The Merger

by Bernadette Marie

  When she saw him, she gave him a grin. Her hair was in a mess piled atop her head and she held in her hand a black coffee mug.

  “C’mon dance with me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I need to wake up and this is how I do it.”

  He laughed. “And what does your neighbor think of your morning ritual?”

  Her eyes flew open wide and she ran to the stereo and turned down the volume.

  “Damn! I forgot all about her.”

  Spencer shook his head. He figured that was some of Julie’s bitchy problem too.

  “I thought you two were hitting it off.”

  “We are. We did yoga and she was bringing coffee yesterday,” she winced when she’d remembered. “I left.”

  “I drank your coffee. I don’t know how you drink that crap.”

  “I have taste,” she rebutted. “God, she must think I’m horrible. I just ran out.”

  “I think she’ll be okay.”

  “I should go talk to her. Apologize for being such a twit and making so much noise.” She headed toward the kitchen and pulled down a coffee mug. “I’ll take her some coffee too.”

  “What time is it?” He realized he hadn’t even looked at a clock.

  “Ten.”

  “Really?” When was the last time he’d slept in that late? That’s right—not since college. If he wasn’t in Oregon the past year, he was on that community site making sure everything was running smoothly. The thought crossed his mind again. That’s where he probably should be now too.

  He started back up the stairs. “Hey, if you talk to her see if she has dinner plans.”

  “Really? You’re asking her out? Isn’t this the lawyer that you said was such a bitch?”

  He backtracked down the stairs. “Don’t ever tell her that.”

  “Do you think I’m so thoughtless?”

  “She’s not a bitch. She has a lot going on in her life. I didn’t know that.”

  Avery narrowed her eyes on him. “Interesting. Look at you with a soft spot.”

  “Shut up. Just ask her for me, okay?”

  She nodded. “Where are you going?”

  “To kick Tiffany and the accent out of my bed so I can get down to the site.”

  “Work. Work. Work. Be careful or you’ll have a heart attack like your grandfather did.”

  “Never,” he called back down as he raced up to the bedroom to get his shoes.

  Sunday mornings were for lazing around, Julie had decided. She hadn’t enjoyed a lazy Sunday in a long time. The merger with BBH had taken a lot of her time over the past year.

  She sunk down deeper into the chair. What a waste of time. She’d put her heart into that work and they dismissed her as if she’d done something wrong. Okay, so she’d dragged out the process longer than necessary, but she was thorough, hadn’t she told Spencer that? Why had she been fired? And why had it been Mr. Grayson who signed the papers, but never spoke to her about it? Perhaps he’d reconsidered the reason he’d hired her. When it came down to it, she shouldn’t have been dismissed just because her husband—ex-husband—was screwing his granddaughter. The very thought made her sick.

  Maybe that’s why he was so willing to merge with Benson, Benson, and Hart. It would have been equally heartbreaking to work that hard and to have his granddaughter inherit it all in the end. Of course, they’d taken care of that, her and Mr. Grayson. But now PLL was in good hands and not in Libby Grayson’s hands. Spencer Benson would take good care of Pacific Line Lumber.

  Trying to be relaxed and enjoy the lazy day, she picked up the remote to the TV. Barricading herself into the basement apartment had her bored out of her mind. It was silly to coop up inside just so she wouldn’t run into Spencer, but that’s what she was doing.

  Nashville was an enormous city and one she wanted to explore. Looking at the clock, she realized it was much too early for a drink down on Broadway, but she was sure she could find a decent meal there.

  Quickly, she calculated what she might have in her wallet. Maybe she’d better just eat the few groceries in her refrigerator.

  She sunk down even further in her chair.

  The moment she heard the knocking on her door, she stiffened. Who would be knocking on her door? Only two people knew she lived there. It had to be one of them—or hoped it was one of them.

  She winced. As much as some of her hoped it was Spencer—she truly hoped it wasn’t.

  Slowly, at the second knock, she rose to look out the small peephole. There stood Avery with two coffee mugs in her hands.

  Julie pulled open the door and smiled at the woman who still looked absolutely beautiful in her pajamas and her hair piled on her head.

  “I realize it is much too late to still be in pajamas, but it’s never too late for sharing coffee, right?”

  Julie nodded. “Come in.”

  Avery handed her a mug and stepped into the apartment. “I swear it never changes down here. Well, when tenants add their own personal effects. Are yours coming?”

  Julie looked down into the coffee mug. “No. I left with what I could carry. Nothing else seemed very important.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “You do what you have to do,” Julie said. “Please, have a seat.”

  “I’m sorry about my loud music this morning. Spencer reminded me I can’t do things like that anymore,” she said sitting down on the couch.

  “It’s okay. It startled me at first, but it doesn’t bother me.”

  Avery toed off her flip-flops, curled her legs under her, and sipped at her coffee as Julie sat in the big recliner.

  “So I’m told I can be a little straight forward. So I’ll ask, can I be nosy?” Avery asked as she settled in. “Why did you come to Nashville after you were done with the merger?”

  Julie wondered if she really needed to answer that. Hadn’t Spencer told her all about the bitchy lawyer Julie Jacobson?

