to the roof, it will entirely depend on when the rest of the crew is available. Though we should knock that out in a couple of days if we get everyone on it.”
“Now that I know you’re coming, I won’t be as traumatized,” she admits.
A phone rings from inside the house, but before she rushes off to get it, I grab her attention once more, “And, Melanie… you can leave your killer coat hanger in the closet. I promise I don’t mean you any harm.”
For a moment she just closes her eyes and lets out a heavy breath.
When her phone rings again, she quickly shakes her head and rushes away without a word.
What an ass.
Not willing to dignify him a response, I rush to my phone shaking my head at his pointed reminder of just how stupid he must think I am.
Next time, I’ll grab a bat. I’m sure we have one of those around here somewhere.
Though I’m grateful to Nana for taking care of things—even from the grave. I’m not sure how I feel about strangers being around all summer.
So much for a peaceful, stress-free summer.
When I finally get to my phone, I’m breathless, but I manage to catch it before voice mail picks it up. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”
“Hey, Lanie. I meant to call you earlier this week, but I’ve been out in the field for training… and you know how that goes. Apparently, Mom’s still up to her old tricks. I had a contractor reach out to inform me she’s arranged for some things to be done at the beach house this summer. She was presumptuous enough to think we couldn’t handle things without her, so she took it upon herself to pay for all the renovations upfront, including scheduling them. They should be starting in the next day or so.”
Yeah, a heads up would have been nice.
“Yeah… they… started this morning.”
