As it turned out, the few minutes I had with Landon were the best part of the morning. The clerk in charge of signing my permits seemed to doubt I was qualified for the job.
“You’re working alone, yes?” he asked. His office was small and stuffy, and he smelled like he’d worn that shirt since Christmas.
“I hire people on site for every project.”
“Schools are of public interest. Are you sure your... company can handle it?”
“The scope of the project is limited. I could do it myself if neces
sary. And it’s a private school, not a public one,” I countered.
“But you still need permits from us. I need more time to look into it.”
I drew in a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. I knew what would happen if I gave him time. He’d take so long that I’d never get my permits on time. I was slated to start this project right after I finished Val’s. I promised my clients an all-in-one solution, and I intended to deliver.
I hadn’t gotten to where I was by waiting for things to happen. I fought tooth and nail to make them happen. Straightening up, I smiled and laid on the charm thickly, pimping myself like there was no tomorrow. Ten minutes later, I left with my permits.
On my way to Val’s, I switched on my phone. I’d turned it off during the appointment.
An unread message popped up.
Landon: Val had an accident with a drunk driver. Call when you see this.
Oh my God! I checked the time—he’d texted an hour ago. I was too petrified to call him, or do anything except hope and pray that Val was all right. She had to be. Taking a few deep breaths, I finally called Landon. He answered immediately.
“Hey!” he said.
“Hey! How’s Val doing?”
I held the wheel of my car tightly with one hand. My stomach was churning already.
“Three broken ribs, and her right leg’s broken too.”
“Oh no.”
“She’s going to be in the hospital for a night, and then she’ll need to take things slow for about six weeks.”
“What happened?”
“She had a big meeting today and drove to her office to prepare for it. A drunk idiot slammed into her car.” His voice was so tight, I wanted to reach out through the phone and wrap my arms around him.
“You’re at the hospital now?”
“I was there earlier, but I left because she asked me to attend the meeting in her place. I’m on my way there.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Landon laughed. “I’m not.”
“How can she still be thinking about the meeting?” I hoped that meant she wasn’t in too much pain.
“She’s been preparing for it for a month. It’s a big deal. We talked about it a few times, and I did work at the company years ago, so I know the bare bones.”
“Wow.”
“The meeting will last the entire day, so I can’t make it to lunch. But I’d like to take you out this evening.”
“Landon, you’re going to have a hellish day. You don’t have to take me out.”