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“No.” She studied him like she was revising an estimate of her own. “Starting to get that.”
“I’ll be overseeing the installation directly.” He waited until her attention landed fully back on him. “Personally.”
“That’s not standard.”
“I’m aware.”
“CEOs don’t manage individual contractors. That’s what operations managers exist for. It’s the entire reason the position exists.”
“Elena stays on schedule and brand compliance. I’m handling everything else.”
“There is no ‘everything else.’ That’s the entire job.”
“Not anymore.”
“You realize I have a six-week installation window and a client list that doesn’t include babysitting duties on either end.”
“You’ll still make your six weeks.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know it because I’m not going to be the reason you miss it. I don’t miss deadlines. I don’t cause delays. I remove them.”
She crossed her arms, mirroring the exact stance he’d been holding since she walked in, and caught herself doing it a second too late — the recognition flickering across her face before she smoothed it away. “I don’t need supervision. Six years, no babysitter, and I’m not starting now because you own the building.”
“This isn’t supervision.”
“What is it, then.”
“Interest.”
“You do understand how this looks.”
“Tell me.”
“Rich, powerful man decides the one contractor who doesn’t flatter him needs extra supervision. Not a great look, Mr. Sharpe.”
“I don’t care how it looks.”
“You should. Optics matter, even for men who own buildings.”
“Not to me.”
“That’s going to be a problem for you eventually.”
“I’m aware. I collect them.”
She went still. He watched the word land, watched her decide, visibly, not to touch it with the reaction it deserved.
“That’s not a real answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting right now.”
She studied him, weighing that, and reached a conclusion without letting him see the math.
“Are you always this insufferable, or is today a special occasion.”
“Ask Victor. He has opinions.” He said it without a trace of humor, which made it funnier.
