Page 12 of King of the Weld
I park a short distance away, turning to Sophia before we exit. "Ready for this?"
She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "As I'll ever be."
"Remember, you're my niece from out of state. Here visiting for a few weeks. Keep it simple, don't volunteer information."
"I know how to lie, Ethan," she says, a hint of steel in her voice. "I was raised in a family where it's practically an art form."
I nod, conceding the point. "Let's go, then."
I keep my pace slow, allowing her to navigate without drawing attention to her difficulty in the oversized boots. As we approachthe main entrance, I spot Jack talking with a group of men near the arena railings, the ones I'm supposed to be fixing, I assume.
Jack spots us, waving enthusiastically. "Ethan! Over here!"
I feel Sophia tense beside me but keep my expression neutral as we approach the group. Jack's eyes immediately go to Sophia, curiosity written all over his face.
"Gentlemen, this is my brother Ethan," Jack introduces me to the group. "Best welder in three counties. Ethan, this is Dave Simmons, the rodeo committee chair, and his team."
I shake hands with the men, going through the pleasantries while keeping myself positioned slightly in front of Sophia, as if I can shield her from their curious glances.
"And who's this lovely lady?" Dave asks, eyes lingering on Sophia despite my efforts.
Before I can answer, Jack jumps in. "This must be the mystery woman from yesterday!" he says, grinning widely. "The one who had my big brother all tight-lipped."
I shoot him a warning look. "This is my niece, Sophia. She's visiting from Seattle."
If Jack is surprised by this lie, he hides it well, though his eyebrows lift slightly.
"Niece? I didn't know Marcus had a daughter your age." Dave asks.
Shit. I hadn't considered that Dave could know our brother Marcus doesn't have a daughter in her twenties. Before I can formulate a response, Sophia steps forward.
"Uncle Marcus doesn't talk about us much," she says smoothly, her voice taking on a slightly different cadence—less cultured, more casual. "Mom and he had a falling out years ago. This isactually the first time I've met Uncle Ethan in person. Thought it was time to connect with the Morrison side of the family."
She delivers the lie with such natural ease that even I almost believe it. Dave's face clears, accepting the explanation without question.
"Well, welcome to Pine Haven, Sophia," he says, tipping his cowboy hat.
"Thank you," she replies with a small smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "It's nice to meet you."
Dave clears his throat, bringing the focus back to business. "Let me show you what we're dealing with, Morrison. These railings have seen better days."
I follow him to the arena, leaving Sophia with Jack, a calculated risk, but necessary. I need to focus on this job if I'm going to give them an accurate quote.
The railings are indeed in rough shape: corroded in places, welds breaking, structural integrity compromised. Not a simple fix, but not beyond my capabilities either.
"What happened to the crew that was supposed to handle this?" I ask Dave as I examine a particularly bad section.
"Budget cuts," he says with a grimace. "County slashed our maintenance fund, so we went with the lowest bidder. They took one look at this and said it was more work than they signed up for."
I nod, understanding the situation. "It's not a small job. I'll need at least a week, maybe more, working full days."
"Can you do it? The rodeo's in three weeks, and these need to be solid. Safety inspectors will shut us down otherwise."
I consider the timeline, the scope of work, and my new complication—Sophia. Taking this job means being in town daily, being visible. But it also means money we need, and a reason for Sophia to be seen with me regularly without raising suspicion.
"I can do it," I confirm. "But my materials cost will be higher than you might expect. I don't cut corners on safety equipment."
Dave looks relieved. "Whatever it takes, Morrison. Jack says you're the best, and we need the best for this."
