“Thank you. I got my acceptance letter earlier this week and so did Tate; he’s a little apprehensive about the sticker price but I should be able to wear him down.”
“I’m sure you can,” he stated.
“Let’s hope I can wear down the admissions office into letting me take some classes this summer. I want to get a head start on my sophomore year.”
“I’ll put a bug in their ears,” Dwight offered and she smiled, more than happy for any help with it she could manage.
“That’d be great,” Jordan stated as they left. “We’ll see you later, hopefully with good news all around.”
They made it through the next few days waiting for the phone to ring and by Wednesday morning they were jumpy.
“Okay, we need to cool it,” Jordan told her as she got ready for classes. “They said by the end of the week and that’s Friday, if we continue like this we’re both going to be neurotic.”
“Okay, no more obsessing. I’ll be cool, calm and collected,” she teased kissing him as she got into the Jeep. “Behave Jordan, I have spies in the office you know.”
“Don’t I ever; I swear Ricki thought I was cheating on you when Nicole showed up last week. The looks she gave me…I do not want to be on her bad side,” he said kissing her again. “I’ll see you later, baby.”
Mel made it to lunch before the waiting started creeping up on her again and she sighed tossing her half-eaten fry onto her tray.
“What’s wrong Mel?” Tate asked. “Seriously you’re agonizing over the bid again?”
“Yes, it would be so great for the company but also for Jordan, seeing his designs go up…”
“He’d be elated. I know Mel. You all did your best, put together the best ideas you could and there’s no point in going over it again and again trying to see if there was one other little detail you needed.”
“Okay, now you sound like Jordan.”
“Now that’s something I never thought I’d hear; never thought I’d remind you of your husband.”
“You never thought I’d have a husband at eighteen,” she teased tossing a fry at him.
“Seventeen, you were seventeen Mel…uh Mel…”
“What?” she said noting his amused look as he glanced out towards the parking lot.
“It looks like you’re not the only one obsessing over that bid,” he stated and she saw Jordan coming towards them.
She spied the letter in his hand and her heart stopped as she got up to meet him. “What is it?”
“Read,” he said handing it to her.
“Dear Mr. Holmes, thank you for your bid regarding the new development for Whitmore. After careful consideration, we have made a choice regarding the bids process. Holmes Construction and Architecture presented a well thought out and imaginative bid, but we are unable…to accept it as written,” she stopped reading it and looked up at him. “Jordan…”
“Keep going Mel.”
She looked back and finished it, “While the amount proposed is acceptable we do not wish to have future increases in the building materials affecting the level of skills the oversight team will need and the funds with which to pay them. We are offering you the contract with an increased price of three million over your current bid. Whitmore, like your bid, strives to find new and creative solutions to help our community and we look forward to working with you. Enclosed you’ll find a contractwith the increased price and your bid proposal. Oh my god! We got it?” she asked as her face lit up.
“We got it,” he told her as he reached down and picked her up in a hug, twirling her around before setting her down as he kissed her. “You made this happen, Mel.”
“We made it happen,” she argued as Tate came over to them.
“So does this mean I can come over and eat without getting indigestion from your all’s worrying?”
“This means that tonight we’re celebrating,” Jordan stated. “Take the afternoon off, get dolled up because we’re going out.”
“No fair,” Tate mocked.
“You’re coming too,” he said as they clapped hands for a shoulder bump type of hug. “I’m going to call Mom and Dad, and the others. I’m sure Jake will be thrilled to look over the contract and give me some legal advice.”
