by Syndi Powell
“Ask me....what?”
She looked up at him. “I need help, okay? Pres said she can help for a little. Rick’s wedding is coming up, but he said he could stop by for a few hours. But there’s so much...and I don’t have a lot of time...So I...I’m asking for your help again. But you’re not obligated to do anything.”
“I’ll do it.” His answer came quickly. He shrugged. “Maybe I can ask my sister and the boys to give a hand too. More hands make the work light or something like that.”
“You’d do that?”
“Why not? You asked so nicely.” He dropped the volume of his voice. “Besides, I like you.”
She frowned at him. Was he kidding? He loved to make her life miserable with all his lists of what needed to be done and his impossible timelines. “Well, you could have fooled me.”
He leaned forward resting his hands on the armrests of her chair. His face was inches away. “Let me assure you. I really like you.”
She swallowed hard. Was the room getting warm? She couldn’t look away from his blue eyes. “Why?”
He laughed then, and she reached up to cup his face with her hands. She kissed him hard, and he tugged her into his arms. They might have kissed longer if there hadn’t been a knock on the office door and the sound of someone clearing his throat. “Sorry to interrupt...”
Suzy hid her face in Will’s chest. What had she been thinking? He’d smiled, and she’d acted on impulse like an idiot. No, not an idiot. Desperate and love-starved. She grabbed her purse from where it had fallen beside the chair. She needed to get out of here. Put some distance between her and this crazy idea that she could be falling for Will. That wasn’t what this was. It was too soon. Too much. She liked him, and she liked the man she could see him trying to be. But that was it.
Wasn’t it?
She glanced at Rick then ran down the hall. She stopped at the top of the stairs when Will called her name. “Suzy, what time on Saturday?”
Saturday? What was happening on then? Was he asking her out? Oh, right. The clean out. “Nine a.m.”
Will gave a brusque nod. “We’ll be there.” But then he smiled, and her mouth mirrored his.
She practically flew to her car.
* * *
WILL WATCHED SUZY leave the building then turned to find Rick had taken a seat in front of the desk. “I didn’t know you two were dating.”
Will shook his head. “We’re not. Yet.” But they would soon if it was up to him. He sat in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. “What’s up?”
Rick looked over his shoulder then rose and shut the office door. “You know that the budget meeting is tomorrow night. And we’re looking at some pretty big cuts.”
“You’re cutting my job?”
“I need you to generate a list of your duties and responsibilities. Things that you’ve accomplished since taking the position. What you’ve done, and what you hope to do.” Rick took his seat. “The council is talking about outsourcing your position to the county, but I need you to come up with reasons for you to stay here.”
Will’s feet hit the floor with a loud thud. “I figured they’d cut my hours but not get rid of me completely.”
“And they still might.”
This couldn’t be happening. After the Marines, he’d found himself longing to make a difference in his community. That the fighting he’d done overseas meant something. He’d toyed with the idea of politics, but got disillusioned with the backstabbing and empty promises. He’d studied engineering in college, then taken this job, which he loved. What would he do if he didn’t work here? What could he do? His community meant everything to him. He stood and held out his hand to shake Rick’s. “Understood. Thanks for the heads up.”
Rick paused before leaving. “You’re helping at Suzy’s on Saturday?”
“She asked me.”
“Good. She’s been a friend of my family’s for years. Her mom worked for my dad, so don’t make me have to kick your behind.”
He was the second person to warn him off of Suzy. He should listen to them. Keep himself from doing any more damage to either one of them or their hearts. “I don’t plan on hurting her.”
“Do any of us? Especially those we love?”
Love? Will swallowed but found it difficult with the lump of emotion lodged there. Maybe he liked her a little. Okay, a lot. But love?
That scared him more than anything because if love was like what he’d had growing up with his father, it hurt more than it helped. But with Suzy, love might be something else. Something that built him up rather than tore him down. Something that would add to his life rather than threaten to take something away.
Love?
* * *
WILL FLIPPED THROUGH his note cards one more time. Closed his eyes and mouthed some of the statistics that could save his job. He felt a hand on his back and turned to see Rick. “You ready, man?”
Will adjusted his tie and nodded. “I believe so. I’ve been going over these numbers so many times that my eyes are starting to cross.”
“You don’t need numbers to convince them.” Rick grimaced. “Well, unless it’s how you’re saving money. Those numbers they like.”
“My role isn’t just to save money, but to inspect our community to keep it safe.”
“I like that. Make sure you throw that in somewhere.”
“Thanks. And if I get an opening, I thought I’d throw in my idea about volunteers helping in the situations where the resident is unable to do the necessary work.“ Will glanced around the town council chambers and noted the many empty chairs. “Budget meetings don’t exactly bring in the crowds, do they?”
