Borrowing Trouble(2)

“Naw. They all sniffed around the job but wanted the extra pay without the extra hours.”

Not surprising at all. He wasn’t sure how good they’d take to an outsider coming in as their boss, but his dad knew best. And Landon had no interest in being manager anymore, so he’d take what he could get.

“Marty Bennett told me his son-in-law was looking for better paying work.”

Landon furrowed his brow, trying to remember the son-in-law in question. “Bethany’s old man? Thought she was in Atlanta?”

“Name’s Jay. I s’pose they’re actually split up. She’s off at Emory. Marty says he’s a good guy, though. Let her go off and get some fancy degree and keeps the kids during the school year. Marty figures they’ll end up back together at some point, high school sweethearts and all.”

Landon smiled again. “You old men are as bad as the blue haired ladies with your gossipping.”

His dad harrumphed. “Nothin’ wrong with a man wanting his kid happy. Thinks they’re a good fit and Jay’s a good family man, treats his girl well. It’s best for those kids, you know.” Landon’s dad and his friends were old school, so they would think that. Landon thought he remembered Jay from the couple times the man stopped by when Bethany had babysat Landon. They were both a good seven or so years older than him, so he didn’t remember either of them all that well.

“When’s he start?” Landon asked.

“Monday, next week. You should come by tomorrow and meet him. Your mama is makin’ dinner for him and his kids over at the house tomorrow night.”

“You know I wouldn’t miss a free meal, pops.” Landon also wanted to meet the man he’d undoubtedly have to train before they got mired in the work.

“Your mama will be happy to hear it. You can cut out early since it’s Friday, so come on over to the house at six o’clock.”

“Will do. Anything else you need?”

“That’s all. You get on out on the road again. We’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”

“Yessir,” Landon confirmed, and headed on out to check that his next trailer was loaded. He couldn’t wait to shake the man’s hand who’d be lightening his work load. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have too many days left like this one where he’d have to come in and write up payroll. Maybe he’d actually be able to get out to Jackson on the weekends and scratch a long-burning itch he’d let fall by the wayside for months now.

***

Landon showed up at his parents’ house the next night a little after six. He’d managed to get all the payroll checks passed out and still had time for a shower and a change of clothes. Thank God for small favors, he wouldn’t meet his new mill manager in dusty, day-old clothes and muddy boots. Not that the man would actually be paying attention, and he’d sure understand if Landon was dirty, since he presumed the man was used to dirty work clothes.

Landon had seen the man’s application and his work experience was full of welding, mechanical, and mill work. Hired as a favor to a friend or not, the man had almost twenty years of solid hands-on experience, so he was more than qualified for the position he was stepping into. He’d even been a supervisor at the steel plant he’d worked at in Tupelo before moving back to his hometown. Ms. Lynne knew the family and had shared that Jay had moved to get his kids closer to his in-laws so they’d have family around while he worked.

Landon parked his truck in his parents’ massive, dusty yard next to his father’s dually and pet their two black labs that ran out to him as his mother opened the front door. “There’s my handsome son!” She waved from the porch as Landon approached.

Hugging her neck, he greeted, “Hey, Mama.”

“Glad you could make it for dinner. You work too hard, I never get to see you anymore.”

“Hopefully this new manager is gonna change that.”

“He’s a nice man. Your daddy seems to like him.”

“That’s good,” Landon said with a smile, walking in the house and shedding his jacket. His mother took his jacket and hung it up on her overstuffed coat rack by the door. She asked him about work as he followed her to the kitchen-slash-dining room. As they approached, he could hear his father’s booming laugh, which meant his dad must really like the guy.

“Jay, do you remember my son, Landon?” his mother asked when they turned the corner into the room. Landon blinked and willed his body to behave when he took in the form of the new manager he was going to be training. Holy hell.

The man was as tall as Landon’s father, slimmer in the mid-section, but well-muscled up top from hard work. The baby blue henley he was wearing was tight on his chest and biceps, which were nicely defined. The lighter blue of the shirt set off his sun bronzed skin. His short brown hair and stubbled beard had a few lighter patches that’ll probably grey in another five years or so, but he didn’t seem all that much older than Landon. Those light patches only served to make him more attractive. Kind brown eyes crinkled at the sides with a smile that nearly took Landon’s knees from under him. Jay extended a large hand at Landon, who stood blinking for just long enough that his mother had to smack his shoulder.

Landon shook his head to snap himself out of his embarrassing daze and walked forward to shake the man’s hand. “Surely this can’t be little Landon? Last time I saw you, you couldn’t have been more than ninety pounds dripping wet.”