When they got downstairs, the girl behind the front desk gladly nuked their coffees, and within minutes, they stepped out on the noisy street full of early-morning delivery trucks and shop owners. Sean nodded his head in the direction they needed to go, and they walked and weaved down the sidewalk, passing by colorful storefronts in the direction of Boston Harbor.
“How’s your coffee?” Sean asked, looking down at her as they walked beside one another.
“Mmm, chick coffee. My favorite.”
He laughed at her sarcasm, and she couldn’t help but smile as she took a sip of her caramel latte. Not too long after, they reached the end of the street, where it opened up into a park-like space next to the harbor.
The intersection was packed full with cars, and they had to wait for a signal before crossing. Darcy didn’t miss the fact that Sean switched sides with her, putting himself between her and the oncoming traffic waiting for them to hurry out of the way.
“So this is it,” he said after reaching the other side of the road.
“This park?”
“Yep,” he said, leading her over to one of several stone benches along the water. “I told you it was prime real estate.”
“Christ, this must have cost a fucking fortune!”
Darcy stood and took in the panorama of the little patch of greenery that stood out in the urban landscape like an oasis. On one side was the harbor with boats and yachts lazily anchored in the blue waters flowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side was a labyrinth of city streets chock-full of some of the best restaurants, bars, and shops in Boston.
Prime real estate, her ass. This was a fucking gold mine.
“Who’d he have to sleep with to get his hands on this piece of land?” Darcy asked in disbelief as she sat down next to Sean.
Sean smiled and shook his head. “No idea. But he must have been a good lay.”
###
They sat there for a moment, watching the boats bob up and down in the calm waters.
“This deal is huge, Darcy. I want it so badly.”
The more Sean thought about it, the more he wondered how in the world he was going to pull it off. He was only a few years out of school, and here he was going after one of the priciest hotel construction projects in the last ten years in Boston.
He felt like a fraud. Like he was an amateur trying to pass as a professional.
“Think about putting our footprint on this spot,” he continued. “That for as long as the hotel exists, we will have forever changed the landscape of the city. It’s exciting and thrilling and fucking terrifying at the same time.”
She looked over at him and nodded. She always got him.
That sometimes he doubted himself. That sometimes he was a lot softer than he let on. That behind the jokes and the drama, there was always a little self-doubt.
Yet she never said anything about it. But he just knew that she knew… that she could see through his façade. If he got along with more people the way he got along with Darcy, he’d have a lot less stress in his life.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty big deal.”
Her voice was soft as they watched the early-morning sun glisten off the ripples in the water. People were hurrying across the small park toward their offices. Morning joggers were using the benches to stretch their tired legs. Pigeons waddled around in puddles, poking their necks out as they scuttled around each other.
“It’s almost a shame to construct something here,” she said. “It’s a lovely little park.”
“The locals call it Sunset Park. In the late summer months, if you’re lucky enough to get a seat at one of these benches, the sunsets are spectacular.” Sean rested his arm along the back of the bench. “Bright oranges and yellows and purples color the sky, and it’s reflected in the water. After dark, usually the only people left here in the park are couples who are making out at the end of their dates.”
“And I’m sure you’re speaking from personal experience.”
“Eh, a couple of times.” He smiled over at her. “In fact, right on this very bench.”
She pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose. “Knowing the women you’ve dated in the past, maybe we should move to another bench.”
He grinned at her derisive tone. Once again, if more people he knew were like Darcy…
“Speaking of kissing,” he started, turning toward her. “Remember that one year you got mono and had to stay home from school for, like, a month? I failed almost every single history test because you weren’t sitting next to me in class.”
The breath she was holding for some reason whooshed out of her and she sighed. “God, that was an awful month. I was confined to my room for days at a time. I didn’t see or talk to anyone except my grandma and Phee.”
“I stopped by to see you a couple of times. Your grandmother wouldn’t let me inside. But she sent me away with some toffees, so it wasn’t a total waste of time.”
She frowned at him. “You never came to see me. And what the hell does that story have to do with kissing?”
“Firstly, yes, I did come to see you. Twice. Ask your grandmother. And secondly, everyone knows that the reason you had mono was because you kissed Maggie White.”
She barked out a laugh. “I didn’t kiss Maggie White. It was just a goddamn coincidence that she happened to have mono at the same time I did.”
“Whatever you say.”
“I remember very distinctly that it was you who was kissing Maggie White. In fact, I caught you two together a couple of times.”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “She was a good kisser. I don’t blame you for giving it a go.”
“I didn’t fucking kiss Maggie!”
“What a minute,” he said, looking at her seriously. “It makes perfect sense!”
“Oh, God, what?” she said as her shoulders slumped with resignation, and he couldn’t keep the grin from his face.
“Maggie White, with her fantastic lips and wicked tongue, was the one who took your virginity!”
She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Fucking jackass,” she muttered into her coffee cup as she looked back out over the harbor.
“I would have paid to see that. Damn.”
She gave him a sidelong glance that told him she was close to slugging him in the mouth.
“Don’t you have to go to work or something?” she said haughtily.
