Page 55 of Resting Beach Face
“But, Nate, I can’t give you a guarantee. You understand that, right?”
“You’re a smart guy, Declan. You’re my numbers guy for a reason. You do all the analysis you want. In the end, you’re going to see this is the right move. That, I canguarantee.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cash
Gray’s pickupjolted over the bumpy path that wound through the Treehouse B&B grounds. I bounced on my seat, which was torn and patched with duct tape, while a motorcycle-shaped air-freshener dangled from the rear-view mirror.
“Just park here,” I said as The Roost came into view atop its small hill. There was a graveled parking area off to one side.
The truck gave one last jolt as it hit a dip in the ground and stopped.
“You need some new shocks, dude.”
Gray chuckled. “Would cost more than the whole truck. Just be glad I’m hauling your ass around.”
“Hey, no shade on your baby.” I patted the dash as Gray parked. “I’m damn glad you’re here, and with a monster toolbox and a skill set I don’t have. Thank you, man, seriously.”
Gray raised one eyebrow. “I am getting paid, right?”
“Yeah, of course.” I’d pass along my pay from Declan if need be. Gray was going to make this job ten times easier to pull off.
“Then thankyou,” he said. “I’ve been saving up for another motorcycle. Had to sell my last baby.”
That explained the motorcycle-shaped air-freshener. Gray looked like a guy who knew his way around a bike. I wasn’t one to stereotype, but he rocked the bad boy look with shaggy hair and tats.
We got out of the truck and went around to the back. Gray lowered the tailgate, and I jumped up to unhook the ratchet straps keeping his big-ass metal toolbox on wheels in place.
“This thing couldn’t have been cheap.”
“Nope.” Gray pulled out a ramp, then joined me to help wheel it down. “Cost about as much as the whole truck.”
“How’d you swing that?”
“Eh, tried to make a full-time go of the remodel gig. I was picking up a lot of jobs over the winter. Folks wanted their vacation houses or rentals repaired before the tourist season.”
I nodded. “Makes sense. So, why did you apply at Swallow Adventures, then?”
Gray worked for the boat tour company that Hudson owned—and Sawyer planned to buy into.
“It’s good regular work. These jobs come when they come, and really, I can work around my boat tours most of the time.”
“Well, I’m glad?—”
I broke off with a grunt as we shoved the toolbox over the gravel and onto the dirt path. It wasn’t the smoothest trip, with bits of rock and grass in the mix.
We didn’t talk much as we hauled it up the steps built into the path. Thankfully, it wasn’t too steep of an incline and a hell of a lot less overgrown than the last time I’d seen it.
Declan must have cleared the way.
Gray let out a low whistle. “Who isthat?”
I damn near lost my grip on the toolbox. A few feet ahead of us, Declan wielded a machete, hacking away tall weeds andgrass. Though it was still early in the day, he was shirtless—tanned muscles rippling through a surprisingly strong back.
All that gardening has done nice things for his body…
“Cash?” Gray asked with a laugh. “You okay over there?”
