5. Heath
I stand in the front yard watching Gabby pull away. All this time she thought I was lying? I shake my head. I’d let myself be dragged into an impossible situation, and was naive enough at the time to think it wouldn’t backfire.
If I’d known then . . . I think of Olivia and Zade. If I’d known then, I would have made sure that Gabby knew the truth before she found out from some idiot jokester like she had. Hands down, I would have still tried to help Olivia. I couldn’t just leave a single mom to handle everything on her own. That’s just not who I am.
I turn and make my way back inside. I close the door softly behind me and lean back against it, banging my head in frustration a couple of times.
“So,” Mom’s voice calls from the kitchen. “I take it you two didn’t work it out?” She sounds disappointed, but there’s no one more disappointed than me. Somehow I’d thought we would eventually talk and I could convince her to let me back into her life.
“No, I guess not,” I say, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table. “She thinks I lied about Zade and Olivia,” I say, still a bit shocked by that revelation. “All this time, she thought . . .” I lean forward, resting my arms on the table in front of me. “I messed up.”
Mom takes a bite of fried chicken and hums. “Everyone messes up. It’s how you make it right that matters.”
I drop my head onto my arms. “What if she doesn’t want to make it right?” I close my eyes and will my heart to stop breaking again.
“Then you start over. You earn her trust.” Mom drops this bit of advice like it’s just that easy.
“Start over?” I ask, raising my head to look at her. “How?”
“Show her you want to be her friend.” She shrugs. “You two were friends before you were anything more. That’s where you need to start again. Time has passed, you’ve both grown and changed. The wishes of two kids barely old enough to vote may not measure up to the dreams you have as adults.”
“I’ll think about it. I’m going to bed,” I say, pushing the chair back. “I love you, Ma. But no more meddling.” I hold her gaze and can’t help but soften. “Night.”
She nods her head. “I know. You two just needed a push. I’ll stay out of it. Goodnight, son. I love you.”
Monday morning, I’m in a small office sitting across from Allen Davis, owner of Lost Creek Construction. Now that I know Mom’s treatments are over and she’s getting stronger, it’s time for me to get a job. My old buddy Tim works for them; he saw me out at the Curly Pig, and let me know they were always looking for good workers. I finally took the initiative and sent in an application. I was called in for an interview a few days later, but he had a family emergency and had to reschedule to today.
I rub my hands on my jeans. I’m nervous, and I don’t know why. After the things I’ve done, places I’ve been—this is cake.
“You were in the Army,” Allen says. “You didn’t want to re-enlist?”
I shake my head. “No, my mom got sick while I was deployed. Cancer. She’s all right now, but it made me realize I wanted to be back home. When my term was up, I decided to get out.”
“Sorry to hear about your mom, son,” he says, sympathy pouring off of him in waves. It almost suffocates me. “Cancer’s tough.”
I nod, unsure of what else to say.
“Do you have any construction experience?”
“I do. I was a Carpentry and Masonry Specialist. I learned a lot, but I’m sure there’s more I can pick up along the way. I’m a fast learner, and determined. I like working with my hands. I didn’t want to come home and work a desk job.”
“Sounds like you’d be a great addition to the company.” Allen grins. “I think we can get you started soon. I have two crews. One works over here in Lost Creek mainly. That team is headed up by Tim Miller. The other team’s lead is Bradley Turner, and they’re over towards the Piney Brook area.”
“I can work wherever I’m needed, sir.” I hold my breath. While I can work wherever I’m needed, I’d love to be on the crew closer to home.
Allen eyes me for a minute, then picks up his phone and makes a call. “Hey, Bradley, it’s Allen.” He pauses a beat. “Good, good. Listen, I have a new guy. Army. I’m sending him your way.” He chuckles and winks at me. “Nah, tomorrow. He’ll be filling out the paperwork today. Thanks, Bradley.”
He hangs up the phone and grabs a clipboard that’s resting on the side of his desk. Passing it over to me, he smiles. “Welcome to the team.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.”
I spend the rest of the afternoon filling out new hire paperwork and watching job safety videos. At five o’clock, Tim steps in. “I see you got yourself a job.” He shakes my hand. “Too bad you’re not on my crew.”
“Not going to lie, I’m happy to be closer to home. With Mom . . . well, I’ll feel better knowing I’m not so far out.”