  What did she have to lose? “They fired me before the merger was complete. I got divorced after I found out my husband was sleeping with the granddaughter of the owner of PLL. And I needed a change.”

  Avery’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? He was sleeping with someone else?”

  Julie shook her head. “The worst part is, this isn’t the first time he’s had an indiscretion during our marriage.”

  “Indiscretion? Look at you with the polite words. What a prick!”

  Julie tried to swallow back her smile, but decided it would be hidden behind her coffee mug.

  She sipped, let the smile fade, and lowered the mug. “That’s what happens when you marry for companionship.”

  “I can’t imagine you needing companionship. You’re beautiful and very nice to be around, no matter what…” She stopped and pursed her lips.

  “No matter what Spencer told you?” Julie set her coffee on the small end table next to her chair.

  “I didn’t mean that. I really didn’t. I just get to talking so fast sometimes that I…”

  “It’s okay. He has every right to think what he thinks. I cost him a lot of time and money while I was doing my job.”

  “Money isn’t anything to them.”

  “Well, it is to me. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  Avery watched her for a moment and then smiled a brilliant, model kind of smile. “Do you want to go down to Broadway and get a drink?”

  Julie let out a snort of a laugh. “It’s not even noon. And I’m extremely short on cash. I think I’d better take a rain check.”

  “Let’s just say I’m not short on cash. Today it’s my treat.”

  “Are you sure? I certainly don’t want to impose.”

  “Trust me. I could use some good ole’ girl time. I also happen to know that Warner Wright is rehearsing and we could get in.”

  Julie stared at her. Was she for real? “You know Warner Wright?”

  “He happens to be married to my cousin.”

  “Of course he does. Are you guys not re
lated to anyone?”

  Avery gave her a shrug. “You and I aren’t related, yet.”

  “We will have to remain friends. I don’t see me getting married to anyone in the near future. Unless you have some other unmarried cousins you want to introduce me to.”

  “Nope, only Spencer.”

  “No.”

  “I guess we’ll just be friends then,” she said swinging her legs over the couch and standing up. “I’ll go get ready and call Clara. She can get us in.”

  “Clara? Another cousin?”

  “Yep,” she said heading toward the door. “You know, if you just hang out with us, you’ll never need to marry for companionship again. You’ll probably have too much of it.”

  She opened the door, gave her a little wave, and walked out.

  Julie already knew that even being introduced to Avery’s family had given her a job, a home, and an opportunity to meet a reality TV personality and one of the most famous country artists in the country. Knowing the Bensons and their cousins certainly couldn’t hurt anyone—especially someone who could use some companionship.

  ~*~

  It was a sight, Spencer thought as he drove up to the neighborhood—or what would be a neighborhood.

  From the street, it looked like a dream from his childhood. A sandbox filled with big yellow machines that would move the earth into piles and then smooth it all out again.

  Roads were beginning to take shape. One day there would be sidewalks in front of houses. People would walk on those walks while their children rode bikes. Couples would hold hands and walk dogs on leashes.

  He could almost see the people running under the shade of the trees on the path that would circle the neighborhood park. If he closed his eyes, which he did, he could hear children playing on that playground at the park.

  When he opened his eyes again, he saw the dream being built right in front of him and he grinned.

  This was his dream, just as high-rises had been his great-grandfather’s. Families would call this home for generations to come and he’d envisioned it and drawn it out on the back of a napkin the day he’d thought of it. He’d been sitting in his car, just as he was now, looking over a tree farm, which had gone out of business, and the land was a mess. But Spencer had seen a vision and in a few years that vision would be complete.

  He continued on, passing the sign that read HART ESTATES A NEW COMMUNITY FROM BENSON, BENSON, AND HART.

  He’d chosen the name to honor his great-grandfather who had started it all. Back then, it had been Hart Construction. Spencer smiled as he pulled into the spot they reserved for him in front of the trailer that housed the offices.

  Under Hart Construction, his great-grandfather had helped build most of Nashville and other cities including New York. When Spencer’s grandmother had married the first Tyler Benson, and he then became part of the company, his great-grandfather changed the name to Hart and Son, but after a few years changed it again to Hart and Benson Construction.

  Spencer picked up his leather portfolio and stepped out of the car. Dust kicked up under his feet and he breathed in the scents. Right now the area smelled of dirt, mud, and water. But in time it would have floral notes from gardens and the smell of fresh cut lawns.

  On the door of the trailer were the initials BBH. The company had come a long way since his grandfather joined his great-grandfather’s company. They’d changed the name again when Spencer’s father joined the company as a young man. Under Zachary Benson’s lead, the company had flourished.

  Spencer opened the door to the air-conditioned trailer. That felt better, he thought. He set his portfolio on the old metal desk and looked at the plans on the wall.

  His cousin Ed had added some key elements to the community, including the park placement.

  Ed had held the reins of BBH for years, now it was Spencer’s turn to make his mark, and that was what he was doing with Hart Estates.

  The door opened, letting in a wave of heat from outside. Ed slid through the door and gave a sigh when the cool air of the trailer washed over him.

