Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Sheridan
I sat at my desk Saturday morning and stared at my calendar. The dinner Jasper insisted he owed me somehow morphed into a night at Reservoir Barrel this Friday night. Having something to look forward to—two somethings—was taking my mind off the drama at work.
As if I summoned said drama, Constance charged in. “You need to fire the new guy.”
“Jasper?” No the hell I wouldn’t. My visceral reaction nearly shocked me. I sat straight up, my spine a steel rod, and glared at her.
She reared back. “No. He’s amazing. That firepit work…” Her eyes turned dreamy a second before they hardened to steel. “Landon.”
“The kid who helps with yard work?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “He walked down the hallway of the guest wing.” She planted her hands on her hips.
“Okay?”
She stabbed a finger to the window. “It’s raining. It’s muddy. His shoes were dirty.”
My stomach dropped. I could picture a seventeen-year-old’s large footprints tracking down our nice brown carpet. “How bad?”
“He’d been working in the flower beds.”
“In the rain?”
“His mom said it’s easier to pull weeds when the soil’s wet.”
My mom used to love drizzle. She’d rush out and weed as much as she could. But it wasn’t a light sprinkle. Rain battered at the glass. A groan slipped out.
“I told him.” She loomed over my desk like she thought I was hiding size-twelve mud-laden shoes on my feet. “I told him that he needs to clean it up.”
Crap. Landon needed to learn some common sense, and it was fair to assume he could clean it all. He’d be on the clock and getting paid. But I doubted that was the crux of the actual issue. “And what did he say?”
“He laughed.” Her snarl was harsh. “Laughed and clocked out.”
I’d have to deal with that—and also hear about his side of the story. “How did you tell him?”
She reared back. “Excuse me?”
“Were you like this?” I nodded toward her fists planted on her hips and her domineering stance.
“Sherry, don’t be dense.”
Nope. She wasn’t getting away with that. “Connie, don’t be obtuse.”
She went stiff. “This is not my fault.”
“No, it didn’t start as your fault.” But now it was my issue.
She couldn’t handle a new, young employee, and while yes, he’d done something wrong, she would drive him away with her rage.
The other high schooler who helped with part-time housekeeping was about to quit too.
She hadn’t told me, but I caught her crying in the bathroom.
I was tempted to stuff my irritation away, but I’d had such a good weekend. Jasper grilled some of the best burgers. We’d had cold beer and sat on the deck. He’d wowed me with his ranching stories and his carving kit, and I’d gone home and slept better than I had all year.
Landon was a good kid. I didn’t believe he laughed and left.
“What do you mean it didn’t start as my fault?
” she screeched. “It didn’t end as my fault either.
” Her eyes were wide, and this was probably the temper that had been aimed at the teen.
Mom had talked about how she valued Constance because she was a dependable worker, but the thing was, she wasn’t dependable for me. She created extra work.
As long as my decision was justified, I was good with making it. “Constance, I’m going to have to let you go.”
Her shocked gasp nearly choked her. “You can’t.”
A calmness settled over me that was similar to a peace I’d only known around Jasper. “I am.”
“Your mom—”
“Is not here,” I snapped. “She’ll never be here again, and I’m in charge.
You’ve done nothing but disrespect me and make this job harder than you ever would’ve for my mom.
And you’ve done it when I needed the most understanding and kindness because I lost her.
So yes, Constance”—I purposely stressed her correct name to show that I could respect her when she hadn’t respected me—“I am firing you.”
Her face flushed, and normally, I’d be scared of the potential conflict. I’d want to assuage her, but at the moment, I was done. Done with trying to work around her and staying professional when she couldn’t be bothered to do the same. I went back to typing on my computer.
Constance huffed and stomped out. Her voice carried to my office as she ranted to Maria.
I should show her out, but a weariness set in.
Maria was nicer these days than when I first arrived, but she could weather the Constance storm.
I rose and shut my office door instead and continued to upload the new pictures I took of the firepit to the website.
A few minutes later, just as I was finishing, there was a light knock on the door.
“Come in.” I tapped the save key and switched tabs to study my work. If it was Constance, she would’ve barged in to yell at me some more. If it was Maria, I’d discuss what happened.
The door creaked open and Jasper entered, a rugged breath of fresh air. He slipped in and closed it again. “I heard the commotion.”
I winced. I should’ve bitten the bullet and followed her as she collected her things.
Being resolute in my decisions had made it easier, but I had buckled before the whole action was complete.
If I said that to Jasper, he’d tell me not to be hard on myself.
So maybe I wouldn’t be. “Yes. Did Landon really go home?”
A regretful look passed over Jasper’s face as he dropped into the chair across from me. “I talked him out of quitting and told him to take the rest of the day. We’d talk tomorrow. He should’ve known better.”
“But he didn’t.”
Jasper dipped his head. “And it made more work for others. I’ll talk to him.”
I could too. Would I be chickening out if I let Jasper do it? They had a rapport. Like the rest of us, Landon admired Jasper. But I was still in charge. “Can you send him in here after you’re done?”
“Yes.”
I blew out a breath. “I’m so damn relieved. Is that bad?”
“No. You did good.”
I gave him a regretful smile. “Tell me that when I’m cleaning rooms until I hire someone.”
“I’ll tell you, and I can pitch in too.” He reclined in his chair and steepled his fingers. “About this weekend… Should I pick you up? It’s about a half-hour drive from here.”
I would not let him clean rooms. He was doing enough, and he’d been a boon once again by keeping Landon from quitting. The resort was about twenty minutes away from town in one direction, and Reservoir Barrel was ten minutes in the other direction. “That’s a lot of extra driving for you.”
He lifted a shoulder. “When you’re used to living out of town, the commute isn’t an issue.”
It could be for me. Twenty extra minutes with Jasper one way and twenty extra minutes with him back. All alone. I’d have him all to myself, and I was starting to enjoy that way too much.
I was starting to hope. Sitting in his backyard and talking about his old job had made me wonder.
What if this was the beginning of a relationship?
What if I could have something with Jasper?
What if I was falling for a guy who only saw me as the distraught girl who spilled her mother’s ashes on him?
He was an employee. I had to be strong. If he was interested, it wouldn’t be appropriate. Yes, my parents were married, but they started Bishop’s Landing together. That was different. This was more complicated. Not just my heart was on the line but also my reputation. I wanted to make a life here.
Then there was the flip side. He wasn’t interested; he was just nice and also bored. He hadn’t hit on me, and there’d been so many chances. I’d been alone with him at his house, and not one move was made. He was thoughtful and a gentleman, but he also wasn’t into me.
So should I let him add all those extra miles and spend all that extra time with him? “I can meet you at your place.”
Disappointment flared in his eyes, but it was smothered quickly. “No problem. Swing by when you’re ready.”
Did I imagine what I saw? Could he really be interested? It could be my wishful thinking. “Okay. How’s everything else?”
He took his ball cap off and pushed a hand through his hair. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but with all the rain, there’s a leak in the Wiz Khalifa room.”
I groaned. “No.”
“It could just be a clogged spout. Still an issue, but not a new roof issue.”
“Unless it doesn’t get fixed.”
He nodded. “I’ll ask Maria to block off that room until the rain stops and I get in there and clean it all up.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” He pushed out of the chair. “Although I think we’re going to earn our reprieve at Reservoir Barrel.”
I was afraid he was right.