by Erica Breyer
“I got the job,” she whispered.
“You got the job?” Bonnie repeated.
“I got the job! I got the job!” Kelly threw her hands in the air and danced a happy dance around the kitchen while her mother laughed with delight.
Chapter 2
The days that followed were a blur of activity and excitement. Although she’d anticipated working from the corporate Head Offices, Jackie advised that her first assignment would be on a site, overseeing the daily administration of a new construction.
“I hope this will be acceptable to you,” she asked when they discussed the details. “You’ll be setting up a lot of the systems and managing many of the processes on your own. Not to mention the environment might be a bit...dusty.” She ran an eye over Kelly’s cream pantsuit. “Of course, there will be an additional sum allocated to your monthly package to accommodate the inconvenience.”
“Are you kidding?” Kelly laughed. “I don’t care about a bit of dust!” When she saw the ‘additional sum’ Jackie had been referring to, her mouth dropped open. “Yowzer! For that amount, I’ll happily work in waders and a Hazmat suit!” She’d rushed home to share the news with Bonnie, who was equally excited.
“Oh darling, I knew you’d knock their socks off!” the older woman laughed.
“An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Mommy Darling,” Kelly said, dimpling. “At this rate, I’ll be able to pay for the car repairs, and pay off all of those doctors’ bills in no time!”
“You make me so proud, sweetheart,” Bonnie murmured, her eyes welling with tears. “I know things have been tough for everyone, but you’ve carried the weight of it. In my heart, I can feel that you’re destined for great things!”
“I already have great things,” Kelly replied, wrapping her arms around her mother. “I have you!”
∞∞∞
Monday morning dawned, and Kelly turned her small green Hyundai into the site entrance bright and early on her first day at her new job. She peered at the boards lining the small slip-road, looking for confirmation that she was in the right place. Sure enough, the Cross Construction logo was set out boldly on a large billboard beside the gate. She’d been assigned to manage the construction office at a new office park development. Jackie had warned her that it would be a little rough, and Kelly regretted not taking her more seriously. Her pencil skirt and sensible court shoes no longer felt so sensible. She might have to pick her way through rubble to get to her office.
Speaking of which, she had no idea where her office was. She stopped at the gate, engine idling as she glanced around for some sort of assistance. At this time of day, she’d expected to find a security guard or some sort of site manager to point her in the right direction. Just as she was about to turn off the engine and step out of her vehicle, a thunk on the roof of her car had her jumping in her seat.
“Need some help, ma’am?” a deep voice rumbled at her window. Kelly turned and stared into eyes the color of molten chocolate. For a moment, her mouth opened and closed silently, leaving her feeling a bit like a fish.
“I...I...” she stuttered. Those dark eyes crinkled at the corners as full lips curved into a grin.
“Aye aye, Captain,” her ‘welcome committee’ quipped back. For a second, she was enraged at him for mocking her but then found herself distracted as she got a good look at him.
‘Holy crap,’ her mind whirled. Tall and broad-shouldered, the man beside her car had a body that seemed honed from years of hard work. His jeans rode low on narrow hips, the denim brushing over the tops of dusty workboots. A clean white t-shirt was tucked into the waistband, with a crisp checked shirt over the top. He’d remained silent during her appraisal, giving her the impression that he was used to this sort of reaction from women. She decided to hate him immediately.
“I’m looking for the site office,” she said firmly, regaining her composure and jutting out her jaw slightly.
“I’m guessing you’re expected,” he said, still leaning on the roof of her car. The answer left her momentarily confused.
“I’m the new administrative manager,” Kelly replied, her voice still firm. She tilted her face to meet his eyes. “I’m here for my new assignment.”
He didn’t reply for a moment, then said, “Of course you are, ma’am.” He’d made no move to point her in any direction.
‘Arrogant jerk,’ she thought to herself, ‘probably pausing for dramatic effect.’ Guys like this made her mad. She’d met enough of them through her brother. The good-looking ones were the worst – a fact she’d found out the hard way after dating a few. She had no plans to make that particular mistake again.