He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was quarter after eight. Damn, he was going to be late.
“Yeah, I gotta run. How about I take you to lunch today? There’s this great seafood place I’ve been meaning to try. You like prawns?”
“If I eat prawns, I’ll end up in the ER ’cause I’m deathly allergic. Besides, I’m having lunch with Rhys. We’re going over our design plans before tomorrow’s meeting.”
Sean tensed ever so slightly at hearing her lunch plans. The guy got to sit next to her at dinner last night and he was also having lunch with her? What the fuck?
Before he could ask her that very question, he stopped himself. Because of the project, they were required to work together. In fact, it was imperative that they hash out their plans because they were the two main points the team was going to be presenting to the client.
“Lucky Rhys.” He winked at her. “How about stopping by my townhouse tonight? We’re having some people over for a party. You should come.”
“Sean, you don’t have to babysit me while I’m in Boston.”
He frowned. “I’m not babysitting you. I’m inviting you to a party. We never get to hang out anymore. And since you’re here for business, it’s not the same. Tonight will just be about having fun. Like it used to be.”
She nodded. “Have you cleaned your house for the party?”
“Ah, yes. It’s spotless,” he lied.
“In that case, I’ll stop by.”
Relief washed through him, a little stronger than expected, before his brain latched onto to something. “Don’t you owe me a rematch in foosball?”
&nbs
p; “Sean, it's been at least eight years since we played.”
“A rematch is a rematch, Owens. Or are you afraid you’ve lost your skills?”
She smirked at him, her cool confidence shining through her narrowed gaze. “Fine. You’ll get your rematch. Winner sets the stakes.”
He leaned toward her and looked into those bluish-violet eyes of hers. “You’re on.”
On their walk back to her hotel, Sean tossed several ideas around for horribly embarrassing things he’d have Darcy do after she lost tonight in foosball, but as usual, nothing seemed to rile her up. She was hard to embarrass. He’d yet to find a punishment or bet that rattled her cage. She was one hard nut to crack, but he tried like hell.
He loathed the thought of going into work for the day. He’d much rather blow it off and spend the day with Darcy. Wouldn’t Rhys be surprised if he showed up with her at their little lunch date?
The stout architect might try, but there was no way that he could make Darcy laugh like Sean could.
“Johnny Blacco?” he asked as they pushed open the lobby door.
Her head flinched back as she looked up at him. He just raised his eyebrows, one side of his mouth curling up into a playful smile. She realized he was back to guessing who stole her virginity and rolled her eyes for the millionth time that morning.
“No.”
“Was it Lucas Maynard?”
“No.”
“Jesus, just give me a hint who it was!”
“No way.”
God, teasing her was too much fun. And she made it so easy.
Chapter 5
“So where did you say the stairway will be?” Darcy asked.
Rhys turned the blueprint sitting in front of them on the table so that he could study the drawing a little more closely. The two of them had been locked up in one of the hotel’s private conference rooms for the past three hours, plowing through the plans for the hotel.
“Here,” he replied, pointing it out on the paper.
Seeing the blueprints, talking flooring and finishings, deciding on windows, HVAC systems, and lighting fixtures. All of a sudden, the project was real.
Real as in Darcy wasn’t just sitting in a group listening to someone else talk about the hotel. She was getting her hands dirty in the details, and she loved it.
“I think the reception needs to go in this general area. When visitors walk in the front door, there should be no obstruction to the view of the water. These windows you’ve suggested are fabulous,” she said, leafing through one of several brochures that Rhys had showed her.
“The efficiency ratings on those windows are very high. I don’t want any tint to them because it would take away from the view. So we’ll go with a solar control coating to cut down on heat from the sun.”
“Natural light is a must,” she agreed.
“What are you thinking for the lobby floor?”
“I’d definitely go with slate. Maybe a nice light gray with honey and golden tones. For the stairs and the hallways, a nice wide-planked Brazilian cherry would be ideal. The cherry’s durability is best for high-traffic areas.”
Rhys frowned at her. “You’d go with slate over marble?”
Darcy nodded. “I thought about that, but this isn’t just a glitzy hotel. It’s a boutique hotel, which screams originality. If we can find a unique slate with some warm tones, it would be a perfect fit and a great first impression.”
Rhys sat back in his chair, pondering her assessment.
Needing to win him over on the slate, she continued. “It’s nonporous so it’ll be easy to clean. It won’t stain, chip, or scratch. And it’s cheaper. We’re not designing the Ritz-Carlton here, Rhys. This is a one-of-a-kind hotel. There is nothing to compare it to. There are no expectations to live up to. Slate is a very handsome choice for this project, and you know it.”
He smiled at her. “Handsome, huh?”
“Yes, extremely. If I were into flooring material, I’d be all over slate like a rash.”
He threw his head back and laughed. To her surprise, they’d worked quite well together.
Rhys was an articulate person, which was surprising to Darcy because his entire pre-professional life was inundated with sports. Mostly football, which wasn’t a big shocker, seeing that he was a solid mass of muscle. Normally, one might be slightly intimidated by someone so huge in stature. But he had a calm, gentle energy about him and an easy smile that helped Darcy relax.
