Chapter Eleven
Vera
Wyatt: How is the assembly coming?
I smiled at my phone like a weirdo and sent him a picture.
Wyatt: It looks fantastic. I’m working at the Wild Timber Homes booth at the trade show. I’ll come by your table and check it out.
Vera: See you then!
My stomach did a strange little flip when I set my phone down. It had been a long time since a man texting me made me smile like that. And me replying with an exclamation point? Ugh, I had it bad.
The week flew by. And every spare moment after work was spent sanding, planning, pricing, or second-guessing myself.
The morning of the show was a sunny Saturday. Two Rivers Tree Falling was doing a job in Wildrose Bend, so the owner, Brody, had picked up Benji before six for a shift. I had everything organized; all I had to do was load up the SUV and drive to the community center to set up.
The low murmur of voices met me as I stepped through the doors at the community center. Tables were set up everywhere, and people rushed from one to the next with boxes and banners.
“Are you a vendor?” a woman to my left asked as I stood there taking it all in.
I gave her my information, and she directed me to my table. A printed piece of paper that said Toy Box was taped to the middle of it, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Seeing the name printed out like that made it feel real, not just an idea scribbled in a notebook between shifts at the diner.
I might actually pull this off.
I was arranging and rearranging the business cards, trying to keep my nerves from spiraling, when I heard heavy footsteps approaching.
“Wow, the finished product looks amazing.”
Wyatt leaned forward to examine the nightstand. He looked unfairly good, his shaggy dark hair falling into his eyes, his wide shoulders stretching his trademark flannel.
My heart gave an annoying little skip at the sight of him.
“Wouldn’t have come together without your help.”
He shrugged. “You would’ve figured it out. All I did was drag my furniture around.”
I laughed, and we locked eyes.
“I appreciate your help just the same.”
For a moment, neither of us looked away. The noise of the room faded into the background, leaving just the two of us standing across the table.
He licked his lips. “I wanted to ask you—”
My phone rang noisily, cutting him off.
I gave Wyatt a sheepish look before pulling it from the back pocket of my jeans.
Benji flashed across the screen.
“Sorry, it’s my kiddo. I have to get this.”
He nodded, more understanding than a lot of people were who didn’t have kids, and stepped back.
“Hey, hun. What’s up?”
“Mom, I need some advice.” His voice was tight.
My eyebrows dropped, and I glanced at my watch.
“Aren’t you at work right now?”
Benji was quiet for a moment. “Yeah, we just…”
“What’s wrong?”
Wyatt’s posture changed instantly. The easy humor drained from his expression as he stepped closer.
“The guys felled the tree and then we were all going to take a break before we cleaned up. Brody and Levi went into town to grab us something to eat. I thought I’d start the cleanup, you know, impress the boss, but the homeowner is pushing me to drop another small tree for him, but—”
“But nothing. Your job is to clean up. You don’t fall the trees, or run the dangerous equipment.”
“That’s what I told the guy, but he says it’ll ‘only take five minutes’ and he’ll complain to my boss if I don’t get it done,” Benji exhaled shakily.
I pursed my lips, trying to keep my temper intact. “You told him no, and he is still insisting?”
“I told him I’m not authorized. He said he’s not paying if I don’t do it.” His voice lowered. “He’s standing here watching me.”
Wyatt, who had been leaning in listening, held out his hand silently. I put the phone on speaker.
“So Brody’s not there?” Wyatt asked.
“No.”
“Did you call him?”
“I don’t want him to think I can’t handle this.”
“Don’t do anything you aren’t allowed to do,” Wyatt said firmly.
“I know, I just… I don’t want to lose this job.”
Benji sounded so unsure. I hated this. I knew he took that job to help pay for college, but that was my responsibility—mine, and his dad’s. It wasn’t worth his potentially getting hurt.
I looked at my carefully laid-out table. The stack of order forms. I’d printed a ton of them, hoping this whole thing would work out.
Months of planning sat neatly arranged in front of me, waiting for customers who hadn’t even walked through the door yet.
“The homeowner is trying to bully you into doing more work for him while the boss isn’t there to see it. Brody would never discipline you for saying no to unsafe work,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt was right, but my mom-brain needed action. Someone threatening my kid? Hell no. “Call Brody,” I said. “In the meantime, text me the address. I’ll come down there. I don’t want you doing anything unsafe. Do you understand?”
“Yeah,” his voice sounded resigned.
In the background, a muffled male voice barked, “You done gossiping yet?”
Wyatt’s jaw ticked.
The easygoing man who had been joking with me seconds earlier was gone. In his place stood someone much harder.
“Perfect,” I said tightly. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
The call ended, and the noise of the trade show rushed back in around me.
I grabbed the box I’d brought my paperwork in and started stacking the order forms inside. My hands were shaking, and I wasn’t sure if it was rage or disappointment, or something else.
Before I could get far, Wyatt caught my wrist gently.
“I have to go,” I said. “I can’t have him dealing with some angry homeowner alone. I’ll stay with him until Brody gets back. I’ll still get in a good amount of the event.”
Wyatt shook his head.
I gestured helplessly. “I can’t be in two places at once.”
His expression softened. “You don’t have to be. Give me the address.”
“You’re working.”
“My guys can handle the booth for an hour. And even if they couldn’t?” He shrugged. “It’s lumber and brochures. Your son is doing a dangerous job with some bully breathing down his neck.”
“I can handle my own responsibilities. You don’t have to fix this.”
“I’m not fixing it.” His eyes held mine. “I’m backing him up. No eighteen-year-old should have to stare down a grown man alone, and you need to be here.”
Something inside me shifted.
“I grew up watching my mom juggle everything by herself,” he continued. “I know that look on your face. The one where you’re already calculating how fast you can pack up and drive across town.” He gave me a small, knowing smile. “Let me be an extra pair of hands.”
I hesitated.
“And just so we’re clear, I know you could handle this. I just don’t want you to miss your chance to sell your spicy nightstands.”
Despite everything, a breath of laughter escaped me.
“What if the guy gets aggressive?”
Wyatt’s mouth twitched. “Then he’ll get aggressive with a grown man, not an eighteen-year-old kid. Let me handle this.”
My phone buzzed with Benji’s text.
“I’ll forward you the address.”
He nodded. “I’ll call you when this is sorted.”
“Wyatt.”
He paused.
“Thank you.”
His gaze softened in a way that made my pulse stutter.
“You don’t have to do everything alone.”