by Jillian Dagg
It was Vince who saved breakfast. He was relating a story about some other construction site and it took up most of the time. Cally managed to finish her food and leave before Karl had a chance to speak.
Although, by the time she was out on the construction heat in the boiling sun, she realized Karl was giving her the cold shoulder. As was Don. As was Luke. Loretta was even giving her a glare once in a while.
She was being ostracized because she had stood up for herself.
The day dragged. Cally drove back to the motel with Vince.
"Problems, Creighton?” the older man asked.
She smiled half heartedly. “I don't know, Vince."
"If it's Karl, forget him. He's a trouble maker. The only reason he's on this crew is because he's Stanford's brother-in-law. Someone has to give him a job."
Feeling something like shock, Cally stared at Vince. “Karl is Luke's brother-in-law?"
He touched the peak of his Minnesota Twins cap and nodded. “Yep. Two kids."
"Karl is married,” Cally said, as a sort of confirmation of Vince's disclosure.
"Very much so. Huge wedding about six years ago. Melanie, Luke's sister, lives in Duluth not far from us. A lovely looking woman, wasted on Persak. But she was having a baby and Karl did the right thing.
Karl's a strange type. Wild in some ways but moral in others. Anyway two babies later and Karl is unemployed and drinking heavily. By all rights Melanie should boot him out. Except she needs money to raise the babies. Stanford Construction hires Karl, gets him out of Melanie's hair for the summer, while the two of them work on their problems. It also puts money into the kitty for the family."
"Did Luke tell you this?” Cally asked, hearing her voice shake. No wonder Luke had warned her off Karl, was so upset when she went out with him. He had a reason that had nothing to do with jealousy.
Now she realized that she had actually gone out with a married man, something she would never do, if she had known. So why hadn't Luke informed her about Karl? They had discussed everything else under the sun, she even knew about his application for the job in the Middle East.
"No, Luke didn't tell me. I'm not sure they want it common knowledge that Luke and Karl are related in some way. Tom told me. I've been with Stanfords for years, before the boys came on board. I supposed I shouldn't have told you, but I think you should know so you can make your own decisions. Seeing the situation."
Cally kneaded her gloves into her upturned hard hat. “Then you know I went out with Karl?"
"There's a story going around."
"It's true. I accepted a date. But I didn't know. I thought it might ... Oh, I don't know what I thought, or hoped."
"You probably thought that it would stop any rumors about you and Luke."
She glanced at the older man. “You know that as well?"
Vince nodded. “Luke believes he's the big boss and enigmatic to boot and in some ways he is, but to me he's still a young'un and I can tell when a man likes a woman."
"I've wrecked it, Vince."
If Luke had told her about his relationship to Karl in the beginning she wouldn't have made a fool of herself with his brother-in-law, and she wouldn't be on the cutting edge of Luke's coolness.
"That's for you to decide,” Vince said.
"Besides, Vince, he's going away for a year."
"He applied for that job overseas, did he?"
"Apparently."
"It might do him good."
"Does he need doing good?"
"He's been forced into the family business in some ways. Do him good to spread his wings."
"You know the Stanfords well, don't you?"
Vince nodded. “Yep. Good family but intense. Therefore, take it easy, Cally."
"I will,” she told him and jumped from the truck and slammed the door. She saluted to Vince and went into her unit, where Loretta was pacing around.
"You've wrecked it between me and Don,” Loretta yelled at Cally. Loretta's dark eyes flashed. She looked wild.
Cally tossed her hat on the bed. “I didn't wreck anything. If Don wants to disassociate himself from you because I stood up for what I believe, then that's his problem. He's not good enough for you anyway, Loretta. He's shifty."
"What do you mean shifty?” Loretta tugged at her thick curly hair.
"Cagey,” Cally said, feeling her heart melt for the distraught woman.
Tears dampened Loretta's cheeks. “You're right. He is cagey. It seemed as if he liked me. How can you tell if it's going to be love?"
"I'm not sure,” Cally said honestly, but she had the feeling that her relationship with Luke had begun the journey to love. The friendship they had developed together, the kiss that had shaken her ... All ruined.
Except. What did it matter it was over? Luke was likely going away for a year anyway.
