by Nan Dixon
“Sit,” she called in a too-cheerful voice. “Abby gave me her chicken piccata and mushrooms recipe.”
Setting out the platter, she waved. “Dig in.”
Mom’s tone reminded him of when Nathan had cut classes or been suspended in high school—she always lighten up the tense dinner conversation with chatter.
The food circled the table. Daniel’s stomach twisted. When he only took a small piece of chicken, Mom frowned.
“Is Abby feeding you, too?” she asked.
“Pop’s not around.” He forced a grin on his face. “Someone has to eat what she bakes.”
“Humph.” But she stared at Pop with sorrow-filled eyes.
“Thanks for coming.” Pop patted Nathan’s shoulder. “I know it’s a drive.”
“I didn’t come for you, old man.” Nathan held up his fork. “I came for Mom’s cooking.”
Pop laughed. Mom bit her lip. And as usual, Nathan was oblivious.
Daniel nudged his brother’s boot under the table.
Nathan glared at him.
He couldn’t pretend nothing was wrong. “What did the doctor say?” Daniel’s voice was as harsh as a ripsaw.
“We’ll eat first.” Mom’s eyes narrowed.
“I can’t.” Daniel’s silverware clattered on the table. “I can’t make small talk and joke around if something’s wrong.”
“You can’t do that when nothing’s wrong, either,” Nathan muttered.
“Enough. It’s not doom and gloom.” Pop set his fork down. “Doc Kramer has taken a boatload of blood and other...items I will not mention at your mother’s dinner table. I’m definitely anemic.”
“Anemia’s curable, right?” Daniel asked.
Pop shrugged. “Apparently mine’s severe. They’re still trying to figure me out.”
“I told the nursing staff they’d never figure him out.” Mom’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“So why are we here?” Daniel waved his hand around the table, but what he meant was, Why is Nathan home? His twin had screwed up all his life. He’d even messed up working for the family business. It was why he worked in Atlanta now. Nathan had lost his place at the proverbial table.
“I...I can’t get everything done.” Pop ran his hand through his hair. “I need help.”
Daniel’s stomach churned. “I’ll do whatever you need.”
“We know. You always do.” Mom patted his hand. “But we have too much going on to put it all on your shoulders.”
Daniel stared at Pop, but his dad was staring at Nathan.
No.
“Can you come home?” Pop grasped Nathan’s hand. “I know there were...problems before. But I need you here.”
Problems? “You’re kidding.” Daniel spit out.
Pop shook his head. “No.”
“Nathan slept with a client’s wife. He showed up to work drunk.” Daniel pushed his chair away from the table, the scrape as sharp as nails on a chalkboard. “We don’t need Nathan.”
“I’ve changed.” Nathan stood, too. “I won’t make the same mistakes.”
“What new ones will you make?” Daniel snapped back.
They both planted their fists on the table, leaning over the cooling food.
“Sit!” Their mother ordered.
Daniel glared at Nathan, but sat for his mother.
“Your father and I have discussed this.” She pointed at Nathan. “You’ve proven yourself in Atlanta. Can you come home and manage some of the projects? Be a leader and an example to the crews?”
“Absolutely.” Nathan’s glare was like knives ripping through Daniel’s chest. “My boss relies on me, even though I’m not the chosen one.”
“At least I never stepped out of line,” Daniel shot back. “The cops never came to the door because of me.”
“Why would they? You were perfect.” Nathan turned to their father. “I’ll give notice in Atlanta and come home as soon as I can. You can count on me.”
“Count on you for what? To drive our business into the ground?” Daniel’s voice was shrill.
“I’m not twenty anymore.” The china and silverware clanked as Nathan pushed his plate away. “Can’t you give me a chance?”
“You had a million chances and never changed.”
“Stop,” Pop barked.
The fridge compressor kicked on.
Pop sank back into his chair, exhaustion and disappointment creasing his face.
“I’m sorry.” Daniel wasn’t sorry for expressing his displeasure, but he was sorry he’d worn out his father.
Pop waved a hand.
“It’s your company.” Daniel pushed away from the table. “You do what you want.”
Mom followed him to the door. “Wait.”
He shook his head. “I’ve got to place a window order.”
He’d thought working with Bess was bad? Now he had to deal with his brother.
CHAPTER SIX
The flower which is single need not envy the thorns that are numerous.
Rabindranath Tagore
BESS FINISHED THE Mexican egg strata Abby had served for breakfast. “That was great.”
“I was feeling spicy this morning.” Abby sambaed across the room.
“Isn’t Gray leaving today?” Shouldn’t her sister be sad?
Abby pulled a tray of muffins from the oven, testing them with her finger. “Yeah, but we had a lovely goodbye last night.”
Bess envied their closeness. Her bad luck with men squashed any hope of ever finding that.
She tucked her dirty dishes in the dishwasher. “Hi ho, hi ho. I’m taking down the wall today,” she sang.
“Have fun.” Abby pulled another batch of muffins from the oven.
Because it was in the sixties, Bess shrugged a shirt on over her tank top. Early September would do that for Savannah. But the temperature was heading to the nineties, so she’d worn shorts.
