Love Under Construction

by Britney M. Mills

  She walked back downstairs and turned on the TV before pulling out a frozen dinner and popping it into the microwave. No, it wasn’t the best or healthiest meal, but she wasn’t in the mood to cook, and she did not want to run into Colton tonight.

  The timer on the microwave beeped, and she pushed the button to open it. Pulling it out, she wrinkled her nose. The noodles were a little overdone. Grabbing a fork, she made her way to the couch, trying to get into the latest reality TV show.

  As her emotions surfaced, she heard her phone ring. Picking it up, she pasted a smile on her face, knowing Dottie would be able to hear the tears if she let them continue.

  “Hey, Dottie, how are you?”

  “I’m all right, dear. I made too much food again and was hoping you hadn’t eaten yet.”

  Glancing at the shriveled pasta in the cardboard box, Becca said, “I haven’t. Let me change, and I’ll be over in a few.”

  Once she got off the phone, she looked down at her shirt, seeing a spot from her drink earlier. No use sitting through a lecture from Dorothy about being neat and tidy. She was ready for something relaxed and fun, and for an older couple, the Watkins could be just that.

  Chapter 9

  The walk wasn’t too long as the mayor lived right across the street from Becca. They arrived in front of a white house with a manicured garden and neatly trimmed lawn. “Your house is amazing, Mayor, especially the yard. Do you spend a lot of time working on it?” Colton asked.

  The mayor chuckled, his stomach shaking. “Not as much as we probably want to. My wife won’t give up working in the garden, but I haven’t had time for the lawn in years, so we hire one of the young men down the street. He knows just how we like it. The only problem is, he graduates this year, so we’ll see where he ends up. I might have to train a new protégé.”

  Colton smiled at the thought of some young kid going through training with the mayor. He could only imagine there were a lot of outward appearances to be keeping up with his position in the community.

  Turning, Colton looked at the flower shop across the street, with the white two-story house next to it. “You live across from Becca, huh?” he asked, pointing at her house.

  The mayor nodded. “Yes, ever since her parents moved in. They first lived on the next street over before coming here. Her mother had such big ideas, and Becca’s father made sure to make every one of them happen.” He cleared his throat. “We best get into the house. Dottie won’t be too happy if the food is cold by the time we arrive.”

  They walked inside, and Mayor Watkins called out to his wife. The man set his briefcase on the floor next to the door and moved into the kitchen, motioning for Colton to follow. A petite woman stood in front of the stove, stirring something that looked like red sauce.

  “I brought us a dinner guest, Dottie.” The mayor winked at his wife, and she gave him a sly grin as he bent over to kiss her on the cheek. “Colton, this is my wife, Dottie.”

  Dottie turned and smiled, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Colton.” She stuck out her hand, and when Colton’s hand surrounded it, he worried he might break it as it was so small and fragile. Their height difference alone had to be more than a foot, making him feel like a giant.

  Bowing his head, he said, “It’s nice to meet you too, ma’am. It sure smells nice in here.”

  She smiled and turned back to the pan on the stove. “It’s my grandmother’s homemade spaghetti sauce, so I hope you’re hungry.” She pulled a loaf of garlic bread out of the oven and set it on the counter. When the noodles were drained, she placed a plate underneath and handed them to Colton. “Will you take this to the table, dear? It’s just through this doorway.” She followed him with the bread and set it down on the table.

  Colton placed the bowl next to it and looked around, seeing that it was already set with four plates.

  “How did you know I’d be coming to dinner?” he asked, confused.

  The older woman smirked. “I’ve been married to this guy for over forty years. I’ve learned to be prepared. Besides, he called me before leaving the office.”

  Colton turned to the mayor. “You hadn’t even asked me then.”

  “I may have had the perfect view to see Becca running out of the tree line and you following soon after. I figured you could use something to pick you up. Plus, you don’t have to worry about running into her tonight.” The mayor took his seat, and his wife swatted him on the side of the head.

  “Be nice, Stan. You know that girl’s been through a lot.” She walked back into the kitchen and was gone a few moments.

  Colton took a seat to the left of the mayor. He didn’t want to ask any more about Becca, but their comments made him curious. “What happened to her? I asked her a few questions, and that’s when she took off like a shot.”

  “Well, at least you got a good hug out of it. That’s progress for our girl and a point in your favor, I’d think.” The mayor leaned over, whispering while looking at the doorway. “She lost her parents and her brother. They were driving over to Salt Lake for her graduation from college in December five years ago. The car behind them slid right into their bumper, pushing the car off the road and down into a ravine. None of them survived.”

  Nothing had ever filled Colton with guilt as much as those words did. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose his entire family in one accident. No wonder college caused her to freeze. She was probably reliving the moments after she found out every time someone mentioned something about college or families.

  “You didn’t know, son. She blames herself for their deaths. I’ve heard her say a few times that she should’ve just stayed in Sage Creek and then they would all still be alive.”

  “But she doesn’t know that. You can’t ever know for certain.”

