"I'm emailing you some links," Garrett said. "I need a presentation done. I'd like for you to work your magic."
"What about all this stuff?" I asked hesitantly.
"My presentation is more important," Garrett replied.
"But the window."
"I'll have facilities come clean it up," Garrett assured me.
I looked around uncertainly. Mace's office looked like Godzilla had rampaged through. "Mace isn't going to like this," I said.
"Mace is the one who wanted you to organize the storage closet." Garrett smirked. "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
16
Mace
"You and your assistant are getting along really well," Liam said as we walked downstairs to one of the smaller conference rooms.
"She's growing on me."
"Pants getting a little tight?" Liam waggled his eyebrows. "She's cute. Maybe you need a little workplace romance."
What was with my brothers today? I bodychecked Liam and slammed him into the wall.
"Let's make one thing clear," I told him as he wheezed dramatically. "You don't get to be disrespectful to my employees, especially not my female employees. You were raised better than that. Understood?"
"Yes," Liam gasped.
I released my younger brother and patted him on the head. "The kids look up to you. Set a good example. Also we've seen what happens when you don't respect women. The nuclear fallout is long and painful."
To highlight my point, Lieutenant Mayor Meghan Loring was waiting in the conference room. She did not look happy to see all the Svensson brothers.
Hunter was standing in the doorway, the tension visible in his jaw and the line of his back.
"I guess we aren't getting that factory anytime soon," Liam sighed.
"No, you certainly are not," Meghan said in a sharp voice.
"We're honored that you're here, Lieutenant Mayor," I addressed Meghan. "Can we have tea or coffee brought down?"
"I don't want you to go to the trouble of burning down your facility for me."
Liam snickered.
"Thank you for making the trip. We just wanted to reach out to the city of Harrogate," Greg told her, "and make sure that we're all on the same page."
Meg snorted. "Cut the flattery, boys. You want to build several huge factories and research facilities. It will change the skyline and tear up acres of meadow and forest." She leaned forward. "I'm not going to send old Mrs. Levenston from the planning department up here so you can flatter and sweet-talk her into signing off on whatever harebrained scheme you've come up with." She sat back. "Harrogate is my town, not yours."
Hunter's jaw was so tense I thought he was going to crack a tooth. "You're doing this to mess with me," he growled. "This is just business, Meg, but you're making it personal."
"No, I'm doing my job," she countered. "This isn't feudal England. The Svenssons are not going to treat Harrogate like their personal fiefdom. There are rules and regulations that youallneed to follow."
"This is beyond following regulations and procedure!" Hunter said, slamming his fist down on the table.
Adrian jumped, but Meg didn't even flinch.
"You block our developments at every turn. You implemented the cell phone law. You're doing this because you hate me. You said that you were going to make my life here a living hell." The pair glared at each other.
