Page 56 of Trusting Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 2)

Their timeframe and budget were so tight, she wasn’t sure how she was going to finesse the budget to get the money and she had no idea how he was going to find the time to do the work. But she trusted herself to find it and even more than that, she trusted Easton to get it done.

Never in her life would she think she could trust someone more than she trusted herself. That she would depend on someone the way she depended on herself. But against all odds, that is exactly what had happened.

It was unnerving…and also…really nice.

“I came up with a way to offset some of the cost. If we don’t take down the wall between the family room and the kitchen—”

“We need an open concept.” Grace’s entire design depended on those rooms being open. This place had been like a maze of unusable rooms.

“It will still feel open. If we leave two posts and I vault the ceiling.” He handed her the plans and she almost told him it was fine before even looking at them.

That was how much she trusted him. And that scared her.

* * *

Easton could seethe wheels turning in Grace’s head as she took the plans. He’d known about the asbestos since yesterday. He’d found out right before the crew went home but waited to tell her until today so he could work out a solution.

Grace had impressed him at every turn. When she’d told him that she was going to remove the tile from the bathrooms, the linoleum from the kitchen and the wallpaper from the dining room and master bedroom he’d thought it was ambitious. He knew how tedious, and difficult that work was. But they were one week in and she was pretty much on schedule. She’d done the back breaking work and not complained once. Seeing her dedication and work ethic had made him want to do everything in his power to win this for her and not add any stress to her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out and saw his mom was calling. “I have to take this.”

She nodded without looking up from the plans.

He stepped outside and answered the call. “Hey Mom.”

“Easton, Mary Ellen’s daughter is going to be in Tanzania on a mission trip with her church over Thanksgiving. I told her about you and what you’re doing over there and that you would love to show her around.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.He never in a million years thought he would have to come up with an excuse as to why he wasn’t in Tanz for Thanksgiving.

“I’m actually working on another project and won’t be there next week.”

“Easton Hayes Bishop, Jana is a very beautiful, very single girl. She was Miss Teen California. She has a master’s degree in social work. She spent three years working in the Peace Corps. She loves animals and her last serious relationship was over a year ago.”

Leave it to Connie Bishop to play matchmaker from thousands of miles away. He didn’t want to think about what she would do now that he was back in the States.

Thankfully I have Grace, he thought. Maybe not officially, but he planned on doing everything in his power to make it official once this show was over.

“And Mary Ellen is one of my oldest, and dearest friends.”

“Didn’t you just meet Mary Ellen last year in your Zumba class?”

“Yes, and we’re very close and I already told her that you’d love to meet her daughter.”

His phone vibrated and he saw that it was a text from his mom. He opened it and saw a picture of a gorgeous brunette, with green eyes and perfect smile. Jana, he presumed.

“Did you get my text?” his mom asked.

“Yes.”

“Isn’t she pretty?”

“She is, but I’m not going to be in Tanz next week.”

“Really?” His mom said, clearly indicating she thought he was lying. “Where are you going to be?”

“Bishop!” The general contractor called out.

“Mom, I gotta go. I’ll call you later. Love you.”

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