that once. Cat had nearly destroyed him. Not by anything she’d done, but his reaction to her. He’d allowed her to become everything. He’d been little more than her love slave. By the time he’d managed to escape, he barely recognized himself. No. Love was for idiots who didn’t know better.
“You’re going to be around here for, what? A year?” Ethan asked.
“About that. I won’t stay through completion, but I’ll want to make sure the major elements are in place.”
“Ever spent any quality time in a small town before?”
“No.”
Ethan laughed. “Brace yourself. It’s not what you think. Within a month, everyone will know who you are, what you do with your day and who with. You won’t be able to make a move without running into someone you know. Stay clear of the local women. They’ll eat you alive—and not in a good way.”
“Sounds worse than construction in a rain forest. Why do you stay?”
“Because there’s nowhere else I want to be. I grew up here. I belong. I want to know my neighbors, have them watching out for the kids and letting me know when a friend is in trouble. They have my back and I have theirs.”
“I can’t relate,” Tucker admitted.
“You’ll get a taste of it. Be sure to head into town every weekend. Fool’s Gold is known for its many festivals. They happen regularly. The food is always good. Come winter, we can head up the mountain and go skiing.”
“I’d like that. I haven’t skied in a couple of years.”
“Good. If you think you can handle it, we’ll have you over to dinner. Or is that too domestic?”
“I can survive a few hours.”
Ethan grinned. “We could even invite a couple of the local single ladies. Let them fight over you.”
“You said to steer clear of them.”
“Maybe you want the challenge. As long as it’s not my sister.”
Tucker thought about Nevada. “Hands off. You have my word.”
“I’d better.”
Tucker took a swallow of his beer. Thirty minutes ago, he would have considered Nevada a hell of a temptation. Now, not so much. While he still found her intriguing, he’d already crossed the line once. He wasn’t a jerk. He knew when to back off, and with her, that was now.
NEVADA WAS SO EXCITED that despite not having slept, she needed no coffee to be completely wired for her first day of work. She arrived on the job site nearly an hour before she was expected and hung out in the main trailer, opening and closing the empty drawers in her new desk and going over the schedule for the week.
The first order of business was to get equipment in place and start clearing. A part of that would include blasting a section of the east hillside. She flipped through the pile of paperwork required by the city, county and state. She saw that the Fool’s Gold Fire Department had to be notified of the blasting and have a representative on-site. At least that was something she could help with. She knew all the firefighters.
Once the land was cleared, the plumbing would be next. Water in, sewer out. Due to some seriously impressive long-term planning on the part of the city nearly fifty years ago, the resort would be able to tap into the city sewer and water system. That would be a huge savings in money and effort for Janack Construction. The downside was a lot more permits, but they were worth it.
She’d just started reading the environmental impact study when she heard footsteps on the trailer steps. Will Falk walked inside.
“Someone’s here bright and early,” he said before taking a long drink from the coffee carryout cup he held.
“It’s my first day. I couldn’t help it.”
“Enthusiasm is good. It makes me feel old, but it’s still good.” He held open the door. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the guys you’ll be working with.”
She rose and grabbed her hard hat, then followed him outside.
While she’d been acquainting herself with the project, about a dozen guys had arrived for work. Pickups lined the small cleared area by the trailer.
The men stood together, dressed in jeans, work boots and T-shirts. It was still summer in Fool’s Gold and, even out here, the temperatures would climb to the low eighties.
As she and Will approached, the men grew silent, watching her. She kept her head up and her shoulders back. Project confidence, she told herself. No one had to know about the butterflies kickboxing in her stomach.
“Morning,” Will said. “I’d like you to meet our new construction manager, Nevada Hendrix. She’s local, so if you’re having any trouble in town, she’s the one you go to. If you’re making trouble in town, she’ll be the one kicking your butts.” He glanced at her. “You good with that?”
“I can kick butt,” she said firmly.
The guys ranged in age from early twenties to late forties. The veterans were the ones she had to win over first, she thought. They would be less concerned about her being a woman and more interested in her skill set. The younger guys would have more ego on the line.
Will made introductions. She shook hands with everyone and did her best to remember names. It would take a little longer to get to know personalities, but she had time.
The surveying team would arrive within the hour. Will suggested which guys would help with that. She agreed and put the others to work clearing. For a second, she stared enviously at the big equipment, but knew there would be plenty of time to have her way with the tracked excavator.
The morning flew by. Nevada surfaced long enough to head to the portable outhouses, only to find one had been draped in pink ribbon. She checked inside to make sure it was free of rodents and creepy-crawlies, then used it. After washing her hands at the portable sink, she went back into the office, made a sign that said Girls Only, taped it to the outhouse door, then went out to join the surveying team.
Will came by around noon to tell them to break for lunch. Nevada had planned to join the guys, but Will pulled her aside before she could settle in.
“Doing okay?” he asked, as they walked back to the trailer.
“Sure.”
“Like what you’ve done with the place.” He motioned to the porta potty as he spoke. “Thanks. I like the pink.”
He chuckled. They went into the trailer and got out their lunches from the small refrigerator. Will sat on the edge of his desk.
“What do you know about Jo Trellis?” he asked, as he removed a sandwich from a bag.
Nevada stared at him. “You get right to the point. I take it you’re interested?”
“Could be.”
Nevada thought about the question. Jo had arrived in Fool’s Gold several years ago and bought the bar. She was friendly,
