Aunt Bernie wasn’t really related to him or his brothersat all. Explaining the social dynamics of everyone at the Paradise back in Spanish Fort would take a book the size of one of the romance novels that his stepmother, Mary Jane, was famous for writing. There were seven sisters, a half brother, an adopted sister, and then Tripp and Knox, who were shirt-tail kin. Aunt Bernie was related by blood to the sisters, but from the beginning, she had declared that the adopted sister, Ivy, and three Callahan brothers were also kinfolks. It didn’t take Brodie, Tripp, or Knox long to figure out that what she said was the law.
One of the other guys that arrived on-site at the same time as Knox eased down onto the bench across the table. “Hey, I’m Thomas Lopez. Looks like you and Lottie were having a disagreement. Did y’all get it figured out?”
“I hope so, but I hear that you are all three married, so you know how that goes,” Knox said with a chuckle. “Lottie said that she’s worked with y’all before. Just how good is she?”
“Jack’s crews all work together like a well-oiled machine,” Thomas said, “And believe me, Lottie is one of the best framers you will ever work with. I’d have to say the only one who is better is Walter, and that’s because he’s been doing this so long that he can step in and help with anything from foundation to finish carpentry. We’re sure going to miss him this time around, but he’s supposed to be back with us when we go to El Paso. Next week, we’ll have the first cabin ready for the next group coming in from a site down south, and most of them aren’t married, so the whole feel of the place changes. You ever worked with a woman before?”
“No, and especially not a girlfriend, but I have worked with Jack. We put up some minimansions down in central Texas around Austin several years ago. I trust his judgment.” Knox couldn’t remember the last time he had introduced a woman as his girlfriend and was surprised at how easy the word fell out of his mouth.
“We’ve worked with her, but not you, so try to keep up. Like Jack said at the pizza party tonight, anyone who falls behind on the schedule don’t last long,” Thomas said.
“I’ll do my best. Do you live around these parts?” Knox asked.
Thomas ran his fingers through his curly black beard. “No, just through the workweek. My trailer is at the end of the line out there. My brother will be arriving next Wednesday with the crew that puts the houses in the dry,” Thomas answered. “We go home to Randlett, Oklahoma, on weekends. That’s about an hour drive. We can leave on Friday after work, and if we want to get up early, we can stay over until Monday. My wife likes me to do that so I can spend more time with her and the kids. But when we go out to El Paso, school will be out for the summer, so we’ll take our RV and spend the time out there as a family.”
Knox nodded toward the other two framers who were standing at the edge of the lake. “What’s going on in the bullpen over here?”
“They’re talking about you and trying to figure out what y’all were arguing about.” Thomas whistled and waved theother men toward the pavilion. “Hey, you two, come on over here and get it out in the open.”
Gabe brought a six-pack of beer over and set it in the middle of the table. “All of us, plus Lottie, have worked together on other projects. You are the newcomer, and we’re wondering if Jack hired you because you are dating his niece.”
“I can promise you that he did not!” Knox answered. That put a whole new spotlight on the matter.
“So, how long have you been in this kind of business?” An air force tat on Gabe’s upper arm peeked out from under the stretched fabric of his T-shirt.
“For more than a decade. Pull up a piece of concrete and sit down,” Knox said.
Gabe and Eddie sat down on the other side of the table, one on either side of Thomas.
“I just want you to know that I’m glad Lottie is your girlfriend,” Gabe said. “My wife is the jealous type, and even though Lottie is just a coworker, Hayley will rest easier knowing that Lottie has a man in her life.”
Eddie nodded. “So will Jeannie.”
Thomas raised his hand. “And Angie makes three.”
“So, you are all married and live up in Oklahoma, right?” Knox asked.
“Yep,” Thomas answered. “But the drywall guys, the painters…”
“The finish carpenters and those who’ll put up the log-cabin-type siding don’t all have wives, and they can be prettywild after we finish each day,” Gabe finished for him. “Don’t get me wrong. They’re really good at what they do, but they like to party, and they will all try to steal Lottie right out from under your nose.”
“And Micah will lead the pack,” Eddie added.
“Then I reckon I’d better hang on to her real tight,” Knox said.
“Where are you from?” Gabe asked.
“Spanish Fort. A little more than two hours from here,” Knox answered.
“That’s just over the Red River from Ratliff City, right?” Thomas asked.
“A little more than an hour south of that place,” Knox answered.
“I remember seeing a sign for Spanish Fort when we started home from a project east of Nocona,” Gabe said.
“You must’ve crossed the Red River on the Taovayas Bridge. Spanish Fort is a little west of there, but still right on the river. My sister and her husband own a little convenience store slash fishing shop there. We all tell her it’s a beer, bait, and bologna place.”
Eddie pulled a can of beer free from the plastic ring and handed it to Knox. “I like those kinds of stores. Yep, we crossed the river on that bridge. Not much on either side of it, and a strange name for a bridge. Is Spanish Fort really named after an old fort?”