“Yes, I am,” she told him, “and it’s Hanson...Kelly Hanson.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Hanson,” he responded. “The site office is just over there,” he pointed at a dusty mobile structure that was set to the side of the site. “You’ll find the parking bays on the other end of the site.” He pointed in the opposite direction, and she grimaced, realizing she’d have to teeter over in her heels.
“Thank you, Mr...” she paused, trying not to let him see her discomfort.
“Carrick,” he replied.
“Thank you, Mr. Carrick,” said Kelly, about to steer her car towards the parking area.
“Just Carrick,” he corrected her. She rolled her eyes. Probably thought he was too much of a rockstar to need a surname. Without replying, she drove off, leaving him standing at the site entrance.
∞∞∞
Carrick watched as the grim-faced blonde turned her car towards the parking area, parked, and stepped gingerly onto the gravel surface. She reached for her purse on the front seat, then carefully made her way towards the site office. The gentleman in him wanted to go over and assist, but somehow, he knew that wouldn’t go down well.
‘She’s going to turn an ankle,’ he thought to himself, flinching as she picked her way through the loose sand. It occurred to him that it would probably be a good idea to have the area leveled again. The constant heavy-duty traffic was hard on the footing around the site, but it would be sensible to have it attended to more regularly to avoid any accidents. Like the one that was just waiting to happen if the woman in the stilettos didn’t choose smarter footwear in future. He made a mental note to speak to the site foreman about it.
He strolled over to the office, to where the plucky Miss Hanson had clambered up the stairs and was opening the door to the office he’d unlocked when he’d arrived earlier that morning. He liked to get to site first to make sure everything was set up for the crew when they got in. Today, anticipating the arrival of the new office manager, he’d made a point of being at the gate to welcome her. The first day on the job was daunting to most, particularly a site that could get as busy as this one. Somehow, though, the latest addition to the team didn’t seem too happy to accept any help from him.
‘Better turn up the charm,’ he advised himself as he headed for the doorway, preparing to give her the usual tour of the place. He stopped when he got there.
“Oh boy,” he muttered, trying not to gawp at the sight of her rounded rear end bobbing in the air as she bent down to retrieve a mess of paperwork on the floor. ‘Rein yourself in, bud, this is the workplace.’
Not an easy instruction to follow when the gorgeous woman crawling on the floor was exactly his type – and looking every bit like a damsel in distress. Yet another of his weaknesses. He shook his head and pulled himself together, preparing to step in.
∞∞∞
After tottering from her car to the site office in her poorly-chosen heels, painfully aware of Carrick’s amused scrutiny, she vowed not to make the same footwear mistake again. Clambering up clattering steel stairs in her tight navy pencil skirt, she threw open the door and felt her face drop in dismay. The place was a mess. Three desks took up most of the small room, with rows of old filing cabinets lining the back wall. She stepped in cautiously, afraid that the vibration of her footsteps might cause an avalanche
of papers from one of the precarious piles on the overburdened desks.
“Oh, my lord,” Kelly muttered as she peered around the room. One of the desks looked marginally better than the others, but on closer inspection, it appeared to be reserved for the bookkeeper, who was conspicuously absent. She set her purse on a nearby chair and was rewarded by a loud thump as a tower of lever-arch files toppled from the adjacent seat. She cursed softly and knelt to retrieve them, her language growing more colorful as she realized she’d streaked dust all over her skirt.
“Dammit!” she sighed, leaning back on her haunches and brushing the back of her hand over her forehead, leaving a streak of dust there too.
“It’s a bit of a mess, I’m afraid,” a voice said from the doorway. She glanced up and saw Carrick leaning against the doorjamb, still looking amused.
“You don’t say,” she said back. He stepped over the threshold and stooped down to help her collect the files, turning to look for a clear space to set them. There wasn’t one.
“Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you,” he observed. She shot him a black look, ignoring the fact that he was close enough for her to catch a whiff of his scent. Fresh and woody – sandalwood, maybe? It made her want to inhale deeply. She wrinkled her nose and sniffed dismissively. He’d probably smell like sweat and dirt soon enough.
“Is there something I can help you with?” she asked in a way that made it clear she wasn’t hoping for an answer.
“No, I just thought I’d see if you needed me to show you around,” he replied, finally dropping the files on top of a stack of ledgers.
“Thanks,” she said curtly, “I think I’ll be just fine.”
“Okay then,” he said amiably. “But if you need me, I’ll be right out there.” He pointed out towards the site.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she answered, standing and straightening her shoulders. She looked over at the doorway then back at him. He raised a hand and grinned.
“Right, I get the hint,” he laughed. “I’ll see you around.”
Kelly nodded abruptly and then turned back to the chaos in the office.
Fifteen minutes later, she’d almost found the surface of one of the desks when she heard the clatter of footsteps on the steps outside.
“I told you, I’m fine,” she called out, only to stop short when a dark-haired, dusky-skinned woman appeared in the doorway. Her exotic cheekbones were highlighted by a pair of oversized yellow earrings that swung exuberantly against her cheeks. “Oh! Hi…I…I—” she stuttered, flustered.
“Hello,” the woman replied, ignoring her confusion. “You must be the new site administrator.” She stepped into the office and headed towards the only desk that appeared to have any type of order. Kelly cast an envious glance at her sensible flat shoes as she made the trip.
“I’m Taneka...Taneka Williams,” she introduced herself as she slung a bright pink purse over the back of her office chair. She turned back to Kelly and continued, “I’m the bookkeeper in this joint.” She wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes. Her smile was so engaging that Kelly couldn’t help smiling back.
“I’m Kelly Hanson,” she introduced herself, “and yeah, I’m the new site administrator.”
“I’ve been waiting to see who they’d haul in to handle this mess,” Taneka said. “I got here a week ago, and it’s taken me that long just to get through some of the accounts.”
“What on earth happened,” Kelly asked. “How do they work this way?”
“Actually, there was a staff change recently. The team who worked here was running the place for another firm. The Bossman decided they were messing up and took the whole lot of them off the job, then got me in from one of the other projects. He’s not one for paperwork, obviously.” She pulled a face.
“You mean old Mr. Cross?” asked Kelly. “Sounds like a real jerk, if you ask me. I’ve been in and out of Head Office all week and still haven’t met the man. Probably thinks he’s too important to mingle with the lower levels.”
Taneka gave her an odd look and then sat down at her desk. “Yeah, um, well, I haven’t had any trouble with him, aside from wishing he hadn’t simply dropped the admin in a heap!”
Kelly rubbed her forehead and realized she was still coated in dust. “I’m assuming that we don’t have keys to the executive washrooms?”
Taneka laughed. “'Fraid not,” she said. “Though the facilities are clean and serviceable. You’ll love the canteen, I think. We get to hang out with the guys for lunch.” She shot a look out the window to where the construction site was now in full operation.
“Oh joy,” grumbled Kelly. “Do they get out of hand?” She didn’t relish the idea of having to run the gauntlet of catcalls and whistles just to get a meal.
“Actually, they’re great,” Taneka assured her. “The boss runs a really tight ship. No monkey business. Got a lot of ladies working on-site too.”
“Really?” Kelly was surprised. She tried to keep an open mind, but the phrase ‘construction worker’ brought to mind a big, burly, booted guy a bit like...well, a bit like Carrick, actually. She shook the image out of her head.
“Yip,” Taneka continued. “Once you look past the dust and rubble, this is a pretty civilized site.” She gave a chuckle that was interrupted by the ringing of a phone. “Oh boy,” she said. Kelly echoed the sentiment. Where the heck was the phone?
