“No problems at your parents’ cottage, but we may run into a snag with the HVAC system at your house. I came up with a solution, but I need you to review it and sign off.”
I examine the changes made to the design, double-checking for any potential engineering mishaps before approving. “Looks good. Make sure to give city hall a call and get an inspector out here after it’s installed.”
“Sure thing. You want to deliver the news to the team, or shall I?”
“Oh, I’ll head over. I’m sure they’ve missed my micromanaging sass,” I joke with a smirk.
Jared chuckles, shaking his head. “You may have high expectations of our crew members, but there’s a reason no one jumps ship from your company. You treat them right.”
“You flatter me,” I tease, turning to file some order slips. “How are the new living arrangements? Maceo told me he wanted you close to the family and that you moved in with Ziggy.”
Ziggy is a member of the MC and works on Chase’s intel team. He’s also head over heels for my best friend.
“I was willing to move into my suite, but as soon as Ziggy found out, he insisted I move into his. Bumped our relationship up from serious to permanent,” Jared says with a smile in his voice.
My mouth drops as I turn on my heels to face my friend. “Permanent as in putting a ring on it?”
Jared bites his bottom lip to keep his smile from splitting his face. “We’re thinking a June wedding.”
I squeal, squeezing Jared tight. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys.”
He laughs. “I need you at my side as my matron of honor. Plus, I’m going to need your help planning too—you’ve gone through all this already.”
“I’m honored, and I’m happy to help,” I say, heading for the door. “Have you seen my dad on-site today?”
My dad joined my construction company after he and my mom moved here. He brings over thirty-five years of welding and trades experience to our team, which has been an enormous asset to my new company. Retirement bored him, so he works for me whenever he wants, which is all the time because he likes staying busy.
“Jim’s over at the cottage trying to talk your mom out of hanging some gaudy wallpaper in the dining room,” he answers, shuddering.
“Gotcha,” I say, waving bye before heading over to the cottage. I greet my crew as I move along the path, catching up on how they're doing in their personal lives as well as answering questions they ask about the projects they’re working on.
Inside my parents' build, I find my dad hanging the wild wallpaper Jared had mentioned. He obviously lost the battle with my mom. I help him hang the tacky paper while we catch up. We’ve always had a tight relationship aside from when I went no contact with my family after leaving Jacob. Working with my dad has brought us back together, bonding over our shared love of design.
When the wallpaper is hung, I make the rounds at my house, examining all the work completed in my absence. Jared did an outstanding job managing the team—there’s no shabby workmanship to note.
I head back to the office trailer, follow up with a couple of interested clients, get a feel for what they want in their designs, and see if my company is a good fit for their needs. During my break, I make a vet appointment for Hades, call Brandon to inform him I’ll have a guest with me for our next session, and stuff a sandwich in my face. A few calls to vendors to get better deals on materials and sorting through receipts to hand off to my sister for accounting, and I am beat.
The crew finishes for the day, but I’m still hard at work drafting blueprints for a boutique project scheduled after our current projects are completed. The job of a design engineer is never done. I don’t complain; I’m grateful for the work. There was a time in my career where I struggled to find projects. I’ll take loads of work over none any day.
It’s black outside before I realize time is slipping away from me. Punk yawns in the corner where he sits in a chair, waiting on me. He can be all up in my business some days, and others, he’s as quiet as a mouse. Today, I hardly noticed him tailing me, but he’s reached his quota for being on the job.”
“Jo, if we don’t head back to headquarters, I’m going to develop a pica disorder and eat all your blueprints. My stomach needs to be filled.”
“Sorry,” I apologize. “Let's go home and grab dinner.”
“I second that,” Jared says, rising to his feet and turning off the lights.
We lock up and head back up the path to headquarters. My mom is in the kitchen, working her magic, setting up a buffet line. She’s like my dad, preferring to stay busy. She’s the mama bear of the MC and lunch lady extraordinaire.
The compound fluctuates between being crowded and deserted, depending on the assignments the MC takes on. Few are here tonight, Maceo among the MIA. I have a feeling I know where he’s located. After eating, I make a plate and head into the tech room.
Chase and his team are behind their computers hard at work. Several other members are on the phones, making inquiries and asking for updates from contacts. Maceo stands at one wall staring at the monitors displaying maps, his broad back facing me. He must sense me because he glances over his shoulder before I approach. I hand him the plate of food. Maceo takes it and wraps an arm around my shoulder, leaning in to kiss me softly.
“Thank you for thinking of me,” he says against my lips. “I’m starved.”
“Did you bag the security gig?”
He winks at me. “Sure did. It’s hard to not hire us when we’re the best.”
I look up at the monitors. “Any new developments with Esteban?”
“Nothing that nails him, but we’re checking things off that lead nowhere,” he says, digging into his food.
“Will it be a long night?”
“Yes,” he mumbles around his food. “It will be long nights ‘till we find him.”
It sucks because I can’t offer anything helpful to the search, but I can help keep them fueled. I stretch up on my toes to kiss Maceo’s cheek. “Don’t burn out,” I say before addressing the other men in the room. “Who’s hungry? I can bring you all a plate.”
They all raise their hands, and I get to work.