Page 11 of Passion and Privilege

I was so excited, my heart felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest. I left the mansion and headed straight to the wood shop. I had to tell my father. I had no idea what kind of reaction he was going to have.

I walked in and decided to just rip the band-aid off and come out with it.

“Dad, I bid on the Gloriana Manor project. And, well, I got it.”

His initial displeasure was evident. “What?”

“I had to,” I said. “You know I did.”

“Why would you do this without consulting me?”

“I wanted to prove to you that I can handle the business,” I said. “I’m ready to step into a leadership role. The project will bring in enough money for you to retire. And Dad, it’s Gloriana Manor! How could we turn down the opportunity?”

He shook his head. “It’s a huge job, Catherine.”

“I know, but it’ll be good. This is going to be good for both of us. And you have to see this house, Dad. It’s stunning.”

“You better call Scott and have him return all the tools he’s borrowed. We’re going to need everything.”

I cleared my throat. “We broke up.”

He looked up. “What?”

“We broke up. He’s been cheating on me. It’s over and done. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s just done.”

“Good, I never liked the guy,” he muttered before returning to his work, leaving me momentarily speechless.

“I’m going to start making some calls,” I said.

I went to my desk that was in the small office we shared and started making calls to subcontractors we had used before. I only called the ones I trusted to do quality work. This was a million-dollar job. It had to be the best.

As I set up the subcontractors, I couldn’t stop thinking about the owner of the house. He was very mysterious and hot. There was an attraction I couldn’t quite explain. I was sure it was the fact he was living in my dream home. He got to roam those halls and live in that historical masterpiece that I envied.

Chapter Six

Timothy

THE NEXT DAY I WAS back in my office at Gloriana Manor, one of the few rooms that had been cleaned out enough to function. The bedroom and bathroom were ready for use, but the majority of the rooms remained bare, untouched for decades. I had them dusted and swept and had the cobwebs removed, but some of the rooms were legit time capsules. The east wing was rarely used and had seen almost no updates. It was a pretty scary section of the house as a result. It was straight out of the eighteen hundreds with old doorknobs and no closets.

The kitchen, while functional, had made it to my list of renovations. I had compiled a set of instructions for the contractor. I wanted modern but original. I knew it was a tall order, but oddly enough, I trusted the contractor. The woman who had fallen over the garden wall was unlike any other contractor I had met. She was a breath of fresh air compared to the string of contractors I had been meeting with. Her blonde, curly hair was wild. Her hazel eyes were captivating. There was something about her that was refreshing. She was passionate about the job, which was different than the other contractors I met with.

I just hoped her enthusiasm translated to good work ethic. I was trusting the woman to follow through with what she promised. I told myself I was drawn to her enthusiasm and not her beauty. Although she was quite beautiful. But young. Too young for me to be drooling over. Not to mention, the last thing I wanted to do was get involved in another relationship. I couldn’t deal with that kind of drama.

I was going over some numbers for the bid when I heard the distinct sound of several cars pulling into the driveway. Curiosity led me to the window, where I witnessed a swarm of at least a dozen men emerging from their vehicles. I was shocked to see so many people arriving before nine in the morning. I had worked with contractors in the past. It was nothing short of a miracle to get them to the job on the right day, let alone early.

I watched as my pretty little blonde stood on the front steps, clipboard in hand and directing the men like a general in the Army. Even more surprising was the fact they were all listening to her. I opened the window and leaned out just enough to be able to hear. I couldn’t say why I was so fascinated but I was.

I eavesdropped on her instructions to the subcontractors, addressing them with confidence and authority. Terms like “cleaning up,” “inspecting,” and “meeting over blueprints” echoed in the air. I couldn’t help but admire her ability to command a crew of men effortlessly. She was unlike any woman I had ever met, a force to be reckoned with. It wasn’t just the fact she was a woman. She was also much younger than a lot of the men she was ordering around.

Bennet interrupted my observations. “The contractor—”

Before he could complete his sentence, I brushed past him and descended the stairs to meet her. I needed to understand her plans for the day. I didn’t want to risk her damaging the house. She was eager, which could be good or really destructive. Once I knew we were on the same page, I would give her a little more leeway.

As I approached, she glanced over at me, nodded once, and finished her little speech. “Good morning,” I said as she walked toward me.

It was hard not to stare at her. She was dressed in a similar outfit, jeans, polo, and boots. I had a feeling she was a no-nonsense kind of person. She wasn’t wearing much, if any, makeup. “Good morning. I hope we’re not too early.”

I had to laugh. “Not at all. I was surprised to see a full crew rolling up before nine.”