Chapter 3
It only took a few days for Kelly to find her groove in the new job. Once the dust had settled – quite literally – she and Taneka settled into a steady rhythm. They quickly created order, and the old filing cabinets came in handy for managing the deluge of paperwork that seemed to go hand in hand with the daily running of the site.
“Oldskool is cool!” Taneka laughed as they packed the last of the drawers and surveyed the clear work surfaces that now dominated the office. “Now, we’re ready for some high tech!”
Kelly nodded. “I spoke to Jackie at Head Office this morning. She says our laptops should arrive this afternoon.”
Taneka gave a fist pump. “Yasss! I’m gonna love me some silicone chips!”
Kelly giggled in response.
“Will you be wanting ketchup with those chips, ma’am?” a male voice asked from outside. Kelly took a sharp breath as Carrick’s head popped up at the aluminum-framed window. She’d tried hard to avoid him for the past few days, but somehow it seemed that he kept appearing wherever she went. Fortunately, he’d left her to get on with her job while she was in the office, though.
“Why, thank you, sir,” Taneka replied in a quirky southern drawl. Carrick had reached the door and was nudging it open awkwardly with the toe of his boot. His hands were occupied with balancing a pile of boxes emblazoned with tech logos.
“I think these are for you,” he said, depositing the boxes on Kelly’s desk.
“Our laptops!” Taneka cried, dancing over to take a look at them. “Fantastic! Now we can get rid of the chisels and slate tablets!”
“Oh, haha,” Carrick quipped back. “Surely by now, you’ve mastered hieroglyphics?”
Kelly was opening boxes and flipping through manuals, her brow furrowed in concentration.
“I think this should be—” Carrick began, only to be cut off by Kelly.
“I’ll speak to Head Office about getting set up,” she said. “We can sort this out from here, thank you, Carrick.” She glanced at him when he made no move to leave. “That will be all.” Taneka flashed her an odd look, but Kelly disregarded it, turning to set up her new machine on her desk.
“Alrighty, ma’am,” said Carrick, tipping an imaginary cap at her. “I’ll be off then. See you at lunch, Taneka.”
“Sure thing, sir,” Taneka replied, reaching for her own laptop as he left the office.
“You really shouldn’t encourage him, Taneka,” Kelly muttered after he’d left.
“Sorry, what?” she replied.
“Carrick... Guys like that...” Kelly rolled her eyes. “You know
what they’re all about, right?”
“Um, sure, I think...” Taneka said. “Though I’m not leaning that way. I like my job too much. And I’ve got my own guy already, you know?” She raised her hand and pointed at a ring that glinted on her finger. “Although I gotta admit, if it wasn’t for Jaylon, I might just be checking that out! Wouldn’t you?”
“No way!” Kelly snapped back, almost too sharply, then changed her tone. “No...I’ve learned my lesson the hard way when it comes to men like him. But that’s probably a story for another time. Let’s get these babies up and running.” She quickly changed the subject, flipping open her screen. Taneka hesitated for a moment, then nodded and did the same.
∞∞∞
“Yo, Migs,” Carrick called out to the site foreman, who was overseeing a group of bricklayers. It was midweek, and their delivery of steel had yet to arrive. At this rate, they were going to be two days behind schedule.
“Carrick,” Miguel Alvarado replied, swiping a heavily gloved hand across his forehead. “S’up?”
“Any word on that delivery yet?” Carrick asked. Miguel pulled a face and held up a dusty cellphone.
“Been on the phone with them all morning,” he said. “Something about a line going down at the main production facility. I dunno...” he shook his head, “I’ve yelled and cussed, I’ve talked sweet...”
“Yeah yeah, you’re a real sweet talker, Miguel,” Carrick chuckled, even though his frustration levels were soaring. If they didn’t get their order this week, they’d never be ready for the electrics. And that performance bonus would be out the window. The guys would be pissed.
“I know we can make a plan to make up the time,” Miguel said. “I can speak to the guys, explain things...”