6. Chapter Six Joe
Chapter Six: Joe
“ W hoa! What happened?” exclaims Eli, face glued to the window as he peers out from the backseat of the truck.
“What? I can’t see anything!” shouts Cody, wriggling behind my driver’s seat to get a glimpse of whatever has drawn Eli’s attention as we round the corner of a wooded driveway.
That’s when I see it, too.
“Uh-oh,” I mutter.
The large dirt driveway of the boys’ sitter’s house is crowded with three different vans. One is from the town’s water supply company, another from a local plumber, and the third is nondescript.
At the sight of my truck pulling in, Sasha comes hurrying down the porch steps and jogs over to me. She is a stern yet kindhearted woman, and there’s very few people I’d trust more than her to watch my kids. Normally, I don’t bring the boys here on Saturdays, and they’re getting a bit old for a sitter anyway. But some essential materials are being delivered to 1315 Atlantic Lane today, and I need to be there to deal with it.
I put the truck in park and roll down the window.
“Morning, Joe,” Sasha greets me, brushing her silver-streaked hair out of her face. She sounds slightly breathless, as if she’s been running around for hours even though it’s not even eight in the morning yet.
“Hey, Sasha. What’s going on here?”
She lets out a forlorn sigh. “One of my pipes burst. Flooded half the basement. I was hoping it might be a quick fix and we could just have the kids play outside this morning, but it looks like we have to cancel for the day.”
“Cancel?” I repeat. My brow furrows in confusion. Usually, pipes only burst when they freeze in the dead of winter. It’s not something we typically have to worry about in May.
“I know,” Sasha groans. She leans in slightly to peer past me at the boys. “Hey, kids. We’ve got a big mess in there today.”
“Is the whole house underwater?” Eli asks.
“Nah. Just a foot or two in the basement. It’s not safe, though, unfortunately.” She turns her attention back to me. “They’re going to have to shut my water off until they fix the pipes. Bob says he can probably get it done by the end of the day, but I really can’t watch them today, Joe. I’m sorry.”
I let out a long exhale. “It’s no problem. I’d offer my expertise, but it looks like you’ve got it taken care of. Plus, I only know the bare minimum when it comes to plumbing.”
Sasha laughs. “It’s good to see you, Joe. Sorry for the inconvenience. I tried to call earlier to catch you before you left, but then the water company showed up and… ugh. It’s been a long morning.”
“I’ll get out of your hair, then. See you later, Sasha. Good luck.”
“Bye, Sasha!” the boys echo from the backseat.
“Well, shoot,” I murmur as I maneuver the truck into a U-turn and make my way back out of the driveway. “Guess we’ll have to call your grandma, boys.”
Flo answers on the second ring, her voice echoing through the Bluetooth speakers in the truck.
“What’s up, dear?”
“Are you free today, Ma? I need some help with the boys.”
“Hi, Grandma!” Eli interrupts. Cody giggles.
“Hey, kiddo!” Flo answers warmly. “Where’s your brother?”
“I’m here!” Cody chimes in.
“Hi, honey! What’d you boys have for breakfast this morning?”
“Cocoa Puffs!” answers Cody.
“With Lactaid!” adds Eli.
Flo bursts out laughing. Even I can’t help snorting at that. Thanks to Eli’s lactose intolerance, the entire household has been dairy-free for years.
“That sounds delicious, sweetie,” comes Flo’s response.
“Ma?” I prompt her.
“Oh, right. I’m sorry, dear. I’m out in Worcester today at a conference. I told you about it a couple days ago.”
Indeed, I do vaguely recall her mentioning that she had to haul herself out toward western Mass this weekend. It’s just that my mind has been so consumed by the renovation at Poppy’s cottage that I’ve barely had room for anything else.
“Alright, Ma. No problem. Drive safe.”
“I’ll stop by tomorrow, okay? Love you, boys!” A moment later, she hangs up.
“Well, shoot. Again.” I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. I really can’t waste any more time this morning, so I turn onto the road that’ll take me out toward Mermaid Shores. “Looks like you boys are going to have to come to work with me today.”