  Mayor Watkins gave him a sad smile. “Sometimes, it’s easier to blame ourselves.”

  Dottie came back in with the pot of spaghetti sauce, causing the mayor to sit up straight in his seat. Colton tried not to laugh, but if the man was trying not to look suspicious about something, he was doing a horrible job.

  “Should we say grace, dear?” the older man said.

  “Not just yet. We’re almost ready to eat.” She glanced around the room and then left.

  Colton glanced at the table of food. The large bowl of salad had already been there when he was asked to bring in the noodles. He was hungry, but he couldn’t imagine the three of them would polish all this off.

  He had to admit, it was fun seeing an older couple interact. All of his grandparents had passed on before he was born, and his father hadn’t been in the picture for many years, which made his perception of relationships a bit skewed.

  A knock came at the door, and when Dottie didn’t answer it, the mayor called out, “Dottie, are you expecting company?” He stood and walked to the door, just out of eyesight from the table. There was some shuffling of feet, and Dottie came out of the kitchen just as Becca walked around the corner, only to stop dead in her tracks.

  “Becca, I’m so glad you could come. There’s so much pasta here, and I just knew you’d be able to help us eat it.”

  Becca’s eyebrows turned down, accentuating the deep line in her forehead. She plastered on a smile and slid into the seat opposite Colton. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  He shrugged. It wasn’t his fault they’d both been invited. “The mayor saw me walking out his office window and figured I could use a warm welcome.” He stared at her, enjoying her squirm. If she was thinking about the hug they’d shared, he was too, and a shiver ran up his spine.

  Taking in a deep breath, he turned to the Watkins, hoping they were ready to eat so the sudden awkward tension could be over.

  The mayor said grace, and the only sound at first was the clinking of dishes as the food was passed around the table. After a few bites, Colton was sick of the silence and looked around for something to talk about.
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br />   Pointing to the vase sitting in the middle of the table, he said, “What beautiful flowers. Did you get them from Becca’s shop?”

  The corner of Becca’s mouth turned up just a bit as she turned the fork in her noodles, and Dottie grinned. “Stan forgot it was the forty-second anniversary of our first kiss the other day. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s a good way for a girl to get flowers, don’t you think?”

  The tension dissolved, and the mayor grumbled about having to remember every date since the beginning of time.

  “Oh, don’t get your feathers ruffled, old man,” Dottie said, hiding her mouth behind her hand as her shoulders shook. That got Becca laughing, and soon, Colton felt like he’d been through a decent ab workout.

  After taking a few bites, Dottie leaned forward, her hands intertwined. “So, Colton, you’re the one here to get the subdivision started, right?”

  He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He caught Becca scrunch her nose out of the corner of his eye but focused on Dottie.

  “How long have you been a builder?”

  “Twelve years. I’ve specialized mostly in finish work but have been working to move up in the company.” He took a bite of bread, trying to distract his mind from retreating at the slew of personal questions coming his way. He’d never been one to go after attention, and he was already feeling the heat of invisible spotlights with the way Mrs. Watkins was looking at him.

  Dottie gasped. “Twelve years? Dear, you don’t look old enough to have been working for that long.”

  He glanced up at Becca, surprised to see her watching him, her eyes looking greener with the blouse she was wearing. Picking up his napkin, he wiped the sides of his mouth before looking in Dottie’s direction.

  “I started with the company just after turning eighteen. I began as the grunt man and then worked up to being a finish carpenter. This subdivision in your town would be my first chance to be a project manager.”

  Becca stiffened, and Colton knew that wasn’t a good thing after only two days. Was there anything she wasn’t sensitive to talking about? He wished there was some way to keep the fun, more relaxed side of her when he was around.

  “What about your family, Colton? Do they live in Denver?” the mayor asked, twirling his fork in the spaghetti.

  “Well, the short version is, my father left when I was really young, and my mother had major complications having me, so I’m an only child. She won’t leave Boulder, but I’m hoping to move her closer to me soon.”

  Dottie reached over and patted his hand, much like he pictured a grandmother would.

  “Is your mother all right?” Becca’s voice caused him to turn in her direction, noting the tenderness with which she’d said the words. Now knowing about her family, he decided to tread carefully.

  Colton shook his head. “She suffers from Alzheimer’s. It’s gotten so bad that she can’t do much for herself anymore.”

  Becca rolled her lips in and gave him a sympathetic look. At least it was better than her running away from him.

  The evening continued, and by the time dinner was finished, Colton was sad to see it end. He’d never had a family meal like this and with such good conversation.

  Dottie piled a large container of spaghetti and foil-wrapped garlic bread into his arms as he was leaving. “You can’t eat out for every meal, and this way, all you need to do is warm it up. The hotel does have a microwave in your room, right? If not, I’ll have to have a talk with Delia. People can’t stay long in a place if they don’t have a way to warm things up or cook them.”

  “It has a microwave,” Colton said quickly, hoping she didn’t go off on another long speech.

