Page 32 of Tumbleweed Temptation
He shook his head. “No, I want to do this for Lacey. For Beck. But damn. I hadn’t thought it would be hard driving out.”
They reached the bridge then, and for a moment, he was back on the bus, feeling his mom apply the brakes before the world started spinning. But he accelerated his Jeep and crossed the new culvert, and then they were at the Conover place, Beck’s mom’s house to the left, the barn behind it, and Beck’s shiny new house straight ahead.
Con was there already, Sofia and Poppy, the three of them carrying boxes from the porch into the house.
“Finally,” Con said when Austin hopped down from the Jeep. “I can’t get the furniture in by myself, and the girls are too busy setting up the kitchen.”
Was this house going to have any of Lacey in it, if Beck was making all these decisions? Nonetheless, Austin mounted the steps and walked to where Con indicated, a couch wrapped in plastic. Black, he thought, or maybe navy blue. He lifted his end and let Con lead the way through the front door, where they had to twist the couch to get it to fit.
“You think that’s rough,” Con said. “Now we have to get the bed and put it together.”
“And then?”
“Dining room table. Bench for the front porch. Good thing I brought my tools.”
Austin wished that Javi would show up, because Austin and Con had been friends, but the whole crazy accusation that Con’s sister died because of Austin’s mom’s mistake had ripped that to pieces. Austin understood that Con had been a kid when Claudia died, but so had Lacey and the others who had defended his mom. Con never had.
Together they carried in the mattress, then the frame, wordlessly. Con walked out to his truck to get his tools while Austin unboxed the plain dark wood headboard and rails. He supported the pieces as Con drilled them together, the two of them working in silence. Austin didn't know how to break it, and didn't even know if he wanted to.
“Hey, I was wondering if y’all were still in here,” Ginny said from the doorway. “I don't even hear any cursing.”
Austin gave her a look. She had to hear the power tools. What was she trying to do?
“Almost done here,” Con said, moving to another corner. “You have the kitchen unpacked?”
“Yeah, I mean, he didn't order that much. I guess he just wanted the basics. We have paper plates, plastic flatware and napkins for the reception. But Sofia brought food, so we can have a little picnic lunch when y’all are done.”
“We still have to put the table and chairs together,” Con said.
“Which is why I said picnic lunch. There’s barstools, too, for the breakfast bar. But if you let me borrow your tools, I can get started on them.”
“We’ve got it,” Con said with a grumble, turning back to the bed frame.
“Okay, well, when you’re done, we’ll eat, then finish setting up. Then we have to be out here early on Saturday to get the flowers arranged and everything.”
“And what exactly is Beck doing?” Con asked, setting his wrench down and glaring at her.
“Paying for it.” Ginny spun and walked out.
Austin had to admit, the house looked really nice when he and Con were done. The furniture Beck had selected had clean lines, and he could see Lacey making it her own. The girls made the bed in the simple bedding Beck had ordered, but Austin heard them chattering about adding more pillows.
Just when Austin thought they were done, they heard the rumble of a truck and looked through the wide front windows to see a UPS truck pull up.
“What now.” Con walked to the door to see the driver unloading two more flat packages onto his dolly.
“Are you going to furnish your whole house online, or can I stop driving out here for a while?” the driver asked, resting the boxes against the rail of the porch.
“Hey, bring them on up, at least,” Austin said, standing beside Con. “Since you have a dolly and we don’t.”
“Man, I’ve been out here every day this week,” the driver huffed, but loaded the boxes back on the dolly and banged them up the steps.
“Yeah, you know, that’s your job, and you don't need to give attitude, especially attitude that damages the property,” Austin said, edging around the guy to ensure no damage had been done to the steps.
“Sorry, man. No one has been here all week, and the lady next door yells at me, and it’s a long-ass drive.”
“Again, your job,” Con said as he accepted the two flat packages. “Cribs,” he told Austin.
Austin hid his own frustrated attitude. He’d think Beck would want to put these together himself, but since they were here...
