Page 60 of Nailed

“That’s not a bad idea,” Clara said, evidently mulling it over. “We could invite all the headlining activists too. Make sure they’re there so they can’t hide behind excuses. Do you have a theme in mind yet?”

“Not yet, just the barebones idea. I want to honor the legacy of this firehouse. I want to prove to the locals that I’m not here to erase anything or lock them out of a piece of their history and that I value how important it is to them,” I said. “What do you think?”

“Brilliant. Fantastic. Phenomenal. Awe-inspiring,” Clara rattled off.

“Come on, take this seriously, please?” I pleaded.

“No, I’m being serious! Lauren, it’s a great idea. I think it’ll mean a lot to the people around here and smooth things over with the protesters. And it might be the only thing that manages to shut people like Tim up.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “And you’ll help me with the logistics of things? If you have the time?”

“Sure,” she said.

“You’re the best,” I said, practically kissing my phone. “I’ll call you later again, alright?”

When I walked back into the firehouse, I must’ve exuded a different kind of aura because Callum and Brock both stopped what they were doing to look at me expectantly.

“I have an idea,” I announced, putting my hands on my hips and walking to the center of the bay area. I noticed Rafe slinking down the stairs and stopping halfway. I didn’t even notice him showing up for work this morning and yet he’d somehow pitched up. When did he get so quiet?

For just a little moment, it was strange to be in the crosshair of all their combined attention. There was still a simmering heat behind Brock’s eyes, one similar to the intense familiarity that Callum’s held for me, but fresher. And Rafe…there was some unresolved tension that hadn’t quite gone away since his meltdown.

Some of my old worries resurfaced but I pushed them aside for now. I had to get my ideas out there because time was of the essence right now if I wanted this thing to work. I had to focus.

“I’d like to request a revision of the current renovation plans,” I said, an intentional formalness coating my words. Brock raised an eyebrow at me and Callum looked genuinely surprised. Rafe’s face was still impassive, not so much as giving me a micro expression in response. I carried on.

“We’re more than a quarter into the reno schedule. You wanna change things now?” Brock asked.

“Let’s forget about the schedule,” I said, taking a step forward. I could hear the excitement in my own voice and was sure the guys could probably see it on my face, too. “I’d like for us to focus on the darkroom first. I want it done as soon as possible.”

“The darkroom?” Callum scratched the back of his head. “Can I ask why, Miss Lauren?”

I gave them the brief run-down of my master plan, up to and including the call I just had with Clara. By the time I was done, both Callum and Brock seemed to understand what I was trying to accomplish and even looked somewhat impressed. No one protested or even brought up a complaint.

“I know that it’s super last minute but I really think this will help smooth things over even more than going the legal route. Do you think you guys could do that?” I asked hopefully. My eyes moved between all three of them and it was Brock who answered.

“Who do you think you’re talking to, Wolfhaardt?” he asked. It sounded so different when he used my surname free of the formal title preceding it. More intimate. And coming from Brock, that was almost a bigger breakthrough than getting into his pants had been. His eyes shined with the challenge. “We’ll get it done.”

Callum nodded without hesitation. Rafe didn’t say anything.

“Huddle,” Brock said, waving us over to the makeshift workbench he was using that held the firehouse blueprints. The four of us stood around the bench, looking down at the papers sprawled across it. Brock pulled up the plans for the darkroom that we’d already finalized, then looked at me. “You want this room finished by tonight, yeah?”

I nodded.

“Alright. Before we start, I just want to make it clear that getting that finished by nightfall means other milestone projects are going to be delayed by at least a day. Is that okay with you?” he clarified.

“More than,” I answered. “I’m sure I want this.”

My choice of words signaled something to Brock. He didn’t return any innuendo with anything obvious, just held my gaze and gave me a slow, knowing smile. “Gotchya.”

Then he immediately jumped into foreman mode and I pulled my mind from the gutter. Breathe, Lauren. Now is not the time.

“Cal, do we have the plumbing rough-ins ready for those sinks, or am I sending Rafe for parts now?” he asked.

“Already installed them last week, Boss,” replied Callum.

Brock led the four of us into a restrategizing process that almost felt like old times again and soon enough we had a new game plan to focus on. He would start with light-proofing and ventilation while Rafe was on the tear-outs and Callum got the electrical stuff and cabinetry sorted. I would fall in wherever they needed a runner to make sure that not a single second was wasted.

When we were all clear on where we would start, the plan was put into motion.