“Don’t be. Please. I’m thrilled someone purchased the place who seems to be committed to preserving and protecting it. I was honored when you chose Lucas Construction to do the renovation.”
Was she really? He wasn’t sure he would be magnanimous enough to willingly help someone else renovate his own dream house. She was obviously a better person than he was.
His mother had been the one to persuade him to use Lucas Construction, delighted by the work they had done on her own cottage. He remembered being impressed by the bid he had looked over. It had not been the lowest, but he remembered their plan showed integrity to design and attention to detail, with the clear goal of restoring the home with authenticity instead of simply renovating it.
“I’ve been happy with your work,” he said. “I only wish you could move faster.”
“I know. We’re working on it. On that note. I need to let you know that I will be taking over as the project manager here at Stormhaven.”
He frowned, not at all thrilled by the announcement. He didn’t need the excuse of propinquity to give him more inappropriate dreams about Rosie Lucas.
“Where’s Bryce? Don’t tell me he quit.”
She looked aghast at the idea. “No. Heaven forbid. I would be lost without him. We had to make a few changes as Bryce is a bit overextended right now. I assure you, you won’t see any disruption in the project. In fact, I might be able to accelerate things for you. It made sense for me to be the one to take on this project, since I am intimately acquainted with the house and the challenges it presents.”
Some of his misgivings must have been clear on his features. She gripped her bundle of papers more tightly and took on a haughty expression at odds with her soft, lovely features.
“I’m a fully capable project manager. Since taking over the company, I’ve overseen more than two dozen builds or renovations. Beyond that, Gary and I managed just about everything on our own in the early days of the company. We were a good team.”
Something in her voice, some shadow of old pain, struck an answering note in him. Perhaps their shared experience losing a spouse explained why he felt this unwilling bond with Rosie. They were part of the same unfortunate club.
She turned brisk once more. “I haven’t been on-site in several weeks. Would you mind walking through with me so I can familiarize myself with the progress over the past few months and what still needs to be done?”
He thought of his manuscript, always waiting with the impatience of a hungry toddler for him to return to it. He felt the pull of the scene he had been working on as well as his inescapable deadline. On the other hand, Rosie was here, and needed his help.
He had scheduled out time to meet with Bryce Kendall. He couldn’t avoid the obligation simply because his attraction to his new project manager seemed a complication he could definitely do without.
“Sure. Let’s go.
He walked her through the house, starting on the main floor. He showed her through each room, pointing out areas still to be completed.
When they encountered the dry wall team in the space that would eventually serve as a luxurious media room, she greeted them all by name. She spoke Spanish to a couple of the guys and asked another one how his granddaughter was doing after her appendectomy.
It was clear she was well-known and well-liked among the contractor’s crew.
They moved from the main living area up to the bedrooms. His own bedroom was huge, far larger than he needed, with a spectacular view over the ocean.
He had to admit, the en suite bathroom was his favorite part on this level. The clawfoot tub was original to the house, though it had been resurfaced. The rest of the bathroom had a massive shower with three different heads, as well as a huge window if he wanted to scrub up with a view.
She paused in the doorway, taking in the fittings and the view both.
“Wow. Great bathroom.”
“It will be when it’s done.”
“I’m hoping you’re putting in blinds. Otherwise you’ll give anyone down on the beach quite a show.”
He made a face. “I’ve checked it out from down there and you can’t even see the bathroom from that angle. But yes. Automatic blinds are on the way.”
Seeing the renovation through her admiring eyes as they walked through the rest of the house gave him a new appreciation for all the work that had been done so far.
The construction crew really had worked miracles to takethe house as far as they had in only a few short months. He had an unfortunate habit—in life and when it came to his work—of focusing too much on all that had to be done instead of how far he had come.
“Have you been to the secret room?” she asked when they returned once more to the main living area.
He stared. “What secret room?”
She grinned as a shaft of sunlight came in, lighting up her features. She looked breathtakingly lovely.
