Page 21 of Finding Alfred
“Concrete?”
“I’m building a pool in my backyard.”
“What?”
“You gave me the idea.” Then he started rambling fast, trying to justify his actions. “It’ll be forever before you get one and summer will be here before you know it. Hell, it’s only weeks away. The river is okay, but I think you need someplace nice, so since you weren’t able do it right away, I figured I would. So, I started building a pool.”
“So what? You dug a huge hole in your backyard?”
“Uh, yeah. Sort of.”
“My Lord. Jackie. You never cease to amaze me.”
He smiled brightly, but I wasn’t sure it was a positive compliment, and I was the one who gave it. I rolled my eyes and went back to grab my coffee. “Thanks for the cupcake!” Icalled on my way out the door. I wasn’t humoring him on this. Digging a pool. It sounded ridiculous. Logically, that was how pools started, but you kind of needed professional guidance on something like that. Where to dig, how deep, securing the walls. You didn’t just dig it. Unless it was more like a pond, and I wouldn’t be able to swim in that.
Part of me wanted to be mad about it. As if he were taking something from me by doing this. But underneath it, something else was blooming. As I sat in my car and ate my cupcake, a warm and slightly smug feeling came over me. No one had ever tried to build a pool for me.
Chapter fifteen
A few weeks later.
Everyone was laughing about my pool, even Alfred, but fuck them. It became a matter of pride after that. Summer was on us, and it was fucking hot out. And since the pool was nearly finished, I was sure everyone would be over to cool off. The hole had moved from a rough dig to a proper pool, thanks to Cameron, his brother Jay, and cousin Donny, who came outlast weekend. Donny brought the concrete equipment and had poured plenty of pools before tackling mine.
Before that even happened, Jay had to inspect the area to make sure everything was sound. They did this for a living, and all jumped on board to help me on Cameron’s word since we went way back. There was probably a family connection somewhere. We’d known him our whole lives and had done as many favors for him as he had for us. He’d helped us rebuild Brock’s deck when Brock was remodeling. Not to mention a few other projects. That’s how we rolled.
After he looked at it, we had to do a bit more work before the concrete was poured. It took us a little more time to get it right, but the point was that I had been smart enough to get help. I didn’t just dig a damn hole and hope it worked out. That wouldn’t have been good enough for Alfred, and I wanted to give him the best.
And now it was nearly complete.
I set my phone on the table by the door, then stood by the edge of the pool looking in. A lot of dirt piled up on the far side still needed to be redistributed, and then Donny would be back to finish the concrete surrounding the pool. We were going to run it all the way up to the back porch with a good bit on the side—perfect for lawn chairs. There was also a concrete pad closer to the house ready for a hot tub. They put it in so I could easily add that later, since that cost too much for now, but it was something we’d love in the winter.
Imagining it spread out before me complete, with blue shiny tile around the water’s edge, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was going to be so nice.
The pool pump equipment was coming this weekend as well, and then it would be time to fill her up. I was so excited.
Hopefully, once it was complete, Alfred would be here all the time. That was the goal…
I stepped forward—my elbow hit the pool wall and then—pain…
...
I blinked.
My whole fucking body hurt.
Fuck. There was no ladder. No one was supposed to be out here. In here.Shit.
I was down—prone on the bottom. In the fucking deep end. I wasn’t thinking clearly, but clear enough to realize I was in trouble.
Was that blood? On the back of my head? No wonder it hurt.
Slowly, I sat up, because I had to. I needed to get the fuck out of the pool. But…
My phone was on the table. Fuck me.
I slowly lay back down.
Chapter sixteen