“Let’s have lunch.” Abby handed her a commuter cup of coffee.
Bess bumped Abby’s shoulder. “Will do.”
Grabbing her clippers, she cut back the overgrown leatherleaf viburnum hedge. It pained her to waste time trimming. She wanted to get at the wall, but a good garden required preparation.
Birds twittered as she cleared out the jungle. A truck she didn’t recognize parked next to the carriage house.
“You’re up early,” a deep voice called out.
She turned. “Nathan?”
His voice had more gravel in it than Daniel’s, as though he’d stayed up late smoking and drinking. But Nathan looked like his twin—both had the same deep planes on their faces and the same shock of golden-blond hair.
She pushed Daniel out of her thoughts.
Setting her clippers down, she gave Nathan a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Pop asked for help.” He tapped the brim of his Forester Construction cap. “I’m back for a while.”
First Samuel wasn’t working on Carleton House and now he’d asked Nathan to come back? She touched his arm. “Is he all right?”
“Doc Kramer’s trying to figure out what’s wrong.” Nathan pushed back his cap and ran his hand through his hair.
She’d watched Daniel do the same thing twice an hour since they’d started working together on Carleton House. When Daniel did it, she wanted to sweep the hair off his forehead. With Nathan—nothing. No zings. Wasn’t that odd?
“How long are you staying?” she asked.
He settled his cap on his head. “As long as Pop needs me.”
“Wonderful.” She loved working with her family.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
Trucks rumbled into the parking area. Daniel pulled in next to the carriage house.
She understood. “Daniel hates having his plans disturbed.”
Nathan stared at his brother. “Right.”
Daniel slammed his cab door, hard. He unlocked the side case on his truck and pulled out his belt, strapping it on. He stalked over to where she and Nathan stood. “Taking down the wall?”
She nodded.
“Jackhammer might do it.” Daniel’s expression was as hard as granite.
“No!” She flung her arms out, protecting the wall. “These are perfectly good flagstones. Once the caps are off, I’ll reuse the material.”
Daniel shook his head. “It’ll take more time.”
“Not your concern. I’m salvaging the hedge, too.”
Daniel stared at the overgrown bushes. “Do you need help?”
“Not yet.” Knowing how precious his task lists were to him, she added, “I’m working alone right now. I’ll let you know if I need help.”
“Okay. Let’s work, Nathan.” Daniel headed off.
Nathan grimaced. “Good morning to you,” he yelled after him.
Daniel waved dismissively.
“Jerk,” Nathan muttered.
Bess put a hand on his arm. “Let him adjust.”
“He thinks I can’t change.” Nathan’s brown eyes, so like Daniel’s, narrowed.
She shook her head. “I swear he thinks I’m seventeen still.” And foolish.
“He’s stuck in the past.” Nathan grimaced. “I want us to get along, but I don’t know why I try.”
What was more important than family? “You try for your parents.”
“Yeah.” Nathan sauntered away. “Got to get to it.”
While she cleared and trimmed the hedge, she worried about Daniel and Nathan. They’d never gotten along. Daniel was serious; Nathan had been a troublemaker. In high school, Nathan and his friends had sponsored keggers on Tybee. According to rumors, Nathan had been able to get any drugs a student wanted.
Was that why Daniel hated chaos?
She should stop worrying about the Forester twins. She hauled the last of the branches and twigs to her compost pile. Stopping in the kitchen, she refilled her coffee mug. It was time for some fun.
The ladder rattled as she set it against the wall. Her boots thunked on the metal steps. The seven-foot wall of flagstone had four-foot cement caps. Under the cap, the flagstones had been stacked without mortar—she hoped.
She set the chisel into a hole in the cement and swung the mallet. Metallic clangs rang out as she chipped away mortar.
The concrete crumbled. Slowly. When she completed one side, she grabbed another ladder and set it on the Fitzgerald House side of the wall, careful not to damage any of her established bushes and plants.
She shucked off her shirt. Sweat stuck her tank top to her back. She switched from coffee to water and poured some down her neck. This would take time.
“Hey, Bess.” Dolley aimed her camera, the shutter clicking away.
“Stop.” Bess held her gloved hand in front of her face. “I’m a mess.”
“You look gorgeous.” Dolley took a few more pictures. “I’m blogging about the Carleton House restoration. I hope it will attract more guests.”
“Great idea.” Bess swiped her arm over her sweaty forehead. “But I don’t need to be in your pictures.”
“Sure you do.” Dolley clicked a few more. “I’m heading to the carriage house. Then I’ll take Carleton House ‘before’ pics.” Her sister raised her eyebrows. “Let’s mooch dinner off Abby tonight. You in?”
“Sounds good.” Bess rolled her aching shoulders. Too bad Daniel and Nathan didn’t enjoy being with each other. She loved hanging out with her sisters. They were her best friends.
“I’ll let her know.” Dolley headed to the gate.
After an hour of chipping between the cap and the stones, she’d cleared all the mortar she could. Dropping her tools, she tried to shift the cap. Her muscles strained; her teeth ground together. How much does this weigh?
