Page 13 of A Tempting Seduction (Protectors of Jasper Creek #5)
Chapter Seven
The construction trailer was starting to feel warm.
Thank God for the air conditioning unit that was working overtime to keep the blueprints from curling at the edges.
I spread the latest revisions across the folding table and anchored the corners with coffee mugs while Walker perched on a stack of supply catalogs, his long legs stretched out in front of him.
Renzo Drakos stood at the head of the table, his finger tracing property lines on the site plan. The man had the kind of focused intensity that came from years of turning architectural dreams into concrete reality. He was damn good at his job.
“The mixed-use residential development will span fifty-seven acres on the eastern outskirts of Jasper Creek,” Renzo said, his voice carrying the confidence of someone who knew his business inside and out.
“Fifty-seven acres.” Walker whistled low. “Harvey wasn't kidding when he said this was big.”
Renzo nodded and pointed to different sections of the blueprint.
“We've got three distinct housing tiers. The luxury homes will sit on the ridge, taking advantage of the mountain views. One to two acres per lot, custom everything. The price will be what the customer wants to pay. Each home will be different. We’ll set the clients up with one of the three architects we’ve approved.
We’ve already had three of the lots sold, and two sets of drawings with structural engineers.
Things are ramping up quick. As soon as the stamped drawings come in, you’ll be one of the first to see them. ”
“Mid-tier housing goes here.” Renzo's finger moved to the center section of the development. “Quarter-acre lots, three- and four-bedroom floor plans, designed for growing families.”
“That's where the real market is,” Walker said. “Young professionals, families moving out from Knoxville who want small-town living but don't want to sacrifice modern amenities.”
“Exactly.” Renzo's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Plus, we’ve got a price point that is fifteen percent under what is currently being sold in Gatlinburg.”
I looked up fast. “How are you doing that?”
“Two ways. Harvey’s been sitting on the land for fifteen years, so he got it cheap compared to the prices now. Next, is because of the people we’ve chosen to work with. We didn’t choose the lowest bids, but we chose reasonable ones by reputable people. That’s keeping costs down.”
I looked Renzo in the eye. “It sounds to me like you might not be making as much profit as you usually would when I look at these prices.”
“You’d be right. Harvey and I wanted to work close to home. What’s more, we wanted to build something that we could be proud of. Something that the people of Jasper Creek could be proud of.”
“I hear that,” I whispered. Walker nodded.
“But here's what makes this project really special,” Renzo said.
He turned to a different section of the plans, where smaller structures were clustered near the main road. The drawings showed modest homes, efficiently designed but still attractive.
“Entry-level housing. One- and two-bedroom units, some with small yards, others configured as townhomes. We're talking about homes that working families can actually afford.”
I studied the floor plans. Nine hundred square feet for the one-bedroom units, twelve to fourteen hundred for the two-to-four-bedroom homes. Simple layouts, but well-designed with good natural light and functional kitchens.
“What kind of pricing are we looking at for these?” I asked.
Walker whistled when Renzo told us the price points.
“The goal is to give people a chance to build equity instead of throwing money away on rent.”
Walker straightened up from his makeshift seat. “Those numbers would work for a lot of folks around here. Teachers, retail workers, people just starting out.”
I felt something stir in my chest. Excitement, maybe. Or hope. “What about those?” I asked as I pointed to the smallest units.
Renzo looked at me with curiosity. “Those would be the one-bedroom townhomes. Seven to eight hundred square feet, shared walls but private entrances. Small yards in back, one parking space in front. Why?”
I glanced at Walker, then back at the blueprints. The weight of possibility settled over me.
“Wouldn't it be amazing if Blue Ash Village could be a thing of the past?”
Walker's expression shifted, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Jesus, Ford. You're right.”
“What's Blue Ash Village?” Renzo asked.
“Trailer park about four miles south of town,” Walker said. “Some people call it Blue Ass Village, if that tells you anything about the reputation.”
“It's where people end up when they don't have anywhere else to go,” I added. “The trailers are old, half of them aren't properly winterized, and the whole place floods every time we get heavy rain. It’s nothing like a real mobile home park.”
