Marty hummed and started writing furiously in his notebook, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he glanced up from the page now and then, and then he pulled out his phone and took photos from every angle. Then he picked up a handful of wood chips and put them into one of his pockets.“In case we wanna test the tree DNA to determine its rarity and value,” he said. I hadn’t even known that was a thing.
“Okay,” Miller said, taking one final look at the tree stump. “I think I’ve seen everything I need to for now, so we’re gonna head back to Hopewell before dark. We need to check the county records and maybe order a property survey, and then we’ll have a better idea of where we stand. Once I have your power of attorney paperwork, we can start the ball rolling.”
“Yeah, sure thing,” I said.
He pulled out his wallet and handed me a business card. “That’s the email address for the office and my number in case you need me for anything.” He gave me a smile, a more genuine one this time.
And maybe it was because I’d always liked to flirt, or because I was weak for hot guys in suits, or maybe it was that I’d seen him checking both Wilder and me out, but I figured I might as well shoot my shot. I took the card, whipped out my phone, and sent him a text.
His phone buzzed and he pulled it out and read my message.
Hi. It’s Danny.
“Now you have my number too. In case you wanted to, y’know… call me,” I said in a low voice, giving him my best flirty smile.
It was Miller’s turn to stare blankly. “I have your number on file.”
Marty nudged him sharply. “No, bro. He’sgiving you his number,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Yeah, Marty knew what was up.
Miller, though? I wasn’t sure. He looked from his phone to me and back at his phone before he said, “Thanks, I guess?”
I flashed him another smile. “Call me. Anytime.”
“I’ll try and keep my calls to office hours,” he said.
Marty rolled his eyes. “Miller. Dude. Seriously? He’s—you know what? I’ll explain in the car. Can I drive?”
“Not a chance in hell,” Miller said and hurried over to the newish Toyota that was parked behind my truck and got into the driver’s seat like he was staking a claim.
Marty clambered in the passenger side and they backed down the driveway. Marty gave me a thumbs-up before they drove away. We stood around the tree stump for a minute longer, but then the mosquitoes started to come out, so we headed back inside.
We reheated our supper and as we ate, Chase asked, “You really think you can get a payout? Because, dude, that hot water system is shot.”
This wasn’t news. We’d been taking cold showers for a week now, but plumbers were expensive. Luckily, it was summer.
I considered Chase’s question. Marty had seemed pretty sure about the possibility of us getting a check out of Harlan. But Marty also thought Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts were office wear, and besides that, he was only an intern. But Miller hadn’t dismissed the idea of a payout, so maybe we’d come out of this ahead after all.
“I think it depends on the survey,” I said at last. “If the tree’s in our yard, we could win this, but if it’s partway in Harlan’s, that might change things.” I prodded at my rice and beans. “I just hope we don’t end up with a legal bill if we lose.” I still didn’t quite trust that this wasn’t going to cost me anything.
Wilder hummed and said, “I think your lawyer was checking me out. Listen, I know it’s pro bono, but if it wasn’t, I would probably suck that guy off for cheaper rates.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d said something like that, and I was starting to think he was trying to tell me—or himself—something. “Are you, like, sure you’re not at least a little bit gay? Because I don’t think straight guys offer to suck other dudes off.”
Cash leaned over and whispered something to Chase, grinning.
Chase laughed out loud and said, “Cash says then it would be pro boner.”
I snorted around a mouthful of rice.
Wilder pushed his hair back out of his face. “I might be straight but I’ve got eyes.” He shrugged. “Working in my industry, you learn to appreciate the human body as a work of art.”
Just to be clear, he wasn’t talking about his job as a roofer. He was talking about his side hustle. Talking out his ass when it came to that work of art stuff, but still. Wilder worked a side gig as a stripper, doing bachelorette parties and the like to make some extra cash for Gracie. He looked really fucking good in a thong and body glitter—from an artistic perspective, of course.
Hey, if Wilder could use that line, then so could I.
“He was definitely checking you out, Danny. Think he’ll call you?” Chase asked.