I hunch over the blueprints with a frustrated scowl, tracing the lines of the floor joists I’ll be installing on the second floor as soon as I get the go-ahead from the building inspector this afternoon. “Do you think you might be able to help with the joists today or tomorrow?” I ask. “I’ve been reading up, but I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you were there to start me off.”

“I can come by first thing tomorrow morning. Before I hit the Thompson Street house.”

“I’d rather she not be under pressure on this one,” I say, returning to Shelby. “It means too much.”

Daniel places a large hand in the center of my plans, prompting me to look up. His blue eyes, so like his daughter’s, are piercing. “Riggs. Shelby’s good for this.”

I shake my head. “That’s not what I mean. We know she’s capable, but I get the feeling Lyle’s banking on her failing. I just want to make sure she has every opportunity to prove him wrong. Not only that, I want her to blow everyone away.”

“And what about you?”

“What about me?” I ask tersely.

“Do you have something to prove, too?”

It feels like the air has been knocked out of my chest.

“Call me before you fly off to God-knows-where again.”

Instead, I wave him off. “I’m here for the comic relief.”

“You’re the hardest-working comic relief I’ve ever seen, then.”

“I told you, I want her to be taken seriously.”

“She will be.”

I release a long, slow breath, but my shoulders are still tense as I press my palms into the table. “Good.”

“You will be, too.”

I shake my head, disbelieving. “You’ll never be taken seriously as long as you keep hamming it up for the cameras, Cameron.” “It doesn’t matter.”

Daniel places a hand on my shoulder. “It does matter. You deserve this as much as she does. I don’t know what had you running for so long, but you’re here now, and we’re all better for it. You’re doing good work, son.”

My throat is thick, and I can’t speak. Can’t look up. Can’t move. Daniel squeezes once and pats my shoulder before taking his coffee.

“I’m going to check on things. Cabinets should be delivered today. Don’t forget to act shocked when they tell you about the tile.”

Unsurprisingly, Steve wants to get some footage of Shelby shopping for her furniture pieces, even if she’s not shopping for the Caroline Street house, and he tells me I’m supposed to go along.