Nailed (3 page)

Mandy shrugged but stood her ground. “It’s the way I see it.”

They pulled into the parking lot and saw the guys waiting around the back door of the office. “So who is it, Mand?” Marc maneuvered the truck into a parking place. “Which guy do you want?”

She looked out the window at Boston and smiled.

Her heart took flight inside her body. Boston, she wanted Boston. Then her eyes shifted to A.J., standing next to him. A.J. sipped from a steaming cup, and watched her intently. Mandy bit her lip, her heart thrumming. When she hadn’t been able to answer his question last night, she’d gotten the undeniable vibe that he had at last realized that her heart resided with Boston. She sent A.J. a small wave.

Marc raised his brow at her. The look sent an uncertain quivering through her system. “Ah, maybe she doesn’t know who she wants after all.”

“Boston,” she shot. “Of course, it’s Boston.”

The guys were at the doors of the truck now, and Marc still had an insipid smile on his face. Mandy wanted to slug him. She knew what she wanted. In her mind, only one heart fit perfectly next to hers.

The doors opened and Boston slid in next to her, the look in his eyes sparkling. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey.”

The truck wobbled as Larry and A.J. climbed over the back and settled into the bed. Marc started the engine and Mandy flicked on the CD. Suddenly, she couldn’t think of anything to say.

She didn’t know what to expect from work that day, but was relieved that A.J. was his usual cheerful self.

Boston was attentive, smiling a secret smile at her as they worked. As a crew, they picked up where they’d left off: the final shears were being placed on the outside walls of the second floor.

With the inside framing in place, Mandy was able to get a real sense of the floor plan: rooms and halls were at last in order. Like her heart, she mused.

The guys worked from the outside on scaffolding and ladders as they secured the plywood outer walls.

Marc refused to allow Mandy to climb up and do her part, citing that she could observe and learn just as easily by standing and watching, as opposed to risking her neck.

“He’s right,” Boston tossed over his shoulder. He made such a fine specimen of man perched up on that scaffolding, his golden-brown muscles glistening, flexing.

“Wouldn’t want anything to happen to that pretty little head of yours, baby doll.” A.J. turned and winked at her.

Mandy swallowed a knot. She so needed an ice water. “Anybody want anything?” Were any of them parched like she was?

“You mean you’re offering to do drudge work?

What’s gotten into you?” Marc laughed, then he rolled his eyes Boston’s direction, making sure she saw his teasing expression.

Thankfully, Boston was busily engaged and missed Marc’s obvious reference to her temporary insanity.

“Since you won’t let me up, I might as well make myself useful. I don’t have a problem helping you guys out down here.”

Boston looked over, a pleased grin on his face.

“Thanks. I could use a water.”

“No problem. Anybody else?”

“That works for me, too.” A.J. said.

“Man, I wish I had a beer,” Larry mumbled.

“Nothing like it to drown your sorrows,” Marc said before shooting a stream of nails into the plywood.

Mandy shaded her eyes from the sun overhead.

“What happened to Samantha?”

Larry shrugged, then whacked at a nail with his hammer.

“Don’t tell me you got dumped.” There was amusement in A.J.’s voice. “That a first for you?”

“It is, and I don’t like it.” Larry scratched his backside.

“It stinks.”

“But, hey,” Mandy chirped, “look how long it lasted.

I’m proud of you, Lar. You did good.”

Over his shoulder, Larry shot her a twisted look that told her he could care less what she thought. “Whatever.

It stinks. It ain’t happening again.”

Mandy laughed as she crossed to the water cooler.

She plucked three frosty water bottles from the ice and headed back to the conversation. “There’s an old saying,” she began. She stood under the scaffolding and looked up at Larry. “What goes around comes around.”

“I feel the need to hock a loogie.” Larry cleared his throat and aimed right at Mandy who ducked away, laughing.

“Better keep your philosophical commentary to yourself,” Marc told her, jumping down. He strode over and took a bottle. “Larry’s a bear when he doesn’t have a woman.”

“Well then, you two really are made for each other.”

Mandy handed A.J. a water now that he was there, waiting.

“Thanks, baby doll.”

“You’re welcome.” Mandy was glad that he still used the term of endearment, glad that they could still be friends.

