Page 15 of Hard as Stone
I roll my eyes. “In your dreams, buddy.”
“Every night.”
I swallow hard as he nods at the forms I’m white-knuckling so I don’t climb him like a tree. “What are those?” He pulls his shades from his eyes and tucks them inside his cut. “More roads getting torn up?”
“More bureaucracy to navigate.” I sigh, suddenly tired. “Apparently our paperwork wasn’t right, and I need to fill in new forms or they won’t pay us. Which means the roads will stay just as they are.”
Something flickers in his eyes. “That happen often?”
“Often enough when you’re dealing with government types.” I shuffle the papers, frowning. “Seems every time we submit paperwork, something goes wrong. Papers get lost, signatures go missing, system glitches stall our payments. It’s difficult enough getting through the red tape in the city, but this small-town bureaucracy is on another level.”
Axel’s jaw tightens. “That so?”
“Yeah. It’s like...” I trail off, not sure how to explain the nagging feeling I’ve had since we started this project. “It’s like someone’s deliberately making things difficult for us. But that’s crazy, right? I mean, who would want to stall road repairs when it’d make the roads unusable?”
Axel’s expression darkens. “You’d be surprised,” he mutters, almost to himself.
I eye him curiously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing. How’d your family get the contract, anyway?”
“Lowest bid.” I shrug. “Dad’s been in construction his whole life. When he heard about the beautification project, he figured why not try? Didn’t actually expect he’d get it.”
“Just like that? Town hands over a major infrastructure project to an out-of-state crew?”
My spine stiffens. “We might not be locals, but we know what we’re doing. Dad’s got thirty years of experience?—”
“Not questioning your skills, sweetheart.” He holds up his hands. “Just seems strange, is all.”
“Why do you care?”
“MC’s interested in everything that happens in this town.” His eyes lock with mine. “Especially when it involves outsiders tearing up our streets.”
I bristle at his tone. “We’re not ‘tearing up’ anything. We’re fixing roads that have been neglected for years. Making things better for everyone.”
“Everyone?” Axel raises an eyebrow. “Or just the folks on the right side of town?”
“What are you trying to say here?”
He steps closer, voice low. “You notice where all these ‘improvements’ are happening? Not exactly messing with the east side, are they?”
I open my mouth to argue, but pause as I mentally review our project map. He’s right—most of the work we can’t complete has been concentrated on the west side of town in the less affluent areas. But surely that’s just because it’s in worse shape and needs more done. The east side of town already has nicer roads and infrastructure, so the fixes are quicker, easier. Less work means less hoops to jump through to get approval.
“I think the trouble is just that those areas need the most work,” I say, but there’s less conviction in my voice now. “We’re not doing anything on purpose. Only following the plans the city gave us, and sometimes they tell us to wait while they…I don’t know. I guess they’re realizing there’s more work to do and they need to implement more oversight?” Even I’m not sure I’m making sense.
“Seems to me that these delays are only inconveniencing one class of citizen around here.”
I take a step back, suddenly very aware that I’m alone with a dangerous man talking about topics that could get me into a bunch of trouble. My brothers’ voices have never been louder in the back of my mind with their don’t-mess-with-the-MC warnings.
“Look,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, “I don’t know what you’re implying, but we’re just here to do a job. Fix the roads, get paid, and move on to the next town. That’s it.”
Axel’s search my face. “If you say so, sweetheart.”
I bristle at his condescending tone. “I do say so. And stop calling me sweetheart.”
Axel’s lips quirk up. “What should I call you then?”
“Poppy. My name is Poppy.”
