Aaah, The Male Observation Lab (aka my construction company day job). So full of
opportunities to observe dudes in their natural habitat: playing with
dirtβ¦operating heavy equipmentβ¦ building stuff from a set of plans that, even
after *cough cough* years, still read like Greek to meβ¦But thatβs another storyβ¦
To say that Iβm lucky to be exposed to such high levels of testosterone on an
almost daily basis is an understatement. That I get paid to do this is like the
heavens opening up and dropping story after story after story in my lap! Well,
bits and pieces of it, anyway. Trying to untangle them can be a challenge, but
itβd take more than a pile of cash to pry me away.
Okay, maybe Iβm lying about the pile of cash thing, but stillβ¦
Honestly, there are things about the dudes that totally fascinate me. For
instance, they have their own language, speaking in terms that Iβve come to
appreciate over the years. And while sometimes the language is like reading a
set of plans, somehow it ends up making sense. Or maybe Iβve been around them so
long Iβm starting to think like they do.
Huh. Thereβs a thoughtβ¦
Anyway, some of the conversations involve construction-speak, and while shocking
to my virgin ears some *cough cough* years ago, theyβre now normal for me.
On a project site one morning, I noticed that the main equipment operator dude
wasnβt around, but I overheard this snippet of conversation:
Superintendent to operator: You ever work a pecker before?
Operator (hands on hips and leaning forward, obviously offended): Listen, Iβve
been around long enough to operate a pecker more than once!
Superintendent (warning tone): You better not break it.
They were talking about an attachment to a backhoe, but you all know where my
head went. *snort*
There was also the time when a couple of dudes who shall remain nameless β
mainly because I donβt want them to throw up filters when Iβm around β were in a
project trailer. (Me? I was writing a report and shamelessly eavesdropping.) It
was the middle of summer, and the trailerβs air conditioning whirred in the
background, welcomed relief from the 90+ degree heat outside.
One dude was at his desk while the other was at the drafting table, deciphering
one of the Greek-like plans for the job.
Desk Dude: How was your weekend?
Plan Dude: Had to finish the deck.
*Ten second pause*
Desk Dude: Got cut off, huh?
Plan Dude (not missing a beat): Yeahβ¦I had to finish the deck.
Frankly, it struck me how so much could be said between them in so little words.
And my muse couldnβt help but sit up, take a shot of bourbon, a drag off her
cigar, and notice!
The opportunity to eavesdrop on observe conversations like these is one of the
reasons why I love working at The Male Observation Lab, and probably why I chose
for the heroine of my debut novel, Merger of the Heart, to be a part of that
world. After all, the dudes I get to work with provide a ton of inspiration on a
regular basis. It seemed fitting to include them, in some small way, in my first
published book.
So, to the dudes at The Male Observation Lab, and to construction workers
everywhere who build our roadways and bridges, subdivisions and structures, who
dig the rock and turn it into construction materials, and who do all the
countless tasks necessary to get the job done, thanks so much for the
inspiration! Youβre the best!
Have you encountered dude-speak? Whatβd you think?
~Melia
About MERGER OF THE HEART
Heβs about to acquire a whole lot more than a businessβ¦
When her grandfather dies, Jessica Adams inherits the family construction
business. But there are strings attached. Big, deal-breaking strings. For one,
Jessicaβs grandfather was in the process of selling the company to a national
firm. And two? The big wig who made the offer for Jessicaβs business is none
other than Daniel Spencer, her ex-lover and the father of her seven-year-old
son. Only Daniel doesnβt know.
What started as a standard business acquisition has turned Danielβs entire
world―and his plans―inside out. But even as he offers her the deal of the
lifetime, everything changes when he meets her son. Their son. Now Daniel is
laying everything on the line to put together a much different kind of mergerβ¦if
he can convince Jessica to take the biggest risk of her life.
Read Fresh Fiction's review of
MERGER OF THE HEART
About Melia Alexander
Melia Alexander is the
author of sassy, sexy, fun contemporary romances, but is also fortunate to spend
her week days at The Male Observation Lab (a.k.a. her job at a construction
company) where she gets to observe guys in their natural habitat. Though they
often behave like typical alpha males, in many instances she's seen through
their personas to the heart of who they really are - the heroes of their own
stories. A native of Guam, Melia traded in warm, tropical breezes for the rainy
Pacific Northwest where she now resides with her husband, two amazing nieces,
and three adorable kitties. She's an avid reader who also loves to watch
romantic comedies - preferably with a glass of CabSauv and a box of chocolates
nearby. In her free time, she's busy conquering her CrossFit fears: ring dips,
power cleans, and the dreaded 800 meter run. Her family appreciates her attempts
at cooking and cleaning, although she spends it mostly daydreaming about her
characters, which sometimes results in a burnt meal and a half-cleaned house.
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