Page 44 of A Little More

Lexi shaded her eyes from the glare of the late afternoon sun. The work crews had made impressive progress in the past two weeks. The footers were in, and they’d poured the concrete base. Next week, the walls would go in, then more of the electrical and HVAC system, plumbing, and finally, the interior finishes.

They were a few days ahead of schedule.

That meant fewer days she’d spend with Nash.

It shouldn’t matter. Her newest job was in the bidding process, and she had another client call her for an estimate on a high rise in downtown Atlanta. Business was great. Her boss was happy. Her bank account was happier. She should have been the happiest. And yet, all she’d done is use half her brainpower to keep ahead while she prepped for her trip to see Nash.

The other half focused solely on Nash.

She was risking her job. Not only with Nash but also with the half-ass effort she’d given her clients. Feeling torn between the two was nobody’s fault but her own. She could have walked away from Nash, stayed true to her life plan, and had a successful career. She’d never wanted the husband, two-car garage, kids…none of that.

But that was before Nash stepped into the picture. She didn’t want the rest, but having Nash, and not having to sneak around, might be nice.

That’s why she’d come down. The project would be over and done in the next few weeks, leaving her without an excuse to see him. Because seeing him after their time had ended meant a real relationship. Expectations. Compromises.

It was now or never.

Either run back to Atlanta or make a move and enjoy herself with a man that made her feel like a teenage girl with a crush on the quarterback. Only, this time, he’d given her the authority to call the shots.

The construction crew milling around the property ignored her for the most part. Some probably knew she was the architect, others could care less. John had left the day before. He’d braved the Magnolia Motel Wednesday night and had quickly agreed that she was better off staying with Ms. Peggy. Plus, she’d learned to play poker rather efficiently, so the arrangement worked out nicely. She’d buy her a nice present for her generosity before she left for good.

Her phone rang. “Hello.”

“Lexi, did you make it?” Nash asked.

“Yes. I thought we said we’d meet at the store site.”

“I wanted to. Look, I tried Dewey and Cameron, but they’re both working right now. With all the rain we’ve had, I’ve managed to get myself stuck.”

“Like, your truck got stuck?”

“No. The gator got stuck. It’s sunk in mud halfway up its tires. I thought the creek bed was dry enough to take a short cut to the last field I needed to check before I met you, but I was obviously wrong.”

“The same creek bed between your house and the store?”

“That’s the one.”

She began walking towards the tree line, ignoring the curious stares of the workers. “What is a gator?”

“It’s like an ATV but with doors and seats. Where are you?”

“I’m walking your way.” Pushing aside a branch, she emerged on the other side of the worksite, looking down to the creek bed. It looked wet and muddy, with Nash sitting right in the middle.

He lifted his arm in the air a few hundred yards away. “Can you come and drive the truck while I push?”

“Do you want me to get one of the workers here to help? Remember how bad I was the last time I drove the truck.”

“Not the work truck, my red truck. It’s easier to drive and will pull this out in no time. Once I get a chain hooked up to the gator, all you need to do is press the gas and hold the wheel. Nothing else. I’d rather not have to take a paid worker off a job, and I’m way too muddy to climb into my nice truck. I got it detailed yesterday.” He tossed his hat into the back of the gator and turned back to face her. “Damn it, I should have known better.”

“I’ll come to get you but take your bad attitude out on someone else.”

He chuckled and leaned his hip against the back of the vehicle. “Sorry. I’m not mad at you, just pissed that I got stuck and wasn’t there waiting when you arrived. I tried to be done with this by the time you got down here. I’m warning you, I’m horribly muddy right now. Keys are in the truck at my house.”

She walked back to her car, driving the short distance to Nash’s house.

She paused, taking in the old, beautiful home that she’d researched. The cost to renovate to perfection would be too high for Nash’s budget. But the kitchen. She could do the kitchen like she’d mentioned. She rubbed her hands along her jeans as she walked to his truck. The sooner she could start, the better.

After pulling her hair back into her clip, she opened the door to his truck. This had to be the worst idea ever.

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