At least that’s what I thought until I picked up my phone and found a message I wasn’t expecting.
Rick
I’ll be there
Friday
Would love 2 c u.
My heart comes to a dead stop in my chest.
I haven’t heard from Rick in months.
Why is he coming back now?
CHAPTERTHREE
ETHAN
Seagulls swoopand squawk over the crashing waves behind me as I gaze up at my parents’ mistake.
Before I start any job—whether it’s a new build or a restoration—I like to step far enough away so that I can picture the finished product.
From this vantage point, it’s not hard to see what made my parents buy a place in such disrepair.The view is fucking incredible, and the house is big—way too big for a retired couple if you ask me, but Mom and Dad have their hearts set on a football team of grandkids.Pity that Wyatt’s way too nomadic for a serious relationship, Gray’s got so many women lined up to date him that he finds it hard to stick with one, and me—I’ve sworn off relationships entirely.The last two girlfriends I had both took off because of my super-long hours and general intolerance of the human race.No point denying it: most people tend to annoy me, and I seem to annoy them, so at least it’s an even trade.
I lift the travel mug that the smiley barista made me buy and force down a lukewarm sip.Pretty sure I asked forhotcoffee.I guess people around here have too much sand in their ears to listen.
The heels of my work boots sink into the soft ground as I assess the house, forming a mental to-do list.
Firstly, I need to make sure this job stays under thirty grand.Right after I promised Mom and Dad I’d help them, I checked the building laws in North Carolina: below that amount, you don’t need a state-licensed contractor.Since I wouldn’t dream of charging them anything for labor, I’ve already run the numbers a few times and should be able to stay on target.
I’m going to have to rebuild the outdoor stairs entirely and probably replace the balcony railing, but the lumber for that shouldn’t cost too much.The roof shingles will take a bite out of the budget because the roof is in shit shape, but I’ve already got suppliers in mind to call for quotes.The biggest hit will probably be the windows and shutters, but whatever Mom and Dad don’t want to pay for, I’ll cover.
I’ve been on jobs where they cut corners to save a few bucks.
Never again.
Not after seeing the true cost.
God knows how long it’ll take to get everything delivered to this no man’s land of an island.
The house to the right of Mom and Dad’s is about as big as theirs and looks nicely done up.They’ve got concrete columns a foot wide holding up the house and metal straps reinforcing the framing.All the windows have heavy-duty shutters.I’ll see if I can have a chat with the owner, get a sense of what the weather throws at you out here.
On the other side of my parents’ place is a crappy little shack that looks like it got dropped there during a hurricane.It’s a shade of yellow that makes me queasy, the wooden staircase leading down to the beach is almost as bad as Mom and Dad’s, and the roof looks like it’s about to cave in.
Luckily, it’s not my problem.I just hope Mom and Dad didn’t move next to the local eccentric.
Every town has at least one.
After finishing my cold coffee, I climb back up the slope of grassy sand, fighting off another stab of disappointment that I’m not on a plane to somewhere I actually want to be.There’s no point regretting what can’t be changed, so I force myself to focus on the things I can control.
Top of my list is to get stuff ordered that needs to be custom-made because that’s the biggest potential threat to my timeline.I unhook the ladder from my truck and get started measuring all the windows for glass and shutters.Once I’ve called Mom and Dad to clear the costs with them, I order the lumber to rebuild the staircase and pay extra out of my own pocket to get it fast-tracked.Then I snatch up my phone and set an alarm for later this afternoon to remind myself to check the ferry times for deliveries.
I haven’t even started any of the proper labor yet, and I’m already dripping sweat.I tug up my T-shirt to wipe my face, then glance at my watch.It’s just past noon.
My stomach makes its hunger known as I pour a glass of water from the kitchen tap into a cup I brought with me.
Through the window, the endless blanket of blue sea hits me with an unfamiliar sense of calm.
