But even with all my hard work, I probably still wouldn't have achieved my goal quite so soon if it hadn't been for my grandmother leaving me a chunk of money in her will. She’d been so proud of my hard work and had always encouraged me to follow my dreams, so I took her money and my savings and started my own company,Miles High Construction.
“You’ve double checked to make sure all the exit signs are lit properly?”
“Yes, they’re all in working order,” Brian answered.
“Oh, and what about the window that kept sticking? Did it ever get—” I glanced up from my checklist as I heard him chuckle.
“Miles, we’re good. We’ve checked and rechecked everything on your list, and I can assure you, the building is sound. We won’t have any problem passing the final inspection, and by this time tomorrow, we’ll be ready to hand over the keys to the bank president, so to speak.”
I smiled guiltily at him as I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “I’m sorry. I trust you and I know you’ve got everything under control, I just—”
“You just need to see for yourself,” he finished knowingly. Brian had been with me from the beginning, helping me grow my business from the ground up. He was not only a hell of a foreman, but he was also a close friend who knew all my quirks.
He smiled when I simply nodded. “I get it. This company is your baby and its reputation matters to you. It matters to me too, and that’s why I went over everything with a fine-toothed comb. The inspector isn’t going to find any surprises. Besides, don’t you have somewhere to be in an hour?”
Glancing down at my watch, I was surprised to see what time it was. Somehow, the day had gotten away from me, and now, I was going to be late if I didn’t get a move on. “Shit! You’re right. I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you in the morning.” Brian’s laughter rang out as I rushed toward the door, and I shot my middle finger into the air, making him laugh even harder.
I was grinning as I raced out to my truck and climbed inside. Now that I knew everything was in order for the inspection, I could relax. There was nothing like the feeling of accomplishment that came from seeing a project through from the very beginning to its end. That, coupled with the reminder of my plans for the evening, had immediately put me in a better mood. It had been weeks since I’d seen my best friend and even longer since we’d just hung out together. So, when he’d called and asked me to meet him for dinner, I’d jumped at the chance.
Jayce and I had first bonded over our mutual love of football but soon found that we had a lot of things in common, like our appreciation for classic rock and our love of horror movies. He was unlike anyone I’d ever met before, constantly smiling and upbeat, but it wasn't until I went to his house for the first time that I saw where he'd learned it from.
Growing up, my house had been filled with the sounds of my parents arguing. My mother was bipolar, and my father drank too much—an explosive combination when paired together. I'd often lay in bed at night, listening to their shouting and wishing that I had a sister or brother that I could turn to so I didn't have to deal with them all alone.
Jayce's family on the other hand, ate dinner together at the same table, each of them sharing things about their day and joking with each other. I’d spent so much time over at his house, preferring it over being around the constant tension in my own home, that his parents had begun to treat me like one of their own, picking up my favorite snacks when they’d gone to the store and buying me gifts for my birthday and Christmas. They’d become the family I'd always wanted, and Jayce became a brother to me.
We’d stayed in touch throughout college, and even though our schedules were busy, we made a point of texting or calling each other at least once a week. Jayce couldn't wait to tell me when he'd met the girl of his dreams, and he’d been the first person I'd come out to.
I'd had suspicions for years, knowing my body just didn't react to girls the same way it did toguys, but it took a long time for me to accept exactly what that meant. When I finally did, I knew I had to tell my best friend. I’d been so nervous when I’d made the call that my voice shook as I’d told him and I’d felt sure I was about to throw up, but he’d immediately put me at ease as he’d told me how proud he was of me and how happy he was that I was being true to myself. By the end of our conversation, I’d felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and I’s been relieved that nothing I’d said had changed our relationship. If anything, it was even stronger than before because there were no longer any secrets between us.
Jayce and Evelynn had attended the ribbon cutting for the completion of my first project and I had helped them build a deck on their new house when they’d decided to move in together. Our lives were constantly intertwined, and I couldn't be happier. With my parents barely in the picture, they had become my family; the family of my choosing and I loved them. That was why I'd been ecstatic when they'd announced they were getting married, and I'd been honored when Jayce had asked me to be one of his groomsmen.
After driving to my condo near Vintage Ridge, I showered then pulled on a new pair of jeans and a black V-neck sweater. Grabbing my jacket, I headed back out to my truck, anxious to spend time with my friend. A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of the bar and grill where we'd agreed to meet.
The place was busy for a Thursday night, and it took several minutes for me to find a parking spot. Music and the noise of a bunch of people talking all at once poured out of the front door as someone opened it. The tantalizing smell of grilled burgers and hot wings made my stomach grumble, reminding me I hadn't eaten lunch that day.
It was warm inside, and I quickly took off my jacket and draped it over my arm as I looked around for Jayce. I spotted him sitting at a booth toward the back of the restaurant, and I smiled as I made my way over to him. He grinned when he saw me and stood up to give me a hug.
"Hey man, it's so good to see you. How have you been?" he asked cheerfully as he pulled away.
"I'm good. Almost finished with the bank project, and I have three others that are all in different phases of completion. More importantly, how are you? Ready to get hitched?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," he answered with a happy grin. "Miles, you remember my brother, Cole, don't you?" I turned my head quickly and did a double take at the blond sitting in the booth. I was so happy to see Jayce that I didn’t even realized someone else was with him.
I flashed him a smile. "Oh, hey there. Of course, I remember. I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone else was here."
Cole's eyes narrowed slightly as he mumbled something that sounded like, "Of course you didn't," but before I could ask him to repeat it Jayce ushered me into the booth and sat down beside me.
"Cole and I were just talking about all the things I have left to do before the wedding. It's mind-boggling the amount of work that goes into making that one special day. It's no wonder some of those women turn into Bridezillas. Evelynn and I split the list of things to do, and I'm still overwhelmed," Jayce explained with a harried look in his eyes.
"I told you not to stress over anything," Cole reminded him. "As your best man, it's my job to help make sure everything gets done so you can just enjoy yourself."
"Yeah, and I'm here too. I can help out with anything you guys need," I offered.
Jayce smiled appreciatively at both of us. "Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it. In fact, it's one of the reasons I asked you both to meet me here tonight."
I glanced over at Cole, wondering if he knew what his brother was talking about, but the blank look on his face told me he was as clueless as I was. "What's up?"
Jayce rolled his eyes. "I told Evelynn I didn't want to have a bachelor party, but she's insisting I have one anyway, saying some nonsense about it being a rite of passage or whatever. So, I figured maybe the two of you could work together to find a happy medium? I don't want anything too wild, no strippers or lap dances or anything, but something fun where I get to spend time with my friends."
