Stepping around her mom, Ava set the dishes on the counter and sucked in a deep breath. They were bound to disagree about something and now was as good a time as any. “You made it pretty clear you didn’t want me driving him back to the Delucas’ house, and I want to know why.”
Her mom’s brows crinkled, forming multiple ridges. “Do you think he thought that too?”
Now Ava felt bad. Deep down she knew, whatever her mom’s quirky thought process was, offending her guest was nowhere on the agenda. “Probably not, but I’m sure Billy and maybe Nick noticed.”
“Well”—Maile straightened her shoulders—”there was nothing to notice. I just hope he didn’t misunderstand my concern for Annette’s schedule, like you and your brother.”
“Misunderstand? Mom you couldn’t have been any less subtle.” Before she could put another thought together, her cell phone rang, and, without thinking, she picked up.
“Ava, how good to hear your voice.” Brad Cummings, from her former office, was on the other line. She wanted to gag.
“Hello.” Mentally drawing a picture of herself with tape across her lips, she silently repeated to herself, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
“I’m really sorry about how things turned out. I mean, we all agreed you deserved to be chief architect on the Sacramento project.”
She put her hand over the phone and mouthed excuse me to her mother. Safely in her office and out of earshot, she closed the door and dropped into the seat by her drafting table. A pencil in her hand always kept her calm—and restrained from spewing out exactly what she thought of the man holding the job she rightfully deserved.
“What brings about this call?” She was damn sure he wasn’t calling six weeks down the road to apologize.
“Thought is would be nice to catch up. Find out how you’re settling in. Shoot the breeze.”
Shoot the breeze. Ava actually pulled her phone from her ear and stared at it for a brief moment before answering. “I’m settling in nicely.” Scribbling on a blank sheet of paper, she waited for the man to say something else or hang up.
“I, uh…that is, we…er…”
She was pretty sure the whooshing sound on the other end was her former associate sucking in a lungful of air.
“There’s a problem on the project.”
Did it make her a really horrible person that the bad news had her grinning from ear to ear?
“The city inspectors asked for a few minor changes that the team was able to handle without any issue, but, during the delay, some muckety-muck donated part of his collection of prized outdoor trash sculptures, and they need an additional four thousand square feet.”
“Okay,” she answered automatically, drawing smiley faces on the sheet of paper.
“Which means, either cut down the size of the museum or some of the adjacent buildings.”
“Uh-huh,” she muttered, turning the smiley faces into sculptures in a memorial garden.
“The easiest thing seemed to be to remove the storefronts to the east.”
Ava stopped and stared at the wall in front of her. Were they that totally stupid? Did they really think any developer would give up the bread and butter of retail income?
“So Terry and Dave did a little tweaking and scaled down the other designs, until they had five thousand square feet of garden space.”
As he spoke, she easily sketched in the small dinner theater to one side of the original proposed garden. Turning the angles, shifting the depth, moving the path, visions of a bigger, more relaxing park came to life, beside a sleek, more streamlined theater.
“Are you still there?”
“Uh-huh.” Though she wasn’t sure why she hadn’t just hung up on the asshole.
“Stanley won’t give you a call, after the way you insulted him in front of the entire office.”
That made her stop and look up again. The man was most likely none too happy to have been buried under a hundred bags of coffee either.
“But we need you. I’ll find a way to smooth it all out, but—”
So the cats were sucking up to the mouse after all. “I’m sorry, Brad, but I’ve got my hands full with my own projects here. You and Stanley are going to have to figure this one out on your own. It shouldn’t be a problem for a brilliant and innovative architect such as yourself. Give my regards to Sheila.”
Hitting the little red button to disconnect the call, Ava set the phone on the table beside her new sketches. Damn she would have loved to present these to the museum developers. With every stuttered word her former associate had stammered, the new ideas flowed to her like a river to an estuary. But she was not going back. Stanley Smythe could offer her the title of chief architect on every project from now till the next millennium, and she wouldn’t go back. Fool her once, shame on him. Fool her twice, shame on her. Nope, these new museum designs were destined to be for her viewing pleasure only.
Chapter Nine
“I’ve only got about five minutes,” John said into his phone, while he paced in the open courtyard of the Kona airport. His sister’s flight was running a few minutes late, and, while Annette browsed in one of the shops, he had placed a call to Evelyn.
“And hello to you too.”
“I’m serious.”
“So was I,” Evelyn deadpanned.
“I need you to get a hold of whoever handled the design submission screenings for the South Bay Aquarium.”
“You are supposed to be on vacation, not worrying about a project that hasn’t even been awarded yet.”
“I know, but that decision is supposed to be announced any day now, and I want a new firm included.”
“You what?”
“I want Everrett Architectural Designs included.”
“Everrett? As in the dive shop?”
“That’s correct.”
“The decision’s been made, but, if you want to make a gesture, I can have someone reach out—”
“No. I don’t want a gesture. I want her design in the running.”
“John, there is no way any architect can come up with a project-winning design against the best architects in the world on five minutes’ notice.”