  She gave him a small hug before turning to Becca and doing the same.

  The mayor shook Colton’s hand and winked. Leaning in, he whispered, “Don’t screw it up.”

  No pressure.

  Once the door closed, Becca looked at him and then took slow steps down the stairs to the front sidewalk. She stopped and turned so fast that Colton almost bumped into her.

  “I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have run away. There are a lot of things I’m trying to work through, and I’m not doing a very good job of it.” She bit her bottom lip. “Do you mind if we start over?”

  “Sounds good to me. But when I say something that bothers you, can you at least tell me what I said wrong so I don’t keep doing it?” He tried to give her a serious face but softened when she smiled.

  “Dani’s right. I need to get over the past and start living for the day.”

  Colton’s brain whirred, trying to figure out if he’d met Dani.

  “Sorry, Dani’s my best friend. She’s in Europe right now, reporting for a news station and researching for her next book.”

  They were to the edge of the street now, and Colton stretched his leg forward, making sure the food didn’t fall from the movement.

  “You didn’t want to go with her?” he asked.

  She laughed, shaking her head like he’d come up with some hilarious joke. The sound was deep and refreshing, causing Colton to laugh along with her.

  “Want and can’t are different. But maybe someday I’ll be over the fear of leaving this town.”

  Colton was speechless. “What do you mean?” He’d heard of people who couldn’t bear to leave their homes, but someone who was fine around town but feared leaving it altogether—that was new.

  Her face flushed, and he saw the signs of her clamming up again, so he rushed to say, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just hope your fear doesn’t hold you back forever. Sage Creek is beautiful, but sometimes it’s good to see other places. You’ll appreciate the beauty of this place even more when you come back.”

  He saw the thoughts churning in her head and knew he’d better say good night before he said something to undo all the progress they’d made.

  She took in a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll get there. It just might take me longer than I want to get over my fears.”

  Colton nodded. Seeing the same vulnerability that had caused him to hug her earlier pulled at him again, but she stepped back as if sensing he was ready to move in.

  “Well, I’ve got to go get some orders placed for work. It was good seeing you again.” She gave a close-lipped smile and took another step back.

  “I better get back to the hotel. I’ve got some emails to catch up on as well. Have a good night.”

  He walked slow, making sure she made it into her house before he disappeared down the street. As safe as Sage Creek seemed, he realized he didn’t want anything else to add to the current fears Becca probably went through on a daily basis. The wall she’d originally put up seemed to be slowing dropping, and he hoped to still be here when it was down completely. Maybe then she’d finally trust him.

  Chapter 10

  Becca woke up exhausted the next morning. After spending most of the night replaying the conversations at the Watkins, her curiosity was even more piqued about Colton. She’d nearly run from the house when she saw him sitting at the table, smelling some kind of scheme on the part of the older couple. But overall, it had been a good night with good food and even better company.

  So far, she’d misjudged the builder, and when he talked about his mother, she could only imagine how hard it would be to still have her around but not have her mind be there all the time. The arrogance she’d thought she’d seen at the council meeting must have come more from nerves. She’d been surprised this would be his first job as a project manager. He’d said it once before, but she hadn’t registered it until that conversation.

  She wondered if he’d started working so young because of his mother’s health. That was a big motivator for working instead of going to college. Peter had always boasted about how he’d scored the job he had because of his degree, but there was something about Colton staying with the same company for that long that proved his work ethic wasn’t just in studying books.

  She decided to make a trip down to where the proposed
subdivision could be, knowing she needed to go at some point to fulfill her duty to the town council. The flower shop didn’t normally open until later on Fridays, leaving her the whole morning free. Even with the wedding slated for the next morning, she was confident she could get everything done during the normal hours.

  Becca pulled a brush through her hair, twisting several pieces so the curl would stay in from the day before. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved top, looking more casual than she did most days. With all the work ahead of her that afternoon, it would be better to be comfortable.

  She walked out the door and grabbed her bike to roll slowly through the streets. The rays of the sun could be seen over the mountains, but the whole sphere hadn’t come into view yet. There was something about the smell of the spring morning that held promise, and she made a mental note to do this more often.

  That thought brought her back to the conversation on the Watkins’s doorstep the night before. Colton’s words about the world being beautiful and really appreciating what she had right here hit home. She knew there were some amazing things to see in the world. She just needed to get over her fears. Easier said, of course, as she’d been trying to figure out a way to venture out for over a year but still hadn’t taken the plunge.

  The ride to the proposed lots was over half a mile, but from the burn in her legs and the wheezing of her lungs, she knew she needed to get more exercise in every day.

  Parking her bike at the side of the last building on Main Street, she pulled out a mini version of the proposed plans, trying to place how far apart the lots were and where the road into the subdivision would be located. All of which she hoped wouldn’t happen, but she needed to be thorough if she was going to be able to dispute the construction company’s claim.

  Looking over the large field, she saw several discrepancies in the plans and knew those might be good ammo for the builder to have to at least redraw the plat map.