“I didn’t even realize you were here.”
“Gah.” The sound escaped and her body reflexively jerked.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” Arti smirked from thedoorway, looking not at all sorry.
Quinn rolled her shoulders. Her muscles protested the movement.How long had she been hunched over her computer? “I was caught up insomething.”
“I’ll say. It’s two o’clock and you didn’t even come out forlunch. That’s why I figured you weren’t here.”
“It’s two?” It wasn’t unusual for her to get lost in a project,but not four hours kind of lost.
Arti nodded. “What’s got you in genius-at-work mode?”
“Um.” Her stomach rumbled. Now that her concentration was broken,her body was all about missing lunch. She stood and stretched, working out someof the kinks that had settled. “The bakery. All the roofing joists are beingsupported by the center wall.”
“Oh.” Arti let the word drag out, understanding clear.
“The building is old, but not that old. Maybe I should haveexpected it, but I didn’t.”
“You never know what passed muster back in the day, especially intiny towns where the guy approving the build could have been the cousin of theguy doing the build.”
“Yeah.”
Arti came the rest of the way into the office, plopped in thechair across from Quinn, and folded her arms. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to present three options.”
She grinned. “Of course you are.”
Quinn shrugged. Not every job required that, but when the initialconcept went sideways, she’d learned it was always better to present threeoptions instead of two. Especially if the two were what the client wanted, butat an exorbitant cost, and something within budget, but clearly not what they’denvisioned.
“I assume it’s number three that’s got you all amped up.”
She chuckled at the description. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Even in the most generous of terms, amped up rarely, if ever, fitthe bill. Generally, she was okay with her calm and steady demeanor. But shecouldn’t help but wonder what kind of energy Amanda might be drawn to.Ridiculous.
“Okay, okay.” Arti lifted both hands in concession. “Focused,then. I take it the mystical third option is what inspired your laser focus.”
Quinn nodded, both at the new description and Arti’s read of thesituation. “She might hate it.”
“You always say that.”
“Yeah, but she had pretty specific ideas and this is completelydifferent, both visually and in terms of flow.”
Arti clicked her tongue a couple of times, then let the silencesit for a moment. Eventually, she asked, “But is it better?”
“Eh?” She wasn’t overly modest when it came to her professionalskill. The reality was that better was relative. People instinctively likedsomething or they didn’t. It was impossible to predict. She didn’t say any ofthat, but Arti drummed her fingers on the table like she knew. Quinn let out asigh. “Yes. It’s better.”
“Was that so hard?”
“I want her to be happy and I’m worried she isn’t going to be.”
“Are you worried she won’t like the design or won’t like you?”
Quinn propped her elbows on the desk and pressed her thumbs toher temples. “Yes.”
“Well, there’s your problem. It doesn’t matter if she likes youor, really, even which design she picks. As long as she’s happy with the finaldesign.”
She knew this. She wasn’t an idiot. She also knew having any kindof personal investment in Amanda, romantic or otherwise, would be a bad idea.But knowing something and making it so weren’t the same thing. “You’re right.”
Arti frowned. “You don’t have to look so glum about it.”
“I’m not glum.” Maybe a little. But it had less to do with Artibeing right than realizing she’d just upped the ante of her relationship woes.Not only did she have to keep going out with women she didn’t click with, shehad an inkling she might very well click with one who was off limits. What waswrong with her?
“Come on. Talk to me.”
No way was she turning her office into a therapy session. Even ifshe and Arti were as much friends as business partners. She had a realtherapist for a reason. Okay, lots of reasons. “The snag was unexpected. Itthrew me is all. It’ll all be fine.” Arti didn’t look convinced, so shescrambled for more. “Oh, and I’m sure my blood sugar is low. I’m starving.”
Whether Arti decided to let her off the hook or her hangryargument proved convincing, she couldn’t say. But Arti seemed to relent. “I’mordering Ethiopian. You want in?”
Normally, she found it vexing that Arti didn’t want lunch untilmid-afternoon. Today, she was grateful. “Oh, yeah.”
“Fantastic. I’ll go order and then you can show me what you’vecome up with.”
Without waiting for a reply, Arti vanished in the direction ofher office. Quinn stared at what she had so far. Since there was a decentchance Amanda might dismiss it out of hand, she didn’t want to take it muchfurther. Even without all the details, the concept came through. It made thewhole space feel more intentional. It also created a more structured flow forcustomers to peruse their options, order, and pay. From a design standpoint, itreally was better.
She hoped Amanda saw it that way and chose it. Because it was asound business decision. Obviously. Personal anything had nothing to do withit. Nothing at all.
* * *
Quinn pulled out a chair and sat. She felt guilty that Amanda hada latte and a cupcake waiting for her. Not guilty enough to refuse it, butguilty. God, she hated this part of her job. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
“Why do I get the feeling having your architect say that issecond only to having it come from your doctor?”
“Or your mechanic?” Quinn offered a sheepish smile and tried notto think about the fact that her news might cost Amanda more than a new car. Acheap new car, but still.
“Well, don’t hold me in suspense.”
She took a deep breath. “Although you don’t have much of anattic, the entire load
