Build a Nerd

by Wendy Smith

  “What guarantee do we have that the project isn’t going to collapse?” one of them asks.

  It’s a fair enough question. But I have faith in Brad’s ability to run a company, and he’d tell me if there were any problems. And this project is backed by Molly who has more money than anyone else in Nettle Downs.

  “I’ve worked with Brad for a while now, and he’s as up-front as they get. I don’t have any concerns. The retirement complex is selling units as fast as they’re being built and has already expanded twice since we started it. And this project is for one of the biggest gaming companies in the world and owned by a local.

  Kevin, who sneered at me earlier, fixes me with a glare. “And that’s supposed to reassure us?”

  I shrug. “I’m not stopping anyone from leaving. But if you want the work, it’s here. The plans submitted to council included a potential staff of several hundred. Personally, I think that this will fundamentally change the town and help it grow. And if others see Nettle Downs as an attractive option, maybe more businesses will move here too.”

  There’s some rumbling, but also a general nodding of heads. I think the fact I could just answer the question stands me in good stead with a lot of them.

  “Look. I’ve been on bad work sites before I came here. I’ve seen the way some bosses treat their workers. All you’re going to get from Brad is to be treated fairly.” I shift my gaze to Kevin. “He doesn’t play favorites.”

  Kevin pauses before he nods. “When do we start?”

  “Groundbreaking is in a week. It’s more of a pain in the butt than anything because I want to get started now, but the ceremonial stuff apparently has to be done first. In the meantime, we can make sure we’ve got everything we need and put the fencing up to make it look like a construction site.”

  “Fair enough,” Kevin says.

  “And I’m just putting it out there that if anyone has a problem with me being a woman, you’ll need to get over it. I’m not going anywhere. So, if you do have any issues with that, go now because you’re stuck with me.”

  All I get in return is laughter, and one of the guys at the back nods. “You’ll do fine.”

  “Good, because I just want to get this built and show the world what we can do.”

  By the time I leave for the day, I think I’ve won them over.

  Maybe this being the boss thing might work out after all.

  13

  Tom

  I barely saw Bridget all day, but I’m pleased for her because it seems like everything’s falling into place.

  She’s got a crew working with her, and the fences are going up.

  The groundbreaking is set for the end of next week, and we have a few, select special guests flying in for the occasion. And then I’ll get to celebrate with Bridget.

  She’s still outside until nearly five. By then, Molly, Claire, and Belle have all left for the day, and I’m finishing up my own work.

  The door opens, and she breezes in with a big smile on her face. I hope every day goes her way if it makes her this happy.

  “Where is everyone?” she asks, looking around.

  “They’ve all left for the day.”

  She saunters across the room, and sits on the corner of my desk. “Just you and me, then, huh?”

  I nod.

  “My Monday tradition is to go to Jackson’s for a drink.”

  I stand and walk around the desk. “Like last week.”

  She takes my hand in hers. “I’m glad I went.”

  “Me too.”

  “Want to go now? It’s like our one week anniversary or something.”

  I chuckle. “Are we counting?”

  She shrugs. “It’s not every day I meet a guy I like as much as I like you.”

  “A bearded guy?”

  Her cheeks turn pink. “I am never going to live that down, am I?”

  “Hey, I haven’t mentioned it all week.” I use my free hand to stroke my beard. “I seriously thought about shaving it off for my new start, but apparently it has benefits.”

  I love the way her smile lights up her whole face. “Don’t get rid of it. I like it.”

  I sigh. “Alright. I’ll keep it just for you.”

  “Sounds like a hardship.”

  I shake my head. “If it makes you smile like that, it’s worth keeping.”

  Bridget stands and pecks me on the cheek. “Keep talking like that and we might make it to two weeks.”

  “I should be so lucky.” I laugh. “Give me a minute to pack and lock up, and we can get out of here.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  “Hey, you guys.” Jackson beams at us as we walk in the door. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be in today.”

  Bridget takes a seat at the bar. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “I thought maybe your routine might change if you two are hanging out together.”

  I take the bar stool next to Bridget.

  She shakes her head. “No. You have to put up with both of us.”

  Jackson chuckles. “I thought Tom might have taken you off my hands.”

  Bridget rolls her eyes. “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to stop in for a drink.”

  Jackson shifts his gaze to me. “You’re taking on a lot with this one.”

  “I know.”

  Bridget swats at me. “You’re not supposed to take his side.”

  “You’re taking on a lot with me too. Goes both ways.” I grin.

  And she is. She hasn’t seen my obsession with tidiness kick in yet. I don’t have much in my motel room to give her any indication. It’s a bridge we’ll have to cross, as she’s way more laidback about it than I am.

  But there’s plenty of time for that. And maybe we can find some happy medium.

  Jackson produces two beers from behind the counter, and Bridget turns to me. “Let’s go and find a table. Are you hungry?”

  “Getting that way. What about you.”

  “I’m starved. It’s been a long day.”

  “Do you need a menu?” Jackson asks.

  I shake my head. “I just want a burger.”