Loretta sighed deeply. “I'm sorry, Cally. It's not your fault. Don is like that. He's hot one moment, cold the next. And you know what he told me?"
"What?” Cally said, sitting on the bed to remove her boots and socks.
"He told me Karl is married."
Cally nodded. “He is. To Luke's sister."
Loretta's eyes went round. “You're kidding?"
"No. Vince told me."
"Vince knew all along Karl was married and never said,” Loretta grumbled.
"Apparently.” Cally dumped one boot on the floor. She tugged off the heavy sock, began on the next boot. “It makes me feel terrible for going out with him. Luke's poor sister."
"I never actually dated Karl,” Loretta said. “Just a few rides in the truck."
"Well, anyway, now we know he's married, we can both stay out of his way. Forewarned is forearmed."
Loretta perched on her own bed. “Do you think Don is married?"
"Do you think so?"
"I'm not sure. But he could be. The way he acts."
"Exactly, Loretta.” Cally wiggled her bare toes. “If I were you, I'd move cautiously with him."
"So what about you and Luke Stanford?"
Cally hadn't expected the question. She tried to keep her expression bland. “What about it?"
"Karl said you dated him that weekend in Minneapolis."
"It wasn't a real date. He turned out to be a friend of one of my sister's friends. A coincidence.” But Cally now knew who was Karl's spy. Likely Luke had told his sister and his sister had passed on the news to Karl. It still didn't account for Karl knowing she had walked with Luke, but that could easily be explained by someone popping out to the store for more drinks or munchies.
Loretta frowned. “Do you like Luke?"
Cally shrugged. “He's quite a nice man. He's not married.” She gave a little laugh. “But I'm not going to jeopardize my job with him. We've only got a few more weeks, Loretta. Then I start a great position with my brother's firm.” And Luke might get accepted for the Middle East. This summer would be pure memory.
"True.” Loretta jumped from the bed. “Say we stick together, Cally. And no more men."
Cally figured that was the best way.
Chapter Nine
Luke held a meeting at breakfast. He informed the crew there were five weeks left to accomplish six weeks work. He asked for opinions and it was mutually decided that an hour be added to each day's work. Two weekends were also added. Completion date could then remain at the end of August.
Everyone would receive overtime, so the financial gain was a plus for incentive.
Cally sat and listened to Luke speak, noticing the way his eyes never once focused in her direction. Karl didn't even look at her either and she presumed that Luke had a serious chat with his recalcitrant brother-in-law. Don had never paid attention to Cally anyway so she didn't care about him but he was also cool to Loretta. The entire situation had changed to unbearable in a mere couple of weeks.
Luke, Cally decided, when the meeting was over and she was on her way to the site in Vince's truck, had reverted to being Construction Boss. Nothing else. Whic
h was as it should be, she concluded as she set up her position for the day at one end of the construction. All she had to do now was work hard, get the job finished, and go home to her family. She couldn't wait to begin her next job with Kevin's firm.
However, she also felt terrifically guilty for even accepting a date with Karl when he was married to Luke's sister. Even if she had been innocent. She cursed Luke for not informing her of the situation, even if she did see his point about keeping his relationship to Karl a secret.
The guilt stayed with Cally as the weekend neared and she knew she was going to worry about it forever. It would be one of thosefaux pas always at the back of her mind to berate her.
Saturday morning it was pouring with rain. Wrapped in a yellow rain slicker, Cally dragged herself to the restaurant for breakfast.
"Don't you ever go home for the weekend?” Stacey asked as she brought her orange juice and served her coffee.
"I live in Minneapolis. It's too far. But I went in once with the Boss. That's enough,” Cally said.
"I'm off work at one today. Wouldn't mind some company. I'm driving into Duluth to go shopping."
"Do you live up here?"
"Echo Bay. Duluth's our closest big center. Want to come with me?"
The thought of going to Duluth and maybe hitting a mall or two was appealing. “If you don't mind,” Cally said. She didn't really know Stacey. The woman had always seemed to make it clear that she liked the men better than the two women.
"I want the company, I said.” Stacey smiled. “And my boy's being taken care of by his Dad today as the two have gone fishing. It's my afternoon off. We can have dinner in town."
