Getting the Snip

by Charmaine Ross

  She just wanted to meet the team to make sure her decision was going to be the right one. The one thing the gardens in the images lacked was—expanse. The land for her hotel had lots of it. Currently there was nothing more than a huge pile of mismatched half-dead bushes, some spindly trees and a space of grass you could play football on—and not much else. It needed the right mind to build what was needed. Something creative. Something different. Something people would travel to see.

  She had a chance—albeit a nervous chance—to make a success of this hotel and she was going to do it. There was no way it wasn’t going to work. Her father had faith in her to get this right. That’s why she’d put in the hours she had.

  The thing was, she was a capable woman, it was others she had a problem with. She wasn’t so much fiercely self-reliant, as she’d been rightly groomed to be, as wary of the work ethic of others. Hence the meeting she’d set up with the landscapers. She needed to make sure they would fit the mould of what she wanted them to do. The risk for underperformance was just too great.

  She glanced at her watch. She had five minutes before the meeting to go through the contract. Although her lawyer had delivered it, she wanted to go through each clause again to make doubly sure nothing was out of place. She’d just clicked the document open when the phone rang. One glance at the number had her picking it up before the second ring.

  ‘Dad!’

  ‘Have you been running?’

  ‘Uh … no.’ She cleared her throat so as not to sound so breathy and picked up a pen, ready to write. Albert usually rang with a million things he wanted her to do.

  ‘Katherine. I’m scheduled to fly into Melbourne in two weeks’ time. I’m making time to see the work on your project.’

  Her heart raced. She hadn’t even touched half of the things she’d wanted to. Moments passed and she realised she hadn’t replied. ‘Oh … okay. Would you like me to pick you up at the airport? Maybe have lunch?’

  ‘I’ll eat at the lounge, you know that. I’ve made a two hour break at the end of the day. I’ll come when I’ve finished the meetings I need to get through first.’ He gave her the dates and she scribbled them down as he spoke.

  ‘That would be great, Dad. I’m looking forward to seeing you.’

  Albert grunted. He didn’t like when she said things like that. ‘Just be ready. I have flight scheduled out at six and I don’t have time for delays.’

  ‘Okay, Dad. See you.’ But he’d already hung up.

  Her mind spun. Two weeks! She’d expected him in two months! This was a disaster. There was no way she’d be anywhere she wanted to be when he came. She’d wanted to impress him, but now there’d be no hope. The inside of the hotel was only half finished, not to mention the garden she hadn’t started yet. She’d wanted that done before he saw anything. She’d have no choice but to hire the landscaper now and hope like hell they lived up to her expectations. She didn’t like feeling pressured like this. Organised herself so that she needn’t. But when her father spoke, people, including her, jumped.

  The knock she was expecting came. Kate straightened her skirt, and tugged the hem of her jacket in place. She smoothed down the side of her hair and made her way from the office to the front door. She’d made her office next to the front doors of the hotel to make it easier to see the comings and goings. Now and for the future. She wanted—needed—to be hands on. Just like Albert.

  She opened the door and stared wordlessly at the man she instantly recognised. He’d cleaned up. Water slicked his hair, but the parts that dried had curled into soft waves. Lightened streaks burnished various strands here and there, changed, she guessed, from the hours he spent in the sunshine. His golden tan confirmed her observation.

  Her eyes roamed to his face, noting straight brows, a sharp nose and a mouth that opened in a surprised smile. The stubble on his chin served to enhance the chiselled line of his jaw and rather squarish cheeks. He was lean, fit and rugged. And wholly masculine. Not at all what she’d expected a landscaper to look like. Well, she didn’t actually know what she’d expected, but the tall, lean man on her doorstep was somehow different than the tradies she’d contracted for the renovations. Largely they weren’t more than boys intent on using power tools, sinking a beer at the end of the day and not much more, but her inner sense told her this man was different.

  He looked at her with keen intelligence mingled with earthy warmth. Eyes that retained what they saw and understood without judgement. Intellect mingled with … something more personal. Intimate. Her belly lurched, catching her off-balance. She crossed her arms over her stomach to settle the strange sensation fluttering there.

  His smile widened and he held out his hand. ‘David Wright. You’re expecting me … for the landscaping.’ His voice was an engaging, warm rumble.

  She placed her hand in his. Long fingers wrapped around hers in a firm hold, pressing gently. She watched his fingers enfold her hand, amazed that her hand fitted so neatly in his. As though they should be linked together.

  It was suddenly too much. She didn’t need to be distracted like … this.

  She quickly retracted her hand. This wasn’t the time or place to be noticing things about a contractor. She shouldn’t even be aware of it at all. The man was here for a job she’d tendered for. This was business, nothing more. ‘Queen Kate. Pleasure to meet you.’

  His hand dropped to his side. She noticed his fingers curl into his palm at his thigh. ‘You heard.’

  ‘The waitress wasn’t exactly quiet about her opinions.’

  He cocked a brow. ‘She wasn’t. But don’t hold that against me.’

  She shouldn’t. He was right, but a part of her was hurt that he was first introduced to her like that. She knew the comments that flew around about her, but if she was a hard taskmaster then so be it. People said the same thing about her father and he didn’t care. People knew where they stood. Just like him, she had a job to do and they knew what was expected of them.

  In the end it wasn’t their backside on the line. She was the boss and it was she who risked everything. She’d let David Wright clearly know what she’d expect of him too. She drew her shoulders straight and morphed into the professional businesswoman she would need to be. ‘It’s just a name, nothing more. You’re here to talk about the job and what I want you to do.’

  He nodded. Fine lines crinkled at the edges of his eyes and she was drawn into their warmth. A moth to the light. She blinked, ignoring the errant thought. She needed to get a grip on her wayward senses. She reigned in the control she’d honed to a fine art, realising now that he was the only man on her doorstep. She peered over his shoulder. ‘Where are the rest of you?’

  David frowned. ‘The rest?’

  ‘Yes. Your team. I expected to see all of you and take you all around the property so you would know what to do.’ Surely he would have a team if he tendered to work on a property this size.

  ‘It’s just me.’

  ‘You read the clauses? You know how large I need this garden to extend?’

  He nodded, a frown touching his brow. ‘Yes. I’m aware. It’s nothing that I can’t organise if I require it.’

  She swallowed, feeling the bite of panic dry her throat. There was no way he was going to get the amount of work she wanted done before Albert came. Not if she wanted to impress her father. And a lone landscaper working on a large property was less than impressive. Albert would think she didn’t know what she was doing. She couldn’t have this. Couldn’t be seen by her father for this type of incompetence.

  ‘Are you all right, Kate?’

  The way he said her name, the low rumble touched with concern, made it sound so personal. Her throat constricted and she stood for a moment forcing air into her lungs. ‘I thought you’d have a crew.’

  ‘That’s easily arranged.’

  ‘Yes. I know. But I need …’ She shook her head, clearing her mind. She needed to get a grip, remain in control. She would have to revisit the pile of tenders, make
sure the next company had a team she might trust. ‘The timing has changed. You can’t possibly achieve what I need now. I’m sorry to have wasted your time, but I can’t offer you the tender.’