Page 616 of Summer Heat
When he spits at me this time, I take a step forward to close the distance between us. The fucking guy is going to learn some goddamn manners.
Summer shoots forward to stop me. “Don’t engage, Jason. I’ve been recording the whole thing.” She points at her cell phone in her pocket, the blinking red camera pointing right at Tom. “He’s got nothing. After I send this video to my lawyer, I’m also going to send it to the union. He’s done. Finished. A piece of shit like him has no business in our profession, and I’m going to make sure of it.”
Damn it, she’s incredible.
Finally, security shows up to haul Tom away. But he doesn’t go quietly. While they’re restraining him and dragging him over to their vehicle, he starts shouting at the top of his lungs, “I don’t care what you say, I’m going to sue. That slut created a hostile work environment here. She plays favorites with the guys, picking which ones she wants to go out drinking with while treating the rest of us like crap.”
What the actual fuck?
“Th-that’s not true,” she sputters. “I just hang out with the guys I know well.”
“You mean the guys you’re fucking,” sneers Tom. “Everyone knows your reputation. The guys who kiss your ass and put up with your weird shit are the ones who get to stick around. But for the guys like me who won’t lower ourselves like that, you ride our asses on site every day. A lot of guys in the union that you’ve let go will back me. You’re going down, you skanky cunt.”
For the first time ever, that confused look on her face makes me enraged.
And apparently, I’m not the only one.
Though Tom is already well out of earshot, and currently getting driven off the lot by security, Summer’s foreman still steps forward to defend her honor. To me. “Tom’s a dumb drunk who doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. Every guy she’s sent back to the union over the years deserved it. I can verify that.”
“Me, too,” says Mikey, another veteran worker of hers.
“She actually had to let me go once last year for screwing up so much,” chimes in a young college-looking kid I’ve seen do some good work. “And she told me exactly what I needed to improve on. She stayed after work to show me a few things before letting me go, and told me she was going to tell the union that I just needed a more training and hours in certain areas, but that I’d be welcome to come back afterward.”
Seems I was worried for nothing. Her men here would clearly go to war for her, and that’s the only real reputation worth protecting in my opinion.
“Look, guys,” I say. “You don’t need to convince me. I’m on her side here.”
Summer comes up beside me to look at all her men. “Since Tom has just made my personal life your business, I want to clarify something,” she tells them. “Jason and I are in fact seeing each other. It’s a recent development, and it’s not going to affect the project in any way, shape, or form. I just want to be clear on that.”
The silence following her announcement lasts exactly one second…
Before all the guys start talking at once.
“Jesus, took you two long enough,” hollers out Jack.
“About damn time,” adds Mikey.
A few dozen more similar comments echo around and Summer stares at all of them in shock. “You guys were expecting us to get together?”
I’m mildly insulted that she sounds so surprised. We’re perfect for each other.
“We were hoping, at least,” clarifies Jack. “You’re good for him. You make him way less ornery. Borderline friendly.”
Bruce, one of the workers who was with the project before Summer took over, also puts in his two cents. “The poor guy has clearly been in love with you from the start. We all saw it.”
The guys all nod their agreement.
Well, hell. This is a surprise. Guess I didn’t do as good a job at hiding my feelings as I thought.
“Plus,” adds Mikey, “you guys are a really good match. You both have a weird thing for trees.”
“Yeah,” calls out an unknown voice in the crowd. “I noticed that, too. All last week, she’s been collecting old tree stumps and trunk slabs from around the mountains and throwing it in her truck, just like Jason does.”
I look at her. “Is that so? You’ve been hauling wood?”
“I…I saw the craftsmanship you put into your pieces at the cabin,” she says. “I could tell you really enjoyed building them so I just wanted to find some good pieces for you to work with.”
That’s it. No more talking.