Cally was quite surprised to discover Stacey was married. But it made her wonder about her flirtatious behavior toward the men. “I'd like that,” Cally said. “Where shall I meet you?"
"One fifteen outside in the blue car. Come in and eat lunch and then we'll go."
"Thanks, Stacey. Yes."
Cally spent the morning folding some of her newly washed laundry, and tidying her belongings. She read for a while, then changed into a pair of willow green pants and top. She slipped on her slicker overtop and went for lunch.
It was fun driving along the pine-studded highway with Stacey, who she discovered was only a year her senior. Stacey had been married since she was twenty. Her son, Jake was born a year later and was now six.
"A great little tyke,” Stacey said with affection. “Looks like his Dad. Dark haired and brawny."
"What does your husband do for a living?” Cally asked.
"He runs the family grocery store in Echo Bay. Knew Dick in high school but he never looked at me much. Then after we graduated I went into the store one day to buy some things for my Mom and he invited me on a date. Fell in love with his big baby blues that night."
Cally chuckled. “Is that how love works?"
"I think so. If it's not an immediate reaction, it's not there."
"You don't think it can grow?"
"Possibly. Why? Having trouble with The Boss?"
"How do you know?"
"Come on. You two have been left alone quite a bit on weekends. I saw you holding hands on the way to the movie."
"Oh,” was all Cally said. Nothing, she supposed, was private.
"It's okay. He's a great looking guy and me thinks he has a thing for you."
"It's all over,” Cally said and poured out the story of Karl, Luke's relationship to Karl, the stupid move that Cally made.
Stacey tossed her silky hair that was down around her shoulders now she was free from serving food.
“He should have told you."
"I know. But I don't think he wants many of us to know."
"But yo'all know now."
"That we do,” Cally agreed.
Stacey drove to a large mall. It was fun going around all the stores and Cally bought herself a new pair of jeans and a couple of tops. Stacey purchased a new dress she wanted to wear on her wedding anniversary date that was coming up.
"We might be going to California for a few days. I have an aunt out there."
"That would be great,” Cally said.
"I went there once when I was seventeen,” Stacey told her. “It was heaven. No snow in the winter."
"That might be nice,” Cally agreed. “But I kind of like the change of seasons."
"That's what everyone says, including my aunt, but I'd put up with no change for a few years.” Stacey grinned. “We get tons of snow in Echo Bay."
They ended their shopping with a meal of chicken and pasta and began the trip back.
Cally had really enjoyed herself. She knew if she'd stayed at the motel she would have worried herself sick about Karl, Luke's sister, and Luke.
On the drive back to the motel, they discussed the men and the way they flirted all the time. Stacey said she had to be flirty. She began by being distant. All it got her was comments about being the ice maiden.
So she changed to look but don't touch . A sort of perky attitude.
"It got me more tips,” she said with a grin. “More toys for my kiddo."
Stacey dropped Cally off at the motel and drove on home, eager now to see her husband and son. Cally had to admit that Stacey made her feel lonely. Granted the woman had to work at the restaurant to make ends meet to keep her family, and she had to put up with all the comments from the men all the time. But she had a good loving marriage and wanted another baby soon. It was a traditional life but it had its merits. Cally dumped her new purchases on the motel bed, seeing herself moving into the future with her career, but she didn't see anything else to fulfil her. Strange, the ache for fulfillment had begun that day of Rick's accident, when she had begun to know Luke.
Cally went along to the store to buy a can of pop and found Luke buying some snacks to take back to his room.
"I thought you'd gone home this weekend,” she said, feeling breathless just being beside him at the counter as she fumbled in her wallet for money to pay for her purchase.
"No. I was out doing equipment inventory. Where have you been?"
"Stacey, the waitress, and I went to Duluth shopping."
"You friends with her?"
"I am now. She's very nice and friendly.” Cally smiled thanks for her change.
They walked outside together.
"My impression is, she's a flirt,” Luke said.
"She's married with a little boy."
"That doesn't mean anything these days, does it?” He sounded angry.
"Well, she flirts because she feels it is the acceptable behavior for someone in her position. She said when she was aloof you guys didn't like it and called her names.” Cally heard her own voice rise in anger.
"Not me."
"I'm not targeting you. I'm targeting the crew. I personally think it's a sad state of affairs."