I nod. "See you then."
He leaves and I watch him walk toward the exit.
Daithí waits until the door closes before looking at me. "What the fuck was that?"
I stare down at my drink, unable to stop smiling. For the first time in weeks, Mam's words don't feel quite so loud. "I don't know," I admit.
And for the first time in a long time, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.
Chapter 11
Lorenzo
The house is still dark when I sit down behind my desk. The clock reads 5:03 a.m. I have coffee, a stack of reports, and three hours before most of the house wakes up.
The first report is already finalized and I'm opening the second report when Marco arrives at six.
He pauses in the doorway, brows raised in shock. "You're here early."
I don't look up. "I have work to do."
He leaves me to it.
I read through the report, sign off on two expenditures, reject another, and move onto the next file.
It’s six-thirty when there’s a next knock at the door.
"Come in,” I call out. The door opens and Ciro walks in. One look at me and he doesn't bother with good morning.
Good. I don't have the patience for it.
Marco follows him inside carrying a tablet device and a folder. "North End and the waterfront site managers at nine," he says as he takes his usual seat. "Monthly review."
I nod. The North End site is running ahead of schedule. The Waterfront site is behind by three days after a subcontractor failed an inspection. Neither issue concerns me, not yet.
"Eleven o'clock," Marco continues. "Call with Harrison in New York."
I nod again. Harrison handles the financial side of several of our holding companies. I don't particularly like him, but he's good at what he does and that's what matters.
"He's sent over preliminary figures already."
"I'll review them before the call."
Marco makes a note and Ciro leans back in his chair.
"Wedding security this afternoon." I look at him and he stares right back at me. "We're just weeks out. I want the final rotation locked."
The guest list alone is enough to create problems. Half the city will be there, the other half will be trying to find a way inside.
"Have something prepared."
"I will."
The conversation continues for another ten minutes.
Construction, finances, security, schedules, problems, and solutions, all the usual. By the end of it my coffee is cold, again.
Marco closes the folder. "That's everything."
