Windswept Way (Hope Harbor #9)(19)
Author: Irene Hannon

 

“I’m sure you know what’s best for yourself, Rose. You always have. Go ahead and send the bids and I’ll be back in touch soon. Happy Fourth of July.”

 

“Likewise, David. And thank you. You’re a gem.”

 

Once they ended the call, Rose forwarded Ashley’s email to him, then typed a response to her future partner asking for a few days to consider the matter.

 

David would come back with sound suggestions, plus a few warnings, and she’d listen to them all. He always gave her comments serious and thoughtful attention.

 

But Ashley had lit a fire in her for this project, and it was going to happen.

 

Because while her high school days were long past, the Resolute Rose nickname that had appeared under her picture in the yearbook was as spot-on now as it had been all those decades ago.

 

 

 

This was so lame.

 

As the thump of hammering and the high-pitched hum of an electric saw filled the air on the quiet residential Hope Harbor street, Jon braked behind BJ’s truck. Based on the cacophony of construction noise, her current house renovation project must be in full swing.

 

But just because he’d happened to spot her truck as he stopped at the corner didn’t mean he should track her down to see if she’d heard anything yet about the Edgecliff project.

 

After all, it was possible she hadn’t submitted her bid yet. Not everyone would labor over the weekend crunching numbers, as he had. Nor work late on a bid Monday night, as he had. But incorporating Kyle’s input had taken a while, and he’d wanted to get the proposal sent off at the crack of dawn Tuesday morning.

 

He ought to be patient. Ashley would contact both of them once she’d made a decision.

 

As he lifted his foot off the brake to drive away, BJ came out the front door of the house, a piece of crown molding in hand. She spied him at once and detoured his direction, depositing the decorative millwork on two sawhorses en route.

 

“Hey, Jon.” She lifted a hand in greeting. “You looking for me?”

 

“No. I was passing by and noticed your truck. Sounds busy in there.” He motioned toward the house.

 

“We’re reconfiguring the floor plan to accommodate a master bedroom suite, plus adding a sunroom. A medium-sized project—but nothing like the Edgecliff job would be.”

 

Lucky for him she’d introduced the very topic he wanted to discuss.

 

“Heard anything on that yet?” He tried for a nonchalant tone.

 

“Nope. I don’t expect to for a few days. I didn’t send my bid off until this morning. It was a bear to put together, with all the vendors and suppliers I had to contact. You send yours in yet?”

 

“Tuesday.”

 

“Wow.” BJ’s eyebrows rose. “You must have worked on it all weekend.”

 

“Some.” Like almost every waking hour.

 

“You think she and the owner are going to follow through on this? It’s a pricey project.”

 

“I don’t know, but I got the impression they want to make it happen.”

 

“Yeah. Me too. That house is phenomenal, isn’t it?”

 

“I’ve only seen it from the outside.”

 

“Well, trust me, they don’t build ’em like that anymore.” She tipped her head, scrutinizing him. “What did you think of Ashley?”

 

Jon rested his elbow on the window of his truck and tried not to squirm under her intent gaze. “She seemed pleasant.”

 

“I agree. She mention any family to you, or significant other?”

 

That had come out of nowhere.

 

“No.”

 

“I have a feeling she’s unattached.”

 

He tightened his grip on the wheel.

 

Why was everyone suddenly talking about relationship stuff?

 

“We didn’t get into personal matters.”

 

“Neither did we, but if you ask me, we could use a few more single women in town. The new guy up at Sandcastle Inn, for one, might like to meet her.”

 

Jon frowned. “Don’t you think matchmaking may be premature?”

 

“Not necessarily. He who hesitates, you know. Or so my husband always says whenever I’m vacillating over a decision.” She smiled and motioned toward the house. “I should get back. If the Edgecliff job does pan out, we’ll have to wrap this up fast. Ashley wants to jump on the project. See you around, Jon.”

 

“Yeah. See ya.”

 

While BJ strode toward the house, Jon put his truck in gear and aimed it toward his own jobsite.

 

At least BJ had answered his question about the status of the bids.

 

Unfortunately, she’d also passed on a bit of information that was as unsettling as waiting for word on the job. And for reasons far more elusive.

 

Why in blazes should he care if BJ tried to set Ashley Scott up with the guy at Sandcastle Inn, whoever he was? It wasn’t as if his potential client had shown any interest in getting cozy with a certain landscaper—or ever would.

 

Jon flipped on his blinker as he approached the T-intersection. Braked at the stop sign. Hesitated.

 

He ought to turn right and get back to the jobsite. Lunch was over.

 

But he was the boss. If he needed a break to straighten out his head, he could take one. Like a quick detour to Pelican Point lighthouse.

 

Without further debate, he flicked his turn signal the other direction and swung left.

 

And if fate was kind, the fresh air, brisk breeze, and wide-open view on the headland would chase away his disconcerting jumble of emotions that were as tangled as the root balls of the rhodies he and Kyle had planted on Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

Wow.

 

Double wow.

 

Ashley closed her eyes. Counted to three. Opened them again. Reread the email from Rose, containing a summary of the proposed new terms.

 

Terms that would allow the project to go forward.

 

Changing the profit split from seventy-thirty to sixty-forty seemed like a more than fair trade-off for Rose’s willingness to fund 70 percent of the improvements instead of half. But it would be prudent to let Eric Nash weigh in before committing.