Page 60
Chapter 33
MIRI
Iwalk through the double-wide now that it is completed and I’m more than impressed. It is stunning and fully fitted with furniture. Briony is covering the cleaning but said she’s not taking on anything else personally, though she may know someone who will step up and help if more work comes from brothers building homes on the compound.
I discussed the fact that whoever it is will have to have a full security check done on them. Briony didn’t think that would be a problem as she’s known the woman since kindergarten, and she’d never known her to be in any kind of trouble.
I’m going to the gas station later to fill up the car, and that will be a good time to catch up with Briony. I may get a minute to kiss my man too!
Jay and Tripp walk into the kitchen of the double-wide and I can see they are impressed. “Welcome home,” I say with all sincerity. Veterans that come home deserve something to look forward to. Employment with purpose and a place to live, and I mean quality ones. It’s impressive to me that the majority of the club’s brothers are veterans. Even the working prospects are made up of veterans, as are my team, and the two standing here with relief on their faces.
“It’s stunning, Miri,” Jay states as he heads into the living room.
Tripp throws his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head, “Thank you, Miri. You have no idea what it means to get out of that trailer. We have a job we are enjoying, and a home we can be proud of. You really don’t know what that means.”
I kiss Tripp's cheek as we follow behind Jay, and I speak as I’m walking, “Well, you have Briony coming in to clean. If you keep it so she doesn’t have to do much, she may come once a month. Choose a bedroom each. There are three, so we may throw someone in if they need a bed. At the moment we don’t, and we don’t see anyone needing it.”
“It’s furnished well, Miri. Not overly done either. I’m going to love living here,” Jay laughs as he throws himself onto the couch.
Tripp chuckles, “Come on, asshole, let's check out the rest of the place.”
“Okay, I’m going. Get your stuff, get moved in, and enjoy living here. Oh, you’ll need to go to the grocery store, but Jo has sent you some homemade frozen meals to get you started. She said if you want any more, she’ll send some for you.” I don’t hang around as I need to get gas, or I’ll be running out and then I’ll never hear the last of it.
Heading to the gas station, I decide to stop at the house and see how the team is getting on. They are drawing up plans for a small extension at the back of the place. If it works out, it will provide a laundry room that will give some free space in the kitchen. The kitchen is large and needs to be kept as the place a family would gather to eat at suppertime.
Walking inside, I’m astonished that the place is down to bare bones. Bastian winks at me, which tells me I had shock written all over my face. “Wow, you really have worked hard. Any news on the permission to add the extension?”
“Keys has it sorted and we can build the room. We’ll remove the back door and put in an internal door. The laundry room will have a sink, washing machine, tumble dryer, and an array of cabinets. We’ve kept an area for a row of coat hooks and a cabinet under for shoes. It’ll save having things in the kitchen, or trailed through from the front door. It’s going to be a wonderful family home when we’ve finished.” Bastian stands with his hands on his hips and looks around where I imagine he is seeing what he needs to do in his mind's eye.
“Do you need me to do anything?” I ask as I turn to head back to my car.
“I have a list for the bathroom, if you can order them? Parker and I are at the point we can start installing the bathroom and kitchen. The extension Colter and Land are building. We will help when needed, but sometimes too many hands in one place just fall over each other. We decided to split the team into two so we can get the renovation moving along quickly. Have you decided if it’s going to be a rental or flip?” Bastian stops at the side of my car as I open the door.
I’ve been listening as I have been walking and turn to him to respond. “No, Keys said, to wait until it’s completed, and then we can decide if it’s going to be leased or not.”
“Okay. It may bring in a good income if the family that leases it is a good one. The last thing we need is someone coming in and trashing the place.”
“Personally, I think we should flip it. That way we get finances back to use for the next one. Each time we flip one we need to make a profit, or the club will always give us cash to buy the next one without fully recovering enough to sustain the business long term.”
Bastian nods, and I can see the wheels turning in his mind. “Let’s do one at a time. Get this one done and see what the club wants us to do with it. But listening to you now, I agree with flipping a few houses until we have enough financially to buy, renovate, and sell without the club having to have our back would be good. Renting is okay if we buy something that doesn’t really need much work done. That way the outlay isn’t bad.”
“Exactly. But we don’t have to worry about any of that for now. Let’s get this place done and then move on to the house on 2nd Street.” I pat his forearm before turning and climbing into my car.
Bastian watches as I pull away from the house and gives a nod to himself before heading back to the house. I flick my eyes from the rearview mirror and concentrate on the road ahead. I smile to myself, knowing I’ve a good team I’m working with, and I know I can fully trust them.
Walking into the gas station, Xero is the first to see me, and he gives me a huge smile. “Hi, Miri. What do you need?”
“I need to have the car filled with gas, but Joker told me not to do it myself.” I roll my eyes at Xero who chuckles at my theatrics. “Joker doesn’t seem to realize I have filled my car with gas for years.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll do it. Are you going to see him?”
“Yeah, I'd best pop my head into the recovery office or he’ll be pissed. Is it okay if I walk through?” I ask because I would never walk through the grocery store, past the station office and garage without someone knowing.
Xero chuckles again before he says, “Go on, I’ll fill up your car.”
Before walking past the office, I give Rum a wave when he looks up and sees me. “Everything okay, Miri?”
“All is good in my world today, Rum. How about yours?” I stop for a moment to listen to his reply.
