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I nodded. “Not really, but I guess we have to.”
“It’ll be better to just do it while everyone’s here.” He leaned in close. “For both of us.”
“I know,” I agreed.
And I understood it was the best thing for everyone, especially with the heat we were once again feeling from the Widows.
But as I scanned the room for the man whose opinion of me mattered way too much, I realized that everything he thought about me was about to be proven.
Chapter 2
Race
“The probationary period is up.”
I leaned back in the chair positioned across from my boss who sat behind his desk. Ben Dimarco, part owner of Dimarco Construction along with his brother Jake Dimarco. They were two of seven Dimarco brothers, all respected members of this little town and the only two who’d agreed to take a chance on me.
A felon.
“Appreciate the opportunity,” I replied honestly.
Ben sat back and studied me closely. He and his brother Jake were usually lighthearted and easy to get along with, but this company was their livelihood, and they both had women in their lives to support and protect. If they had any indication this wasn’t working out, they wouldn’t hesitate to toss me.
“You like the work you’re doing?”
“Yep,” I answered honestly.
I hadn’t expected to like construction work. Truthfully, it was work I could never see myself doing, but after a few years of living in the clubhouse surrounded by cars and bikes, which were nothing but triggers of my past, I knew I needed something completely different. I showed up at this very office two years ago with no experience but a hell of a lot of determination. Ben saw that and gave me a shot, but not without conditions, one of them being a long probationary period, which I accepted immediately. I had no plans of leaving town, so I didn’t care how long he needed me to prove myself. I think his biggest concern was that I’d disappear, and he hadn’t known me well enough to know I wouldn’t. That wasn’t my life anymore. I was rebuilding, trying to become a man who people trusted, and over the past two years, Ben saw that. Not many people would’ve given me the opportunity, and I never forgot that, so I worked my ass off to prove I appreciated it.
Ben tilted his head to the side. “Gotta be honest with you, Race, you’re a hell of a worker. I appreciate all the overtime you’ve been picking up.”
“But…?”
“No buts. Wish I had more on my crew who were as dedicated to doing the job right.”
I raised my eyebrows, surprised by the compliment. “Like the overtime.”
Ben grinned. “Extra pay’s not bad either, right?”
I returned his grin. “Right.”
“There a reason you take all the overtime I’ve been offering?”
“Keeps me outta trouble,” I admitted. “Plus, I got my eye on a piece of property.”
His eyes widened. “You wanna build a place of your own?”
“Someday.”
“Where is it?” he asked.
“Over on Fleming.”
Ben nodded. “Know that spot. It’s about an acre. Charlie and I talked about snatching that up, but then she saw a house just down the street and fell in love with it.”
“Least you don’t have to build it,” I pointed out.
He snorted. “Would’ve rather built one. The house needs a ton of fucking work. It would take me longer to fix it up than to just build a new one.”