“Not exactly.” Rick fiddled with his tie. “Man, I hate wearing these things. Do you think they’d notice if I loosened it just a little?”
“Don’t you dare. I tied it perfectly.” Rick’s fiancée Lizzie joined them and swatted Rick’s hands away. “And it’s important that you present them with a professional, in control demeanor.”
“Lizzie likes her big words.”
She swatted his shoulder, but smiled at them both. “You want to win with this budget, and I know how to get you what you want.”
Will leaned in. “Then could you give me some tips? Because I really need this job.”
“They’re looking to cut expenses but maximize services.” She seemed to be considering her words. “You ensure the safety and integrity of the community. You’re as necessary to them as a police officer or firefighter.”
“But if it comes down to one of them or me?” Will shook his head. “I don’t stand a chance.”
“There’s a whole station full of them. There’s only one of you. They’d be fools to get rid of someone so essential. Because that’s what you are. Important and necessary.” She reached up and straightened his tie as well. “I’m going to get a good seat. Good luck, you two.”
Rick gave Lizzie a quick peck on the cheek before she walked away. “I’m a lucky man already.” He grinned at Will. “I’m putting my support behind you.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. You don’t want to risk your job too.”
“My job is to make sure that I do what is right for the town. You’re tough but fair in your inspections. We need someone like you ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods, like Lizzie said.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
The two men shook hands, and then Rick left to take his seat on the dais. Will meanwhile found an empty seat near the front. He took out his notecards and reviewed them once more. He had to prove to the councilors that they needed him.
The meeting began with a review of the agenda and the minutes from the previous meeting. Will tried to pay attention, but found himself ready to nod off if they didn’t get on with things. He reviewed his notes again to ke
ep focused. Soon his name was called. He approached the podium and set his notecards on the lectern.
“I’m Will Stone, the town code inspector.” He spoke up, afraid he didn’t sound very confident. “Lake Mildred has had forty-eight calls in to the code inspector’s office this year regarding violations that threatened public safety. Of those, forty-two were resolved within a thirty day time period.” Will looked up from his notes. “And the six that are still outstanding are in the process of being fixed or eliminated as we speak.”
He noted several council members write down his figures. A good sign? Maybe. “That’s a better than eighty-seven percent success rate.”
Mrs. Winkle adjusted her microphone. “You work five days a week, eight hours a day, and you only had forty-eight calls in the last nine months?” She turned to her fellow council members. “That’s less than six a month.”
“One call leads to several in home visits to resolve the issue. I’m not stuck in my office only answering my phone.” He flipped through his note cards. “I’m also approving work permits and inspecting job sites for safety issues. I was on the road for thirty-one of those.”
One of the older council members frowned at him. Ol’ Mr. Barry looked ready to grill him alive. “What about those six issues still outstanding? When will those get fixed? We need results more than promises.”
Suzy’s face came to mind. “Soon. I’m working with the home and business owners now to create action plans.”
“So by the next full council meeting, we’ll have those fixed?”
Will calculated the next meeting to be only three weeks away. With some effort, he could get them mostly resolved. It would take some pressure, but he could do it.
But that meant going back to Suzy. She would need further pressure. And if he was right, more help. Because she couldn’t do it on her own. Even with the clean out day, she’d need another dozen hands.
And for some reason, he didn’t want her to be alone in this. He wanted to be by her side working together.
He gave a soft smile. “Yes, sir. I will guarantee it.”
* * *
WILL HURRIED INTO the seniors’ home and spotted his favorite nurse. Suzy looked up from her station as he approached. “Uh oh.”
He stopped walking and frowned. Glanced behind him. “What?”
“You’ve got that look.”
He tried to pull back his features. “We need to talk.”
“I knew it. You get that look, and it means business. And that usually means you have bad news for me.”
“Then you should be used to it.”
She gave him a smile then, and he was surprised that she could even after everything that had happened. She motioned with her head down the hall and led him to an empty room. She turned to him with her hand on the door. “Is this a talk where the door stays open?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Will shook his head. She was trying to confuse him. Had to be it. Throw him off his game so that she could get what she wanted. “Leave it open.”
“Fine by me.” She stepped farther inside the room and grasped her hands in front of her. “So talk.”
“The town council has given me three weeks to whip you into shape. I mean, your house.”
Suzy nodded. “You already gave me the thirty day notice. I get it.”
“I’m serious. I’m not going to have the town council eliminate my job because you bat your eyes at me and smile like everything is okay. And yet nothing gets done. I need results, Suzy.”
“You think I’m manipulating you?”
“I think that you’re like your mother who gave me every excuse. Who tried many times to get things taken care of, but it was just a smoke screen.” He paced back and forth and ran a hand through his hair. “She never intended to clean things up. She was happy with the way things were.”