Renzo frowned. “Sounds like a health hazard.”
“It is.” Walker stood up and moved to the window, looking out at the construction site.
“Don’t get us wrong, not every place was crap.
Some people really gave a damn and tried to keep things nice.
But we grew up knowing kids who lived there.
Smart kids, good kids, but they were ashamed of their address. It was sad.”
“Yeah, if Nolan could have lived in one of these low-cost homes, it would have made a huge difference for him.”
Renzo's head snapped up. “Nolan O'Rourke? The one who works with Onyx Security?”
Walker and I both nodded.
“Nolan spent the first years of his life in the Village,” I said.
Renzo was quiet for a moment, studying the plans with new eyes. “These entry-level homes would give people dignity.”
“More than that,” I said. “They'd give them stability. A foundation to build on instead of just surviving. This project could really help some of the folks in Jasper Creek.”
“You know what's smart about this whole setup?” Walker said, studying the blueprints again.
“Most developers would build all luxury or all mid-tier to maximize profit per unit. But having all three tiers in one development? The luxury homes subsidize the infrastructure costs, the mid-tier brings steady sales volume, and the entry-level creates a built-in workforce for the whole area.” He tapped the site plan.
“Every teacher, retail worker, and service employee who buys one of these starter homes becomes invested in keeping property values up.
It's not just good for the community, it's a self-sustaining business model.”
“Exactly!” Renzo rolled up the blueprints with careful precision. “Harvey mentioned that this development was about more than profit. I'm starting to understand what he meant.”
“Don't get me wrong,” I said. “We're running a business, not a charity. But there's no reason we can't do well by doing good.”
“Especially when the millwork contracts for this project will keep us busy for the next two years,” Walker added with a grin.
Renzo laughed. “I like the way you think, both of you. This is exactly the kind of project I wanted to work on when I decided to stay in Jasper Creek.”
We spent another hour going over construction timelines and material specifications.
The scope of the project was impressive, but manageable if we coordinated properly.
Larson Brothers Millwork would handle all the interior trim, custom cabinetry for the mid-tier and luxury homes, and built-in storage solutions for the entry-level units.
By the time we finished, the sun was starting to sink behind the ridge line, casting long shadows across the construction site.
“First beer's on me,” Walker said as we locked up the trailer.
“I'll take you up on that tomorrow,” Renzo said. “Millie's making her famous mushroom risotto tonight, and I'd rather face a firing squad than miss that.”
Walker and I headed for Maverick's Bar and Grill in Walker's truck, the radio playing something by Chris Stapleton that fit the mood perfectly. The parking lot was half full, which meant the after-work crowd was settling in, but the dinner rush hadn't started yet.
Vic greeted us with cold beers and knowing grins.
He and Walker chatted a little bit. Vic was a player, and it was always fun to hear his latest antics.
What was surprising was that Walker wasn’t really offering anything up.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen him with a woman in the last six months. Interesting .
We claimed a table in the back corner, away from the pool tables and jukebox.
“So,” Walker said after taking a long pull from his bottle. “When are you going to man up and call Ruby?”
Heat crept up my neck. “I'm taking my time.”
“Taking your time with what? The woman already knows you're interested. You've been going to Java Jolt every morning for weeks.”
“I’ve asked her out twice. Each time she's gotten more comfortable with the idea. I'm building trust before I make the real move.” But her second rejection had been less vehement. She hadn’t closed up. She’d smiled. I knew I was getting somewhere.
Walker snorted. “Comfortable. Right.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means you're being a pussy.”
I set my beer down harder than necessary. “Am not. I just don’t want to seem like a stalker, there’s a difference.”
“You’re not waiting outside her apartment. You’re making a call and asking her a simple question. That’s not stalkerish. Hell, Carrie already told her she gave you her number.”
“She did?” Now that surprised me.
“She did. Now use it. If you don’t, I go back to my original supposition that you’re a pussy.”
“I'm being strategic, not scared. But you're right - time to make my move.” I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found Ruby's number. “Time to see if my strategy worked.”
“You're really doing this?” Walker asked.
“I'm really doing this.”
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
“Hi, you've reached Ruby. Leave a message and I'll get back to you.”