“She means Gary and Pete,” Carl translated. “And you’re to stay away from Gary. He’s a dog.”
“Carl, I’m a grown woman,” Sally warned.
“He dated Kiki and her twin sister…”
“Duly warned,” Sally said. “Gary, aka Holy Shit, is a dog.”
Kiki was about to explain but decided that would wait. She needed to get her crew settled.
~
“Who built the peninsula house?”
“Mia designed it. I think there were local craftsmen involved, but they left when Restoration Realty went belly up.”
“So no local contractors?”
“Not the kind that do our level of work,” Cid said, making his turn. He had decided to drive since Jessie drove all the way up from New Orleans.
“The garage is a bit small.”
“It will get your truck out of the snow, but you’d have to lay some pavement to park your trailer.”
“I wouldn’t need a trailer,” Jesse said, rubbing his face. “What if we went in together for the woodworking shop and I live in the peninsula home until I can afford to build my own house?”
“You want to be partners?”
“Maybe. Let’s toss this around while we’re on this job.”
“There may be competition for the house.”
“Who?”
Mike Dupree.”
“Why would he want to isolate himself out in Big Bear Lake?”
“Why would you?” Cid asked.
“I hate cities, but I have to be near them to get work. The country is way too quiet. I like the culture of a three-bar town.”
Cid laughed. “The place is pretty busy in the summer.”
“Every place is,” Jesse acknowledged. “How’s Rand?”
“Gone. She’s been offered a place at a very prestigious school on the east coast that is right up her alley. She asked me to go with her…”
“And you declined.”
“Yes.”
“Rand’s no Ted.”
Cid set his jaw. “Do you know how hard it is to find a friend like Ted?”
“Yes. I’m not going to hassle you about your BFF. If Rand was the one, you wouldn’t have thought twice about moving.”
“Thank you for your agony aunt advice.”
“Not advice, observations. I’ve known you too long to not see that you’ve got a lot going for you in Big Bear Lake, and it’s not just Ted.”
“PEEPs is there.”
“PEEPs will have its run, but I think you’re there because you’ve found your home. It’s not just Ted. It may be all the Martins. Or that crazy axe-toting ghost.”
“Or that I get up in the morning with a purpose that I’m appreciated for.”
“No better place then,” Jesse said.
“I haven’t seen Faye,” Cid said.
“She’s riding in style in the back. She was pretty quiet on the way to your house.”
“Everything alright?”
“Not sure. I’m sure you’ll get a chance to connect. See what you pick up, and then we’ll discuss it.”
“Will do.” Cid turned off the main road and drove carefully between the stone pillars. He took a left prior to the circle that would have brought them to the front door of the mansion. He slowed the truck. “Where do you think…” he stopped talking. There, carrying a crate of food, was a vision. “Wow.”
“Damn, she’s pretty,” Jesse said, looking sideways at Cid. He decided then and there he wasn’t going to flirt with the woman. Cid was gobsmacked.
Cid rolled down the window and pulled the truck alongside the woman of his dreams.
“Is this Walnut Grove House?”
“That’s what the sign said outside. I’ll get Carl,” she said and walked off.
“Carl’s foster sister,” Jesse said amazed. “I expected her to be as old as Carl and not so neatly rounded off.”
“Why is she here?”
“She’s the cook. Her name is Sandy… no, Sally,” Jesse corrected.
“Whoa.”
“Are you okay?” Jesse asked.
“I’m not really sure?” Cid said. “You better park the trailer. I’m in no shape.” Cid got out of the truck.
Carl walked out of the carriage house. “It’s about time you cowboys showed up. I hear you’re too good to bunk with the likes of us.”
“Jesse has an aversion to the smell of Walrus in the morning,” Cid joked.
“And I thought you and Jesse finally admitted that you were gay for each other.”
“Didn’t we do that in Chicago?” Cid questioned.
Sally, who was several steps behind her foster brother, stopped abruptly. The handsome man with the soulful brown eyes was gay. “Well, that’s a cruel joke.”
Carl and Cid turned around.
“What’s a cruel joke?” Carl asked.
“Nevermind.”
“Sally, I’d like to introduce you to the best finishing carpenter on this side of the Atlantic. Cid Garrett.”
Cid grasped Sally’s hand in his. “Sally…”
“Sally Wright,” she furnished.
“We have something in common,” Cid began.
“What?”
“I love to cook and you’re a chef. So, it’s food.”
“Everyone eats,” Sally dismissed. “Besides, all you guys like food.”
Cid wasn’t sure but he got the inkling he was being labeled, as what was yet to be determined.
Jesse honked the horn.
“Jesse wants to know where he should park the trailer,” Cid told Carl.
“Why ask me?”
“Dunno?” Cid said, still dizzy from meeting Sally.
Kiki walked out. “I’m on it. Honestly, Clark, you and Scrub need a minder.” She passed them and proceeded to direct Jesse on where to park the trailer.
“Clark? I thought… oh, nickname,” Sally realized.
“She hasn’t given you one yet, I take it,” Cid said.
“She better not,” Sally said. “I was named for Charlie Brown’s sister Sally, which was my dad’s favorite comic strip. I’ll never answer to anything else.”
“Kiki means no harm,” Carl said.
“Yours is complimentary, Gut.” Cid patted Gut in the six-pack. I’m a bumbling fool.”
“At least you’re not What the Fuck.”
Cid laughed. “Now that’s a silver lining if I ever heard one. Where is Pete?”
“Inside, filling half my refrigerator with beer,” Sally grumbled.
“They won’t last long,” Cid assured her. “It’s an opening night type of thing.”
“I have the pizzas. We just need to warm them up,” Cid said, walking towards the trailer.
“That’s why you told
