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“Shut up and finish spackling.”
“I am done, at least until Josie gets back from the store with the joint tape I need to do that corner.”
I looked up at the ceiling. Sure enough, everything was finished except that one edge. I gestured to the giant can of spackle on the floor. “Start the walls.”
“No more left.”
“There’s a full bucket in my garage.”
“I thought you only wanted me to do the ceiling?”
“Just start the damn walls.”
Porter took his time moseying over to my place. He came back with the bucket in one hand and a Pop-Tart in the other.
“Don’t you ever get any flavors except brown sugar cinnamon?”
“Don’t you everaskto go into someone’s kitchen and raid the cabinets?”
He ignored me and continued to chomp away at the Pop-Tart. “So you wouldn’t mind if I asked Josie out? She’s freaking hot, man.”
I didn’t like the knot I felt in my stomach even thinking about Porter laying a finger on Josie, but I’d never hear the end of it if I warded him off. “I’m not her keeper.”
“Great.”
Since the sheetrock was done and I wasn’t half as fast as Porter when it came to spackling, I decided to go next door and get a few fans to help the drying process. The humidity on the lake in July kept everything wet for days. While I was there, I got a call from a subcontractor I’d been trying to reach all week. By the time I returned to the neighbor’s, Josie was back from the store. And fucking Porter was already making moves.
He stood behind Josie real close, his hand covering hers as he guided the spackle knife around the wall. I felt like punching him.
“Hey, boss.” The fucker grinned. “Josie’s a real natural. Painting landscapes is also one of her hobbies, same as me.”
“Oh yeah?” I gritted out between clenched teeth.
“I’m not very good,” Josie said. “And I haven’t done it in years.”
“That’s a shame,” Porter drawled. “Maybe you should change that. The lake at sunset makes a beautiful subject.”
She smiled. “I’m sure it does.”
“I have an extra easel. I can drop it by one day…”
“Oh, I don’t want you to go out of your way.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
I’d had to give Porter the all clear to keep the town’s rumor mill quiet, but I didn’t need to stand here and watch him spin his stupid web. I cleared my throat. “I’ve got it from here, Porter. Thanks for the hand.”
He frowned. “I still need to finish three walls.”
“I can handle it.”
“But I’m quicker.”
“If you want to work today, you can head over to the high school job we’re backed up on. I was planning on waiting until the HVAC system went in to catch up, so there was some air when the temps hit ninety like it’s supposed to today. But if you’re itching to work…”
Porter held his hands up. “I’m good.”
“Alright then.” I nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
