Page 13 of A Tempting Seduction

“No, but Florence was. And Florence never met story she couldn't improve.” Ivan chuckled. “She say dog was size of flea but had heart of wolf. You fought bravely but were overcome.”

I groaned. “It was a Chihuahua. It was five pounds,” I defended.

“Ah, but was beautiful woman who came to your rescue, yes?” Ivan's eyebrows waggled suggestively. “Ruby with the red hair and green eyes. Very nice girl.”

“Ivan—”

“I just say. You could do worse than coffee shop girl with kind heart.”

The man had a point, but I wasn't about to admit it. “Can we focus on work, please?”

“Of course, of course.” Ivan's expression turned serious. “You go call glass company. I keep crew working on other pieces.”

I headed toward the office, already pulling my phone from my pocket to dial the glazer's number. Before I could even enter the building, the phone buzzed with an incoming call.

Walker's name flashed on the screen.

“What's up?” I answered.

“When are you planning to show up at the Sadowski site?” Walker's voice carried the edge that meant he was irritated about something.

I paused with my hand on the office door handle. “Who pissed in your oatmeal this morning?”

“I'm serious, Ford. Harvey's been asking where you are.”

“I was there yesterday. Spent two hours going over the specs with Renzo. We're not scheduled to start any actual work until next week.”

“That's not the point.” Walker's voice rose slightly. “We're trying to build a relationship with these people. Harvey Sadowski has connections all over East Tennessee. If we make a good impression on this project, it could lead to a dozen more.”

I pushed the office door open and stepped inside, frustration building in my chest. “So, make a good impression. You're perfectly capable of representing the company.”

“That's not how it works, and you know it. You're the detail guy. You're the one who catches problems before they become expensive mistakes.”

“Renzo knows what he's doing. The man has a degree from University College London and more practical experience than half the engineers I've worked with. If there's a problem with the specs, he'll catch it.”

“It's not about the specs.” Walker's voice carried the tone he used when he thought I was being deliberately obtuse. “It's about showing Harvey that we're taking his project seriously. That we're not just some small-town shop that's going to phone it in because we've got bigger fish to fry.”

The irony wasn't lost on me. Six months ago, Walker had been the one dragging his feet about taking on the Sadowski project. He'd wanted to stick with the Nashville work where the money was better and the clients less likely to know our families personally. I'd been the one pushing to come home.

“Harvey knows we're taking it seriously. The bid we submitted was competitive and detailed. Our timeline is realistic. And unlike half the contractors in this county, we actually return phone calls.”

“Look, just go over there today, okay? Check on things. Make sure there haven't been any changes that might affect our work. Schmooze a little.”

I dropped into the chair behind my desk and rubbed my temples. “You're co-owner of this company, Walker. You can schmooze just as well as I can. Better, actually.”

“I’m not the one who spots structural problems or catches design flaws.”

“There aren't any structural problems. It's a residential development, not a nuclear reactor.”

“Just do it, Ford. For me.”

The conversation was heading toward an argument, and I didn't have the energy for it. Not with the glazer situation hanging over my head and a dozen other details demanding attention.

“Fine. I'll swing by this afternoon.”

“Thank you.” Walker's relief was audible. “I knew you'd see reason.”

“Uh-huh.” I ended the call before he could say anything else that might really piss me off.