Tannon
Sensing a pair of eyes on me, I roll over and crack my lids open to find Duke sitting beside the bed, staring at me with his head cocked to the side. Reaching over, I rub the top of his head."Morning, Duke."
Blowing out a breath, I sit up on the side of the bed and stretch, working out the kinks in my back and neck. "Give me five minutes, boy," I tell Duke as I scrub my hand down my face and through my beard as I stand to make my way across the hall to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and taking care of business, I step out of the bathroom and make my way into the kitchen with Duke on my heels. "Here you go, boy." I open the sliding glass door, and Duke rushes out into the yard as the blistering cold slams into my face. Leaving Duke to do his thing, I go about making myself a cup of coffee. As I'm staring out the kitchen window and watching Duke pounce around in the snow while waiting for the coffee to brew, I make a mental checklist of the things I need to do today. On the kitchen table behind me, my phone pings with an incoming text. Striding toward the table with my cup in hand, I snatch my phone up to see a text from Nash.
Nash: Something came up. I'll be a few minutes late.
I shake my head at his text. 'Something came up' is code for 'I'm banging my wife and will be late for work.'
Me: Get off your wife and get your ass to the office. You know I have to stop by the site this morning and can't open it.
Nash: Fuck. I forgot. I'll be there.
Chuckling, I set my phone down and finish the rest of my coffee. Nash Stone has been my best friend for the past seven years. Nash and I served side by side in the Army during my last deployment. Not having any family, I enlisted straight out of high school and served my country for twelve years. Nash comes from a military family and also joined at eighteen. Both of us have been out for five years. I went back to Washington, whereas Nash came back here, to Mistletoe Montana. Then six months ago, Nash approached me with the idea of us opening our own business. Since leaving the service, I worked for myself doing restoration work on homes I had bought then flipped once I was finished with them. Working with my hands is something I have always loved, and I am good at it. I love taking something old and making it new again. And when Nash asked me if I wanted to open a business with him, I jumped at the chance. I also didn't hesitate to up and move to Mistletoe. Nothing was holding me back in Washington since I grew up in the system. Nash, however, is married with two kids. He and his wife are currently trying for baby number three. His whole life is in Mistletoe. So, six months ago, I loaded up what meager belongings I owned into my truck, and Duke and I made a move here.
I didn't know what to expect when I moved to Mistletoe, but it sure as hell wasn't what I found. The people of Mistletoe love Christmas, and celebrate the holiday year-round. Three hundred and sixty-five days out of the year, Mistletoe Montana is like stepping into a winter wonderland. I found the town odd as fuck when I first moved here, but it didn't take long for the place to grow on me.
Growing up, Christmas was not a big deal. I can't remember a single Christmas celebrated in a particular way.
Nash likes to rib me by saying my moving here was fate because of my last name. Fuck if he's not right. With a name like Tannon Christmas, I can't argue that shit was fate.
Duke scratching on the patio door pulls me out of my thoughts, and I walk over to let him in. "Let's get you fed before we go to the office." Duke goes straight to where his food bowl is and sits on his haunches while waiting for me to fill his dish. Duke is a German Shepard, and he has been by my side since the start of my last deployment. When my last tour ended, it took me eight months to get him back. For over seven years, Duke has been the one constant in my life; my companion. "We roll out in twenty, Duke," I tell him, pouring some kibble into his bowl. Duke lets out a bark as if to say he understands before he begins scarfing down his food.
Twenty minutes later, Duke and I are climbing into my truck and making our way into town. The drive to the office only takes fifteen minutes. When I moved to Mistletoe, I rented the house I'm living in from Nash's parents. His dad is a realtor but also owns several rental properties around town. I have been meaning to bite the bullet and buy myself a place finally, but with getting mine and Nash's business off the ground, there hasn't been much time. I kind of like the idea of finding a fixer-upper. I make a mental note to call Mr. Stone and have him be on the lookout for something.
Before going into the office, I head across town to the Wallace farm. Andrew Wallace owns a farmhouse that sits on ten acres of land. He bought the two-story house for him and his wife a few years ago. The couple has been slowly renovating the place, but they had to put the project on hold last year when the previous company they had hired ended up jerking them around.
They contacted T & N Restoration the first week we were in business. Now, six months later, their home is nearly complete. I'm riding out there this morning to make my final walk through and to see if they are satisfied with the job Nash and I have done.
As I make my way down the driveway toward the house, Andrew steps out onto his porch and waves. Putting the truck in park, I climb out, and Duke follows.
"Good morning, Tannon. Hello there, Duke," Andrew pats Duke on the top of his head.
"Hey, Andrew. How are you this morning, and how's Anna?"
"I'm good. Anna's inside fussing with the kids. I'm taking them to the tree farm. Anna wants to get there early before all the good ones are gone."
"Well, I won't keep you too long then. I came to do a final walkthrough."
"No problem. Come on in. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?" Andrew asks.
"I'm good, but thanks, man."
Andrew and I spend the next fifteen minutes walking from room to room while I inspect the work my crew finished up a few days ago.
"I have to say, Tannon, Anna and I are pleased with the work you all did here. I still can't believe this is the same house we first bought."
"I'm glad you guys are happy with the results. Was there anything you could think of that we could have done differently?"
Andrew shakes his head. "Nothing, man. I'm telling you; you all did a perfect job. You did everything exactly as we wanted."
Nodding, I smile and offer Andrew my hand. "I'm happy I was able to help you achieve your vision."
"After what we went through last time, you really saved us. Especially since you didn't charge what the work was worth."
I shake my head and go to protest. Andrew cuts me off. "I looked up price quotes online and asked around to some out of town companies on what they charge. You charged me thirty percent less than what the work was worth, Tannon."
"It was a fair price considering you took a chance on a new business. That and what you had been through with the previous company you paid to do the job. I only wanted you and Anna to have your dream home."
"You gave us that and more, Tannon." Andrew shakes my hand and pats me on the shoulder. "Which is why Anna and I have been singing your praises every chance we get."
"Appreciate that, Andrew."
Andrew falls in step beside me as I walk back to my truck. "I'll stop by your office later this afternoon with a check for the final payment."