13. Taylor
Chapter 13
Taylor
Taking it to the next level with Harrison was everything I’d hoped it would be.
Honestly, it was probably even better than I’d dreamed of – and I’m so glad that I had that talk with Nicky beforehand too. What could have been a nervous and uncomfortable moment was so much easier having spoken to my new friend, and I was also super happy that Harrison made so much of an effort to ensure that I was comfortable too – which I knew he would, him being an all-round top of the tree Daddy.
But right now, I’ve got something else on my mind other than my new Daddy, and it just so happens to be my big red forklift truck…
‘Hey, yeah, load it up!’ I holler from the forklift’s seat as a couple of the other Blue Collar Boys load up the carriage with some extremely weighty slabs of marble, each one wrapped in a protective covering.
‘All set,’ Mitch says, smiling and giving me a thumbs up. ‘Oh, and are you coming for beers with us later after work, Taylor?’
‘Sure am!’ I shout back, raising my voice over the sound of several pneumatic drills driving holes in some problematic rocky ground nearby. ‘I wouldn’t miss it!’
Mitch walks away and on to his next task and leaves me with the forklift and the substantial marble haul.
I like Mitch. In fact, I like everyone on the crew. And what’s super-nice is that they all seem to like me too.
In fact, I think it’s fair to say that I’m truly beginning to settle into life on the crew. I might still be a new member who’s barely been here a week, but none of the boys have made me feel like I shouldn’t be here, quite the opposite in fact.
As each day has passed, I’ve found myself working alongside a different member of the crew for a variety of tasks. I think Xander had done this on purpose so that I can get to know people and they can get to know me.
It’s been a fun learning experience. And I’m seeing that as much as I loved my old crew I can tell that the Blue Collar Boys and me might just be a match made in heaven – or on the construction site LOL.
With the hot sun in the sky above and the general hubbub of the busy site around me, I’m feeling good.
I think it’s great that my Daddy is making this site into something that will be of use to the Los Torros community. There would have been far more profitable options to go for, but Harrison wants to put as much back into the area as he can and I think that’s just brilliant.
A lot of the other boys have told me how fearsome a reputation Harrison has in the business, and how Littles often have found him scary in the past. For me though, knowing Harrison like I do, he’s just the best and kindest man I know.
Oh, and he’s super-freakin-hot too, which helps.
Anyway, it’s time for me to get back to work. But right as I’m about to put the forklift into gear, I see a small gathering forming toward the entrance of the construction site.
‘Huh, that’s… strange,’ I say, trying to get a handle on what I’m seeing from the forklift seat.
‘Come on, let’s go up there,’ Mitch says, walking up to me and continuing on toward the entrance. ‘This doesn’t look good.’
I turn the key and switch the forklift off before hopping out and walking quickly alongside Mitch to see exactly what’s going on.
As I get closer, I can see that Xander and Lane are in what appears to be some kind of confrontation with a group of smartly dressed looking men. Mitch was right, this doesn’t look good at all.
‘Hey, what’s going on?’ I say, asking one of the other Blue Collar Boys to explain.
‘Apparently Harrison Harlow was told to shut down work on the site last week,’ Zane says, shaking his head. ‘This is the legal team for some other construction firm, or so they say. I’m worried, man.’
This can’t be right.
There’s no way that Harrison would have let us continue working when there was some kind of enforced shutdown or legal challenge – or whatever the hell this is.
But speaking of Harrison, I think he needs to know what’s going on, and more than that – he needs to get down to the site ASAP.
If I know my Daddy, he’ll have sorted this whole thing out in less than five minutes…
Daddy – there’s something going on at the Las Malvinas site. It’s a group of men in suits and they’re saying all kinds of silly things about the site being shut down. Xander and Lane are trying to tell them to back off but it’s not working. One of the men is called Nico and he’s saying that this is all your fault for not telling us. Please come and help! Taylor XoXo.
I put my phone back in my pocket. The tensions are rising between this Nico guy and Xander and Lane now and I’m worried things might spill over between my crew and the men who have come with Nico.
This isn’t fun at all.
I want my Daddy to come and sort everything out before things get truly out of hand…
* * *
‘Daddy! You’re here!’ I call out, seeing Harrison spring up out of his car near the entrance to the site.
I watch as Harrison strides down toward Nico and his assortment of lawyers, associates, and mean looking men. My Daddy might be outnumbered, but it doesn’t look like he gives a crap about the numerical disadvantage he’s at.
‘Nico, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?’ Harrison says, pushing through the other men and confronting Nico.
‘Long time no see,’ Nico replies, clearly suggesting that him and Harrison have some kind of history.
I don’t like the sound of this.
I can see that there’s clearly another layer of animosity between Nico and Harrison, and that makes me worried.
‘So you really are the one who’s been behind all of this shit?’ Harrison shouts, a look of pure anger on his face. ‘Maybe I should have known sooner. But you do know that I did everything by the book on this deal and the project in general. I don’t care who your clients are, the Las Malvinas site is mine and the build will continue as planned.’
I feel my heart lift as I watch and listen to Harrison being so forthright and commanding with this slimeball Nico.
But it doesn’t look as if Nico is going to give in without a fight.
‘My clients have more money than you, Harrison,’ Nico says, a cruel tone in his voice. ‘And they don’t take no for an answer. You might just need to prepare yourself for years and years of extremely expensive litigation, all the while this site will remain shut and a crumbling mess. You could of course accept the offer to sell…’
I look over and see that Harrison is standing, a solemn look on his face.
My Daddy isn’t considering the offer, is he?
‘You know that you can’t compete with big city money,’ Nico sneers. ‘So why not just give up now and step aside. My clients have got huge plans for Los Torros. We’re going to transform this place into something unrecognizable. And you can either make a quick profit now, or you can try to fight the inevitable and end up bankrupt. It’s your choice, Harrison.’
I hate the position that Nico is putting my Daddy in, and I can tell from the looks of concern on Xander and Lane’s faces that they’re taking this seriously too.
Right now, I don’t know what Harrison is going to say in response to Nico. All I can do is hope that he makes the right choice – not just for him, but for the Blue Collar Boys and for Los Torros too…