Chapter 30 Ryder
RYDER
“You must be fucking kidding me,” Eve mutters as she wanders into the kitchen, barefoot and wearing an oversized sweater with her little spandex shorts that highlight her ass in the most delicious way.
She sits in the chair next to me, dropping her laptop on the table and angling it so I can see the screen. “This quote must be a joke.”
I abandon my own work—which is a lot, considering how long I’ve been pushing it off to hang out with Evie—and scroll through the PDF from the guy Margie suggested.
“There’s no way it costs more than an overpriced rooster to fix the goddamn water wheel,” I say.
She rests her head in her hands. “I don’t fucking get it.” She lifts her head again. “It’s a couple pieces of wood. It’s not like it’s fiberglass or titanium or something. It’s wood.”
“Is there any chance he sent you the wrong quote?” I ask, searching through the document for a description of the work or something else that confirms this is for the tiny water wheel that’s not even fully broken.
And all I see is a price for materials. A really, truly exorbitant price for materials.
“Maybe he just accidentally added an extra zero?”
“Or two?” Eve suggests.
“Well, if it’s one extra zero, it would be the high end of reasonable. Two zeroes and you have to wonder whether he’s licensed or not.”
She gives me a flat look.
“But that’s beside the point. You’re right.”
She groans, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know what to do.
I loved the guy we chose. He seemed excited about the project.
Knowledgeable. Interested in the history of the water wheel.
” She shakes her head. “And this guy couldn’t be bothered to show up until he heard a man on the other side of the phone and spent all of two minutes staring at the water wheel with a dumb look on his face until I asked if he wanted to take a look at the other side.
I can’t believe Reed approved this guy.”
I had been on a call when Rich arrived, and although I came outside the second I was free, the damage had already been done.
He didn’t want to deal with a woman—as evidenced by Evie’s unreturned phone calls—and couldn’t bother giving her the time of day when she’s so obviously both the brains and brawn behind this farm.
Even though he gave me a lackluster explanation by the time I joined them, Evie’s face said everything. She wasn’t impressed. In fact, I’d argue she was downright furious.
I dealt with him for the rest of the visit, very aware that although Rich was obviously the bottom of the barrel, he might be our only option.
And Evie looked like she was about to give him the same welcome she gave me—that is, push him into the stream.
Though I’m not sure she would have let him back out of it.
And something about this whole experience, from his initial lack of interest to the exorbitant price he’s charging for materials, has my spidey senses tingling.
Something is not quite right here.
“See if he’ll give you a vendor for where he’s getting those materials. If it was a normal price, I probably wouldn’t push, but he should have documentation ready if he’s going to try to charge someone that much money. We could buy a whole new water wheel with that sort of money.”
She rears back, her eyes wide.
“Not that we would,” I say. “Just that we could.”
She shakes her head. “Can you do it? He probably won’t answer my email. He addressed the quote to you anyway.”
“Did he really?” I scroll up, my blood boiling when I see my name at the top, despite it being sent to her email. “Wow, this guy is a fucking twat.”
She throws her hands out in front of her.
“Welcome to farm life as a woman. Fucking misogynistic assholes who won’t return my call and come in here thinking I’m stupid because my nails are painted.
I keep this place afloat by myself and he has the nerve to send me a quote like this, thinking I’m just going to pay it without questioning it? ”
I tug her chair closer, slipping an arm underneath her knees and one around her back to pull her onto my lap.
“I love it when you get all burn the world down,” I say, leaving a kiss on her temple.
“Want me to go kill him for you? I promise it’ll be slow.
Although with you and your manicured little Hulk hands, I’m sure you’d want to do the honors. ”
She grumbles. “It’s probably not worth the prison time.”
“Pity. I thought the Bonnie and Clyde thing was finally happening.”
She sighs, leaning her head on my shoulder, and I run my fingers through her hair.
“He probably thought I was going to pay it without question,” I say softly. “He probably googled my name and thought he could make a quick buck. I’m sorry that you ended up taking the hit on that, but for what it’s worth, I’d be happy to pay for it so we can be done with the whole ordeal.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can do that. Just the thought of giving someone like him so much money is just… it’s ridiculous. He shouldn’t be rewarded for playing a stupid scheme like that. For trying to take advantage of you and being a complete dickhead to me.”