“She won’t have to. From what I can see, she’s been working on these for weeks. Or maybe hours and she’s just that good. I don’t know, but I want her designs in the running.”
“You want them in the running or you want them chosen?”
“That’s not the way I roll.”
“I know that, but it sounds like this might be the exception.”
“No. But I am using my influence with the board to get an outstanding contender in the ring. She’ll have to win it on her own merits, but she can’t, if she’s not invited to the fight.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll do my best.”
“Do better. This is important. You’ll see for yourself, when she submits.”
“The flight is taxiing now,” Annette Deluca said over his shoulder.
“Have to run, Evelyn. Maggie’s plane is landing.”
“Wish her a happy birthday for me. And have someone take her picture, when she sees you!”
Call disconnected, he followed Annette to the opening in the fencing, where the passengers would be coming through. From his spot he could see everyone descending the old-fashioned rolling stairs from the plane to the tarmac. He’d have to look it up, but he was pretty sure Kona had to be one of the last international airports in the civilized world that didn’t deplane directly into a building.
“There she is.” Annette waved at the grinning young girl, coming across the concrete in front of his sister.
When Maggie had first told him that she was going to work as a household manager for Tom Deluca, John thought she’d lost her mind. But the change had been a good one. Now he had to admit he’d never seen her looking happier or more relaxed. And considering all she’d been through, protecting the Deluca children from the same threats that had sabotaged Tom’s plane, killing him a
nd putting Annette in intensive care, his sister looked damn good.
Maggie still had her attention on her charge. The teen was rambling on so fast to her mother that all eyes were on the pretty girl.
“Oh, Mom. I don’t know how she did it, but Maggie got us backstage. Backstage,” the teen squealed, so loudly that all nearby heads turned in her direction.
Annette hugged her daughter tightly and, over the young girl’s shoulder, smiled up at Maggie.
Yep. His sister had definitely made the right move.
“Bethany honey”—Annette brushed her daughter’s hair behind one ear and pulled back—”we have company.”
At that moment Maggie shifted her attention from the gushing teen to him. Evelyn had been right; he’d wished somebody had brought a camera. Maggie’s eyes bugged out even wider than when their dad had surprised her with a new Mustang convertible for her sixteenth birthday. She’d coveted the sleek ride for as long as she’d longed for a driver’s license. When their father had found out she was dating Bobby King on the sly, he had sworn up and down that it would be a cold day in hell before she got anything more from the Maplewood money. Apparently hell must have purchased an air conditioner about the same time their father had bought his firstborn daughter her new car.
Within seconds 130 pounds of sister flew across the small space and squished him in her embrace. “You came!”
Much to his surprise, he clearly rated higher than that sleek sports car. Hanging on a moment longer, he softly responded, “Happy birthday, Maggie.”
“The best ever.” Hooking her arm through his, she stepped to one side. “Bethany, this is my brother, Forrest.”
To her credit, the kid didn’t make fun of his name. “Nice to meet you.”
“Sounds like you really scored last night.” Those were the only words he got a chance to utter. For the rest of the car ride home, Bethany oozed Taylor Swift stories. The kid’s glee was infectious. At one point he found himself singing along to “You Belong With Me.” He didn’t even realize he knew the lyrics.
The conversation switched to mother and daughter in the front seat discussing vacation plans, and Maggie turned to him. “I can’t believe you kept this trip a secret from me.”
“It wasn’t easy. Especially when you called yesterday. If Evelyn hadn’t been standing guard over me, I might have spilled the beans.”
“Either way, I’m so happy to have you here. You’re going to love Kona. There’s so much to do or not to do. It’s up to you. How long are you staying?”
“Well—”
“One month,” Annette answered from the driver’s seat.
Maggie’s eyes grew big and round again. “Really? That’s fabulous—”
John held up his hand. “My reservations are for a month, but—”
“I have orders to lock you in a closet, if necessary,” Annette added.
Evelyn. Sometimes he wondered who really ran his company.
“You should stay. You know Evelyn can manage everything. You’ve got a good support staff. And there’s so much to do here. Wait until you meet the folks from the dive shop. You’re going to love Billy and Nick and Doug.”
“Already have.”
Maggie’s brow’s dipped into a V. “You have?”
Annette looked at his sister through the rearview mirror. “We arranged for him to go diving this morning.”
Maggie crinkled her nose. “I thought you smelled a little salty.”
“Had lunch at the Everretts’ home, and we lost track of time.”
“Is the rest of your day planned out too?”
Annette caught his gaze in her rearview mirror. At some point his two sisters were arriving, but they were another extension of the big birthday surprise. “Just time with my big sister.”
“Sounds perfect. Tonight will be just you and me and my favorite restaurant.”
John smiled and nodded. Siblings or not, based on the number of surprises popping up over the last two days, he wasn’t counting on any quality alone time with his big sister staying on the calendar.
* * *
Keys in hand Ava almost made it out the front door without her mom spotting her. Almost.
