“I appreciate that, Ozzy Lakeman of the BHFD.” She beamed at him before her expression shifted into a knowing one. “Judging by the look on your face, I’m betting you weren’t expecting someone...like me.”
“I...uh.” There had to be a way to answer that without sounding like a complete sexist or jerk. “Like you?”
Jo snickered. “Don’t worry, Ozzy. Not the first time I’ve seen that reaction when I arrive on a site. And it’s not because of the little bun I’m baking in here. Bun in the oven. That’s such a weird phrase. Although come to think about it, I have spent my fair share of time waiting for my sourdough starter to develop.”
Ozzy could only nod. His ears were buzzing and his heart did an odd little skip and jolted in a manner he’d never felt anytime he’d swiped right.
“You still in there, Ozzy?” She waved a hand in front of his face. “If you’re trying to cling to political correctness, don’t bother with me. I’ve been living and working on construction sites since before I could walk and long before I got this little one. I’ve heard it all and a lot worse that would make that cute face of yours blush six shades of red.”
“Okay.” At some point he was going to not sound like an idiot, right?
Jo stepped around him and moved toward the yellow tape. “They sent me pictures of the site. Man, when the frame collapsed, it did some damage, didn’t it?” She pointed toward the expansive grove of trees where scarred trunks and barren ground were the only remnants of the originally assembled structure. “We’ve got, what, nearly two months of construction to try to make up in a few weeks to get back on schedule?”
“The mayor is still counting on us opening in late October, early November. In time for monarch season and the butterfly festival.” More like in time for the election, but Ozzy held his tongue on that point.
Jo sighed. “It’s not the best situation I’ve dealt with, but it’s not the worst, either. With the right crew, we’ll get it done.” Hands planted on her hips, she walked the perimeter. “You expecting more problems with the site?”
“No, ma’am.”
“I’m no one’s ma’am. The name’s Jo or boss. Since you aren’t crew, make it Jo.”
“Nice to meet you, Jo.” Something flickered in her eyes, something he couldn’t quite identify, but he hadn’t imagined it. “I was coming off shift when I saw you, or rather, your truck, rumbling through town.”
“From the diner, right.” She nodded. “Okay, firefighter from the diner, I’m glad you’re here. You want to help a pregnant lady hook up a house?” When she faced him, her smile told him she was teasing him. “I’m kidding.” She ripped down the yellow tape and crushed it into a tiny ball. “I’ve been hooking up this trailer for the last three years. I see the sewer line’s right over there, near the construction office. And I can plug it into that generator next to it for backup power.”
“So...you don’t need help?”
“Never have, never will.” She patted his arm and then headed back to her truck. “Stand back, Ozzy. This mama-to-be is making her nest.”
* * *
THERE WAS LITTLE Jo liked more than a challenge and there was nothing more challenging than coming to a city or town to fix a problem that others were responsible for. Shocking one of the hometown boys into relative silence definitely ranked up there on her list of favorite things. Though, no, not a boy, she corrected herself.
A very handsome hometown man. She’d hoped to roll into town undetected, be set up and ready to go by the time anyone turned up on-site, as if she’d somehow appeared by magic. It seemed, however, that this town—or at least Ozzy Lakeman—had other ideas.
He also had her feeling a bit off-kilter with that charming, shell-shocked smile of his. Typical. She’d met enough firefighters to know that, like a lot of men in construction, they often came loaded with testosterone and more than their fair share of hero syndrome. She shook her head. Nope. Not even going to let herself contemplate any man’s testosterone level. Clearly, she should have taken her doctor’s warnings about her own amped-up hormones seriously.
Between her expanding business, this job and her baby on the way, the last thing she needed was to add anyone, especially a man, to her life. She’d learned her lesson. From here on out, she was on her own.
That said, firefighter or not, Jo imagined Ozzy Lakeman threw a lot of women off-kilter. How could he not with that thick, curly brown hair and eyes the color of a forest, dark and deep? As she moved around the truck, she couldn’t help but take inventory of Ozzy’s muscular build. It spoke of attention to fitness. That broad chest was perfect to display his firefighter logo and—Good heavens, what was wrong with her?
She wasn’t in Butterfly Harbor to ogle men or, even worse, have a fling with one of them.
Like anyone would want to fling her anywhere, anyway. Still, that didn’t stop her from glancing at the firefighter’s hand to verify he wasn’t attached. At least not legally. It doesn’t matter! He was clearly younger than she was, and at thirty-five, Jo was beyond the time of helping men in their twenties find themselves. Besides, she’d be doing plenty of reassuring and guiding once her baby was born. But she had another four-plus months before she had to start fretting about that.
She ducked her head, hiding her smile as she removed the trailer from her truck, unhooked the cords and cables and got her home connected to the appropriate lines. As if by rote she then stretched out the industrial power cable to the trailer office on the off chance her solar storage decided to get temperamental.
Jo patted the back of the house. One of the main considerations she’d paid attention to when she’d built the structure was its ease of mobility. Taking her home with her from job to job, while it created some issues, had solved far more. One flip of the main power switch had the automated trailer pylons lowering and the porch steps popping out. She reached into the truck bed. Remembering the amount of effort it had taken her the last time to haul out her toolbox, she hesitated.
