TWENTY-TWO

She bounces back...and forth.

Leelo

“No. We’re talking two separate claims. One for a washer and dryer, and that one is accompanied by a police report. The second is new, the roof was damaged yesterday in the storm.”

I swear I’ve aged five years since I got on the phone with the insurance company. The woman on the other end doesn’t seem to be the sharpest hook in the tackle box. I’ve tried to explain twice already that these are not claims resulting from the same incident. Apparently they have different adjusters for the different types of claims, and she is unsure what to do next.

“Look,” I add, exasperated at the silence on the other side. “Why don’t we just start with the more recent one: the roof, since that clearly is something that needs to be addressed right away.”

She finally is able to decide who to put me through to, and I spend another thirty minutes with that guy on the phone, explaining in detail what happened and what is damaged. By the time I hang up, I have one claim activated and a promise that an adjuster will be by before the end of today. We’ll see.

I grab my coffee and step out the side door, onto the deck. It’s nice out. Beautiful, really. No more rain is expected until next week.

The boys are out back, finalizing the boat launch. The concrete ramp was dropped off this morning and luckily the storm hadn’t done more damage than a few branches they had to clear, so the delivery truck was able to get in and out quite easily. With the ramp in place, the guys are sloping the soil around it, so the transition will be smooth.

Roar woke me up this morning, when it was still pretty early, with his face in my neck and his hands all over my body. Apparently I’d fallen asleep naked and he made it obvious he had no objections to that. He rolled me almost to my stomach, pushed up my top leg with his own, and slipped inside me from behind.

His lovemaking was unhurried and gentle. His lips pressed to the back of my neck, mumbling sweet nothings against my skin.

It wasn’t until later, when I disappeared into his bathroom to clean up, that I noticed my hair had frizzed into a bird’s nest overnight. Charming. Roar went downstairs to fix us a quick breakfast, while I woke Matt up.

The bacon and eggs was about six hours ago and I’m getting peckish.

“You guys want some lunch?” I call out in the general direction of the water, and I smile when I hear Matt yell back.

“Hell yeah! Food!”

There’s been no sign of the hydro crew, so Roar brought over an old camping percolator for coffee. I brewed it on the barbeque. First time I ever made coffee that way, but it actually tastes great. Since the temperature in the fridge is slowly rising, I took out all the meat and tossed it on the grill as well. So I have the counter full quickly with ground beef patties, a couple of chicken breasts, and a foil packet with a few halibut filets. I’d skewered large chunks of vegetables along with cubes of halloumi cheese and grilled those as well.

I’ve barely pulled down the plates when Matt comes barrelling into the kitchen, grabbing a beef patty with his hands and eating it like a cookie as he dives into the fridge for a drink. Force of habit, because we actually put the drinks in the cooler, with some ice from the lodge, to keep at least those cold.

“Close that door. Drinks are in the cooler,” I remind him. “And there’s cutlery on the table, ya know?”

I shove a plate at him, just as Roar comes in the side door, with Ace on his heels. He grabs a drink from the cooler first, but then also snatches the beef with his hand.

“Cheers,” he says, smiling at Matt as he touches his patty to my grinning son’s, before shoving half the meat in his mouth. “Any word from Hydro? Did you try to call?” he asks, his mouth still half-full.

I give both of them a dramatic roll of the eyes, making Matt chuckle and leaving Roar with a grin on his face.

“No. Not yet. I’ve been on the phone with the insurance company and they’re sending someone out, hopefully today. Hydro is next on my list.”

Outside I can hear the crunch of wheels, and I gesture for Roar—who is ready to check it out—to keep eating while I go look.

A young guy, maybe thirty at most, is standing beside a newer-model pickup truck, looking up at my damaged roof. He appears a bit out of place in his dress pants and tie, but at least he has his shirtsleeves rolled up. It’s hot today.

“Can I help you?”

The guy turns at the sound of my voice, smiles, and walks toward me with his hand stretched out.

“Brian Dinker,” he introduces himself when I shake his proffered hand. “That’s some nasty damage. I’m guessing last night’s storm?”

“Yes,” I state simply. The man still hasn’t told me what he’s doing here. “How can I help you?” I repeat.

“More to the point,” he says, ignoring my question. “How might I be of assistance to you? Have you heard of the Northern Lights Group?” He doesn’t wait for my answer. “We’ve purchased and successfully developed several unique northern properties along the Trans-Canada Highway. We’re interested in your land. It’s close to the highway and yet gives off that secluded vibe people look for. We heard you might be in the market to sell.”

