Building Buddies
"You asked to see me boss?" Geoff said poking his head around the office door.
"Ah yes, come in Geoff."
Geoff sat down on the chair.
"I'll get straight to it Geoff, I need you to go on a job."
"A staying away job I'm guessing?"
"Yes, look - it's an extension, not massive - and it's just for two weeks. A company has started the job but has just gone under. It needs to be completed by the 21
st
as the owner is returning from abroad. You'll have double time for everything over 37 hours. How does that sound?"
Geoff thought that was a bloody good deal, he'd be able to earn a fair packet for the fortnights work.
"It's a lovely location as well," his boss continued "and you won't be on your own; you'll have help. The Norwich branch is sending up someone as well."
"Who?" Geoff inquired slightly uneasily.
He watched his boss pick up a piece of paper.
"It say's here he's been in the building business for 8 years and has experience of new builds and old properties."
"When do I go?"
Geoff made the long drive down on Sunday evening hoping to make an early start on Monday morning. He eventually found the property - it really was in the middle of nowhere. He parked his van and looked at the house. It looked fairly modest but as the old saying goes; location... He got out and walked up the front path and then turned around. What a view he thought to himself. All he could see was a rolling patchwork of green and yellow fields in the valley below. Somewhere in the distance a combine harvester worked a field of corn, a large cloud of dust drifted off in the light breeze. He had the sudden sobering realisation, he would consider selling his smart house in town to live somewhere like this given the chance.
He let himself in and scanned the rooms. It was tastefully furnished and he tried to imagine what type of people the owners were. He then saw a stack of toolboxes in the kitchen, he thought he'd be the first one there, but he was obviously wrong. He then walked over to the kitchen window to get his first look at the unfinished extension. He then saw her...
What the? He thought. He could see a young woman, probably the same sort of age as himself sitting on a recliner in the garden reading. What really caught his eye though was that he saw she was wearing the shortest pair of shorts he'd ever seen. He suddenly panicked and thought maybe he was at the wrong address. But he then realised the door key had worked... Just then the woman looked up and saw him standing there. He waved awkwardly at her. He then watched as she got up and walked towards the house. He stood frozen to the spot as he then saw the back door open.
"You must be Geoff?" She said holding out a hand.
"Err, yes. How..?"
She saw him clicking things over in his head and smiled.
"I'm Joanne, but everyone calls me Jo. I'm your helping hands for the fortnight."
"But I thought..?"
"That I was going to be a man?"
"Well, yes. That was what I was told."
There was an awkward moment before she spoke;
"It's not going to be a problem is it?" She said sternly.
Geoff quickly got himself together and held out his hand to her.
"Not at all. Nice to meet you Jo."
He then watched her walk to the fridge and open it; she pulled out two cold beers.
"Here, I took the liberty of bringing some supplies." She said handing him a can.
Geoff opened it.
"Thanks, I really need this."
"Well, I thought; we don't need to rough it do we? Well, not until the work starts tomorrow anyway. Cheers."
They then sat in the garden catching the dying sun. They chatted briefly about the building trade and Jo filled him in with the details about the company who'd started the job. She also explained the absence of another works van after she said she was dropped off by a colleague. After they had finished their beers they both walked through to the partially finished extension. Geoff looked at the standard of work.
"At least it all looks up to standard," he said.
"Yes - that's got to be a good thing for us." She added.
Geoff then looked at the stack of UPVC window frames and double glazing units stacked up.
"Be nice to get them in before the weather changes." He said.
"My thoughts exactly, first job tomorrow?" Jo said studying a frame.
"Sounds like a good plan."
They then walked back into the kitchen.
"I've had a look at the sleeping arrangements and we've got three bedrooms to choose from." Jo said.
Geoff couldn't stop himself from picturing him cuddling up to the lovely Jo in bed that evening.
"I've bagged the biggest, as I got here first, so you've got the two guest bedrooms to choose from." She added.
Geoff couldn't help himself give a little chuckle as he felt a little disappointed...
"Did I miss something?" She said with her hands on her hips.
"No, sorry, I think I'm going to have an early night and catch up on some emails. Shall we say 6.30 start?"
He saw Jo look away and then look back at him.
"Sounds good to me," she said.
Geoff settled into the first spare bedroom he got to. It was facing the best view and he stood there looking out of the window for a long time daydreaming...
"Morning." Geoff said to a very bleary eyed Jo as she walked into the kitchen.
He watched her as she just raised a hand and nodded. She then went straight to the kettle.
"Long night?" He joked.
"Oh, you wouldn't believe it. I've never had two men at the same time before."
Geoff nearly choked on his cereal. The vision of Jo being spit roasted pinged into his head.
"Only joking; I love to read, and once I start it can be 2 o'clock before I know it." She said pouring herself a coffee.
The morning got off to a good start. Geoff was thankful that the fairly small Jo was as strong as an ox. Between them they had the three window frames in by 10 o'clock. Geoff was a little perturbed to see the short shorts back in play during work time. He conceded he was in shorts himself and the weather was extremely hot but he couldn't stop himself from sneaking a look of her bending over at every opportunity. It got to the point where he felt compelled to tell her she had the sweetest ass he'd ever seen, but in the end thought better of it.
It started going wrong for Jo after the windows were fitted...
"Here," he said giving her the tape measure.
He held the end on the length of wood they'd be cutting for the largest window sill. Jo took the tape and pulled it out until it rested on the end of the piece.
"What have we got to play with?" Geoff said.
"Err, 2135."
"2135 what?" Geoff said.
"Oh, bugger - sorry, I haven't got my reading glasses on."
"Hear, let me."
Geoff then took the tape from her and they switched ends.
They then sat down for their first lunch break. They sat in the front garden looking at the view.
