Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar, #2)(24)

She scowled. “What a bitch. She couldn’t show up on time, and she stole ten customers on the mowing route when she left.”

Ten customers I hadn’t been sad to see go. Their homes were scattered all across the Gallatin Valley, and because they hadn’t fit into our normal routes, I’d had to charge them a bit more to cover gas. Athena had gone to work for a competitor, taking them along with a promise of a lower price. It didn’t bother me, but clearly Bridget was still hung up about it even though Athena had quit seven years ago.

And in Athena’s defense, I didn’t really set office hours. It had just always happened that Bridget and I arrived around the same time each morning.

“We haven’t had another architect on staff for seven years,” I told her.

“Because we don’t need one.”

Bridget had been the first architect I’d hired at Alcott Landscaping, so she’d been with me since the beginning, one of my first employees. I’d hired her as a college student to work on the mowing crew in the summers. She’d started as my design apprentice the day after she’d graduated from Montana State with a degree in landscape architecture.

We’d been together so long that our processes were perfectly in sync. Hell, she’d helped create most of them. And she was right. Every time we tried to bring on someone new, shit fell apart.

That didn’t seem like enough reason to keep killing ourselves though. Surely there had to be someone out there who would actually contribute.

“I’m tired of turning clients away,” I admitted. I was tired of always feeling behind. “I’d like to try, and I’d like your help. Maybe instead of hiring an experienced architect, it’s time for you to have an apprentice.”

The blockade she’d put up to the idea of another designer came down an inch. “I’m listening.”

“We’ll put an ad out. You can participate in the interviews. Or if any kids on the mowing crew show some promise, you could bring them in too. Think about it. Let me know. But it’s time for both of us to cut back.” I pointed to the framed picture of the kids. “Before long, Kali and Max will be leaving home to build their own lives. I don’t want to miss the time I have.”

“Okay.” She blew out a long breath. “Message received. I’ll get on board.”

“Thank you.”

She spun her chair around, pushing it backward out of my office and into her own. Then keys rattled as she appeared in my doorway again, this time standing. “I’m in the field the rest of the day.”

“I’ll call you once I hear back from the nursery.”

Bridget waved then headed down the hallway to the front door. The moment it was quiet, I got on the phone and raised hell. Ten apologies, three half-price Norway spruce saplings and one new salesman staffed to our account later, I went back to my stack of unpaid bills and overflowing inbox.

I’d only managed to get logged into my online banking portal when the front door to the office chimed. I sighed as footsteps came my way. The bills would have to wait.

“Hey, uh, Finn?”

“Come on in.” I waved Jeff in from where he was hovering outside my door.

He stepped into my office hesitantly, glancing at his muddy boots.

“You’re not the first and you won’t be the last guy to bring mud into my office. Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” He crossed the room, taking off the beanie from his head.

Jeff, my newest employee, had started at Alcott two weeks ago. Bridget, my foremen and a few of the others were kept on full-time year-round. They transitioned from landscaping to snow removal in the winters, except for Bridget who could do design work even after the snow flew. But since I needed more laborers in the summers than winters, I filled crews with guys needing seasonal work. April through October, we were fully staffed. Jeff had been a last-minute addition when one of the other new hires was a no-show.

“What can I do for you?” I asked Jeff.

“I, uh . . .” He dropped his head. “I was wondering if I could get a pay advance. I’m having some trouble with my ex-wife and she’s taking me to court to get full custody of my daughter. I need to get a lawyer.”

He seemed too young to have a kid and an ex-wife, but what the hell did I know. At his age, I’d been head over heels for my wife. If someone had told me I’d be divorced from Molly, I would have laughed and told them they were crazy.

Not many men stand at the altar and say I do to their wife thinking someday she’ll be an ex. I certainly hadn’t.

“I wish I could help you, Jeff. But I don’t do pay advances.” I’d done that once when I’d first started out. The guy had taken a thousand-dollar advance and never shown up at the shop again.

“I understand. I just . . . I’m not a deadbeat dad. That’s what she’s calling me. But my little girl is two and she’s my entire world. My ex is a vicious bitch and she’s using Katy to get back at me. I can’t lose my daughter.”

Shit. I liked Jeff and saw some potential there. He was on my best crew and had been pulling his weight, even as the new guy. He worked hard. According to Gerry, my most tenured foreman, Jeff was the first one at the shop each morning and never asked to leave early.

I felt for the guy. I couldn’t imagine going through a nasty divorce.