Suzy sighed and looked down at the ground. “Yes, she was. She didn’t want things to change.”
“But I’m not putting up with that from you.”
Her head snapped up, and he saw a glimpse of fire in her eyes. “I am not my mother.”
“Really? Because I don’t think you want to get that house cleaned up. You’re perfectly happy living in the middle of all that stuff.”
“You don’t know me. I’m not happy at all.” Indignation had replaced the anger in her eyes. “I’ve always hated it.”
“Then do something about it.”
“I am.”
“What are you doing? You’ve cleared out one room.”
She opened her mouth then shut it. She quickly brushed past him as she strode down the hallway. He called her name, but she kept walking.
This wasn’t going the way he’d planned. In fact, it seemed to be going nowhere at all.
He rushed after her and stopped her before she reached her station. “I need to know that you’re going to do this.”
“So you can keep your job?”
Yes and no. “That too. But I want you to be happy. Because even you’ve admitted that you can’t be in that house like that. It’s dragging you down.”
“I’m working on it.” Suzy gave him a bright smile but he wasn’t convinced. He knew her secret now. That smile hid a lot of pain. “I’ve already invited you to the clean out this weekend. What more do you want from me?”
He leaned towards her. “No more kissing. Not until we get this taken care of.” He took a step back. “I need to keep a clear head. Stay focused.”
“And you can’t with me?”
He couldn’t find a sane thought in his head with her so close. He took another step back. “We’ll get your house cleaned up and then explore what this is between us.”
“There’s something between us.” She broke into a smile, but this time it was genuine. “I promise that once this is all over, we’ll go out to dinner. Or a movie. Or something.” She bit her lip. “I haven’t exactly been on a date in a long time, so I’m a little rusty.”
“Did you just ask me out?”
A reddish hue colored Suzy’s cheeks and she shrugged. “I told you it’s been awhile.”
He smiled back at her. “I like that.”
“But only after this whole house issue is over.” She walked away then, shaking her head.
* * *
SHE NEEDED ANOTHER three days. Four tops.
Suzy surveyed the progress she’d made in her mother’s house and frowned. Even if she had a month, she didn’t know if she’d have time to get it all cleared out. The tiny steps she’d made were good ones, but still small in comparison to what needed to be done. There was too much stuff.
Still, tiny steps still got someone to their destination.
The biggest difference was the clutter inside her. It had shifted and was being cleared out as well.
A knock at the front door. She abandoned the bag of trash she’d been collecting in the hallway and walked to the living room. She peered out the peephole and found Page standing on her porch. She opened the door and ushered her inside. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“I know. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by and see how things were going.” She looked around the room. “Maybe come up with a strategy for tomorrow.”
“I thought we had a plan?” Suzy grimaced. This was getting to be more than she expected. She thought people would come over. She’d sugar them up with donuts and coffee. Then they’d pack things into boxes to put.... Where?
She gave a nod. “Okay, so, what are we going to do with all this stuff?”
“Suzy, the question is what are you going to do? You’re the one in control of tomorrow.” Page handed her a notebook and pen. “So I’d like you to write down some rules that you want us to follow. Who gets final say. Who does what. What stays. What goes.”
; She looked down at the blank page and felt panic rising in her chest. The room was warm, and her skin prickled in the heat. Her heartbeat started to speed up and her palms were clammy. What was she going to do? How could she do all this? What was she thinking?
Mama.
She took a deep breath, and it came out in shudders. Page put her hand on her wrist. “Suzy, what are you feeling right now? And don’t say fine because I can see you’re not.”
“I feel...” Overwhelmed. Forced into a corner without an escape. Lost. “So lost.”
“It’s okay to feel that way.”
Suzy shook her head. “No. I’m supposed to know what I’m doing. And the truth is, I have no clue.”
“You don’t have to have all the answers right now. It’s okay.”
Suzy held up the notepad and pen. “But you said I’m in control.”
“Right. But you’re not expected to be perfect or all knowing.”
There was another knock on the door. What was this? Grand Central? Suzy went to the door and squinted out the peephole. Why in the world was Will here now? She opened the door. “It’s not until tomorrow.”
“I wanted to check in with you to see if there was anything you needed.” He ducked past her and into the living room. He seemed surprised to see Page there. “Um, hi. I’m the code inspector.”
Page held out her hand. “I’m the counselor.”
He turned to Suzy, and she could see the questions in his eyes but she wasn’t about to explain it. “She’s helping me come up with a plan for tomorrow.”
“That’s exactly why I stopped over. The more organized you are before we start, the more efficient we will be.”
Page looked him over. Suzy figured that she was sizing him up and wondered how he’d handle the scrutiny.
Suzy waved her notebook at him. “I’m going to make up some rules and decide who’s going to be doing what and where.”
“I like it.”