was two hours late for work, and that didn’t bode well for completing the Mercy Medical Clinic expansion on time. He had projects stacked up like planes waiting to land and if this one ran behind all the rest could crash and burn.
He looked at his watch and swore softly. It was going on noon and still no word from Miss Suellen Hart. Tomorrow the cement foundation was being poured, and last Friday, when he’d spoken with her, she’d promised to fly out of Dallas in plenty of time to be here for the event on Monday.
“They don’t call. They don’t write. So much for promises,” he mumbled.
Maybe he was a tad critical, but in his opinion, he had an excellent reason. His wife, ex-wife, had promised to love, honor and all the rest of that baloney. But vows hadn’t stopped her from running back into the arms of the man who’d fathered the baby she’d let Alex believe was his. She’d ripped out the foundation of his life, and if that wasn’t cause to be bitter, he didn’t know what was.
Alex walked the wood form set in the prepared ground that would hold the cement foundation of the clinic addition. He inspected every weight-bearing wall support to make sure they were in the right place. It would have been nice for the architect to be here with him to corroborate his judgment, although that was just a formality. He knew his job.
Just then he heard a car squeal into the temporary parking lot for the clinic. He turned and saw the little compact, a rental from the airport, skid to a stop by the construction trailer. The door opened, and out swung the best-looking pair of legs he’d seen east of California, and the rest of her was just as impressive. She was wearing a red skirt and snug matching jacket. The coordinating four-inch heels had come-and-get-me written all over them.
She leaned back inside, showing a pretty good view of her backside, then pulled out a purse the size of a Toyota. Much as he might like to avoid her forever, Alex knew he couldn’t, so he moseyed over to meet her.
Miss Suellen Hart smiled as if being welcomed to a garden party. “So nice to see you again, Mr. McKnight.”
He’d met her when she’d come to town for meetings on the project and accepted the fact that she was a looker, but it wasn’t nice to see her again. She’d asked him to call her Ellie and at the time he’d thought it was cute. But not anymore. This woman pushed his buttons, none of the good ones.
“I thought you were going to call me Alex.”
“I forgot.” There was apology in her Texas bluebonnet-colored eyes. “Not surprisin’ what with being late and all. I am so sorry, Alex. I’m normally punctual to a fault, although you have no reason to believe that. My plan was to fly in yesterday and get settled, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Y’all know how ladies have an inclination toward changin’ their minds?”
“I do,” he said dryly.
“Well, in Texas they say if y’all don’t like the weather, just wait a minute. My flight from Dallas was canceled because of thunderstorms, and I was stuck at the airport. Cell service was sporadic to nonexistent, and I couldn’t get a call through. I got here as quick as I could from that cute little Montana airport just a hop, skip and jump down the highway.”
That cute little airport was close to a hundred miles from Blackwater Lake on a winding two-lane road. With mountains all around cell service was notorious for cutting in and out. “Stuff happens.”
“Y’all must think I’m a flake.”
Not the first word that came to his mind. Especially when she spoke in a breathless Southern drawl that was a little gravel, a little honey and all woman. “That wouldn’t be fair.”
“I promise that no one works harder than me. Y’all won’t be disappointed.” She took a breath. “I do apologize. Am I talkin’ too much?”
“No.” Damned if he couldn’t listen to the Southern comfort in her voice all day.
“I must have had a bucket of coffee. Don’t you worry. It’ll wear off.”
Studying her more closely, he could see that her skirt was wrinkled as if she’d slept in it, and fatigue had carved dark circles under those big, beautiful eyes. It was a look that made him want to take care of her, and that was a habit he thought he’d learned to break.
“You’re here now.” He almost added better late than never. He didn’t, because she was pretty enough to be tempting, which made never a better alternative. “I’ll show you the office.”
“Okay. I’m anxious to get started.” She smiled brightly. “I swear Mayor Goodson and the town council won’t regret they picked me for the job.”
“Your bid was the cheapest,” he said. “No offense.”
“None taken. I needed the work. It has to be said that I didn’t expect y’all to be one of those contractors who believes the architect relationship is terminated on completion of the construction documents.”
“What you’re really saying is you’re glad I don’t think your presence on the job is both a nuisance and an unnecessary expense.”
“Those words would never cross my lips.”
And very fine lips they were, he thought, then ordered himself to focus. On work. “I believe an architect has a critical role to play during construction, and this addition to Mercy Medical Clinic isn’t like an ordinary house.”
She nodded. “If it were simply exam rooms there’d be very little challenge, but the outpatient surgery center needs more in the way of electrical and plumbing.”
“One of the reasons the town council accepted your bid was the fact that you agreed to absorb the expense of being on site during the construction process.”
“To keep a project on track and within budget inspections are advisable a minimum of three times a week. As remote as Blackwater Lake is, sticking around seemed like a good idea.”
“You must have really wanted the job.” He studied her closely and saw her smile slip for just a moment.
“It’s an investment in the future. Everyone’s got to start their own business somewhere.”
“Yeah.”
Except Alex was pretty sure this wasn’t her start. He’d read her resume, and there was a yearlong gap between college and when she’d gone to work for Hart Industries, her family’s company in Dallas. He wondered what had happened during that year. Nothing good if it was left blank. But she could have fudged the dates and she hadn’t. One point to her.
And none of that was his problem, since he hadn’t made the decision to hire her. He just had to do his best with that decision. “Come inside.”
“I just have to get some things from the car if y’all want to go on ahead.”
“Can I take something?” he asked.
“No, I’m used to this.” She opened the trunk, and he saw a couple suitcases inside. She grabbed a briefcase and several tubes that probably contained blueprints.
“Is that everything?” When she nodded, he closed it up and said, “Follow me.”
Alex