Climbing down, she brushed at the hair sticking to her face. She didn’t want to ask for help, but she headed to the carriage house.
Nathan was attaching boards to the curving staircase. Upstairs, hammers beat in unison. She waited until he looked up.
A quick grin covered his face.
“Could I get you to help me lift?” she asked.
“Sure.” Nathan flexed his biceps. “I’m always available to help a pretty woman.”
“Come on.” Bess rolled her eyes.
With their fingers under the edge, she and Nathan tried to move the cap. It shifted a little.
“There’s more mortar here,” he said.
She handed him the mallet and chisel, and he chipped at a corner.
“Let’s try again,” he said.
Bess gripped the edge. “Go.”
It moved.
Her fingers cramped. She tried to get a better grip, but there wasn’t enough room.
Nathan pulled his hands up. “Sorry, kid, you’re not strong enough.”
She pounded on the cap. “I want this to work.”
Nathan clattered down the ladder. “I’ll be back.”
He disappeared into the carriage house. The hammering stopped and boots stomped down the stairs.
“Hey, Bess.” Quint grinned. “Heard you needed a real man.”
“Let’s get this done.” Daniel headed up the ladder and assessed the situation. “Grab another ladder, Quint. You, too, Nathan. And bring wood blocks.”
Bess let Daniel take the lead, and so did Nathan and Quint. Interesting.
“Everyone, grab blocks and have them ready.” Daniel pointed.
She slipped on her gloves, and they all lifted. The side she held came up.
“Set a couple blocks in there,” Daniel grunted. He and Nathan held most of the weight.
Bess and Quint jammed blocks in on their side.
“What’s hanging this up?” Nathan peered underneath. “There.”
They chiseled and added blocks until the cap came clear.
“Should we come over on that side?” Bess asked.
Nathan and Daniel looked at each other.
“Naw.” The brothers nodded, grabbed the slab and lifted.
Bess winced as their muscles bulged.
“Where. Do. You. Want. This?” Nathan pushed out.
“On the ground.” She hurried to the gate. Coming around the wall, she yelled, “Don’t smash the bushes.”
Rock scraped against rock. Nathan yelled, “Watch out.”
The concrete slid sideways into the hedge.
She puffed out a sigh.
“Sorry.” Nathan scrambled down the ladder and flipped the cap so it wasn’t crushing the hedge.
“Bess asked us not to ruin the plants,” Daniel complained.
“It’s fine.” She didn’t want them fighting. “Don’t worry.”
“Sorry.” Nathan put an arm around her shoulders.
Daniel glared at them.
She shrugged off Nathan’s arm, but he caught her hand.
Daniel grabbed her other hand.
“Hey.” She pulled free. She wasn’t a wishbone the two brothers could pull apart.
“So, after that disaster, how do you want to get this wall down?” Daniel asked.
Bess climbed the ladder and checked the wall. “This is great. They stacked the flagstones.” She leaned down. “I’ll chip out the mortar. Can your team help lift off the caps?”
Daniel nodded. “I’ll get you a longer chisel.”
As the men hauled the concrete to the Dumpster, she heard Daniel and Nathan sniping at each other.
She worked on her wall. Family was important. Maybe she could help the brothers. It would be her way of helping Samuel and Debbie.
* * *
DANIEL SHOT A final nail into the two-by-fours framing the master bedroom en suite. The carriage house’s second-floor rooms were taking shape. He walked through the double walk-in closets and the sitting area to get to the bedroom. Gray and Abby would have plenty of space. Down the hall, two additional bedrooms had a Jack and Jill bathroom between them.
With the framing complete, the electrical and plumbing subs could start tomorrow.
“Looks good,” Nathan said from the hallway.
“And we’re on schedule.” Daniel checked his phone. He needed to stop at Gray’s River Street condos and see how the flooring turned out.
“I’m out of here.” Nathan unstrapped his tool belt and headed down the stairs.
Daniel frowned. “Aren’t you checking on Oglethorpe?”
“It’s quitting time.” Nathan grabbed his water bottle. “I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
“Today.” Daniel grabbed Nathan’s shoulder.
Nathan jerked away from him. “I make my own schedule.”
“Just because you put in eight hours doesn’t mean our work is done.” Daniel jabbed a finger in his brother’s face. “Pop and the crews are depending on you.”
“Not everyone organizes every minute of the day.” Nathan pointed to Daniel’s phone. “God, you’d think the world would collapse if you didn’t have it scheduled out.”
Daniel invaded Nathan’s space. “We’re responsible for making sure our crews don’t make mistakes and have the supplies they need. You need to—”
Boots pounded up the stairs. Daniel bit his tongue, unwilling to let the crew see him and Nathan argue.
“Oh, good,” Bess said.
His shoulders tightened.
“Hey. Can I buy you a beer for dropping concrete on your hedge?” Nathan moved to the doorway.
Daniel’s stomach twisted. The idea of Bess and Nathan drinking together felt—wrong.
“No, thanks. I’m having dinner with my sisters.” Bess looked between the two of them. “I’ve removed all the mortar. Do you think your crew could help get the caps off tomorrow?”
