Page 21 of Blue Collar Hotties

“Who’s that?”

Jimmy’s voice is a bucket of cold water down my neck. I grimace, getting back to the guttering I’m fixing, and try to keep my voice level when I reply.

“Dunno. Hattworth’s assistant, I guess.”

Jimmy whistles, and my jaw aches where I grit my molars too hard. “She’s a piece, ain’t she? Staring like that, like you’re a popsicle on a hot summer’s day. Damn. Better watch out, boss—rich girls like that ain’t nothing but trouble.”

My hands pause, and I frown at the carved stonework. The whole reason our crew got called in here, the whole reason it’s such a big job, is because of this stonework. The whole exterior of this building is protected, see. It’shistoric, and that means special tools, special processes, special skills. A long, expensive job.

Mr Hattworth in there just about blew a valve when he saw our quote. That’s what it costs, though, and that’s why every time he peers out at us, you can see him daydreaming about shoving us off the scaffolding.

Don’t care about him, though.

“What do you mean, rich girls like that? She’s an assistant, that’s all.”

Jimmy shakes his head slowly, like he’s breaking terrible news at my bedside. “She’s Hattworth’s niece. Lenore.”

Lenore.Her name is pretty as hell, and I tuck that knowledge somewhere down in my rib cage. Even as my gut sinks.

She’s that jerk’s niece? That’s a blow, and no doubt about it.

But if Jimmy knows she’s off limits, why ask me about her? Why test me like that? Fuck.

When I round on him, the back of my neck is tight. I’ve never scrapped on a job before, but right now I’m as close as I’ve ever got to slinging a punch at work.

“So why are you sniffing after her, Jimmy? Why are you asking questions about Lenore at all?”

He rolls his rheumy eyes. Jimmy’s been doing this longer than any of the rest of us, and he’s got the stooped back to prove it. Won’t take an ounce of our nonsense either, even if I am the boss. “For you, you prick. You’re the one eye-fucking her through the glass like there’s no tomorrow.”

Ah. Yeah. Guilty as charged. And there’s no call to blow up at Jimmy, not really, so I roll my neck and get back to work. “Sorry,” I mutter. “Guess she’s rattled me.”

“No kidding.” He scratches the sandpaper stubble on his chin, and I know I’m gonna hate his next words before he even says them. The breeze is cold today, its icy fingers slipping under our clothes.

“You know, Gabe… sometimes rich girls want to walk on the wild side. Just for a one-time thing, you know? They get their pretty clothes all creased and dirty with someone like us, and it’s like a vacation they go on so they can tell all their friends about it.”

My chest throbs, and sweat is cold on my skin. Chilling me to my bones.

But Lenore would never gossip about me like that. No way.

“So maybe you could do that for her,” Jimmy goes on. “You could scratch that itch, if you like. Let loose. Why not? Just as long as you don’t go… getting attached. Getting hurt. You hear me?”

As far as Jimmy goes, this is an epic speech. He doesn’t drop his wisdom very often, but when he does, it lands with a clang. My mouth twists, and I bite back all the acid words on my tongue, because they’re not meant for him. Not really.

It’s me I’m mad at. Me, for getting caught up in those pretty rich girl eyes and not knowing I was walking into a trap. My reflection in the window glass looks equal parts pissed off and bewildered. If we were doomed from the start, why did looking at her feel so right?

KnewI had to stay away. I’d already decided that, damn it.

Nothing’s changed. Now I’m just extra sure.

“It’s nothing,” I say gruffly, and bless this man, he nods like he believes me. “We were just staring at each other, like you said. Doesn’t mean anything. Not a big deal.”

Liar,a voice hisses in my brain.It means a whole lot.

And the whole time, my heart thumps out her name:Lenore. Lenore. Lenore.

“Better stop looking at her, then.” Jimmy leans next to my shoulder, prodding at the stonework below the guttering. “Damn, look at this stone. This is crumblier than a birthday cake.”

“Yeah.” We’ve got our work cut out for us still, and she’s gonna be in there the whole time. Watching.

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