“I can’t help you with that but I’m sure I can find someone,” Carmine said. “I’ll project manage it for you if you like.”
“Show me the designs first.”
Carmine almost broke the lead on his pencil. This guy had a hard edge to him as well. Each layer Carmine peeled away intrigued him more.
“How about I send you some mood boards?” Carmine asked. “You can tell me what you like and don’t like. Then I’ll have a much better idea of where to take this.”
Noah nodded. “I like that. How long will it take?”
It was Friday now. Carmine had nothing planned over the weekend. Again.
“I can get the pictures to you by Monday. If you can reply by midweek, then I should have some preliminary drawings done in a couple of weeks. Does that sound okay?”
Noah took a sip of his water. Carmine fixated on the way Noah’s large hands gripped the glass. How his lips looked as he drank.
“I have no idea how quickly these things can be done,” Noah replied. “I’d love to be in by the summer.”
Carmine sighed. “Six months is a long shot. I’d say a year to finish everything. Although if you’re open to a prefabricated kit, we can reduce that big-time.”
“What are those?”
“I’ll send you some ideas over. They’re doing amazing stuff and it’s way more sustainable.”
He’d been to an exhibition before Christmas and been blown away by the versatility of this area of construction.
“I like it. It sounds daft but I want to be part of the landscape rather than sticking out like a sore thumb.”
“I don’t think that sounds daft at all.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
The loaded stare that followed Noah’s comment almost overwhelmed Carmine.
He swallowed his feelings down and carried on his interrogation. They talked for another twenty minutes. Noah had a few fixed ideas that Carmine really liked. Yet he was open to suggestions from Carmine.
This was a dream job. Carmine loved learning to think the way his client did so he could identify everything that was important to them.
Once they’d finished and he’d seen Noah out, Carmine walked back down the corridor. Not only did he want to get this commission because it was an interesting project. He really wanted to work with Noah.
When he came into the office, he was greeted by Samantha grinning at him.
“Well?”
“He seems interested,” Carmine said, taking his seat. “It sounds like a really exciting design.”
“Pfft,” Samantha replied. “I meant what did you think of him?”
“I wasn’t simpering all over like some I could mention.”
She blushed. “I don’t know what happened. He’s bloody gorgeous.”
“You need to get better at hiding it. We’ll be having A-listers through these doors in no time.”
“Roger that. He is fit though, isn’t he?”
“Not bad. Way too young for me.”
Samantha glanced at her screen. “There’s twelve years between you. Also he’s very single.”