Boston climbed down and came to where they stood, all of them looking up at the side of the house nearly complete. He reached out and Mandy handed him a bottle. His smile melted her already soft insides.

“Guess I should see who won my pot,” he said.

Marc whipped a wide-eyed look at Boston, then Mandy. “I should have known.”

“Man, I’m the winner!” Larry lifted his water bottle skyward. “Something worked today. Yes.” He chugged.

Why was it hard to look A.J. in the eye? Mandy tentatively met his knowing green eyes. A small smile lifted his lips. Then his gaze shifted to Boston. “I lost for sure,” he said, his expression a mix of pleasure and something else—disappointment—Mandy thought.

“How long did you give Boston?” Mandy asked.

“Under your spell?” A.J. touched the tip of her nose lightly. “About a week.”

Mandy hid a blush by facing the house and gesturing the nearly finished project with a sweep of her hand. “The house is looking good.”

“Looks great,” A.J commented.

“It’s a nice floor plan.” Mandy took a swig of the refreshing water. “I like it. Should be easy for Dad to sell.

It’s not too big for a starter house and nice enough for a small family.”

“How about a single guy?” A.J. asked, his twinkling eyes meeting hers.

Suddenly, it was quiet and all attention turned to A.J. But he was focused on her, and Mandy’s heart started to thump. “You mean...you?”

“I’m buying it,” A.J. stated.

“That’s cool, man,” Marc reached out and shook his hand. “When did this happen?”

“I bought it last week. I’m going to rent it out. You know, branch out. Be a landlord.”

“Wow.” Mandy wasn’t sure how to handle the mix of feelings swarming through her at the moment: pride, surprise, awe. “That’s great news, A.J. Will you keep your day job?” She gestured to the house.

His pleased smile grew deeper. “Of course. I’m not an office kind of guy. I just thought it was about time I set up for the future.”

“Congratulations,” Boston said. “That’s a smart move.”

“Thanks, man,” A.J. countered.

“Boston owns a fourplex,” Mandy put in.

“You guys are monsters. I don’t own anything,” Marc lamented. He was finished with his water so he shoved the empty bottle at Mandy. Mandy glared at him.

“They’re smart.” Mandy shoved the bottle back.

“Time to start taking care of yourself. The trash is over there.” She jerked her head in the direction of a few scattered boxes, filled with garbage.

Marc grumbled and headed toward the boxes.

“I’m so happy for you, A.J.” Mandy turned to him.

“That’s really great.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Me?”

“You inspired me, baby doll.”

A.J.’s green eyes held hers for a long time. An old pleasure echoed through Mandy she couldn’t deny or ignore. She took a deep breath and finished the last of her water, her gaze moving to A.J.’s new house.

By the afternoon, the entire house began to darken with the walls filled in. Now, the only light streamed in from the vacancy above where the trusses would go tomorrow, and through the framed windows.

The job was nearly over and emptyness wedged inside of Mandy. She tried to focus on the pleasant fact that they’d created A.J.’s house. That her first job had been a success—she’d carried her share of the load. And she’d met Boston.

Mandy marveled that they worked like a well-oiled machine the last few days of the job, the trusses fitting in place just right. She enjoyed Larry’s music, and let Marc’s chiding slide by without comment. Boston and A.J. talked about the business of being a landlord like they’d known each other for years, not weeks. It was fun to hear A.J.

plan how he was going to finish the inside of the house.

Boston offered his suggestions and so did Mandy. By the time the last piece of plywood was nailed in place on the roof, the sadness of leaving the site, of the team dismantling and going their separate ways had dwindled to a dull ache and Mandy was ready to move on to the next project.

Parting was bittersweet. With Marc scheduling their dad’s framing crews, odds were that she’d work with some of them again, but she wasn’t sure when. She’d miss Larry’s raunchy antics. What would the work day be without A.J.’s gentlemanly gestures? At least she’d see Boston.

As dusk fell over the site and they piled into the truck for the last drive to the home office, Mandy sat in the cab, looking at the house Memories flashed. She wished she could drag out the job a little longer, but good framers got in and out on schedule so that the overall timetable for the project wasn’t compromised for those standing in line next.

