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The construction site for the new development was just over the highway on the southern border of town. Even driving a hair over the speed limit, it took only minutes to reach the entry and follow the signs to the Housing for Heroes houses. There were three veteran’s homes under construction at the moment. One barely past the stage of pouring the foundation. The other fully framed and ready for sheetrock. The third was in the finishing stages of final trim work. She wasn’t positive but she felt sure the photo ops would be at the third house and the day’s work would be at house number two.
Jared hadn’t said a word since they drove through what would soon be the gates to the community, but as she pulled up to the house with the large banner for her pet charity, she detected a hint of a nod. “Thanks for letting me tag along.”
Turning the car into the driveway of the almost finished house, she threw the car into first gear, turned off the engine, unbuckled her seatbelt, and turned to face him. “Ready to get down and dirty?”
The way his eyes flashed brightly for a split second, she realized how easily her choice of words could have been interpreted differently than what she’d intended. Only his instant recovery of a placid expression and casual nod as he hopped out of the car and circled the hood to open her door told her that he had no intention of calling her out on the flub. “I’ll follow your lead. Let me know when I’m needed.”
She appreciated that. “Sounds good.”
Thirty minutes later she’d been photographed wearing a hard hat, tool belt, hammering in a nail, carrying a two by four, as well as sawing at a section of base board. When the publicity part of her day was over, she’d expected to find Jared sitting on an upended paint bucket waiting. Instead, she had to go hunting for the guy. Spotting him on a ladder hanging a ceiling fan, she wondered what happened to the man who preferred to write checks.
Finished, he looked over his shoulder and almost caught her staring at him. “There you are. All done with the promo bit?”
“I am.” She nodded “Looks like you got to work without me.”
“Saw a need and stepped in. All three bedrooms have the fans hung, of course this room here, and now I’m going to screw some bulbs in the kitchen canned lights.”
“Sounds easy enough.” She paused to look around for the volunteer coordinator. “Did Annabelle or George give you a list?”
He shrugged as his booted foot hit the floor. “Depends on whether or not the foreman in the other room is George.”
As if on cue, a man she did not recognize came out and stopped short, his gaze shifting from Jared to her. “May I help you?”
Eve stepped forward and extended her hand. “Eve Baron. I’m here with the volunteer crew.”
“Of course.” The tall man smiled, shook her hand and nodded. “Nate Tailor. They’re working on the house next door.”
That caught her by surprise, and judging by the way Jared’s brows arched high over wide eyes, she’d guess he didn’t expect that response either. If the volunteers were next door, why was Jared hanging ceiling fans in this house?
Another fellow in jeans and a jangling tool belt stomped through the doorway and dropped a very loud and most likely heavy tool bag on the floor at his feet. “I should have stayed in bed. Got caught in a bottleneck on I-45. Tractor trailer overturned.”
Nate frowned at him, then looked at Jared. “Who are you?”
“I’m with her.” Jared waved a thumb in Eve’s direction.
His mouth momentarily twisted to one side, Nate blew out a deep sigh. “You’re not the new electrician?”
The guy who had stomped into the house turned to face Jared. “Man, I really should have stayed in bed.”
Jared lifted two hands in front of him, palms out, and shook his head. “Just another volunteer. A volunteer who is going to go next door now.” He curled his fingers around Eve’s arm and quickly led her out the door.
The breeding her family had drummed into her through the decades wouldn’t allow her to leave without saying something. Looking over her shoulder as she shuffled after Jared, she smiled at the contractor. “It was nice meeting you, Nate.”
The man bobbed his head in acknowledgment and spun quickly to face the electrician.
Out the front door, biting back a grin, she glanced at Jared. “I can’t believe you were in the wrong house and he put you to work.”
Chuckling under his breath, Jared cleared his throat. “I admit, I was a bit surprised when he handed me the fans without even asking if I knew how to install one.”
“But you did it?”
Still grinning, Jared nodded. “Three of them. Anyone can hang a ceiling fan. So I did.”
Halfway down the walkway, they heard Nate loudly spouting instructions to check the fan installations along with a few other choice words she had no intention of repeating. As if choreographed, they turned to look over their shoulders at the electrician staring up dumfounded at the living room fan. The two of them nearly doubled over with laughter, and practically ran the rest of the way to the right house.
Out of breath and still giggling at the front door of the correct house, they were greeted by a surly older man. “What may I ask is so funny?”
“Nothing really.” Jared swallowed a smile.
