David’s pulse quickened the following Monday morning as he drove through the snowcapped mountains in Lehi, Utah, on his way to work. He’d gotten up earlier than usual, and he’d tried on at least four different shirt and tie combinations and brushed his hair and beard more times than he cared to count. He never realized new beginnings could be so nerve-racking, but then again, he’d never experienced one.

As he pulled into the parking lot of Mason Brothers Contracting, he took a couple of deep breaths to try and settle his nerves. He’d seen pictures of the company online, but they were nothing compared to seeing the rustic two-storied building in person. He parked his truck and exited the vehicle, and as a cool breeze whisked past him, he wished he’d brought his jacket. March in Texas and March in Utah were two totally different things, and the cooler temperature was definitely something he would have to get used to.

“David Maxwell?”

He turned to find the owner of MBC, Aaron Mason, standing near a corner of the building. He recognized him from his pictures online, and David nodded as he walked over to join him.

“I’m Aaron Mason. Welcome to Lehi. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you, and it’s nice to finally meet you in person.”

He shook Aaron’s outstretched hand. “Thank you. I’m happy to be here.”

Aaron motioned to the lot behind the main building where several men were moving about on forklifts, loading wooden beams onto flatbed trucks. The area was massive, and there were numerous smaller buildings in a row, filled with different types of wood and some containing jigsaws, sawhorses, and other equipment.

“I thought I would give you a tour of the grounds first before we go inside so you can get a feel of where everything is and introduce you to some of the guys you’ll be working with.”

They walked the expansive property for over an hour, with Aaron describing every nook and cranny in great detail. David knew MBC was one of the most prestigious construction companies in Lehi, but he had no idea just how big it was. He tried to memorize the names of every individual he met, but that was impossible, given how many there were.

“Tell me about some of the projects you worked on in Texas,” Aaron said.

David slipped his hands inside the front pockets of his dress slacks as they turned the last corner of the main building and headed for the front door entrance. “I mostly worked side-by-side with the architects and engineers and helped design several businesses from Abilene to Lubbock. My biggest project to date was a mall in downtown Abilene, but we worked on some small developments, too, including two churches and a school gymnasium.”

He glanced beside him and caught Aaron nodding. “Did you ever help with the construction part or just the design stage?”

They reached the double-door entrance, and Aaron walked a couple of feet ahead of him and opened one of the doors. When David stepped into the huge foyer, he was instantly drawn to the high ceilings lined with wooden beams.

“I helped with construction, too, as much as I could. It’s my favorite part of the business, and I like getting my hands dirty.”

He noticed his reply made Aaron smile. “I’ve seen pictures from some of your projects. I was very impressed, and I knew right away you would be a valuable asset to our company. I’m glad you’re on board.”

They shook hands again, and Aaron’s chest swelled with pride. He felt like he truly belonged there, and the missing pieces of his life were starting to come together at last.

“Thank you. I can’t wait to get started.”

He led David through the foyer to the first office on the right, and his heart started racing when he walked inside and saw the beautiful woman who occupied it.

“Before we go any further, I’d like to introduce you to the backbone of our company and the woman who keeps me in line and keeps this place running like clockwork, our receptionist, Candice Hollins. Candice, this is David Maxwell, our new construction manager.”

She stood and held out a hand to greet him, and when he closed his fingers around hers, he was immediately struck by the softness of her skin and the warmth that radiated from her body. Her long brown hair cascaded in waves over her shoulders, and she had the most mesmerizing light brown eyes he’d ever seen. She blushed at Aaron’s compliment, and when she smiled, it lit up the entire room.

“I’m afraid Aaron gives me more credit than I deserve,” she replied, with a shy glance in his direction. “It’s nice meeting you, David.”

He felt like an awestruck schoolboy, and he let go of her hand when his palms started sweating. He stuffed his hands back inside his pockets and cleared his throat, which had suddenly become as parched as the Sahara Desert, before trusting his mouth to form words.

“Thank you, Candice. It’s nice meeting you too.”

Aaron put a hand on David’s shoulder and motioned the other one toward Candice. “If there’s anything you’d like to know about Mason Brothers Contracting that I can’t help you with, Candice is the one to go to. She’s been here eight years, and she knows the place better than I do.”

He laughed when he said it, and Candice’s face reddened again. He could tell she was uncomfortable with the adulation, and she held up a hand to try and keep Aaron from embarrassing her further. “I don’t know about that, but if you do have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

They talked a couple more minutes, and when Aaron signaled it was time to leave, he had to force his feet to move. He could’ve stood there and talked to Candice all day and been perfectly content.

“Now, let me introduce you to the rest of the employees. Most of the engineers work on the first floor. My office is right over here …”

Aaron’s voice faded away as David turned to glance at Candice one last time before they turned a corner of the corridor. She was sitting behind her desk again, but he furrowed his brow when he noticed she was leaning over her desk and covering her face with her hands. She looked up for a brief moment, and although it didn’t look like she was crying, she did have a distant look on her face as she stared at the wall across from her desk.

He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, however, when they bumped into someone as soon as they turned the corner. He and Aaron came to a complete stop, and the man gripped the two folders in his hands to keep from dropping them.

“Braxton Lennon! You’re just the man I wanted to see,” Aaron proclaimed.

The man squinted as his gaze flitted between the two of them, but once Aaron introduced him, he saw a hint of recognition in his eyes. David held out a hand to greet him, and Braxton shifted his folders from one arm to the other before shaking it.

“Braxton is the lead foreman here at MBC, and you’ll be working side-by-side with him on a daily basis. Braxton, I’m going to finish showing David around, but why don’t you meet us in my office in about thirty minutes and we’ll get him up to speed on our current projects.”

Braxton agreed before he was off and running down the corridor again.

“You might have a time keeping up with that one,” Aaron said. “He’s the best foreman I’ve ever worked with, but he’s as jumpy as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and never still. I wish I had his energy.”

David laughed at his remark, and as they finished the tour, the anxiety he’d felt in the beginning was slowly starting to dissipate. Everyone he met was genuinely nice, and he could see himself laying down roots in Lehi and with the company. He felt at peace with the whole situation, something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“And this is your office,” Aaron stated. “Tell me what you think.”

David opened the door and was amazed at the sheer size of it. The outside wall was lined with tall windows, and the view was spectacular. Beyond the lot behind MBC was an open field that seemed to stretch for miles, and the snowcapped mountains in the distance were the idyllic backdrop.

The room contained a large desk, an office chair, two leather chairs, three bookshelves, a tall lamp, a filing cabinet, and a large potted plant in a corner of the room. There was also an adjoining bathroom. He could probably fit his office in Texas plus two more inside this one room. It was a bit overwhelming at first, and he didn’t quite know how to respond.

“I’m guessing by your speechlessness that you approve,” Aaron said with a laugh.

David grinned widely. “Yes, it’s perfect. Thank you so much.”

He wanted to stay longer and explore, but Aaron glanced at his watch and told him they needed to get back to his office and meet with Braxton, so he reluctantly closed the door and followed him. Braxton was already there when they entered the room, and as the three of them started pouring over MBC’s current contracts, David could tell right away that he and Braxton would get along. He seemed very proficient at what he did, and his positive attitude and gusto—or jumpiness as Aaron described it—made him excited and anxious to get started.

“Well, David, I’m curious as to what you think about the company, now that you’ve had the opportunity to tour the grounds and meet everyone. Do you think you made the right choice?” Aaron asked as he leaned back in his office chair and laced his fingers over his protruding belly.

David nodded as he glanced between his new boss and Braxton. “Most definitely.”