“Let me help,” Ozzy quickly offered.
Jo’s first instinct was to say no, but there was no denying the happy, almost jubilant expression on Ozzy’s fine face. “You just couldn’t wait for me to ask, could you?”
“No, ma— No,” he corrected when she narrowed her eyes. His smile seemed genuine enough. Friendly, accepting, warm. He picked up her toolbox and turned to the trailer. “I’ve never seen one of these houses up close before.”
“It’s my pride and joy. Built it myself. Have some upgrades to make, of course, but I’ve got all the necessities, including a washer and dryer.” Her stomach growled—maybe not only her own. “I hate laundromats,” she added with a laugh.
“You’d love ours,” Ozzy said. “We have old-fashioned arcade games in the waiting area, along with a reading room. It’s also next door to Chrysalis Bakery. Best doughnuts in...well, best ones I’ve ever eaten,” he added with a quick grin as she pulled out the key to her front door.
“If you’d leave my toolbox right down there.” She pointed to the floor once she was inside. He leaned around the doorframe and waited for her to wave him forward to deposit the box. Out of habit, she retrieved a framed photograph from a kitchen drawer and set it on the counter, so that it was the first thing she’d see whenever she came home.
“Is that you?”
“Sure is.” Pride had her straightening. “With my grandfather and my father. Joseph Bertoletti Senior and Junior. I was four here, I think? It wasn’t my first day on a construction site, but it was the first day I actually remember. The crew bought me that ‘Boss’s girl’ hard hat I’m wearing.” Her lips twitched at the memory even as her heart clenched. That hat was one of the few items she’d kept from childhood, and there was a fifty-fifty chance she’d soon have a reason to pull it out of storage.
“Now you’re just the boss,” Ozzy teased. “So that makes you Jo—”
“The
third. It’s also a great fit, my dad thought, since it’s likewise the name of my grandpa’s favorite baseball player.”
“DiMaggio?”
“Got it in one. You a Yankees fan?” Impressed, Jo turned and braced her hands on the table behind her.
“Not even close.” Ozzy chuckled.
So he wasn’t perfect after all. “The name was an ode to my grandmother, as well. She loved Marilyn Monroe so much.” She shrugged. “It was a twofer.”
“Will this one be Jo number four?” Ozzy glanced down at her stomach.
“As much as I love the family tradition, I think I’ll be giving my baby his or her own identity.”
“You won’t be naming the kid after the father, then?”
“No.” That was enough cold water to douse the sparkling conversation. “Thanks again for your help, Ozzy. And the welcome. If you’ll excuse me, I need to grab some sleep before the day really gets going.”
“Sure, yeah, of course.” He reached into his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a card. “I’m sure you’ll be meeting plenty of people soon, but in case you need anything. Like someone to move things for you before your crew’s back on the job.” Ozzy gestured to the small but well-organized space. “I’m usually out and about. And if you can’t find me, call the station house. I’ll get the message.”
“Good to know. Thank you, Mr. Firefighter.”
His cheeks went red. “It was nice to meet you, Jo.” He backed down the steps. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“I look forward to it.” She stood in the open door, welcoming that fresh sea air. It was nice, she thought, having someone to talk to after more than three days on the road. Someone new and hospitable and, well... Let’s face it. Firefighter Ozzy Lakeman was pretty darn nice to look at, too. She couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the town had to offer. Not that she’d be sticking around long enough to gain much of an appreciation. After this, she’d be off to her new life—job, house, baby and all.
With her arms crossed over her chest, she waited until he drove away before she returned to the kitchen to find something to eat.
CHAPTER TWO
“KNOCK, KNOCK!” a familiar female voice called out.
Jo stopped midslurp of her peanut butter protein shake as the front door opened and Leah Ellis stepped into her house. “Hey!” She set her glass down and waved Leah inside, then gave her a quick hug. It never failed to amaze her how her longtime friend could wear designer suits and make them look both practical and elegant at the same time. The sky blue pants and blazer were tailor-made, while the casual white shirt and familiar solitary gold chain and charm around Leah’s neck displayed professionalism, success and sentimentality. “I only got here this morning. How’d you know I was here?”
“Are you kidding?” Leah laughed and tucked her stylish bobbed dark hair behind her ear. “You drove your house past the diner. Everyone knows you’re here.” Leah reached out and rested her hand against Jo’s baby bump.
What was it, Jo wondered, with people wanting to touch her stomach?
“How’s the little one doing?” Leah asked.
“Swimmingly,” Jo laughed as the baby kicked. She still got this odd zing of exhilaration whenever she felt her child move. “Not letting me sleep, that’s for sure. I was hoping for a few more hours since I drove all night, but nope. Not having it.” At some point she and her child were going to have to come to an understanding about the definition of what’s comfortable. “Please, say you want coffee just so I can smell it.” She missed coffee, but caffeine had been one of the things she’d had to eliminate from her diet.
“Coffee would be great. Thanks.” Leah settled on one of the two bar stools at the narrow breakfast bar. “I see you took my advice.” She pointed behind her to the transom windows Jo had opened to let in the morning breeze. “That ocean air’s great, isn’t it?”