Boston climbed in next to her and smiled. His musky scent filled the cab and her head, causing her heart to take a spin. “Hey.” He surprised her with a kiss. His lips were warm and a little salty.

“Hey.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. The truck swayed as the others climbed in the back, the guys’ laughter mixing with the memories of the past few weeks running through her head.

“Let’s get something to eat. Want to?” Boston asked.

Mandy nodded. She kept her eyes closed, enjoying the pictures of the job flashing in her head. She felt Marc get in, close the door, and start the engine. Who’d have thought, she mused, thinking about the first day she laid eyes on Boston, that he would be sitting next to her, that he’d kiss her and they’d be together?

Next Job

“When can I get back to work?” Mandy asked Marc. Six weeks had gone by since they’d wrapped her first framing job, and she was itching to get her hands on some wood. She missed the sweat, the scents and the hard work.

The weeks had been fun in the interim. Boston had been assigned to another crew and he’d asked her to meet him each day so they could take off for lunch together. She’d spent her days either at the bookstore or hanging with Cam when he wasn’t working day shifts.

She’d also enrolled for fall classes at the local college to start her GE classes that would eventually lead to her contractor’s license.

“You can start tomorrow,” Marc said. It was early evening; he’d just gotten home from a meeting with their dad. He was his usual cranky self as he poured himself a snack of cereal.

“Dad must love the sales,” she said, getting the milk out of the refrigerator and handing it to him.

“Yeah. Only four more houses to go and the development will close. But the pressure, man, I had to hire five new framers this week.”

“So you’ll be overseeing everything to make sure the quality is—”

“You don’t have to tell me how to do my job, Mand.” He poured some milk.

“I know. You do a great job, you really do,” she said, pulling out a barstool next to him. They both sat.

He was trying really hard not to smile and let the pleasure show on his face, Mandy could tell. She grinned, reached over and plucked a nugget of cereal from his bowl.

“You going out with Lar tonight?” she asked. He shrugged, spooned and chewed. “What? You two not making the rounds anymore?”

“He’s making them. You know Larry.” He paused.

“I’m out of that scene, at least for a while anyway.”

“I’m proud of you. You want to come to the bookstore with me and Boston tonight?”

He let out a good-natured sneer. “Don’t push it.”

“I thought you said you could appreciate a babe anywhere. There are babes at the bookstore, you know.

You might do well with an intellectual type.”

“Like I care if she’s interested in my brain.”

Mandy plucked another piece of cereal from his bowl. “You care or you’d be hanging with Lar tonight.”

“What I care about is eating this bowl of cereal right now. Don’t you have something to do, like read a book or something?” He lifted the nearly empty bowl and drank down the milk.

“You can camouflage all you want Marcus, but I know you. You’re tired of disposable. You’re ready for a keeper.”

“Who asked you?”

“Sister’s intuition.” Mandy tapped her temple. “Try the bookstore. You never know,” she said, standing, stretching. She looked at her watch: one more hour until she saw Boston again. “So, tomorrow, work. Yes! I’ve been dying to get back.”

“Well, then, your dreams are about to come true.”

Because Marc was now overseeing all of the houses under construction, Mandy didn’t drive with him to the development. She liked having her own car, anyway.

That way, she could meet up with Boston at lunch.

The morning was warmer than usual, even for late August. The air felt as if temperatures were going to skyrocket. She opened the sunroof and let the hot beams bathe her. From her CD player, something jumpy blasted, and her nerves ticked thinking about the new job.

She’d worked with the best crew already, she doubted this group of guys could top the fun camaraderie she’d felt with A.J., Larry, Marc, and Boston.

That was a given. But it really didn’t matter. She was excited about the work, about building, watching yet another home rise from the dust.

With a smile on her lips, she pulled up to the site. The area buzzed like a beehive, and her stomach fluttered in anticipation. A large truck with a load of wood was parked in front of the cement foundation. Men she didn’t recognize were unloading the lumber and carrying it to piles outside the groundwork. She couldn’t wait to inhale the natural scent.

One
Haynes
truck was parked on the street as well as a handful of other trucks. Not knowing any of the new crew didn’t bother her. She was there to learn, and the variety in foremen and their techniques was nearly as vast as the variety in home designs and floor plans.