“Awesome!” Eli bellows.
“This is a very important client, though, okay?” I continue, eyeing them both in the rearview mirror. “And her house is currently in a pretty dangerous state. You can’t be running all over the place. I won’t have to be there all day today, but it’d be best if you two could be angels and find one spot to stay in, and try to keep yourselves out of trouble, alright?”
Eli grins. “Aye, aye, Captain!”
Cody, ever his brother’s polar opposite, nods somberly. “Don’t worry. I brought my Switch.”
Thank goodness for Nintendo. That’ll keep them occupied for a good while.
I just hope that Poppy won’t mind two young boys hanging around her house. It’s not the first time I’ve had to bring them to a job site with me, though. They’re usually pretty good about it, especially since they’re older now.
On the way to the coast, I call my second-in-command, Eric. I let him know that I’m going to be later than expected, so he might have to sign for the delivery. I consider asking him to warn Poppy that I’ll be arriving with my two sons, but I figure I can just cross that bridge on my own when I come to it.
Mermaid Shores is teeming with activity. Already, the beach is filling up with tourists, and there are a few kites waving in the breeze. The weather isn’t quite warm yet—it’s not even technically summer—but it doesn’t seem like anyone cares. I patiently wait for groups of people dressed in nothing but shorts and bikini tops and flimsy sundresses to cross the busy Main Street, then turn down the narrow, shady lane where Poppy Minton lives.
Eric and a couple other guys are already there. We’ve got a skeleton crew today, since all we need to do is wait for the shipment of imported wood beams and artisan tile, then haul it inside. I also want to deal with a couple things upstairs on the second floor, but I can send the guys home early and deal with that on my own.
I wave to my staff, then deal with the boys.
Ushering them inside, I keep an eye out for Poppy, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Her Bronco wasn’t in the driveway, but she usually keeps it in the garage.
I direct the boys toward the only part of the house that Poppy has deemed already perfect and therefore won’t be undergoing renovation: a cozy nook with custom window seats, arched windows, and built-in bookshelves.
“Please be good,” I tell them, ruffling their hair as they flop down onto the window seat cushions. “When we’re in somebody else’s house we have to be—”
“Respectful,” Cody finishes for me.
“And we don’t touch the power tools,” adds Eli.
“Or get too close to someone using a tool in general,” continues Cody.
“And we can’t run or jump around,” recites Eli.
“Or wrestle,” concludes Cody.
“Or?” I prompt them.
Eli sighs. “Or scream and shout.”
“Good boys. If you need to use the bathroom, there’s one down that hall, okay?”
They nod in unison.
Satisfied, I head back outside where Eric and the guys are waiting for me.
I glance at my watch. It’s almost nine. “Is Poppy not home?”
Eric shrugs. “She wasn’t here when we arrived about half an hour ago. She could be down on the beach.”
“Or shopping again,” adds Jay, smirking slightly.
I give him a firm look. I may have judged Poppy harshly from the moment I first laid eyes on her, but I won’t stand for my own crew making snide remarks out loud while we’re on her property.
“Do you know who her dad is?” Eric asks, lowering his voice despite us being the only people within hearing range. “Jack Minton. The lead singer of Schism. You guys remember that band?”
Jay whistles low. “No wonder she looked familiar.”
“And no wonder she’s so rich,” adds Miguel.
“I think it’s best if we all mind our own business where our customer’s financial and familial status is concerned,” I cut in.
Jay and Miguel frown, but Eric simply chuckles.
“You can’t tell me you don’t think it’s cool, Joe. I mean, Jack Minton was a rock legend.”
“Of course it’s cool. But it’s also none of our business.”
Eric opens his mouth to retort, always more than willing to challenge me even this early on a Saturday morning, but I’m saved by the bell when the roar of a large truck echoes down the lane and our delivery crawls into view.
I breathe a sigh of relief as the conversation is immediately cut short. I’m also relieved that Poppy apparently isn’t home. I’d hate for her to overhear us discussing her like this. After our conversation a few days ago, I want nothing more than to help her protect her own privacy. It’s obvious that her father is a sensitive subject. I’m pretty sure that the only reason she opened up to me about him is because I told her that my dad passed away, too.