  “That’s better,” he said.

  “What are you doing here?” Spencer asked as he pulled out a checklist he’d made from his portfolio.

  “I could ask you the same thing, but I know we both have the same answer. We have a problem, you know. We’re workaholics.”

  Spencer chuckled with a nod. “I just came down to check…”

  “You came to check on your baby. There isn’t anything that Chuck doesn’t have under control and you and I are both in the way.”

  “You’re right.”

  “I know I am.” Ed scratched at his day worth of whiskers. “What do you say we check on Chuck and get out of here and have some lunch? Clara said Warner is rehearsing today so we could go get a beer and eat.”

  Spencer agreed with a nod. “I guess that is a perk of this town, those hotshot musicians using local establishments to practice their new music before they go back out on the road or record. You get a fine meal, a cold beer, and good entertainment.”

  Ed laughed as he opened the door to walk back out into the heat. “Doesn’t hurt when you’re a partner in the establishment either.” He beamed. “I have all afternoon. My mom, your mom, and Darcy all went for pedicures.”

  “Where’s Emily?”

  A different smile formed on Ed’s lips. “She’s spending the day with my dad. What that means is they will both need a nap when I get back to them. She has him wrapped around her finger.”

  “That’s how it should be,” Spencer joked knowing his father was wrapped around Emily’s little finger too. He followed his cousin outside.

  “Absolutely.”

  As they headed toward the area where they knew they’d find Chuck, their foreman, Spencer’s phone rang.

  He shook his head as the ringtone screamed Call Me Maybe and Tiffany’s picture popped up on the screen. He had to stop giving her his passwords to things since she found it necessary to change everything including ringtones.

  “Well, good morning sleepy head,” he gave her the vocal jab through the phone.

  “What the hell are you so cheery for? And how come you came home, changed your clothes and left me here?”

  “Honey, you were sawing logs and were all alone in my big bed. I thought I’d just leave you there.”

  She let out a loud grunt. “I don’t snore.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  “I’m starving,” Tiffany whined. “Are you coming back home soon?”

  “Ed and I are on site then headed down to Broadway to listen to Warner rehearse. We’re going to eat down there. Feel like heading down?”

  He heard the familiar sounds of a hungover moan escape.

  “Or I could pick you up,” he offered.

  “I’d love that. I’ll clean up.”

  “Oh, and Tiff, take my sheets off the bed and dump my trash before I come home.”

  “Ha-ha. I slept in this bed alone you saw.”

  He held back a step and let Ed go on. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll tell you about it later. I’ll be ready when you get here.”

  Spencer disconnected the phone call and slid his phone back into his pocket. He knew the sound of her voice after a night of drinking. He sincerely hoped she’d drowned her sorrows in a bottle of wine, but he’d been in the apartment. There were two plates from dinner. Two glasses of wine, a few beer bottles, and some Jack to go with the Coke cans. She had to be feeling like crap, but where had the British accent gone? He didn’t take advantage of her when she was drunk did he?

  Spencer’s temper began to fuel. He’d kill the bastard if he…

  “You coming?” Ed shouted.

  Spencer looked up and saw Ed and Chuck looking over plans. He nodded and headed their way.

  He’d been too worked up over Julie all night and now he was worried about Tiffany.

  They’d be done in a few minutes and he’d pick up Tiffany and take her to lunch. They could d
iscuss what had happened the night before over a beer for him and a club soda for her.

  As he walked toward the other men, he thought a day with his girl was exactly what he needed. She could always make him feel better. And for a few hours, he could forget about work and the next week when Julie would be right there with him—every day.

  Chapter Seven

  Tim-Tim-Tom’s was the name on the door. Julie laughed as she followed Avery inside the extremely small bar on lower Broadway, which looked to be tucked between two bigger bars. She couldn’t imagine Warner Wright was actually inside, but a moment later she heard the familiar sound of his music. Though she wasn’t really familiar with country music, she was familiar with reality TV. That’s where she’d known Warner Wright from.

  “I’ve never heard of this place,” she said as they weaved their way around the empty tables that were crammed into the small area.

  “No. You probably haven’t. It’s new. It’s small. And it’s kind of a secret so far. Warner and Ed are some of the partners.”

  “Who are Tim, Tim, and Tom? The other partners?”

  Avery sat down at a high four top. “Would you believe it if I told you they had us all throw names into a hat and they picked three.”

  “And that’s what they came up with?”

  “I think it’s catchy.”

  Julie agreed with a nod.

  “I’ll go up and order for us. They don’t have much in the food department yet, just your basic bar food, but the nachos are killer.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “How about a beer?”

  “I could go for that.”

  Avery started for the bar. “We’ll do yoga and take a walk later to combat this.”

  She watched her wave to the man on stage and Julie turned to see Warner Wright and she was quite sure he was sitting with Randy Sayner. She squinted. Yep, she’d seen his face on some award show—she was sure of it.

  The surreal moment washed over her. She was sitting only feet from a famous person. Two famous people. Panic flowed through her. Chances were she was going to meet those famous people.