“You did not lie.” Jo took an extra beat to draw in a long breath and embrace the moment. She was a city girl, born and raised, and most of her professional life had been spent amidst the steel and concrete of the country’s most populous spaces. What was it about fresh ocean air that made the reality of life fade away for a few blissful seconds? “I’ve been looking forward to it for the last three days. Hang on.” Jo held up a finger, went to the small bread box she kept by the full-size stove and pulled out a brown paper bag. “They’re probably a little stale, but...”
“Rudolf’s bagels?” Leah practically threw herself onto the counter in dramatic gratitude. “You brought me bagels from Seattle?”
“Well, I brought you one.” Jo grinned. “Don’t ask how many I actually bought on my way out of town.” Or how many she’d eaten since. She cut the one blueberry and the one everything bagel in half and popped them into the toaster, then retrieved the last of the cream cheese out of the fridge.
“How many mornings did we roll out of bed in our pj’s to go buy a bag of fresh baked ones?” Leah sighed.
“So many that I’m still carrying the calories around on my hips.” The aroma of brewing coffee and toasting bagels filled the air with nostalgia and sweet memories. “You were a hard flatmate to replace,” Jo said. “Impossible, actually.” Which was why she’d eventually given up trying. They’d met in spin class shortly after Jo had graduated college and Leah was finishing law school in Seattle. Instant friends, they’d decided to pool resources and become roommates until Leah graduated and moved back east to work for a prestigious private law firm. They hadn’t seen each other in, what? Eight years? They’d kept in touch, of course, via email and video chats, but looking at her friend now, it really was as if no time had passed.
“Ha, my mother always said I made a lasting impression.” Leah’s smile disappeared as soon as it happened. “So.” She sipped the coffee Jo slid in front of her. “You going to tell me about it?”
“It?” Jo wasn’t the greatest at playing innocent. Instead, she busied herself fixing the bagels.
“What happened with Greg, Jo?”
“Short story?” Jo took her frustration out on the cream cheese. At least Leah was the only person familiar with her history. “He doesn’t want to be a father. Like really doesn’t want to.” She scraped the remaining cheese off with her finger. “On the bright side, at least we didn’t get married.”
“You came pretty close.”
Six weeks and two days close. Jo turned her head, still confused that she felt more disappointment than anger at being dumped. But that was quickly replaced by irritation. She didn’t plan to give Greg any more thought than she absolutely had to.
“I see you aren’t wearing his ring anymore.”
“Nope.” The observation was enough to kick her out of self-pity mode. “I sold it.” When Jo plunked the paper plate holding Leah’s bagel in front of her, her everything-is-fine smile was solidly back in place. “Used the cash to upgrade my solar power system for this place.” It probably hadn’t been the nicest thing to do, but Greg’s behavior certainly warranted it. “One guess which gives me infinitely more pleasure.”
“Jo.” Leah did that infuriating headtilt that often happened when Jo told a tale of heartbreak. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Jo shook off the remaining melancholy. “Apparently I needed a reminder that people I’m romantically involved with always let me down. This—” she pointed to her belly “—wasn’t supposed to happen. Doctors always told me I couldn’t have kids. Who knew being infertile was one of the things Greg liked best about me.” It hadn’t struck her as ironic until after she realized that her biggest heartache—her inability to have children—was, at least to Greg’s thinking, an asset. “It’s okay, Leah, really.” What she wouldn’t give to erase that sympathy from her friend’s face. “I’ve got the one person I’ve always been able to count on and that’s me. That’s all my baby will need. We’re going to be fine.”
“But
you know you aren’t alone, right? I mean you have me for crying out loud and you’re here in Butterfly Harbor now.” She smiled in a manner that had Jo suspecting there was more to that statement. “No one’s ever alone very long in Butterfly Harbor.” Leah hesitated. “What about your mom? Have you told her?”
“Had to. Mainly because I knew at some point I’d run into someone she knew and I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that phone call.” Jo tried to ignore the pang of disappointment whenever she talked about her mother. “She wished me well and offered the obligatory ‘if I needed anything’ platitudes.” It was, Jo realized, the most her mother was capable of. Any contact with Jo only reminded her mother of the loss she’d never gotten over. Not wanting to be dragged into the depressing topic that was her familial experience, Jo pushed the regret aside and focused on the present. “I’m supposed to let her know if it’s a boy or a girl so she can get an appropriate gift.”
“You don’t know yet?” Leah’s eyes went wide. “Aren’t you around that time?”
“My last appointment got canceled and before I could reschedule, this job came along. I couldn’t say no. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up.” She waved off Leah’s concern.
“When you’re ready, we’ve got a great OB here in town. Cheyenne Miakoda. She hired a nurse practitioner and expanded her practice last year, set up her office just off the main street. From what I hear, she’s amazing.”
“Noted.” And she did make note of it, on the pad on the counter. “So.” Jo finally chomped down on her bagel and moaned at the goodness in her mouth. “Are these bagels as good as you remember?”
Building a Surprise Family Page 2