Page 90 of Caught in the Crossfire

He snorted. “Please. That little dog groomer don’t have a thing to be scared about. Not like your woman.”

Mason stiffened. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t play dumb, Kincaid. Your lady got up close and personal with a killer. Dawn just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up on her very fine backside.”

“Wouldn’t be wise to let Linc hear you talk about Dawn that way.”

“Maybe your woman poked her nose in where it doesn’t belong.” Patton folded his arms.

Mason leveled a stare at the belligerent construction worker. “The only thing Nicole is guilty of is doing a favor for a friend.”

“You sure about that?” Glee gleamed in Fisher’s eyes.

“If you have a point, get to it. My lunch break is over.”

“Rumor has it your woman is ready to dump you and date someone better, a real man.”

The Otter Creek grapevine was working overtime these days. Mason stood and picked up his lunch box. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

He and Dean left the other men, locked their lunch boxes in their trucks, and returned to Building 6.

“Patton and Fisher wanted to get a rise out of you.”

“They were blatant about it, too. The question is, why?” Mason picked up the checklist from Brian. “After we hang the closet doors in unit 12, the next task is installing the pantry shelves.”

“Let’s get to it. I’d like to get home before 8:00 tonight. Leah is complaining about us working so much overtime.” Dean glanced at Mason as they opened another box containing closet doors. “Have you given more thought to Brian’s offer?”

He nodded. “I’m still not sure I want to take that on.”

“Why not? You’re perfect for that position, Mase.”

“Customers might refuse to hire Elliott Construction because I’m the project manager and in charge of the home rehab division.”

“Some customers might refuse to hire us but not all of them. They can search for another contractor. Too bad for them Elliott Construction is the best in the area. They either take us with you at the helm or they settle for second best.”

Mason smiled. “There’s a long wait list for contractors.”

Dean clapped him on the shoulder. “Take the promotion. You deserve it and will love the work.”

They returned to the work at hand, using the tactics they’d worked out during lunch. The plan to cut the time required for various tasks worked so well, Mason and Dean had nearly completed the entire checklist by the time Brian walked in an hour before the end of the workday.

“How’s it going?” their boss asked.

“Nearly finished with the list.” Mason turned to face his boss. “Do you need anything?”

“An answer.”

He stilled. “To what question?”

“Will you accept the promotion I’m offering?”

“I thought I had until the end of the week to make my decision.”

“You did. I have to move up the decision deadline.” Brian’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

A slow smile formed on Mason’s mouth. “We got the project?”

“It’s ours.”

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