She grabbed my hand. “You are. I can see it in your eyes. You can’t do this all yourself.”
I twisted out of her hold. “I can.”
“No, you can’t. Do you have demolition training?”
“Who needs training to destroy?”
She folded her arms, winced and let her arms dangle at her side.
My gut clenched. “C’mon. Let me get you cleaned up. You’re bleeding all over my freaking beach.”
She looked down at the trail of blood on her forearm. “Fine.”
I frowned down at her. “You agreed too easily.”
“Just more time to convince you to hire me.”
“You know what? Never mind. Go find a drug store and fix yourself up. Or go to Urgent Care and send me the bill.”
“I’ve had worse scrapes on jobs, Mr...”
“Good, then you can see yourself out.” I brushed by her and grabbed my mask before climbing back up the hill to the house.
She scrambled after me. “You need me.”
“I do not.”
“Do you have a carpenter? A landscaper, and two designers with five years of experience?”
“I can hire them. I can hire ten of them.” I pulled the mask back on as I picked up the rotted post that I’d been beating the hell out of a little while ago. With a disgusted sigh, I flung it into the Dumpster.
“Who?”
I just gave her a hard look.
“Let me guess. Overpriced Donner? He’ll give you a shit product and half-assed work.”
Donner had been one of the names on my list. I wanted to try and give some local people jobs since I was now going to be part of the community. Even if I wanted to be left alone for the most part, I preferred to bring money into the town.
It had been my sister’s town first. And I knew she loved it.
It was the least I could do after I’d left her alone. After I didn’t believe in her.
“He works with Maitland. And he wants to take away the quiet of the lake.”
I tore off the mask. “What are you blathering on about?”
“See all those signs?” She pointed across the lake. “Maitland Enterprises wants to make a row of condos and spas over there. Sure you want to work with them?”
“Progress comes whether we want it or not, Hellcat.” But I didn’t want that. I’d bought this house for the quiet. I didn’t want tourists and rich assholes taking over the area.
This rich asshole just liked my space and not to make waves.
“Pete Donner just wants to make money. He’ll take one look at you and this mansion and charge you triple for everything.”
“Money is no object.” Probably a dangerous thing to say, but it wasn’t. I had more than I’d ever need for five houses. Five lifetimes.
She licked her lips. “I have the talent. Let me bring in my crew and we can write up a plan. If you don’t like it, then I’ll leave you alone.” She fisted her hands. “If you don’t have a budget, don’t tell Donner that. He’ll make you wish you didn’t.”
“And you won’t?”
“Oh, I’ll spend your money. And I’ll make you cry sometimes with how much I’ll spend. This is an old house, and it will need lots of work to bring it back to her old glory. But I’ll do it correctly. I’ve been researching this house since the first second I saw it.”
“That’s why I don’t want to hire you. You won’t like my input.”
“No, I’ll prove to you that my knowledge is a strength.”
I hauled up another huge piece of the shattered post and tossed it into the rapidly filling Dumpster. “It’s my house. I’m not sure you can get that through your head.”
She blocked me when I tried to go to pick another piece. “I know that. I was just surprised to see someone had bought it. It’s not like I’d ever have been able to afford it without the help of the lottery, but this is the next best thing for me. You need me.”
I went around her. “I don’t need you or anyone.”
“I’ll change your mind. And I’ll make sure she’s grand again.”
“I don’t want to just pay someone to do it.” I fisted my hands at my sides. “I want to be a part of it.” I needed to be a part of it. I needed something to fill my days. They were eternal these days.
She chewed the inside of her cheek. “It will take a lot of people to get this done, so I’m sure we can find somewhere to put you so you can help out. We’ve had clients help out to keep the cost down. Not that this is exactly the same thing.”
