Jarrett waves from the porch and heads to where he’s made his camp in the woods.
“Bath time, little one.”
I see the office door is open and Gentry sits working at the desk as I make my way up the stairs.
It’s almost an hour before I head back down. Gentry is still in the office. I take a seat across from her. “Thank you.”
Her gaze is confused.
“Dad told me what you’ve been doing with Ayla. I—today meant a lot to me.”
“It was bound to happen. She just needed help making the connection. She may not talk a lot, but she knows things.”
“I also want to thank you for making Jarrett comfortable. He needs his space and doesn’t like a lot of people around him.”
Blushing at the praise, she changes the subject. “How did it go with Clive and Jonboy today?”
I shake my head. “Not only are they slackers, they don’t know shit. I had to make them redo things twice. Told them if it happens again the cost of materials is coming out of their pay. Then I had to call the other foremen and have them double check anything they’d worked on which was another expense and time loss.
“Denny admitted he’s been giving them stuff they couldn’t screw up too badly and planned on talking to Dad. Thanks to you we caught this before the situation got completely out of hand. Have you found anything else?”
“No. But I’m also into the months before your dad’s heart issue. Your dad is really good at keeping the books. The entries won’t take me long at this rate. Then it will just be teaching him how to use the computer.”
“When I offered you the job, Gentry, it wasn’t temporary in my mind. It was permanent. Dad needs to be able to slow down and have a life. He needs to be needed, but we can handle that by having him work with you and then inspect the work sites. He’s also great at dealing with customers and bids.
“As soon as this thing with Clive and JonBoy gets settled and Dad is back from his trip I’ll find a nanny or sitter for Ayla and you can just be the bookkeeper. If you’ll stay.”
She shakes her head. “That’s not necessary. Dealing with her and the bookwork is not that hard. I can easily handle both. In fact, I was going to tell you that I could also handle the phones. I know you have the calls going to your cell.”
I smile. “Once people are used to dealing with me, you’ve got a deal. Especially the vendor calls.”
She leans back in her chair. “You were talking to the sheriff this morning. Any luck on who broke into my apartment?”
“No proof, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I kind of figured.”
“Tomorrow’s Friday and payday. Dad said to tell you he’d be here early and the two of you can do payroll together. They’re leaving on Monday to spend a couple days in Vancouver and do some other touristy things before the cruise. Oh, and Tate is going to keep an eye on MaryKatherine’s daughter. He doesn’t live far from the restaurant, and she lives above it.”
“Good.”
“Want to watch some TV or sit on the porch for a while?”
“Porch sounds good. It’s so nice out here. Just far enough outside of town to feel like country but not isolated.”
“You’ve done enough today. Shut it down. I’ll check Ayla, take Stone then Bella out, and grab the baby monitor.”
I’m coming in as she’s headed out. “Juice or tea?’
“Juice sounds great,” she says.
After checking that all the doors and windows are locked on the first floor, something I’ve never worried about before, I stop at the refrigerator. Baby monitor in my pocket I go outside.
Dropping into the chair beside her, I hand her a bottle.
“You just don’t see the stars like this in town,” she says.
“Honestly, star watching from here was one of my favorite things to do when I was younger.”
