Page 7 of No Time for Traditions

Marty shut the refrigerator door and chugged a bottle of water. “Aaah. . . What, sweetie?”

“Why Greg?”

“Why Greg what?”

“You know everyone who’s anyone with land. Why hire Greg to survey the family property?”

“That’s simple.” Marty took another drink of his bottled water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “He’s the best.”

Brittany didn’t like that response one bit. She had a hard time believing goofy Greg was the best, and it bothered her that Marty thought so. Not wanting to argue with her dad, Brittany turned her attention to finding a mixing bowl and then started cracking eggs. She pretended one of the eggs was Greg’s ratty head.

But it didn’t help.

* * *

Greg pulledinto his usual spot in the parking lot behind his office building. No sooner had he walked in the back door, than Jake greeted him.

“Hey, man. Good day?”

Only Greg and Jake used the back entrance, and they’d also grown accustomed to one another’s schedules over the past year. Greg unzipped his coveralls halfway and collapsed into his desk chair.

“That bad, huh?” Jake turned his own chair to face Greg.

“The actual job’s going great. I should have the field work complete by the end of the year or better. It’s just . . .” Greg leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He opened them to Jake squinting at him, as if searching for answers.

Greg leaned up and slapped his knees. “Brittany’s there.”

“Brittany Barnes from school?”

Greg nodded. “I went to take Mr. Marty some maps, and she answered the door.”

“And you finally asked her out?” Jake wiggled his eyebrows and curved his mouth into a suggestive grin.

“What do you mean finally asked her out? And no, I didn’t.” Greg turned his chair, not wanting to see what face Jake might make next.

“Look, I know you liked her in high school. And it’s been over a year since Autumn.”

Greg spun back and narrowed his eyes.

Jake received the message and reacted by throwing up his hands in defense. “Hey, man, you can’t let her keep you out of the game forever.”

“You’re right—about Autumn.” Greg sighed. “As for Brittany, let’s just say she feels the same way about me she did a decade ago, which isn’t a good thing.”

“Well, look on the bright side, she’ll be back in New York again soon.”

“Yeah.” Greg put on a pleasant face. He wanted Jake to think her leaving brought him relief, and he wanted it to be true for himself. But it wasn’t.

Jake must’ve bought his act, because he turned back to his computer and changed the topic to questions about the downtown drainage project. His engineering company worked well with Greg’s surveying business, and they often collaborated on jobs. So when Greg decided to move back to Hillside and start a surveying business, it hadn’t taken long for Jake to forgo his hour commute and start his own venture, too.

Greg started packing up his laptop. He’d made it a habit of drafting at home after spending all day outside, whereas Jake stayed in the office a little later and refused to take work home except in an emergency. It wasn’t that Greg wanted to work at night. He just needed something to keep him busy. Jake had a wife and baby girl waiting on him. Greg had a dog and a jug of sweet tea. While both welcomed him after a long day, they couldn’t replace human interaction.

“I’m going to head out, Jake.”

“Okay, man. I’m leaving at six. I’ll lock up.”

Greg nodded and made his way out back with his computer in tow. Before he got out of town, he pulled up to Smokey’s drive-through and ordered some smoked wings and fries. He knew he could always eat dinner with his parents, but he wasn’t in the mood for any conversations. His mom would ask about his day and want details, which would lead to his seeing Brittany.

Greg never talked to his parents about girls, except for when he told them he’d thought about proposing to Autumn. Both had given him their blessing to do so and even encouraged it. Then, when she rejected him, they both told him it was for the best.

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