Page 8 of Overachiever
Jerry leads me and two more guys over to a man who’s drilling into a wall. “Evan, here’s your group.” A thin man, maybe in his late twenties, turns and grins at us, then puts his drill aside. Jerry gestures to each of us. “This is Morgan, Adrian, and Remee.”
“Evan,” he says, giving us a nod. “Glad to have you.” Jerry walks away as Evan asks. “Does anyone have any experience or trade skills?”
“Carpentry,” Morgan speaks up. “My father makes furniture for a living. Done it since I was a kid.”
“Great, I know where to put you.”
Evan looks at Adrian. “I worked summers with my uncle hanging drywall, doing tile, painting.”
Damn it, I didn’t expect the others to be…qualified. What am I doing here? When his eyes fall on me, I shake my head. “Um, not really.”
Evan’s smile is kind. “Don’t worry. I’m a good teacher.”
By the time we’re excused and instructed to return to work the next morning, I’m not quite as nervous. Everyone seemed kind, and I’m sure I’m not the only one there who doesn’t have construction experience. After all, that’s the point of the program, isn’t it? To learn new skills while helping a good cause.
Owen stops just outside the half built house and tugs me close to him. “Day one picture,” he says, and we both laugh at the sight of us wearing hard hats reflected in his cellphone camera.
“Send it to me.”
“Where to now?” Owen asks as we head toward his truck.
“I need to find a place to buy some boots. And maybe a couple pair of jeans I can ruin judging by the state of the other guys’ clothes. You don’t have to stick with me. I can Rideshare.”
He’s already typing on his phone. “There’s a strip mall nearby with a shoe store and a thrift shop. Let’s go. I could use some things too.” He grins and jumps into his truck. “Then we go to the beach.”
* * *
Whatever awaits me at the construction site the rest of the summer is worth this. I’ve only been to the ocean twice in my life, when I was seven, then again at fourteen, and I’d forgotten how amazing it is just to be near it.
When Owen and I went back to the motel to get ready for the beach, we ran into a few of the others from the crew, and they’ve accompanied us. One of them is Weston, who didn’t seem to take offense to Owen swapping rooms. Adrian and another guy named Carlos also join us.
The second we find a nice spot that isn’t too close to others, all the guys run off like madmen to dive into the waves. Coating myself in sunblock, I stretch out on the blanket to take in the sights and relax. My phone buzzes with a text from Zara.
Zara: Are you working?
It’s quickly followed by one from Serena
Serena: What are the guys like? Beefy hardbodies with huge hammers?
Laughing, I turn to take a selfie with the ocean behind me, then send it to both of them.
Me: Work starts tomorrow. Guys are nothing special.
That’s not exactly true. Evan has a sexy smile and thick biceps. And Carlos has gorgeous hair and eyes, both dark.
I put the phone away when Owen approaches. He’s drawing plenty of looks of his own from the women around us. It’s not surprising. It’s hard not to see him as the friend he’s always been, but he’s good looking. Lean body, lightly lined with muscle, wavy light brown hair, and dark blue eyes.
Ignoring the attention he’s getting, he flops onto the blanket beside me. “Don’t you want to get wet?”
“Someone had to watch our stuff,” I point out, gesturing to the phones and bags the guys dropped like a kid shedding a backpack at the door after school.
“Good point. Here comes Weston. He can take a turn.”
Weston is a big guy, but he doesn’t seem self-conscious in the least. He’s happy enough to hang out and watch for a bit while Owen and I head into the water. The sun heating my skin while the cool water rushes over my legs feels amazing, and I charge in deeper, diving into the waves.
Time slips away as I swim, and my stomach growls when I stretch out on the sand at the shore. I’d be happy to sit here forever, watching the evening overtake the sky, washing it in pale blue and green. As nervous as I’ve been, I’m glad I came.
Owen jogs over to plop down beside me. His eyes are bright and happy, his cheeks flushed. “Hey, ready to go? I’m starving. A guy told me about a great seafood place a few blocks away.”