  “Me too,” Bridget says.

  Jackson nods. “I should have known. I’ll have them brought to your table.”

  “Thank you.” Bridget gets down off the barstool, and I follow her to the same table we shared a week ago.

  “How was your day?” I ask as we sit.

  “Tiring. I was so used to being in the thick of things at the retirement village, that the first week of just sitting down and planning was the hardest.”

  I cock an eyebrow. “The week you spent working with me.”

  She laughs. “I loved being with the company. It’s just that I prefer being more active. It was good to get out and do something today.”

  I nod. “I get it. I think.”

  Her smile warms my heart. “I’ll get you used to being outside. We’ll have to go skinny dipping again.”

  “That was fun.” I take a sip of my beer. “But I’d prefer an outdoor activity where I don’t have to take my clothes off.”

  She shrugs. “I’m happy either way. I’ll take you clothes on or off.”

  I take another drink rather than respond, but the thought of intimacy with Bridget both excites and terrifies me. She’s such a force of nature, and I’m still not even sure if I’m what she’s looking for. We’re so different, but we just click.

  It’s all a little confusing.

  After another delicious burger, Bridget heads over to talk to Jackson while I finish up my drink.

  I smile at the sight of Belle walking toward my table. “Hey. You out for dinner too?”

  She nods. “Am I too late to join you?”

  “We’ve finished. Sorry.”

  She shrugs and takes a seat. “No problem. I guess I’ll just sit at the bar and flirt with Jackson.”

  I chuckle. “Sounds like a terrible idea for an evening.”

  “There’s not much else to do around here. Not yet, anyway.”
>
  “Regretting the move?” I drink the last of my beer as she seems to ponder the answer.

  “No. It might be quiet, but that’s the reason I grabbed the chance to come here when I did. I was so sick of city traffic and commuting, and this place has real potential.”

  I smile. “I think so too.”

  “Is Bridget your girlfriend?”

  I watch Bridget across the room. She’s laughing with Jackson, but I know she’s coming back to me. What if she doesn’t? This is what happened with the last woman I thought was special. We spent time together before she hooked up with an old friend. When I look at Bridget with those eyes, seeing her so happy right now makes my stomach clench.

  I shift my gaze back to Belle. “I think so? I mean, we haven’t had the discussion about calling each other that, but we seem to be heading in that direction.”

  She smiles. I’m not that close to Belle. She hasn’t been with the company as long as a lot of us others have, but she’s always seemed nice.

  “I’m so happy for you. I really thought coming here would be a good chance for some of us to have a fresh start. Glad it’s working out for you.”

  “What about you?”

  She rolls her eyes. “Claire and I have a bet to see who can get Jackson into bed first. There aren’t a huge number of eligible men around, and he is gorgeous.”

  I chuckle. “Is the bet working?”

  She shakes her head. “No, but that man knows how to flirt and it feels good.”

  “Are you ready to get out of here?” Bridget walks toward the table. She flicks a gaze to Belle and back at me.

  “Whenever you are.” I smile up at her.

  “Let’s get you back to the motel.”

  We walk away, and I wave to Jackson as we leave. Belle’s already heading for a seat at the bar.

  Poor guy. He doesn’t know what he’s in for.

  “What was that all about?” Bridget asks as we drive down the road.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Belle looked pretty serious back there. She hasn’t suddenly developed feelings for you, has she?”

  I laugh. “No.” I spot her white knuckles on the steering wheel. “Wait. Are you jealous?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugs.

  “She was telling me that she’s happy here. And that she and Claire have a bet about who’s going to get Jackson into bed first. Hence all the flirting those two are doing with him.”

  Bridget shoots me a bemused look. “I knew they were both flirting a lot. Jackson can handle it. He’s dealt with bigger flirts than those two. But I’m not sure either of them will succeed if they haven’t got past flirting at the bar yet.”

  “You know him pretty well, huh?”

  She nods. “He’s probably the best friend I have in Nettle Downs. Present company excluded, of course.”

  “You never thought about hooking up with him?”

  There’s silence for a moment, and my heart sinks.

  “We had a one-night stand a very long time ago. We both realized we should just stay friends. The spark wasn’t there.” Her voice is soft as if she’s trying to reassure me of it.

  “Okay.”

  She hesitates. “You know, if you ever want to ask me about my past, you can. I have no secrets.”

  I wring my hands together. “It’s not that, it’s just …”

  “Just what?”

  “That spark. Do we have it?”

  She turns into the motel car park and pulls up outside my room. “Do you think we have it?” Her gaze is intense.

  “I think so.”

  A smile spreads across her lips. “Me too. We’ve clicked in a way I haven’t done with anyone else.”

  “That’s how I feel. You’re just so easy to be with.” I sigh. “And I can’t say that about a lot of people.”

  She leans closer. “Any more questions?”

  “Did you want to come in for coffee?”

  “Only coffee?” She flutters her eyelashes.

  Laughing, I pick up my bag from the floor of the car. “I might let you kiss me.”

