Something Old - Dianne L. Christner [32]
“Hi, guys,” Lil entered the room, acting as though nothing was irregular, as if this reunion were an everyday occurrence. She wasn’t apologetic over Jake’s presence. Her behavior disregarded the significance of the awful trick. “Wow, look what you’ve got done.” Lil gazed at the wall, which had jagged plaster and exposed wood.
Katy took her eyes off Jake and stared at the demolition. Yes, he was good at tearing down. And Lil’s nonchalance—her play-acting—infuriated her. Sucking in her lower lip, Katy grabbed Lil’s arm and pinched hard, pulling her toward the hallway. “Let’s go over that list now.”
Once they were out of the kitchen, Lil shrugged her off. “Ouch.”
“You deserve that and more. Traitor,” Katy hissed.
Rubbing her arm, Lil said, “Lower your voice. Jake’s going to hear us.”
But Katy didn’t comply. “You’re ruining this for me, you know.” She threw up her arms. “Some dream! This is a nightmare! Do you even get it? You’re going to fire him. Today. Now. I don’t want him here. I don’t want him.” She crossed her arms. “Go on. Do it. Tell your cousin to pack up his tools.”
Lil’s arms waved emphatically. “Get a grip. Obviously, you’re not thinking straight. He’s the reason we’re able to remodel cheaply. Nobody else would give us a bid that fit our budget. Don’t you see? His guilty conscience is paying off.”
Katy narrowed her eyes. “That’s despicable.”
“Let’s go in the bedroom.”
Katy stomped after Lil then slammed the door behind them. “This is the most underhanded thing you’ve ever done to me. You knew that was his truck outside, but you claimed it wasn’t.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You didn’t warn me.”
“Because you wouldn’t have stepped inside.”
“You got that right!”
“Look, I know Jake’s hurt you, but he’s really changed. He wants to make amends at church and with you. You don’t have to date him or marry him. Just let him make his peace. Accept him as another human being living in the same universe. That’s all.”
The wind whipped through a cracked windowpane, blowing pieces of sandpaper and bits of wood splinters across Katy’s shoes. She stared at the floor. It hurt so bad to see Jake face-to-face again. And she felt betrayed that Lil had allowed it to happen. That her best friend had arranged it, opened the door, and invited her enemy in. She raised her face. “This place was our dream. I looked forward to fixing it up. Now I won’t even want to come over here.”
Lil pulled her coat tighter. “I’ll tell him to leave you alone. How’s that? But we need him to get the work done at the price we can afford. Think of the prize at the end of the race, okay? It is our dream.”
With a groan, Katy used her foot to grind debris into the floor. “Does he even know what he’s doing?”
“Yep.” Lil looked like a proud mama. “He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction systems management. Most of his classes were on campus at the Agricultural Engineering Building. Anyway, he needs some jobs for his résumé so that he can get his license and start up his own construction company. So this will help everyone in the long run, even though it’s a bit awkward now. And you can deal with him here in private, not at the meetinghouse with everyone watching you guys.”
The image of her wiping out on the ice with David flashed in Katy’s mind. She probably would have made a fool of herself at the meetinghouse if she hadn’t been forewarned of his appearance. And she hated pity. “I guess I’ll deal with it. Get over it.” She’d never get over it—him. She could still feel his arms sheltering her, as they had in the kitchen. If she didn’t hate him so much, she’d be running right back into his embrace.
“Guess what? Jake said he’d throw in the beds for free.”
“What?”
“He can make furniture.”
Katy shoved her finger in Lil’s face. “He is not making my bed!”
Ducking away, Lil backed down. “Fine.”
“You don’t get it, Lil.” Katy lowered her voice then. “Just having him here is going to cause me