“Shit,” Dayton swears, rubbing a hand over his neck. “This isn’t going to be covered by our insurance.”
“What?” I gape at him.
He shakes his head. “Builders risk insurance doesn’t cover external additions unless you add it on. I wanted to save on the cost, so I didn’t.”
My stomach churns. I can’t believe this happened only a month away from us finishing and listing the house. The back deck was going to be a huge selling point. With the mural, the view of the beach, and the outdoor kitchen we were planning to add, it was the best part of the entire house.
After all the upgrades I made, the budget was stretched thinas it was. Now, there’s no way we can finish it with what money we have left. Guilt weighs on my shoulders.
Javier comes around the side of the house, his face grim. “Well, the good news is, there’s no damage inside. Where did you two take cover last night?”
“Oh shit, January.” Dayton takes off toward the beach at a run, looping around toward our neighbor’s house once he reaches the sand.
I stare after him.
Javier looks at me, shrugging. “He must not know about her canned goods collection and the storm cellar.”
A few minutes later, Dayton is back, January tucked into one arm with Birdie on the other.
“Quite a nice young man. And we almost invited you kids over, but we figured you were getting busy, and you’d come on if you got too scared.”
January’s smile fades as they walk up and see the destroyed deck. “Oh dear, that’s quite a shame. Javier, when will the crew be back out to rebuild so I can make sure we have enough tequila and limes?”
Javier pinches the bridge between his eyes. “We’ll start right away, Ms. Jackson.”
She nods, winking at Birdie before masking her features again into a sad frown.
“Sorry about your house, deary. This is quite the mess. You’ve done such a great job with it too,” Birdie says to me.
“I’m just hoping the rest of the town is okay. We should go through and check on everyone, especially the beachfront properties.”
Wendy’s bed-and-breakfast immediately jumps to the forefront of my mind, but at least she’s farther back from the water.
“The storm left a wake of fallen trees and debris along thebeaches and roads. I had to get out and move several out of the way.” Javier speaks from my left.
Dayton is studying the back deck, deep in thought. He lets go of the ladies’ arms and walks over to where the first piece of deck is. He bends down and picks it up before turning to Javier.
“Do you have your trailer?”
Javier shakes his head. “It’s at my house. I can go get it.”
Dayton nods. “I’ll start on cleanup.”
I stare in shock as he pulls his shirt off, tosses it to the side, and starts gathering the loose debris into a pile. Javier seems to be just as surprised. He blinks twice before jolting out of the trancelike state he was in.
“Of course, yes. I’ll get the trailer and some of the workers to come help.” He scurries off toward the front of the house.
Birdie and January look at each other before glancing my way.
“We’ll be back later, honey. Don’t let him work too fast before we get a chance to make a pitcher of mimosas and invite Lucille over!”
They start hobbling back to January’s house.
“Okay, uh, I won’t.” I wave at them.
Drool starts pooling on my bottom lip as I watch the sun glistening on Dayton’s sweaty, defined back and shoulder muscles. My breathing is ragged. He should be studied in anatomy classrooms, like those little drawings in medical textbooks that show every muscle underneath the skin.
I shake my head, trying to snap out of it as I pick up a board to throw on the growing pile. He turns, grabbing my wrist. He uses his free arm to wipe the sweat off his brow.