“Oh, good.” Maile Everrett exited the kitchen, a large covered baking pan in her arms. “In his hurry, your brother forgot this. No sense in Angela cooking tonight, when there’s perfectly good leftovers available. Would you mind dropping this off on your way?”
“Sure.” She didn’t really have anyplace to go, but the conversation with Brad brought back all the anger and frustration she’d thought she’d overcome. She had a good future ahead of her. There was nothing wrong with designing room additions. For now. But she really, really, really wanted to work on bigger projects. A chance to let her creative juices flow.
“Here you go.” Her mom handed off the covered dish and opened the door. “Have fun.”
Ava knew she should just keep walking, but some genetic makeup specific to the mother-daughter relationship urged her lips to move and express her adulthood. “Mom, I’m not a kid going to the mall with my friends.”
“I know.” Maile smiled. “Don’t stay out too late.”
“Mother.” Why did Ava have an overwhelming urge to stomp her feet? “I’m not a child.”
“No, you’re not. You’re a grown woman, who is perfectly capable of designing an entire city, if she wanted to. But right now that phone call ruffled your feathers, and I’d rather you weren’t out there driving off steam after dark.”
The woman’s smile never faltered. And Ava wanted to hug her. Instead she nodded and moved to her car. Sometimes a girl just needed to take a drive. Alone. Her plan was simple: drop off the leftovers at Billy and Angela’s, and then drive along the coast a while, maybe stop and do a little window-shopping. Get her mind off work.
Only a few miles away, it didn’t take long to find herself at her brother’s front door.
“Hey, what a nice surprise.” Angela flung the door open wider, waddling back out of the way.
“Mom sent this over from lunch today.”
“Yeah, sorry I had to miss it, but I was stuck at the office, working a contract.”
“When are you going to slow down?”
“Soon, but as long as I can sit at a computer and take care of business, no reason not to. Can I get you a drink? Glass of water? Juice?”
Ava looked at the fridge and then let her glance shift to the view out the veranda. She remembered when they’d found this place. Her brother had snatched it up and put new life into it.
“Uh-oh.” Angela slowly turned, inching her feet around, until she faced Ava. “You’ve got that need-something-stronger-than-juice look on your face.”
“Nah. I’m just getting over being mad at myself.”
Gesturing toward the seat across the table, Angela plopped in the nearest chair. “What happened?”
“It’s stupid.” Ava sat.
“Not if it’s bothering you.”
“That’s just it. I shouldn’t be bothered.” She’d moved on. Life was good. She shouldn’t let the past taunt her.
“But you are. By what?”
“Oh, it’s silly.” Ava pushed to her feet and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. Angela watched her, as she filled it with water from the fridge. “Want a glass?”
Her sister-in-law shook her head and waited.
“The asshole who got the job that should have been mine called.”
“Oh, really?”
Ava nodded. “They’ve run into trouble and want me back.”
“So your boss has come to his senses?”
“No, but the team knows they need help.” Ava took a long swallow. “I told them they’d have to figure it out without me.”
“Good for you.” Angela shifted back more comfortably into the chair, resting her hand on her rounded belly.
“Yeah. Good for me.” Eyes on her drink, Ava took another swallow.
“What am I missing here?”
“I wa
nted to say yes. And I’m mad at myself for wanting to say yes. As the twerp Brad was telling me the problems on-site, my mind went straight to how to redesign the troubled area. Ideas were bouncing off each other so fast I almost couldn’t get them all down on paper before the next one popped up. I really wanted to do it.”
“But…”
“But I knew it would be the same old shit, so I said no and went back to sketching on the aquarium. Another job I won’t be getting.”
“Not this time, but you’ll get there. I know you—”
Her cell sounded, and Ava glanced at the caller ID. Private number. “Hello?”
“Miss Everrett?” a man with a smooth voice asked.
“Yes.”
“This is Howard Dempsey with the South Bay Aquarium Launch Committee. I know this is fairly short notice, and an official request will be in your email shortly, but we’d like to invite you to please consider submitting a design for the South Bay Aquarium project.”
Blood rushed to Ava’s ears. There had to be a mistake. She couldn’t have heard right. Or maybe, maybe she’d taken a nap and not come to her brother’s. This could all be a dream. A stupid dream to compensate for not returning to Honolulu and finishing the Sacramento Arts District development.
“Miss Everrett?”
Holy crap. This wasn’t a dream. This was real. Wasn’t it?” “Sorry, yes?”
“All the data you’ll need will be in the official request. I’m sorry that there won’t be much time.”
“How much time?”
The man sucked in a long breath and took even longer to blow it out. “We need the preliminary designs here by Monday.”
“Monday.” That gave her three days to polish her drafts. “That will be fine.”
“It will?”
She almost laughed at the man’s surprise. “Yes. That won’t be a problem.”
“Very well then. I look forward to seeing them. If you have any questions after receiving the details, don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thank you very much.”
Ava waited a full minute to make sure she wasn’t still connected to California, then threw her arms up in the air and twirled around like the little girl she’d just told her mother she wasn’t. “Weeeee.”
Love by Design Page 6
