have the cook fire it up for you. Do you want a martini with that?”
“Actually, I’m in the mood for beer tonight.”
“Coming right up.”
When Hallie left, Kristen casually looked around the restaurant. With any luck, Ford Hamm would show up here and she’d have that meeting sooner than he thought.
FIVE
Ford lifted his toolbox off the back of his truck. Another cupboard to be fixed over at the Sea Shack. What were they doing to those things? If he found out that Hallie was deliberately damaging the Sea Shack’s property in order to get him to come over, he’d have to take it up with Tom.
He was on his way to the restaurant when he spotted a familiar face among the tourists.
“Annabelle!”
His daughter heard him loud and clear. He knew this because she looked over, froze for a split second, and then turned away.
“Annabelle!”
And there she disappeared into the throng of tourists browsing for T-shirts and snow globes… Ford resisted the urge to chase after her – he had some dignity left in him after all. Instead, he headed over to the Sea Shack.
He almost turned back around when he spotted Kristen Barnes at the table she’d occupied the last time he saw her, but Hallie spotted him and waved him over to the bar.
“Hey, glad you could make it,” she beamed.
“Another broken cupboard, huh?” he said and put his toolbox on the counter.
“A bunch of klutzes,” Hallie shrugged.
“Lead the way,” Ford said and kept his gaze fixed on Hallie as he passed Kristen’s table. If he pretended like he didn’t see her – or that she just wasn’t important enough for him to notice her – maybe he could get out of there without having to talk to her.
By the time he’d finished fixing the loose door on the cupboard, Ford thought his plan had worked. The designer woman hadn’t come over and tried to start up a conversation while he worked. If he just kept his head down, he could escape the Sea Shack for the night.
He’d underestimated Kristen Barnes.
“I’ve got a cold beer with your name on it, Mr. Hamm,” she said as he rounded the counter, halting him in his getaway. “It’s yours for a minute of your time.”
“I’m not that thirsty,” Ford muttered and attempted to leave. A chair toppled over right in front of him, cutting off his escape route.
“Oops,” Kristen said, not looking the least bit repentant. “I get these leg spasms. Can get pretty ugly.”
“You might wanna see a doctor about that,” Ford said and picked up the chair, setting it back under the table she was seated at.
“Come on. You know I’m just gonna keep hounding you until you agree to a meeting. What’s two minutes compared to hours of suffering?”
“I thought you only needed a minute,” he raised his eyebrows at her.
“It increases exponentially. Like cats.”
He had no idea what she was talking about, but he was starting to think she may actually have some sort of mental problem. Best to tread cautiously.
“Okay, you have until I’ve finished this beer,” he said and sat down opposite her, setting down his toolbox by his feet and out of her reach. You just never know what a crazy person can do with a hammer.
“Great,” she said and tipped her own bottle to his. “Here goes. I was hired to design a house for my client. I have done the drawings and gotten the permits in order. My client wanted to change the plans last minute, and I’ve resubmitted the specs to the building committee. Once the permit is in place, I understand you’ve been hired to do the actual construction work. Is that correct?”
He nodded and took a swig of his beer. This couldn’t be over quickly enough.
“You clearly have the most experience in these matters, so I’ll defer to you on everything concerning the construction work, but I’d like us to work together. I’m not your boss, and you’re not mine. We’ve both been hired to do a job, and none of us are
“Actually, I’m in the mood for beer tonight.”
“Coming right up.”
When Hallie left, Kristen casually looked around the restaurant. With any luck, Ford Hamm would show up here and she’d have that meeting sooner than he thought.
FIVE
Ford lifted his toolbox off the back of his truck. Another cupboard to be fixed over at the Sea Shack. What were they doing to those things? If he found out that Hallie was deliberately damaging the Sea Shack’s property in order to get him to come over, he’d have to take it up with Tom.
He was on his way to the restaurant when he spotted a familiar face among the tourists.
“Annabelle!”
His daughter heard him loud and clear. He knew this because she looked over, froze for a split second, and then turned away.
“Annabelle!”
And there she disappeared into the throng of tourists browsing for T-shirts and snow globes… Ford resisted the urge to chase after her – he had some dignity left in him after all. Instead, he headed over to the Sea Shack.
He almost turned back around when he spotted Kristen Barnes at the table she’d occupied the last time he saw her, but Hallie spotted him and waved him over to the bar.
“Hey, glad you could make it,” she beamed.
“Another broken cupboard, huh?” he said and put his toolbox on the counter.
“A bunch of klutzes,” Hallie shrugged.
“Lead the way,” Ford said and kept his gaze fixed on Hallie as he passed Kristen’s table. If he pretended like he didn’t see her – or that she just wasn’t important enough for him to notice her – maybe he could get out of there without having to talk to her.
By the time he’d finished fixing the loose door on the cupboard, Ford thought his plan had worked. The designer woman hadn’t come over and tried to start up a conversation while he worked. If he just kept his head down, he could escape the Sea Shack for the night.
He’d underestimated Kristen Barnes.
“I’ve got a cold beer with your name on it, Mr. Hamm,” she said as he rounded the counter, halting him in his getaway. “It’s yours for a minute of your time.”
“I’m not that thirsty,” Ford muttered and attempted to leave. A chair toppled over right in front of him, cutting off his escape route.
“Oops,” Kristen said, not looking the least bit repentant. “I get these leg spasms. Can get pretty ugly.”
“You might wanna see a doctor about that,” Ford said and picked up the chair, setting it back under the table she was seated at.
“Come on. You know I’m just gonna keep hounding you until you agree to a meeting. What’s two minutes compared to hours of suffering?”
“I thought you only needed a minute,” he raised his eyebrows at her.
“It increases exponentially. Like cats.”
He had no idea what she was talking about, but he was starting to think she may actually have some sort of mental problem. Best to tread cautiously.
“Okay, you have until I’ve finished this beer,” he said and sat down opposite her, setting down his toolbox by his feet and out of her reach. You just never know what a crazy person can do with a hammer.
“Great,” she said and tipped her own bottle to his. “Here goes. I was hired to design a house for my client. I have done the drawings and gotten the permits in order. My client wanted to change the plans last minute, and I’ve resubmitted the specs to the building committee. Once the permit is in place, I understand you’ve been hired to do the actual construction work. Is that correct?”
He nodded and took a swig of his beer. This couldn’t be over quickly enough.
“You clearly have the most experience in these matters, so I’ll defer to you on everything concerning the construction work, but I’d like us to work together. I’m not your boss, and you’re not mine. We’ve both been hired to do a job, and none of us are
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