time constraint, you made the right decision. Sylvie has a wonderful reputation and she’ll do the job for you. Though I have a tremendous amount of experience and I think I’ve proven the level of my design aesthetic, the sofas still wouldn’t be delivered for six-to-eight-weeks .”
Quint nodded. He liked Grace a lot. “If you’ll give me your card, I know for certain I’ll be able to use you in the future.”
She shifted just a little to her right and pulled a business card off a holder that turned out to be miniature wheelchair. He smiled. She also had a sense of humor. He met her gaze then nodded. Her eyes twinkled all over again.
He took the card and flicked it several times with his finger.
Ordinarily, he would have wished Grace Hartley well and left, but he had a powerful opportunity to make a significant inroad with Carly right now. His gut tightened and that cue prompted him to act. He almost salivated as he began the process.
He withdrew his blackberry. He started making some mental calculations, both the amount of hours Grace had probably put in on this job as well as the mark-up on all the furnishings that wouldn’t make it into her bank account because he’d hired Sylvie to do the work. He typed in the number. He then hit his assistant’s number. “Hey, Sheila, I need you to cut me a check and I need it couriered to Sedona today,” he glanced at the designer, “that is if Grace Hartley will allow me to purchase her design work for the winery.”
“Of course,” Grace said, her mouth agape and a sudden bloom on her cheeks.
* * * * * * * * *
As Carly stared at Quint, a knot formed in her throat. Well dammit wasn’t this just a fine ending to the whole mess. She had intended to wring an apology out of Quint. Instead he turned superhero and blew her socks off as he ordered a check for thirty-five grand for the use of Grace’s design work. Then he handed the phone to Grace and asked her to relay her address to his executive assistant, Sheila.
He turned to Carly and just looked at her, straight into her eyes, challenging, demanding, firm. Oh, how she wished he wasn’t sitting right next to her.
His muscular body blocked her in and the see-I’m-not-such-an-asshole stare turned her bones to mush.
“Thank you,” Grace said drawing her attention away from Quint. Grace handed his phone back. She nodded several times. “Thank you for that, Mr. Barron.”
“You did a tremendous amount of work,” he said, gaining his feet. “This is nothing more than you deserve.” He turned to Carly and smiled. “You did right to bring me here. I misjudged things.”
Carly smiled as well. What she felt like doing was throwing her arms around him, but that so wasn’t going to happen.
She slid off her stool and passed in front of him to give Grace a hug instead. She kissed her cheek. “How about we get drunk together real soon?”
Grace laughed. “Love you.”
Carly headed toward the door and moved quickly from the house. She knew Grace. Her friend didn’t show her emotions very often, but there had been the smallest catch in her voice and shimmer in her eyes that spoke more gratitude than she wanted known.
“You did the right thing,” she said to Quint as she lowered herself into his car. She waited for him to get in before she continued, “That woman never complains about anything. She does well with her business, but her medical bills... Anyway,” she turned to him as he fired up the air conditioning. She settled a hand on his arm and squeezed. “I mean it, Quint. Thank you.”
“You were right to call me on it.”
“Damn straight I was, but you know none of this would have been necessary if you’d talked the situation over with me first.”
“I was just doing what I always do—taking care of business.”
“Yeah, yeah. We both know you want to be the lead horse, but you need to communicate with me. It was your idea to bring me in as an associate so unless you want me climbing all
Quint nodded. He liked Grace a lot. “If you’ll give me your card, I know for certain I’ll be able to use you in the future.”
She shifted just a little to her right and pulled a business card off a holder that turned out to be miniature wheelchair. He smiled. She also had a sense of humor. He met her gaze then nodded. Her eyes twinkled all over again.
He took the card and flicked it several times with his finger.
Ordinarily, he would have wished Grace Hartley well and left, but he had a powerful opportunity to make a significant inroad with Carly right now. His gut tightened and that cue prompted him to act. He almost salivated as he began the process.
He withdrew his blackberry. He started making some mental calculations, both the amount of hours Grace had probably put in on this job as well as the mark-up on all the furnishings that wouldn’t make it into her bank account because he’d hired Sylvie to do the work. He typed in the number. He then hit his assistant’s number. “Hey, Sheila, I need you to cut me a check and I need it couriered to Sedona today,” he glanced at the designer, “that is if Grace Hartley will allow me to purchase her design work for the winery.”
“Of course,” Grace said, her mouth agape and a sudden bloom on her cheeks.
* * * * * * * * *
As Carly stared at Quint, a knot formed in her throat. Well dammit wasn’t this just a fine ending to the whole mess. She had intended to wring an apology out of Quint. Instead he turned superhero and blew her socks off as he ordered a check for thirty-five grand for the use of Grace’s design work. Then he handed the phone to Grace and asked her to relay her address to his executive assistant, Sheila.
He turned to Carly and just looked at her, straight into her eyes, challenging, demanding, firm. Oh, how she wished he wasn’t sitting right next to her.
His muscular body blocked her in and the see-I’m-not-such-an-asshole stare turned her bones to mush.
“Thank you,” Grace said drawing her attention away from Quint. Grace handed his phone back. She nodded several times. “Thank you for that, Mr. Barron.”
“You did a tremendous amount of work,” he said, gaining his feet. “This is nothing more than you deserve.” He turned to Carly and smiled. “You did right to bring me here. I misjudged things.”
Carly smiled as well. What she felt like doing was throwing her arms around him, but that so wasn’t going to happen.
She slid off her stool and passed in front of him to give Grace a hug instead. She kissed her cheek. “How about we get drunk together real soon?”
Grace laughed. “Love you.”
Carly headed toward the door and moved quickly from the house. She knew Grace. Her friend didn’t show her emotions very often, but there had been the smallest catch in her voice and shimmer in her eyes that spoke more gratitude than she wanted known.
“You did the right thing,” she said to Quint as she lowered herself into his car. She waited for him to get in before she continued, “That woman never complains about anything. She does well with her business, but her medical bills... Anyway,” she turned to him as he fired up the air conditioning. She settled a hand on his arm and squeezed. “I mean it, Quint. Thank you.”
“You were right to call me on it.”
“Damn straight I was, but you know none of this would have been necessary if you’d talked the situation over with me first.”
“I was just doing what I always do—taking care of business.”
“Yeah, yeah. We both know you want to be the lead horse, but you need to communicate with me. It was your idea to bring me in as an associate so unless you want me climbing all
Similar Books
