Chapter 34
Dave spotted Ryan’s truck pulling into Finley Point a little after seven on Monday morning. He was glad to see it.
Mostly.
For the past few months, Ryan’s absence had left a noticeable gap on the project.
Dave had good people working for him, but Ryan knew Finley Point almost as well as he did.
He knew the plans, the contractors, and which suppliers needed chasing before a late delivery caused trouble for three other trades.
Having him back would make Dave’s life considerably easier. There was only one complication. While Ryan had been on the other side of the world, Dave had taken his sister on a date.
Dave stepped outside as Ryan climbed out of his truck carrying a travel mug.
Ryan closed the door and stood still. “It’s been a long time.”
Dave smiled. “Good morning to you, too.”
Ryan barely seemed to hear him. His attention had gone to the cabins.
When Ryan had left for Australia, several of the sites had been little more than foundations and stacks of building materials. Now timber frames rose across that part of the property, giving shape to what had previously existed mostly on plans.
Ryan slowly turned, taking everything in. “You’ve been busy.”
“We thought we’d get some work done while you were away.”
“I can see that.”
A nail gun sounded from one of the cabin sites. A delivery truck was reversing farther along the access road, its warning signal cutting through the morning air. Men were unloading sheets of building material while another crew worked around the frame of the nearest cabin.
Ryan looked toward the main lodge. “What stage are you at in there?”
“Drywall.”
Ryan’s head swung back toward him. “Already?”
Dave enjoyed the surprise on his face. “You were gone almost three months. Did you think we’d taken a vacation, too?”
Ryan laughed and held out his hand. “It’s good to see you, Dave.”
Dave shook it. “It’s good to have you back.”
Ryan looked around once more, and something in his expression changed.
Dave understood that look. Ryan had enjoyed Australia. Beth had told him enough about her brother’s trip for Dave to know that. But he’d missed this. The noise. The activity. The constant stream of decisions and problems that came with turning a set of drawings into something real.
Dave nodded toward the lodge. “Want to see what we’ve done?”
“Definitely.” As they started walking, Ryan took a drink from his travel mug. “Australia was quieter than this.”
“I thought you liked your vacation,” Dave said.
“I did. Blue skies, hot weather, no one asking me where the electrician was at six-thirty in the morning. It was great.”
“But?”
Ryan grinned. “I was going out of my mind by the end.”
Dave laughed. “Beth said you missed having a routine.”
Ryan stopped walking.
Dave took another two steps before realizing his mistake. He turned around. For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
Ryan was the first to say something. “Beth told me you took her to dinner. What are your intentions toward my sister?”
Dave stared at him.
Ryan managed to keep a straight face.
Just.
Dave frowned. “How long have you been waiting to ask me that?”
Ryan shrugged. “Since Beth told me you went on a date with her.”
Dave’s frown deepened. “It’s the twenty-first century. I don’t need intentions to ask a woman on a date.”
Ryan’s mouth twitched. “You do if she’s my sister. Answer the question.”
Dave sighed. “Will you challenge me to a duel next?”
“I haven’t ruled it out.”
Despite himself, Dave laughed.
Then Ryan’s expression became more serious. “I’m kidding about the wording,” he said. “I’m not kidding about Beth.”
Dave’s amusement disappeared. “I know.”
Ryan slipped one hand into his jacket pocket. “So, I’ll ask it another way. Are you serious about her?”
“Yes.”
The answer came so easily that it surprised both of them.
Ryan studied his face.
Dave held his gaze.
Finally, Ryan nodded. “Okay.”
“That’s it?”
“No.” Ryan glanced toward the lake. “That’s just the beginning.”
Dave nodded and sighed. “Can we look at the lodge now?”
Ryan smiled. “Absolutely.”
That smile worried Dave more than an argument would have.
They entered through a side door. The interior of the main lodge had changed dramatically while Ryan was away. Drywall covered much of the framing, and for the first time the rooms were beginning to feel like actual spaces rather than a maze of timber walls.
Ryan stopped inside the main gathering area. “Wow.”
Dave nodded. “That was more or less my reaction when they finished this section.”
Ryan walked farther into the room, studying the walls and ceiling. “You can finally get a sense of the size.”
They spent the next half hour going over the work. Dave brought Ryan up to date on the drywall schedule, the electrical work, and the progress on the cabins. Ryan asked questions as quickly as Dave could answer them, occasionally stopping to greet someone he hadn’t seen since before his trip.
Within twenty minutes, he was discussing a delivery with one of the crew as though he’d never been away.
Dave smiled. He’d missed having Ryan around.
Eventually, they left the lodge and walked toward the lake. The construction noise faded a little as they moved away from the buildings. The morning was cold, but the sky was clear, and sunlight caught on the surface of the water.
Ryan stopped near the shoreline and looked back at Finley Point. “You’ve done so much since I left.”
Dave turned toward him. “You sound disappointed.”
“I am. I thought the whole place would fall apart without me.”
“We struggled bravely.”
Ryan laughed. “I can tell.”