Bounty (Colorado Mountain 7)

He pulled back the blanket to expose a few inches of the wood and mumbled, “Custom-build.”

I said nothing because he knew it was and so did I.

He wandered to boxes of grout, tile, and I watched, trying to figure out a way to get out of this.

I couldn’t tell Max I didn’t want Deke doing the work because I had no reason to do that. I could ask that he switch Deke out for another guy on one of his other jobs but I had no reason to do that either. And Max and I both knew I needed the work done so I couldn’t back out and say I’d wait for the full team.

I was stuck.

Stuck with days in, days out of a man who moved me with one meeting then stood me up and didn’t remember me working in my house.

“Hey.”

The voice came from my front door and I turned to see Max walking in, hand wrapped around a travel mug, smile on his handsome face, and I was not surprised I was so deep in my thoughts I didn’t even hear his truck approach.

“You got here before me,” he said to Deke.

“Yep,” Deke agreed to the obvious.

Max looked at me. “Hey, Jus—”

“Jus!”

It was not loud but not normal level either, it was quick and it sounded desperate.

It was all this because, in front of Deke, I couldn’t have Max calling me Justice and maybe reminding Deke we’d met, something I had not done.

I pulled it together and said, “Jus. Or Jussy. Sorry, that’s what friends call me.”

Max gave me a funny look before he shook it off and replied, “Right. Cool. Jus. Good to see you again.”

“You too.”

I shoved my phone in my overalls pocket as Max approached to shake my hand.

I shook his and he noted, “So you’ve met Deke.”

“Yeah.” It was my turn to agree to the obvious.

“Great,” Max said and looked to Deke. “Told you it was a big job, man.”

Deke didn’t agree to this assessment.

He stated, “Weather’s gonna turn. She needs insulation. She got a furnace?”

Max nodded, heading toward Deke. “She’s got one, AC too, ducts in. Been months, Deke, think they’re good but need you to go over them and install the thermostats.”

“Insulation first,” Deke returned.

Max shook his head. “Got that equipment working at the Porter place next couple of days. It’ll be free on Thursday.”

“Can’t drywall without it, Max. And she needs the walls up,” Deke retorted.

Max looked to me. “Got a choice, Ju…uh, Jus,” he started. “We recommend that you blow foam insulation in and that’s what’s on your job spec. Lasts longer, works better, keeps utility bills down, doesn’t settle or need replacement as quickly, keeps rodents and bugs out, doesn’t hold water. Deke’s right, we were ready to spray the foam in before this build came to a halt. Deke can sort out your furnace but not much more he can do until the insulation is in. You want him to start, we can get cellulose or fiberglass but it’s not recommended.”

“Work on the deck.”

Both Max and I turned to see Deke had moved to stand at the big window where the kitchen would someday be.

When he had our attention, he kept his on Max and declared, “Not a priority but she’s got the lumber somewhere, can get that going. Spend today inventorying what she’s got here, make sure it’s what she wants and it’s enough. We need more, you get on that. Something she doesn’t like, she works with Mindy to order it so we got it when we get to it. Spend the rest of the time after I get heat sorted out until the equipment is free on the deck. Weather turning and if we have a rough winter, that deck might not get done until spring.”

Max moved his way, speaking. “On the plans, there’s an outside fire pit meant to be built in stone, up the middle of the deck. Got a gas line laid to it, but plan has it multi-functional, gas and wood burning. Stone’s under a tarp outside. So is the lumber, if a miracle happened and no one got to it while this house was sitting, waiting to be sold.”

That miracle happened. I’d seen those stacks outside.

Thank God.

“Got the plans?” Deke asked.

“In my truck,” Max answered.

“Right, won’t be a problem. Show me the rest?” Deke prompted.

“Let’s move,” Max replied.

I stood there feeling like I wasn’t there until Max caught my eyes and grinned at me when they were going to move by me.

Deke didn’t even look at me.

“Uh, can I just say…?” I called when they’d almost hit the doorframe to the hall.

Both men stopped and looked at me.

“I’m happy for anything getting done but when work starts inside the house, can I get my utility room first?” I requested.

Another grin from Max. “Women and laundry.”

I gave a slight shrug. “What can I say? We can’t recycle clothes like dudes can, turning them inside out and wearing them again.”

Max chuckled.

Deke stared at me, expressionless.

“Once the insulation is in and we got your furnace running, Deke’ll give you a utility room,” Max agreed.

“Awesome,” I said on a bright smile I hoped didn’t look too forced.

Max lifted his chin, turned away and disappeared through the doorframe.

Deke just looked away and disappeared through the doorframe.

As for me, I stood there and stared at the empty doorframe.

Right, this was happening.

I met a guy who asked me out and stood me up and now I’d met him again and he didn’t remember me.