Tim nods. “I understand. Forty-five minutes can seem like forever sometimes.” He steps up to the wall and hangs his clipboard up on a hook. “It’s quitting time. Feel like heading out for a burger with the guys?”
I pull out my phone. No missed calls or messages. “Sure, that sounds great.”
I check in with Allen before hopping into my truck and following Tim to a rustic-looking building with a gravel lot. The white-and-green sign at the entrance says “McFaddens.” We step inside, and I see the rustic theme is carried throughout. Wooden tables and chairs take up most of the center. A mechanical bull is off to the right in the back, near the restrooms. There’s country music playing over the speakers, and peanut shells on the floor.
“Best burgers in town,” Tim says, looking around. He seems to spot who he’s looking for in the corner booth opposite the bull. “Come on, they’re here.”
I follow him to the large table in the back of the room. I slide into an open seat, and look around.
“This is Heath. He’s joining Brad’s team over in Piney Brook,” Tim says by way of introduction.
I give a little wave. “Hey.”
“I’m Reid,” the only man dressed in slacks and a button-up says. “This knucklehead doesn’t know how to give proper introductions.” He tosses a wadded up napkin at Tim, who’s already lost in the menu. “This is Dustin, Levi, and Jack.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, a little unsure of myself. “So, what’s good?” I ask, trying to break the tension.
Dustin laughs. “Everything. Seriously, you can’t go wrong here.”
I open the menu and scan the options. Burgers, steaks, wings . . . Everything looks good.
“Hey there,” a waitress says, setting cocktail napkins on the table in front of me and Tim. “What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll have a water, please,” I say when it’s my turn.
“Y’all ready to order your food?” she asks the table. Everyone takes turns giving their order, and the waitress collects the menus and walks away.
“I hope I don’t regret ordering the double bacon burger,” I say, patting my stomach.
“No way,” Levi says from the other end of the table. “That’s my favorite.”
The guys get lost in conversation about the job site they are working on, and I listen, taking it all in. They barely pause when the food is delivered, jumping right back into their banter. It reminds me of the mess hall during basic. Everyone is eager to offload their frustrations of the day. I didn’t realize it until this moment, but I’ve been missing the camaraderie. I just hope the crew I’m assigned to is this friendly.
“Well, how was it?” Mom asks the minute I step through the door.
I slide off my shoes and head toward the kitchen for some water. “It was good. I got the job. I’ll be on the crew that mainly works in Piney Brook.”
Mom claps her hands together. “That’s wonderful news!”
I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it at the sink. “It is. I’m ready to get settled. Figure out if I’m staying in Piney Brook long term, you know?”
Her face falls. “I’d always dreamed of you living close by, but I understand. You’re grown now. You’ll make the best decision for yourself.”
I push off the counter I’d been leaning on, put the glass down on the counter, and pull her in for a hug. “I didn’t say I was leaving, Ma.”
She sniffles. “I know. I’m sorry. I just missed you so much while you were gone. I never did get used to it.”
I smile and hold her a little tighter, careful not to squeeze too hard. “Me either,” I say.
“When do you start?” she asks, stepping out of my arms and changing the subject.
“Tomorrow. I’ll meet up with Bradley Turner’s crew downtown. They’re starting some renovations for a local business down there.”
“Oh,” Mom says. “I bet they’re the ones doing the renovations for the Coffee Loft.”
I shrug. “I don’t know, I didn’t ask. Did you eat?”
Mom smiles. “I did. I went to the diner and ate with Ms. Daisy. That woman knows just about everything there is to know in the town.” She shakes her head. “You’d think she was the town hair stylist, for all the stuff people share with her.”
I run my hands through my shaggy hair. “Speaking of,” I say. “Who is the town stylist these days? I should get this trimmed at least.”
Mom laughs. “I was wondering if you were boycotting hair cuts now that you’re out of the Army.”
“Not really,” I say. “Just wanted to grow it out a bit.”
“Well, Anne is running Master Cuts now that her aunt has retired. She does a great job.”
“Anne Masters? From school?” I ask. I remember Anne. She was in the same grade as me. Tiny thing with big ole braces. “I haven’t seen her in years. I thought she’d leave town and head to New York or California. Someplace fancy.”
Mom shakes her head. “She left for school, but then decided she wanted to come back. I guess big city life isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.”
I nod. “I know that’s the truth. Piney Brook is special. You can leave, but a part of you will always stay.” I may have traveled the world, but my heart was always here. In Gabrielle Fineman’s hands.