think I was innocent of what I was accused of?”
She reached out and cupped her hands around his face, tugged him closer. “Yes. I did. And that you never believed in that, in me, is why we are where we are.”
She pressed her lips to his, a blink of time, but when he shifted forward, when he reached for her, she stood up and walked away.
Chapter Eight
“Miss Harrison, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Sheila continued to shake off the afterburn of her conversation with Malcolm as she approached the lithe, stylish woman looking out the fifth-floor window. Time to compartmentalize.
“I was early, and it’s Veronica, please.” Her voice carried the faintest trace of a British accent. Hair that reminded Sheila of a classic Hollywood actress—or maybe a Celtic warrior—swung down around narrow shoulders, sunlight catching the red strands like fire. Startling smoke-grey eyes were intense yet friendly as she returned Sheila’s handshake. “I’m glad we could arrange a meeting at such short notice. TIN Consolidated has been looking for a way to expand its charitable donations program. I can’t tell you how excited we are about the prospect of joining forces with the Tremayne Foundation.”
“Do you mind me asking how you found out about our situation?”
“TIN’s founder and CEO is a bit fanatical when it comes to searching out any and every opportunity for growth. When you put out the call for a new contractor the other day, word got to him and ultimately to me.”
“I have to admit, the timing is perfect on our end as well. Please. If you don’t mind, my assistant—”
“Liza, yes, we’ve met.” Veronica picked up her briefcase and followed Sheila down the hall as Liza emerged from the employees lounge at the far end of the hall, a plastic container in her hand. “By all means, have her join us. It’s my understanding the Tremayne Foundation thrives on multiple points of view, as does TIN. The more input we have on what you all think would work best for you the better.”
“I overheard you say you’d missed lunch due to a previous appointment,” Liza said and offered her a duplicate salad to the one Sheila had picked at earlier. “What can I get you to drink?”
“You are a lifesaver.” Veronica beamed. “Iced tea would be aces.”
“On it,” Liza said as Sheila escorted Veronica into her office. She caught sight of Malcolm emerging from the staircase and shut the door before they could make eye contact. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on . . . well, anything they’d said to each other. Then why did she want things to be different?
“If TIN is willing to step in where Valley Wireless left off,” Sheila said, “I’ll make sure you all get as much publicity and attention as you want. My main concern is keeping the project on schedule.”
“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but we’re not in this for publicity, however we do appreciate the offer.” Veronica pulled out a new legal pad and fountain pen.
“Don’t you want to eat—”
“I’m a marvel at multi-tasking,” Veronica said. “I’m also old school when it comes to negotiations, so let’s get down to it. What do you need from us?”
***
By the time Veronica scribbled her way through pages of notes and memos, Sheila’s eyes were crossing and the clock read half past four. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was missing something, or that she’d met or seen Veronica somewhere before.
“I’d like it understood there are no strings to this deal.” Veronica’s statement was enough to renew Sheila’s faith in humanity. “If you and the members of the foundation’s board are amenable to the terms we’ve set out, I’ll look into some local contractors . . .”
“We’re amenable.” Sheila wasn’t about to give her a way out. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Trust me, that look on your face will keep me smiling for weeks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to my hotel
She reached out and cupped her hands around his face, tugged him closer. “Yes. I did. And that you never believed in that, in me, is why we are where we are.”
She pressed her lips to his, a blink of time, but when he shifted forward, when he reached for her, she stood up and walked away.
Chapter Eight
“Miss Harrison, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Sheila continued to shake off the afterburn of her conversation with Malcolm as she approached the lithe, stylish woman looking out the fifth-floor window. Time to compartmentalize.
“I was early, and it’s Veronica, please.” Her voice carried the faintest trace of a British accent. Hair that reminded Sheila of a classic Hollywood actress—or maybe a Celtic warrior—swung down around narrow shoulders, sunlight catching the red strands like fire. Startling smoke-grey eyes were intense yet friendly as she returned Sheila’s handshake. “I’m glad we could arrange a meeting at such short notice. TIN Consolidated has been looking for a way to expand its charitable donations program. I can’t tell you how excited we are about the prospect of joining forces with the Tremayne Foundation.”
“Do you mind me asking how you found out about our situation?”
“TIN’s founder and CEO is a bit fanatical when it comes to searching out any and every opportunity for growth. When you put out the call for a new contractor the other day, word got to him and ultimately to me.”
“I have to admit, the timing is perfect on our end as well. Please. If you don’t mind, my assistant—”
“Liza, yes, we’ve met.” Veronica picked up her briefcase and followed Sheila down the hall as Liza emerged from the employees lounge at the far end of the hall, a plastic container in her hand. “By all means, have her join us. It’s my understanding the Tremayne Foundation thrives on multiple points of view, as does TIN. The more input we have on what you all think would work best for you the better.”
“I overheard you say you’d missed lunch due to a previous appointment,” Liza said and offered her a duplicate salad to the one Sheila had picked at earlier. “What can I get you to drink?”
“You are a lifesaver.” Veronica beamed. “Iced tea would be aces.”
“On it,” Liza said as Sheila escorted Veronica into her office. She caught sight of Malcolm emerging from the staircase and shut the door before they could make eye contact. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on . . . well, anything they’d said to each other. Then why did she want things to be different?
“If TIN is willing to step in where Valley Wireless left off,” Sheila said, “I’ll make sure you all get as much publicity and attention as you want. My main concern is keeping the project on schedule.”
“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but we’re not in this for publicity, however we do appreciate the offer.” Veronica pulled out a new legal pad and fountain pen.
“Don’t you want to eat—”
“I’m a marvel at multi-tasking,” Veronica said. “I’m also old school when it comes to negotiations, so let’s get down to it. What do you need from us?”
***
By the time Veronica scribbled her way through pages of notes and memos, Sheila’s eyes were crossing and the clock read half past four. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was missing something, or that she’d met or seen Veronica somewhere before.
“I’d like it understood there are no strings to this deal.” Veronica’s statement was enough to renew Sheila’s faith in humanity. “If you and the members of the foundation’s board are amenable to the terms we’ve set out, I’ll look into some local contractors . . .”
“We’re amenable.” Sheila wasn’t about to give her a way out. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Trust me, that look on your face will keep me smiling for weeks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to my hotel
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