“I’m not sure where you heard that,” I snap. “I’m not selling.”

“Actually—” The smarmy smile on his face makes me want to haul out with my fist, but instead I keep them clenched at my side. “I was given to understand that recent unfortunate events might have changed your mind.”

“You heard wrong,” I answer, feeling the hair on my neck stand on end. The grin slides right off his face and he looks almost confused when his eyes dart over my shoulder.

“Is there a problem?” Roar’s deep voice rumbles behind me and I feel the heat of his body at my back. Ace, who must’ve come out with Roar leans his weight against my knee and growls softly.

“No problem at all,” young Mr. Dinker sputters, holding up his hands defensively. “Just some misinformation we apparently received.”

“Let me guess,” Roar snorts. “Kyle Thompson is your source of that misinformation?”

At Kyle’s name, Brian Dinker visibly startles.

“Actually—” he starts before Roar cuts him off.

“Don’t bother,” he says, his hand in the developer’s face. “I think the lady was clear enough the first time. I’m sorry you’ve wasted a trip, but she’s clearly not selling.”

“Of course, but in case you change your mind.” He sticks out a hand holding a business card to me, but I don’t even get a chance to take it. Roar grabs the younger man by his outstretched arm and marches him back to his truck, waits for him to get behind the wheel, start the truck and drive off before he turns back.

“Call Hydro One,” he says as he walks up. “I have a sneaky suspicion fucking Kyle may have been busy.”

Ten minutes later, his suspicions are confirmed. The hotline received a phone call early this morning from a gentleman cancelling the scheduled crew. I finally get off the phone with their apologies and assurances that a crew will be here before the end of the day, to find both Roar and Matt leaning on the counter, thunder in their eyes.

“I’m gonna pay that son of a bitch a visit,” Roar growls ominously, and I quickly put my hand on his arm.

“Let me call Bill instead. I don’t know what he can do with the information, but let him handle it. We’ve got a ramp to put in.”

After a brief but intense staredown, Roar nods, leans in to kiss me, and walks out of the kitchen, slapping Matt on the shoulder.

“Let’s go, slacker, the boss has spoken.”

Roar

“Call me later,” I mumble against Leelo’s lips.

I don’t like leaving her for the night, but weekends are busy at the lodge, and I have to show my face when the new guests come in tomorrow.

I’d asked her to come to the lodge again, even though the Hydro crew had come and gone, restoring power to the motel, but she insisted on staying. It made me feel marginally better that she wouldn’t be alone and promised to sleep with her phone by her side.

The claims adjuster had been and gone as well. Matt had done his own assessment of the damage, assured the guy he could do the work and gave him an on the spot quote for materials and labour needed. The man, pleasantly surprised at the low number, okayed it right away. Unfortunately, materials won’t be delivered until Monday. Matt won’t be able to do all the work by himself, and I won’t be able to help out until after the weekend. So for the weekend, they’ll have to keep the motel closed, to Leelo’s great disappointment.

The guy was nice enough to make up a claim report for the industrial washers and dryer as well. All it took was for him to stick his head inside the laundry room, take a good whiff of the rotting stench lingering inside, before also signing off on that.

Having that assurance did wonders for Leelo’s demeanour.

I made sure she woke up with a smile on her face, but that only lasted as long as it took us to get to the motel. The sight of her caved in roof wiped the smile right off.

So far I haven’t had a chance to ask about her finances—it’s not really my business—but I know she was on a budget and having to close down the motel and pass up on income, has got to hurt her bank account.

When she heard she would get money back, it went a long way to putting that smile back on her face.

Matt and I just finished loading each of those heavy fuckers in the back of our trucks, and are off to the dump before I head home.

“I will,” Leelo promises, squirming a little in my arms.

She’s still a little uncomfortable with public displays of affection when her kid can see, but I’m determined to cure her of that. I don’t have the fucking restraint to keep my hands off her and the kid is old enough. Besides, he may turn his head away every time I kiss her, but he does it with a grin on his face.

Matt follows me to the dump where we interrupt a couple of black bears in the middle of a meal. Unloading is easy enough; all we do is back up to the edge of the garbage ditch, drop the hatch and heave the machines over the edge. The bears, already backed up a little cautiously, run off into the woods at the loud impact.

“Look after your mom,” I tell Matt as we get into our respective trucks. He doesn’t answer, just gives me an affirmative chin lift.

The kid’s going to fit right in here.

-

“Love to, Charlie, but she’s had to shut things down after the storm. I’m pretty sure she’ll have the restaurant open next weekend.”

