soda off the marker tray. After taking a swig and doing a swish with it, he said, “Lemme guess. You went to school in a big city.”
“Yeah. Pittsburgh.”
“See, that’s the difference. We put more emphasis on the trades out here on the Eastern Shore. Don’t get me wrong—our academics are strong as anywhere. But the way of life out here focuses on fishing, carpentry, things where you use your hands just as much as your brain.”
“It’s a smart approach. My buddy Teague learned from working on his dad’s construction sites. Starting at way too young an age.”
“You do it, you learn it. Simple as that.”
Sydney hitched herself up onto a high stool. “James is quite the handyman, too. In case you ever get in over your heads on a project out there.”
The big man thumped his chest. “You can’t keep all this bottled up. I go out and share my talents with the world.”
Funny guy. “I’ll keep that in mind. We’ll definitely need all the fireplaces and chimneys inspected.”
“Not my thing, but I know the right guy. I’ll put in a good word so he gives you the local rate, rather than the official hotel rate.”
“Thanks.” For a second, Alex flashed back to his old life. The automatic response would’ve been to hand over a business card.
But they didn’t have one yet. They hadn’t fully decided yet on whether or not to keep the name of the inn. Hadn’t paid to get the telephone line up and running. Hell, he didn’t even know what the current number was. Not to mention the lack of a logo to put on the card.
And all that wasn’t due, according to his master List of All Things, to be discussed for another few weeks.
They were never going to make it.
Then Alex strode forward to the whiteboard. Because he only allowed himself one moment of panic a day, and ruthlessly tamped it back down after one breath. He picked up a green marker.
Of course it squeaked. After making a jagged smear, it popped out of his hand. How the hell did teachers write sideways on these things?
If a few-hundred-year-old building couldn’t defeat him, a pen sure wouldn’t. On the third try, he figured out the angle. “Here’s my email. For you—or for any students who might want to come lend a hand. If you’ll let them.”
“Aww, I was just seeing how you stood up to a little poking. Gotta have a thick skin to work with teenagers, you know. Of course I’ll encourage them to help. Well, a few of them. Those I can trust. This’ll be a great opportunity for them to get some real experience. It’s a win all the way around.”
“That’s—ha—that’s really great of you.”
“Let’s try it out for real. Brody,” he shouted toward the boy in the corner. “C’mere.”
After carefully hanging his goggles on a peg board, he bounded over to them. “What’s up?”
“This is Mr. Alex and Miss Sydney. Alex and Sydney, this is Brody Wickes.”
“Hey,” the kid said with a dip of his chin. Between his oversized hoodie over a sweatshirt and slouchy jeans? Brody wore enough fabric to clothe two kids.
And didn’t that just prove that Alex’s thirtieth birthday was long since in his rearview mirror?
Uh-oh.
Alex didn’t know thing one about talking to teenagers. How was he supposed to pitch come do menial labor for zero dollars to reduce my stress levels?
James crossed his meaty arms over his chest. “So we all start on the same page, why don’t you tell them what you’re doing in here over lunch?”
“I’m doing work-study detention. Probation.” He shook his head. So much hair in a retro-Bieber style that it looked like the tail of a large rodent slid down his forehead. “Serving my time.”
“This isn’t Shawshank Prison, kid. Explain more.”
Alex didn’t want a juvenile delinquent having free range in their inn. This explanation had better be good.
To his credit, Brody met Alex’s searching gaze head-on. Without any attitude, either. “I put a snowman in the principal’s office. Then I slid on the puddle from it and broke my wrist when I cracked it against the desk.”
Yowza. The broken wrist seemed like punishment enough. Talk about bad luck.
James rolled his outstretched arm sideways, gangster-style, and pointed. “What did you learn?”
Spitting it out like a mantra, Brody said quickly, “Never pull a prank on a person in authority.”
“No, it was never pull a prank on a person with more authority than you. If you get elected to student council, they’ll all be fair