“But you want the water wheel fixed, right?”
“I need the water wheel fixed. It’s a historic part of this farm.
I’ve tried so hard to protect it.” She shakes her head, burying her face further in my shoulder.
“It’s times like these that make me feel totally incapable of doing this.
I got the water wheel designated historic so that if someone comes around and tries to fuck with it, it'll be protected. And I shot myself in the foot because I broke it myself, and now in order to fix it I either have to swallow my pride and pay someone who deserves no more than a swift kick in the ass—if I can even come up with that sort of money—or I have to let it sit there and rot. A historic landmark and one of the coolest parts of this farm. Rotting.”
I nudge her with my shoulder, causing her to sit up, and rest my hands on either side of her face.
“Just because you have to make hard decisions doesn’t mean you’re incapable.
If anything, the fact that you’ve made so many hard decisions and still haven’t backed down tells me you’re more capable than anyone else.
” I give her a kiss on the nose. “You’re a force, Evie.
Don’t let one asshole tell you you’re not. Not for a second.”
She purses her lips, a small smile coming to her face. “You make me feel capable.”
I can’t help my grin. “Yeah?”
She nods. “You give exceptionally good pep talks.” She wraps her arms around my neck, draping herself across me, and I squeeze her tight. “Thank you. I’m still not happy about the situation I’m in, but thank you.”
I breathe her in for a second, that fresh shampoo scent that is so perfectly her.
“I’m not going to tell you what to do about the water wheel, but you let me know if I can help.
With money, or if you want me to deal with that guy.
Or fight Reed. Buy another rooster. You let me know what you need and I’ll do it, okay? ”
She nods, letting out a long breath as she closes her laptop. “I think I’m going to ignore it for tonight and read for a bit. Maybe tomorrow when I’m less angry, I’ll see a clearer path.” She stands, tucking her laptop under her arm. “I’ll be in bed. Come up when you’re ready, okay? I’ll wait up.”
I grab her hand before she can walk away, because as much as I’ve been trying to avoid it, I have to go home for a bit. Sana’s been pushing my meetings, but she can only do so for so long.
“I have to go back to New York soon,” I tell her, holding her gaze.
Her shoulders slump. “I figured you’d have to eventually.”
“I’m not going to stay for long.”
She nods. “When do you leave?”
“I was thinking maybe at the end of the week. Give myself a weekend to take care of what I can on my own so that Sana can slap me with everything else when I get into the office on Monday.”
She sighs. “Okay.”
“Maybe we can do something nice on Friday?”
“Yeah?”
I nod. “I was thinking, if you’re up for it, maybe we can go on a date in the barn?”
She raises her eyebrows. “The barn?”
“I’m thinking we can watch the sunset in that fancy tub. I can make my signature spaghetti and meatballs. And we can have our own little mini-vacation.”
She presses her lips together, but I can see the hint of a smile fighting to take over her face. “That sounds kind of nice.”
“Yeah?”
She nods. “As long as this isn’t, like, a last goodbye because you’re planning on abandoning the property next door and going back to Manhattan to never set foot in Sunflower Hill again?”
I rear back. “Eve."
“Please kill my worst fear.”
“Is that your worst fear? Me leaving forever?” I can’t help the grin that takes over my face.
She purses her lips, realizing she just gave herself away. “Stop being so happy about that.”
I tug her close, leaving a kiss on her shoulder. “I promise I’m not leaving forever. Just for a little while. I have some stuff I need to take care of. And I need to get everything set up so Sana has more power, if I’m going to be spending more time here.”
She smiles again, and it makes my chest go all tight. “Okay. I look forward to our date. But I want a lot of meatballs. An inordinate amount. They’re better than the spaghetti.”
“Deal. I’ll give you all the balls you want.”
She snorts. “Meatballs.”
“They’re meaty.”
“Oh, Ryder!”
I nod toward the stairs. “What book are you reading? One of the spicy ones?”
She gives me a flat look. “Yes. You know I like the spicy ones.”
I grin. “Maybe you’ll get a noodle tonight, too.”
She shakes her head, laughing as she pushes away from me and heads upstairs.
“I take that as a yes?”
She throws me a look over her shoulder as she disappears onto the second floor.
And yeah, work can definitely wait for tomorrow.