Maggie Moves On(21)

“This is just an introductory kind of interview. Dean or I will ask you questions, and you answer to the camera,” she said.

“I’m ready when you are,” he said with that trademark smile.

“Okay, Sly Sy,” Dean said, hitting record. “We’ll warm you up. Where’s your barfing dog today?”

Silas grinned at the mention of Kevin. “Kevin’s at doggy daycare today. I keep him at home during the early days of a job because he likes to take advantage of the chaos. He sneaks off and noses his way into everyone’s lunches. Plus, I don’t like to bring him along until the owner gives permission. Not everyone likes to find a fat pit bull napping in their recliner.”

“Maggie doesn’t have a recliner, so I’m sure Kevin’s welcome here,” Dean said.

“He is. And if you need to keep him out of trouble, there are plenty of places inside he can hang out.”

Silas’s gray eyes were warm and amused and locked on her face. It made her wish she had something to do with her hands.

“So, tell us about yourself,” Dean said, directing them back to the task at hand.

Silas crossed his arms over his chest, little beads of sweat glinting in the sun in blue-collar perfection. “I’m Silas Wright, owner of Bitterroot Landscapes in Kinship, Idaho,” he began.

Maggie could hear subscribers swooning right out of their seats.

“What does it mean to you to be a part of this project?” Dean asked.

“The Old Campbell Place is part of our history in this town. Anyone who’s ever come to Kinship sees the big house on the hill and wonders about it. It’s a dream come true to get my hands on her,” he said, his gaze sliding to Maggie again.

She absolutely refused to think about the idea of him getting his hands on…anything.

“History’s important to Idahoans,” Silas continued. “We’re part of the Wild West. We like to make our mark on things. And we’re all proud that Maggie asked us to be a part of breathing life back into this landmark.”

Swoony. Savvy. Smart. She couldn’t wait for the world to get their first glimpse of Silas Wright.

When Dean asked him for an overview of what his crew would be doing, Silas suggested they walk and talk. Maggie followed along behind them as Dean filmed and Silas charmed. She found herself getting excited all over again as he discussed the plans for the grounds.

“You’re a natural,” Dean said, finally turning off the camera. “Maybe I don’t hate you so much for getting Maggie to say yes to your astronomical estimate.”

“Maggie wanted to say yes,” Silas told him. “I just gave her a good enough reason to.”

“How about we do an interview with the two of you?” Dean suggested.

It was perfectly normal. Maggie did it all the time. But this was the first time it had ever felt like a setup.

“I think we’ve got enough footage, don’t you?” she said pointedly.

“No such thing,” Dean insisted with cheer. “Meet me on the front porch in five. I’m swapping out batteries and cards. You can talk about the first impression Sly Sy made.”

“He’s a lot happier in the afternoon,” Silas noted as Dean bopped toward the front of the house.

“The man runs on caffeine and protein shakes,” she said as they picked their way through the backyard and around the side of the house. She spotted Billy scootching carefully across the sunporch roof on his butt. “Has he been in roofing long?” she asked.

Silas followed her gaze. “Billy’s fresh off the turnip truck,” he joked. “He worked in payroll at Canyon Custom Cabinetry. Until two weeks ago.”

“The factory that shuttered?” she asked.

“That’s the one,” he said, taking his hat off again and running a big hand through his hair. “Forty-eight years in business and then bam. Done. The executives hightailed it out of town and had the sheriff’s department escort employees out of the building on a Friday afternoon.”

“Wow. What happened?” she asked, kicking at a lump of earth that had been dislodged.

“Top-heavy organizational chart. Big, fat bonuses for the executives. Pay cuts and understaffing for the workers. Some joker figured out how to save money by messing with the quality of the product, and they all but killed the demand. Three hundred and fifty neighbors out of work in one day.”

“So now Billy’s a roofer.”

“We do what we can, where we can, to take care of our own,” Silas said. “Marta’s new, too.” He nodded toward the woman with the wheelbarrow. She had broad shoulders, narrow hips, a manicure, and looked like she was having the time of her life.

“She looks a little more confident on the job than Billy,” Maggie noted.

Silas grinned. “I bet Lou first pick that the Broncs—that’s the Boise State Broncos—would hire a new head coach in the off-season. I was right, so I got Marta and he got Billy. And now thanks to you hiring both companies, Marta can still afford to pay her sitter, and Billy doesn’t have to decide between groceries and insulin.”

“You should be saving this for the camera,” she teased.

He paused and looked deadly serious. “I don’t need to look like a hero if it makes someone else look like a victim.”