  “I love it when you play hard to get.”

  14

  Bridget

  Almost two weeks later, it’s safe to say that I’m about to have the biggest moment of my career to date.

  The ground-breaking ceremony for the largest building project Nettle Downs has ever seen.

  And this is my baby.

  “Are you ready?” Brad asks. His grin’s a mile wide. There’s still a long way to go, but he’s left me alone to handle everything. But I know he’s there when I need him, and that’s the best feeling of all.

  I haven’t needed him yet.

  “So ready.” I smile at him. Such a short time ago, I would have melted if he’d looked my way. But now things are progressing with Tom albeit slowly, and Tom’s all I think about outside of work. Although, working so closely with him, I think about him a lot at work too.

  Brad nods. “Let’s go.”

  The digger shudders as it comes to life, and the scoop digs out that first clump of earth. Tears prick my eyes at the simple sight. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s a symbolic gesture that signals the start of construction.

  Tom grips my shoulder. “We’re really doing this.”

  I look up at him. He’s got a grin as big as Brad’s, and it melts me inside. I’m falling in love with him, and my dislike of Molly goes out the window when I think about it. She’s the one responsible for bringing us together.

  I’ve never been more grateful for anything.

  I lean in against him, and he slips an arm around my waist.

  A cheer echoes across the construction site. This is it. My project has officially started, and I’m not sure it’s possible to be as happy as I am right now.

  I stand back to let Molly celebrate with her tech guests. Apparently some of these guys are among the biggest in the business, and Nettle Downs airport has never been so busy with private jets. But I have no clue who they are.

  I don’t mind. I’m just excited to be such a big part of all of this. Having Tom beside me the whole way makes it extra special.

  Molly and Brad walk toward me.

  “Thank you so much for everything, Bridget. Onwards and upwards now. Or something like that.” She laughs.

  “You’re so welcome. I’m glad it went well.”

  “Let’s celebrate.”

  I grin. “I like that idea.”

  “How about we all go for drinks at Jackson’s? Molly’s got some stuff to wrap up with her guests, but if you two want to go ahead, we’ll follow,” Brad says.

  “I’ll set up a tab,” Tom says.

  Brad nods. “Perfect. We’ll see you there.”

  By the evening, we’re still celebrating. Molly, Brad, and our construction crew left a while ago, and we’re down to just Tom and me.

  “Are you happy?” Tom murmurs in my ear.

  I turn my head to look into his eyes. “Very. Today was the best day ever, and I got to share it with you.”

  He grins, and for the first time, he’s the one to initiate a kiss. It catches me by surprise, but I relax and close my eyes as his mouth massages mine. I want this moment to last forever.

  When it ends, he presses his forehead to my forehead and lets out a contented sigh. “I’m glad I moved here.”

  “Me too.”

  “Well, look at you two.” Jackson grins as he approaches the booth. I hook my ankle around Tom’s under the table and grin at him.

  “What about us?” I ask.

  “I’m happy for you guys. It’s nice to see people other than Brad and Molly making out in public.”

  Tom laughs. “I can’t speak for Bridget, but I’m pretty happy myself.”

  “Only pretty happy?” I raise my eyebrows.

  “Uh-oh. Gotta go.” Jackson chuckles. “Do you want another couple of drinks?”

  I shake my head. “No, I’ll be walking home as it is.”

  “I’ll walk you,�
�� Tom says.

  Jackson clears the glasses and disappears, and we’re left alone again.

  I gaze at Tom. We’ve been taking things really slowly, but today is special to me. While I’d like more than kisses, the thought of being in his arms consumes me.

  “You can stay with me tonight if you want. And you don’t have to sleep on the couch,” I say.

  He blinks a bunch of times, and I know I have to be careful.

  “We don’t have to have sex, Tom, but I would like to sleep beside you tonight.”

  His shoulders relax as if his tension just released. Does he have some kind of hang-up about sex? It’s obvious there’s still a lot to unlock about this man, and it’s hard to be patient, but I think I just have to be.

  He nods, giving me a small smile. His eyes display what’s in his heart, and they show me exactly how he’s feeling. The same way I am.

  I wrap my arms around his waist and he envelops me in his arms. I’ve been alone for a long time, and Tom just feels right.

  And my heart belongs to him.

  Nettle Downs at night is calm, quiet. It’s the last thing I feel as I walk toward my place with Tom, hand in hand.

  This is where I’m meant to be, and he’s who I’m meant to be with.

  “Thank you for coming home with me.” I lean against him as we walk.

  “Thank you for inviting me.”

  I exchange a smile with him, and we reach my place and I lead him inside.

  I don’t even turn the light on. When I walk in the door, the tiredness hits me. It’s been a long day. Enjoyable, but exhausting.

  And I couldn’t be happier than I am having Tom with me.

  I flick on the bedside light when we reach my room. Tom’s standing at the base of the bed. I’ll get to the bottom of his nerves, but not today because all I want to do is snuggle up with him and sleep.

  Yawning, I unbutton my jeans and drop them to the floor.