After introductions and greetings were over, he moved to the table to look at their sketches. She had given Todd more responsibility and allowed him to make the presentation of their designs as she narrated.
“Let’s start with the first floor since you have three companies with signed contracts. Working with the parameters you have designated for the entire building, we have created functional yet modern lines and spaces. We will, of course, contact each of the three businesses to determine their needs and specific requirements such as the number of offices, workrooms, and conference rooms. Todd and I will be in charge, plus I have another designer that will assist with this project as well as the other projects we have. Barbara will be in charge of the decorating, coordinating directly with the occupants of the offices.
“For the second through eighth floors, you only have those partially pre-rented or finished, and again, we have preliminary drawings for those. We will follow the same regimen for each of them as we do on the first floor.”
Anthony walked around the room, his hands clasped behind his back, carefully perusing the drawings. After he made the full sweep, he turned and brought his hands to the front, rubbing them together in a sign of enthusiasm. He smiled and nodded, saying, “Perfect. You have captured what our concept of Partridge Tower is all about. This modern yet elite office and condo building will be greatly sought after.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, maintaining her calm exterior when she wanted to do cartwheels. After several years of small accounts, working to slowly build her staff so that she could go after the larger accounts, Carmichael Designs was now on the precipice of success.
“Would you like to see the upper floors while your associates pack up the drawings?” Anthony asked, stepping closer.
“We would love to,” she replied, her smile firmly in place. “They need to see the floors as well to gain a sense of the space and views.” Turning to Todd and Barbara, she instructed, “We’ll come back to gather our materials.”
Todd coughed into his hand as Barbara sucked in her lips to contain her smile. Making bug eyes at them, she turned back to Anthony. “Lead the way.”
They rode the elevator to each of the floors, wearing hard hats provided by Heather. Carefully stepping over materials and debris, it was not hard to imagine the space when finished even though the electricians, plumbers, and carpenters were still busy. Dust coated the floors and exposed wires ran along the beams, popping out in tangled, multi-colored bunches. As one of the workers walked by, she noticed the name embroidered on his work shirt. Perkins Electrical Company. Perkins? Something about that name snagged in her mind, but she couldn’t remember where she’d seen it or why it had any significance. Before she had a chance to ask, Anthony ushered them to the elevator once again.
Almost an hour later, the three walked back out the glass doors and onto the sidewalk. As they climbed into her small SUV, she said, “I’ve got to admit the building will be gorgeous.”
“Especially the offices that are on the fifth to eighth floors,” Todd added. “The ones on the south side will have views of the Inner Harbor.” He turned toward her and said, “Don’t worry, I took notes on each floor.”
“I wasn’t worried. I could hear you tapping away on your tablet.” Glancing into the rearview mirror toward Barbara, she said, “I’ll have you contact the businesses that have already signed rental agreements with Partridge and have you set up meetings with them. As soon as we have their needs, we can finish designing those office areas and get the plans approved and sent to Anthony. Then his contractors can get the walls, electricity, and plumbing to those specifications.”
“Okay, boss. By the way, did anyone notice how Anthony seemed to have eyes only for you?”
She grunted her response.
“He’s handsome, he’s rich, and he was seriously into you,” Todd said, twisting slightly to look at her.
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “First of all, I don’t date clients. Second of all, we’re going to be in Partridge Tower for a long time designing and setting up those office spaces. I don’t want to constantly have him around and hovering every time I’m there.”
“What about when the job is over?” Barbara asked.
“Meh. He doesn’t really do it for me—”
Todd swung his head around, pinning her with an opened-mouth gasp. “If handsome, successful, and rich doesn’t do it for you, what are you looking for?”
A flash of a dark-haired, blue-eyed first responder rolled through her mind. Since Harper and Sean had formed a relationship while working on an arson case that led to them to now be engaged and in the final plans of their wedding, she’d seen Rory a few times. After his complete and total shutdown-rebuff, she’d cut back on her trips to the Celtic Cock. But every time she went with Harper and saw him with a different girl pressed tightly to his side, she’d felt the little knife-prick of pain even if it didn’t matter that they’d never advanced to a true relationship. That one kiss had rocked her world, showing her what could have been just before he ripped it away. It didn’t help that Rory, being Sean’s brother, meant she had to spend time with him soon at the wedding.
Pushing that thought away, she turned onto another busy street. “Anyone up for lunch?”
“I hate to turn down the boss offering to buy lunch, but I want to get my notes organized. Is there any way we can call for Chinese delivery?” Todd asked.
Sandy laughed, “I’ll never turn down Chinese.”
Just as she parked on Clifton Street outside the building that housed Carmichael Designs, she heard an emergency siren.