My mother is looking for a Saturday night dinner date, and apparently, I’ve just squashed her hopes of checking out Leelo’s buffet special.

“Oh.” That single syllable speaks volumes about her disappointment and pulls on my conscience. I haven’t spent that much time with her since Leelo moved up here. Not that she minds me spending time with my neighbour; if anything, she’s pushing me to move faster. But I can tell she’s a bit lonely.

“As soon as my last guests arrive, which should be any minute, I’ll come and pick you up. Take you to Kinniwabi Pines.” Her responding squeal makes me grin. She’s like a teenager sometimes.

“I should probably dress up then, right?”

I shake my head. Charlie, who is generally dressed to the nines at any time of day, will grab any opportunity she can to dial it up a notch. Chances are, she’ll show up ready for opening night gala, when we’re just going to a nice restaurant, not even all that fancy. It used to irritate me, but these days I actually get a kick out of her antics. I don’t embarrass that easily anymore. Besides, she’s old; she deserves to be a little eccentric.

“You probably should,” I answer, playing along.

“Wonderful! I’ll give Leelo a call and make sure we’re coordinated,” she titters excitedly.

How this went from me taking my mother for a bite on a Saturday night to a full out dinner date with two women, I have no clue, but such are the powers of Charlie.

Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that by the time I swing by the motel to pick up Leelo, she’s already waiting with Matt by her side. Her boy cleans up well, in dress khakis and a white dress shirt, but Leelo takes my breath away. Wearing a vintage dress with a large pink rose pattern, the bodice formfitting and the skirt wide and billowing, she looks like one of those mouth-watering 1950s pinup girls, with curves from here to eternity. Her cleavage is nothing if not impressive, and already I can tell I’ll have a hard time looking anywhere but there.

Fuck me.

“Your mom says we should take my Jeep so we’ll all fit,” she says when I get out of the truck.

Figures. Trust Charlie to need only half an hour to get everyone in line and organized.

“Sure,” I give in easily, plucking the keys from Leelo’s hand and tossing them to Matt. “You drive, I’ll be in the back seat with your mom.”

“Roar!” Leelo objects indignantly as I bend her over my arm and plant a resounding kiss on her plum-coloured lips. Matt just chuckles, rounds the Jeep, and without argument gets behind the wheel. His mother is a different story altogether. She doesn’t go meekly in the back seat.

“Stop it,” she hisses when I try to slide a hand up her skirt. Matt has his eyes glued to the road and easily recalls the way to Charlie’s place.

“Relax,” I whisper with my face buried in her hair. “Let me take all of you in. You’re stunning.”

I guess it was the right thing to say, because she stops resisting. When she realizes I don’t do anything more than stroke the soft skin of her leg, she snuggles a little tighter in my hold.

As expected, Charlie is decked out like she’s headed for the Queen’s Plate, or the Kentucky Derby, complete with large brimmed hat and little white gloves. Matt tries to hide his grin and Leelo can’t stop her soft giggles as I open the car door and help Charlie in. She has to sit with her head slightly tilted away from poor Matt, or the brim would block his vision, and I’m not quite sure how we’re going to fit around one of those small tables at the restaurant.

The Kinniwabi Pines is considered a fine dining restaurant by Wawa standards, but the ambiance is rustic. Log walls and ceilings, and plain wood furniture and white linens, it’s nothing special, but a treat for Charlie. The views are spectacular. Set high above the Dead River and looking toward the provincial park right on the edge of Lake Superior, the scenery is worth the drive. I make sure the drive is worthwhile in the back seat of Leelo’s Jeep, with my hand on her knee and her head on my shoulder. Of course, Charlie tries to crane her neck to see what’s going on behind her, but the ridiculous hat prevents sufficient movement, to her frustration and my amusement.

“This is stunning,” Leelo exclaims once we’re all seated.

“Isn’t it?” Charlie answers before I have a chance to respond. “You know this is the prime spot for locals to go for a romantic dinner?”

“Charlie...” I warn, sensing where this is going. “It’s hardly a romantic dinner when your mother is at the table.”

“Well,” she says, pseudo offended. “I just want her to be prepared next time you invite her here.”

I ignore Matt’s snickering and Leelo’s soft chuckle and try to burn Charlie with my glare.

“Prepared for what exactly?”

I know I made a mistake not dropping the subject, when a superior smile settles on Charlie’s face, and she answers with smug satisfaction.

“Good grief, for a ring on her finger of course!”