As work picks up, though, I push all those things aside and focus on what needs to be done. The last thing I want is to be distracted by thoughts of a beautiful, intriguing woman with shiny blonde hair and pretty blue eyes.
In recent years, I’ve confronted the reality that I’m ready to start a romance with someone new, especially since I think the boys could really benefit from a motherly presence in their lives. Flo offers some feminine influence, but it’s not quite enough. They need a healthy balance in order to grow up well.
Still, Poppy is most definitely not someone I’d consider for that. She’s way too far out of my league, for starters.
And also, just because we’ve bonded once doesn't mean that we have anything else in common.
***
Shortly before noon, I glance at my watch and decide that it’s time to head downstairs to check on the boys and start making lunch plans. Eric and the guys have already gone home. I’ve been on the second floor, finishing up the grueling process of peeling wallpaper off the walls of one the guest bedrooms.
As I make my way toward the landing, I hear Eli’s voice echoing up from the nook I’ve sequestered them away in.
When I’m halfway down the stairs, however, I feel a jolt of surprise when his cheerful, boyish voice is answered not by Cody’s slightly softer tone, but by a warm, feminine one.
I hurry toward the sound. Moments later, I find Poppy perched on one of the window seats between Eli and Cody. My youngest son is angling his handheld gaming console toward her, murmuring an explanation that I can’t quite hear, and Eli is helping out by pointing a little too aggressively at the tiny screen.
All three of them look up at my entrance.
“Hi!” chirps Poppy. She rises from the cushion and smooths down the front of her white sundress. “I hope you don’t mind—I was just learning everything there is to know about Kirby. Your boys are very sweet.”
“Sorry,” I blurt. “I, um, should’ve let you know I’d be bringing them. It’s just that I couldn’t find a—”
Poppy waves me off. “It’s totally okay. Are you hungry?”
“Yes!” the boys exclaim in unison, even though the question wasn’t technically directed at them.
“Uh…” I answer.
Truthfully, I’m baffled that she seems so natural around kids. She doesn’t strike me as the sort of person who’d be good around them, given that she grew up touring with adult rockstars and has probably spent the past decade or so exclusively rubbing shoulders with other childless socialites.
Poppy beams at Eli and Cody. “That’s great! Because I ordered way too much at the Siren & Sword. Everything on their menu looked so good. I think I’ve got, like, five different entrees out in the kitchen.”
Thanks to the demolition process, the so-called kitchen is currently nothing more than three bare walls, a plastic folding table, and some wooden stools, but Poppy has handled it all in stride. In fact, I don’t think I’ve heard her complain about it even once.
The boys leap up and scurry off in the direction that Poppy points them, leaving me standing alone with her in the sunny nook.
Her smile softens. “I didn’t know you had kids.”
I nod. “For eleven years now.”
“They look just like you.”
“They have their mother’s eyes, though.”
Something in her smile falters, but she recovers quickly. “I also didn’t know you had a wife.”
“No,” I reply too quickly. I sound like an awkward fool. “I mean, I did have a wife, yes. But she passed away about eight years ago. Car accident. The boys were too young to remember her.”
“Oh. Wow. I’m really sorry, Joe.”
I shrug. “Thanks.”
“So, you’ve been raising them on your own?”
“My mom helps out a lot. And their maternal grandparents drive out to see them whenever they can. But… yeah. Being a single dad is basically all I know nowadays.”
“That must be hard.”
“It is what it is.”
For some reason, that gets a quiet chuckle out of her. “Indeed, it is.” She nods her chin in the direction of the kitchen, where I can already hear the boys digging through whatever feast she brought. “Come on. You’re doing hard labor on a Saturday. At least let me feed you.”
When she smiles at me again, I can’t help myself from answering it in kind. I have to admit that I don’t smile much these days. Not unless the boys are acting like goofballs. Weirdly, it’s nice to have a reason to smile at someone my own age.
“Sure,” I tell her. “Thanks, Poppy.”