Bad shit could go down on a construction site. They’d been lucky to avoid anything serious at Powertools the past twenty years, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen to anyone at any time.
And Joe was new to this…
It was a lot of responsibility to be the one shouldering that burden. Mike knew that all too well. Maybe he could lend some support, even from far away.
“What happened?” Mike barked as he connected the call from Joe.
“I should have been paying more attention. I didn’t see they were working close enough to get crossed up. The roofing framers, I mean. Adam got tangled in Cole’s pneumatic hose and fell from the second story while carrying some trusses. Looks like he fractured his tibia and maybe screwed up his kneecap too. I watched him fall like some shit out of The Matrix, except I couldn’t get there in time. But fuck, it could have been worse. So much worse. And it would have been my fault.”
“No, it wouldn’t have been. That’s not your job.”
“To take on everyone’s issues? Accept blame for whatever happens? Could have fooled me. The buck stops with the foreman, doesn’t it? At least it does when you’re the one running things. I don’t know that I’m cut out to be one of those. I’m not you.” Joe sounded miserable.
Was that what he did? Mike wasn’t sure. He did his best for the guys, and the woman, in his crew. Not to mention the rest of their lovers and kids when they were outside of work. But right now he couldn’t do shit to protect Joe or help him carry the burden he knew was heavy as fuck. As much as he wished he could take charge and solve the problem or, hell, even just hug the guy…
His arms weren’t long enough to reach.
“If I could do this for you, I would.” Mike pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You can’t. I signed up for this, and if I don’t follow through I’m going to let Eli and Uncle Tom and the rest of the Hot Rods down. On the other hand, if I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, someone could literally die—” Joe cut off with a strangled groan that made Mike sure he’d thought that was a possibility earlier in the day.
“Look. Maybe I can come out there for the weekend. Go over your plans and help you do a safety review with everyone. Would that help?”
“I don’t know if it would improve my skills magically, but it would make me feel better. To know I’m not missing something simple that’s going to get one of these guys maimed at least.” Joe sighed. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course. I want to come. We were all heading that way in a week anyway for Kyra, Ollie, and Van’s party. Maybe I’ll just stay. Let me talk to Kate about it and make sure she’s okay by herself with the kids for a few days and then I’ll call you right back.”
“See. Even now you’re covering my ass.” Joe shook his head, but the glimmer of relief in his tone was reward enough.
“I do enjoy doing that from time to time.” Mike figured if dirty jokes didn’t make Joe loosen up, nothing would.
Fortunately, his friend gave a halfhearted chuckle. “Come out here, save it, and you can do whatever you want with it. Deal?”
“You know I’d do this no matter what. Just because you fucking left us doesn’t mean I don’t care anymore.” Mike hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, but maybe part of him had been stung and even a tad jealous. The Hot Rods project was a big deal. Hell, with their reality show, it would probably land Joe a million new jobs that could keep him in Middletown for the next decade instead of only the summer. For a split second, Mike wondered if he should convince Joe to come home instead of helping, but no, that was selfish and he was a dick to even think it.
Joe groaned. “I’m an idiot, I know. Thanks for standing by me anyway, Mike.”
“Always. I’ll call you in a little bit. Go check on your crewman, and try to cut yourself a break.”
“I will if next time you have some problem like this, you lean on me too. You shouldn’t have to shoulder this shit by yourself. I’m sorry I was too ignorant to realize you’ve been doing it all this time. Or to take advantage of handing the stress off to you. Your job sucks, you know that?”
“Only sometimes.” Mike felt something in his chest ease. “But I’ll take you up on that. Thanks. Talk to you soon.”
3
Mike was glad to see the kids had gone to their rooms when he wandered back into the kitchen. Kate, however, was cleaning with a ferociousness that could only mean she was trying to alleviate some of her tension. He could think of better ways to do that for her.
He crossed to her, took the washcloth from her hand, and set it aside before gathering her into his arms. She smelled like sunshine and summer, just like she had the first day he’d rescued her from falling off a roof. Not so different from what Joe had wanted to do for his crewman earlier.
“It’s going to be okay.” Mike hugged her.
“Promise?”
“Yeah. A worker fell from the second story.”
“Shit.” Kate looked up at him with wide, worried eyes. The fear of heights had never quite left her after her near miss.
“He’ll be all right. Busted his leg but got off pretty lucky, to be honest.”
“What about Joe?” she asked, still not relieved. The bond between the Powertools crew ran deeper than the professional connection between the construction workers. They were a unit, had been for damn near twenty years now.
“His ego might be more shattered than that other guy’s leg.” Mike stroked his fingers through her hair until she melted against him. “Would it be okay with you if I went out there this weekend? Maybe for a few days, or even until you guys come out for the wedding stuff? To double check him on his plans and his procedures so he feels more comfortable?”
Kate hesitated, which actually surprised him. She was always the first to offer to help someone out. Of course, he hadn’t forgotten about her acting a bit weird earlier either.
“If not, that’s okay. I’ll figure out another way.” Mike started imagining how they might do things over video conference and screen share, although he understood that Joe needed someone to hold his hand more than he needed any of that other shit. He was a solid construction worker and had decades of experience.
It was only his confidence that needed bolstering.
“No, no. It’s fine.” Kate patted his chest. “We’ll be good for a week. You’re right. It doesn’t make sense for you to go and come back just to turn around and head out there again.”
“If Landry and Abby didn’t have swim camp, I’d take the kids with me.” Mike thought of how he might lighten Kate’s burden too. Maybe Joe was right. He did it automatically, all the time, and sometimes it could be exhausting. But he wouldn’t change it for the world.
“You’re so sweet.” Kate leaned into him, tipping her face up. And he wasn’t about to ignore the offer. “But no, they’re fine. We’ll do okay without you even if we’ll miss you every single minute.”
Mike smiled. They didn’t need him, but it was nice to know they liked having him around anyway. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against Kate’s, loving how even now she could fire him up despite the tense circumstances.