And he was intelligent. Very intelligent.
Not only was he one of the top architects at his firm, he’d graduated with honors from Cornell University. Even with a secured architectural position, he was still being hunted by top firms across the country. Some firms from Europe, as well.
If you were the type of woman who found a man with a clean-shaven head, angular jaw, deep brown eyes, and full, wide lips attractive, you’d definitely hit the mother lode with Rhys. Too bad Darcy preferred tall, leanly muscled blonds who apparently couldn’t see a good thing even when it was right in front of them.
She sat back in her chair, stretching out her legs under the table. They’d ordered deli sandwiches for lunch and ate while going through the many blueprints that Rhys and his colleagues had prepared.
After getting an overview of the structure, she’d already started formulating a design. It was a plan that would truly be one of a kind. And the more she thought about it, the more excited she got. She just hoped the rest of the team would like it as well.
“So, should we adjourn this meeting, Miss Owens?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“I was thinking,” he started hesitantly, “maybe you’d like to have dinner with me tonight? In a non-work-related capacity?”
Holy shit, he’d just asked her out. To say she was surprised was a bit of an understatement. She felt her cheeks warm, and she gave him a tentative smile.
“Actually, I’m going over to Sean’s place tonight. He’s having a party, and I’ve already promised him I’d be there.”
He nodded slowly, gazing at her. “You and Sean know each other well?”
“Yeah. We’ve been friends since we were both ten years old.”
“I can tell you guys are close. I just didn’t know the history. So, you guys are friends,” he said, stressing the word, “and he asked you to help with interior design?”
“Yep. He’s been up here in Boston since graduate school. I’ve been living and working in Providence. He told me I was the first person he thought of when this project came up.”
He wiped at some invisible crumbs on his pant leg. “I’m sure he did.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Darcy wasn’t sure what to make of his comment. He said it in a joking sort of way, but the fact that he wouldn’t meet her eyes while saying it made her think it wasn’t quite sincere.
“Nothing. You’re a very talented designer. Although your experience isn’t vast, you have a practical approach and a great knowledge of materials. If I had a friend like you, you’d be the first person I’d think of too.”
Darcy hesitantly nodded.
“Plus, you’re easy on the eyes,” he said, gazing directly at her. “Very easy.”
Yep, her cheeks were definitely burning up now.
She laughed uncomfortably at his compliment. “I’m not sure how I should feel about you saying I’m very easy. Seems to me I should be slightly offended.”
He smiled his crooked smile. “I wish you would blow off that party tonight and have dinner with me.”
She might have considered it for a nanosecond. But an opportunity to see Sean was something that would win every time.
“You wanna come with me to Sean’s tonight? We’ll probably need a tetanus shot after we leave his townhouse, but other than that, they always promise a good time.”
In the spur of the moment, she thought extending the invitation to him was the polite thing to do. It was a party, after all, and Rhys wasn’t the type who’d be stuck to h
er side all night. He’d meet some people, make some new friends. They’d all have fun.
“You think he’ll mind if I tag along?”
Darcy shook her head. “Not at all. I’m sure he’ll be happy you came.”
###
What the fuck was Rhys Clarke doing at his house? And why was he taking Darcy’s coat like he owned the goddamn place?
Before Sean could push his way through the mass of bodies in his living room, Lucy, the petite brunette he was semi-conversing with, tugged on the front of his shirt.
“I don’t get your shirt. What’s it mean?”
Turning back to Lucy, Sean frowned. Her pretty face was marred with a perplexed expression as her hazel eyes bored into his chest. He looked down at his T-shirt. It said My T-rex hates push-ups and had a cartoon tyrannosaurus rex on it.
“It’s a joke. The tyrannosaurus rex has really short arms, so he can’t do push-ups. Get it?”
“Oh, yeah.” She looked back up at him, frowning. “And that’s supposed to be funny?”
Jesus Christ.
Right before he answered her asinine question, one of his roommates, Josh, yelled over to him from the kitchen. “McKenna! Darcy’s here!”
He excused himself from the stimulating conversation with Lucy to make his way over to where Darcy stood by the back door. She was talking to Josh, no doubt giving him shit for the ridiculous beard he was attempting to grow. Rule of thumb, if your beard resembled pubic hair in any way, you were not the prime candidate for a beard. Period.
He caught Darcy’s eye as he neared, and she smiled at him. She looked like the Darcy he’d known and loved all his life. She looked comfortable in her jeans and long-sleeved pale blue T-shirt.
A loud snort from Darcy pulled his attention back up to her face. She had her eyes closed and her mouth covered with her hand.
Was she crying or laughing? He couldn’t tell.
When she opened her eyes and looked at him, he could tell she was laughing.
“What, do I have something in my teeth?” he joked, picking at his front teeth.
“Your shirt,” she blurted out, still giggling. “God, that’s funny. Only you would wear a shirt like that.”
Not In My Wildest Dreams (McKenna Series Book 2) Page 5
