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Grabbing my backpack and the emotional support water bottle I filled before I left, I exit my car and make my way into the building, using the key Bryce had given me last time. I drop my stuff by the reception desk, noting the two—barely touched—iced coffees sitting there. Carter Abrams must have finally decided to grace us with his presence.

No one is around, though, so I take a moment to pull my laptop out of my bag and check emails. There are also a few contracts I want to check the status of. Just like normal, I quickly become so engrossed in my work and I don’t notice someone else enter the lobby until they clear their throat.

When I look up, I see a redhead with messy, wavy hair standing there in leggings and a loose-fitting Team USA shirt. “Hi, you must be Katrina, the contractor?”

My brow arches at this stranger who knows my name. “Yes? I’m sorry, but should I know who you are?”

Her eyes roll in a frustrated sort of way. “Of course he didn’t tell you.” She steps closer until she’s smiling down at me over the edge of the desk and I’m more confused than I remember ever being in my life. “Joslyn Martin, but you can call me Josie. I’m Bryce’s girlfriend.”

“Oh!” I stand to shake her hand. “He didn’t tell me you’d be joining us today. It’s nice to meet you, Josie.”

Her smile is gentle, warm, and welcoming. “Nice to meet you too, Katrina.”

“Call me Kat, please.”

I don’t normally tell strangers to call me by a nickname I can’t even get my boyfriend or family to use, but something about her makes me feel comfortable. Maybe it’s the warm smile or the messy hair, but it’s evident she’s comfortable in her own skin. Which is something I’m trying to be better about. They say to surround yourself with the energy you want in your own life, after all.

Josie steps around the counter, collapsing into the only available seat beside me. She reaches for one of the coffees. “I have to tell you; I am so beyond excited to have another woman around. I love Bryce, but he’s been the only person I’ve spent time with since moving here.”

Instantly, I know what she means. While I may not have a lot of friends, I would go crazy if Nadine weren’t at Dalton Enterprises. She is one of the few people I see outside of work and consider a real friend. Maybe it’s out of necessity, being the only women in the office, but I don’t care. I’m grateful to have her as a friend. So, I get it.

“Happy to be here,” I say with a small smile. “When did y’all move here?”

“July.” Her answer surprises me. I hadn’t expected them to move for the pool, but why else would they have moved so close to the purchase date? “It was all a bit surprising and a little rushed, given the circumstances.”

I tilt my head with a slight frown. “The circumstances?”

“Yeah, Carter bought the place kind of out of nowhere,” she tells me. “He had a small panic about what he was going to do after he retires, saw this place for sale, and just went for it.”

Brent’s words from the meeting months ago ring in my mind. This place could end up failing a year after it opens, especially if it was bought out of the blue. If that happens, it would be a waste of my time and resources. Even worse, it would make Dalton Enterprises look bad, and Thomas will surely blame me for that.

Unaffected by my internal panic, Josie continues. “He called Bryce, who honestly needed something like this, and asked him to run it with him. We packed everything up and moved out here from Omaha in a matter of weeks.”

“Wait, hang on,” I reply. “Bryce wasn’t part of the initial buying process, but he’s the one here dealing with the remodel?” She nods, taking a sip of coffee. “They must be good friends or Bryce has a lot of trust in Carter. Did he know what the plan was before he moved out here?”

“He had a general idea. They talked it all through before Bryce agreed. I’m honestly glad this came up. It’s right in line with what I always saw the two of them doing after they retired. I knew Bryce wouldn’t be happy in a corporate setting forever.”

Now that was something I absolutely could not picture. “How long did they swim for?”

She looks over at me, an appraising glint in her eyes. I wonder if she can tell I’m not part of this world, that I’m clueless about this sport. That maybe I’m not the right person for this job. “Their whole lives, almost. They grew up in club and age group swimming. Then they both swam through college before turning pro. Bryce swam professionally until 2022 and Carter’s still going.”

“Until after the upcoming Olympics,” I finish, basing my answer on the little bit of information I know about the owners. “Then he’s retiring, right?”

She downs the rest of her coffee with a shrug before standing. “Maybe. It’s what he says.”

My eyes track her movements as she tosses the cup in the recycle bin. “What do you mean?”

“He could change his mind. He’s not even thirty yet, isn’t battling an injury. He might decide he’s not quite done yet. It’s happened with other athletes before.”

Brent’s words come floating back again. “What will happen to this place if he decides to keep going?”

“Bryce will run it,” she replies. “Speaking of him, I need to go find him. It was nice to meet you, Kat! I’ll see you when it’s time to break shit!”

I can’t help but laugh as she waves at me over her shoulder. “We’ll start in an hour!”

I’m left in silence once again, allowing the whirlwind of information to swirl in my mind. I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s already bad enough Carter isn’t here for the remodel and decisions are going to have to be made without his input sometimes, but now there’s a chance it could be years before he’s even part of this business. The chance of success seems to be slipping further and further away.

None of that can matter. I need to focus on the project and the information I have on hand. At the end of the day, my job is to finish this rebuild on time and on budget. Preferably early and under budget, but that can’t happen if I get caught up in whatever is going on with the owners.