None Like Ours | Red View Romance #3

📑 Three

It wasn't going to be cheap.

Jack pondered the thought as poured another splash of milk into his coffee, enjoying his usual breakfast of two eggs sunny-side up and honey toast with, of course, a McAden Orchard-grown apple.

He and A.J. Carter had discussed pricing for the new building over email, and the numbers weren't as low as he hoped they'd be. The cost of materials, the labor, the fact that the crew would need a per diem since they were coming from out of town, which also meant that Carter Construction would need to pay for their lodging... it all added up fast. But the inevitable profits, he knew, would be worth it.

Fritters, his brother Cliff's orange cat, strolled into the kitchen, his collar jingling with each step over to his water bowl, which Jack had already filled. Cliff and Annie had stayed over in one of the guest bedrooms after the party, and had brought the cat along with them--Cliff said it was because he liked the outdoors and didn't get any at their apartment. Annie said it was because he deserved to be at the party of one of his best friends.

It didn't seem to matter that he tried to hide his affections for the little guy--everyone knew he'd taken a surprising liking to the animal, and had long since stopped pretending not to know it.

Jack looked outside, where a thin strip of gold painted the sky behind the distant hills surrounding the orchard. In a few hours, A.J. Carter would be in his office, and if things went according to plan, they'd be signing a contract and shaking hands before lunch time.

From their emails so far, the man seemed reasonable enough. Likable, even, because he didn't bother with pleasantries or small talk. It was all business, the way it ought to be. A.J.--who Jack assumed was probably the son of Curtis Carter, the founder of the business, according to their website--seemed to know what he was doing. All Jack could do was hope that was really the case.

He'd already screwed up once, and the twinge of annoyance at the memory made him sigh as he bit into his toast. The construction team he'd hired for the wedding barn had been a nightmare to work with, since they worked on the same laidback Red View time that everyone else in town seemed to abide by. Showing up late as if it were on time, using rainy days as an excuse to take the day off, and overall overshooting the project by two months. Unacceptable for him, though the five-star reviews from other businesses in town told him he was in the minority with that opinion. He just hoped a team from the city would be more in line with his speed.

He heard the front door open and checked his watch--too early for Layla to be heading out for a morning jog, let alone going to work at her fitness center. Seconds later Adam strolled into the kitchen, greeting him with a wave.

"You're early," Jack stated the obvious. Adam didn't need to come into work for a few more hours, and usually liked to sleep in as long as possible.

"Yeah, well." Adam shrugged, walking over to the mug cabinet. He continued as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "Didn't sleep too good. Trisha and I broke up yesterday after the party."

Jack almost had to laugh at the way Adam said it, as if he expected it to come as a surprise. Trisha was one of Red View's newest residents, the granddaughter of one of the women who used to work at the dry cleaners. When she'd retired and moved down to Florida, Trisha moved in and took her old job. Hardly a week passed before Adam asked her out.

"That has to be some kind of record."

Adam glared as he came to sit with Jack in the breakfast nook. "I appreciate the sympathy, Jack. Very nice."

Jack rolled his eyes, letting out a huff of a laugh. His cousin knew better than to come to him for sympathy. "Don't tell me you thought she was the one."