Conklin's Blueprints

by Brooke Page

  “Well, if he is going with you, I say you go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “It would be forever awkward with my boss’s boss.” We both turned and laughed at each other.

  ~

  Morning came fast, and I had my bag all packed and ready to go to Ludington. I walked to work and froze when I got in the main lobby. Will was standing talking to Corey, smiling and laughing about something. Just past them was Tyler, leaning against the security check, his eyes fixed on me. Was he coming with us? Maybe he was just going to talk to Will before we left. Then I noticed he had a small duffle bag next to his feet. I was suddenly glad I woke up 20 minutes early to straighten my hair and spend time on my makeup and was really happy I decided to wear my black pumps instead of flats. Maybe I should unbutton the top two buttons of my white blouse? What are you talking about? You’re not here to impress him, you are here to kick ass at work! Right, I’m only supposed to care if he took me seriously as an architect.

  “Hey, there you are! Ready to go?” Will said, his eyes sparkling.

  Tyler looked at Will and furrowed his eyebrows.

  Before I could answer, Tyler opened his mouth to speak, “Ok Will, Nathan will take you and Corey in his car, Becca can come with me. We should head out now so we aren’t late. Jessica and Cooper already left.”

  Will and Corey blanched at his bluntness. I didn’t even see Nathan. As if Tyler was reading my mind he said, “Nathan is getting the car. He will be out front momentarily. Becca?” He motioned for me to follow him. Will urged me to go with him, as if to say it was okay. I gulped and followed Tyler with my head down. This was going to be awkward.

  I hopped into Tyler’s black Maserati. He took my bag from me and threw it in the back and gracefully slid into the driver’s seat. We sat in silence. It looked like he was brewing over something. He finally broke the silence once we were on the highway.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t text you back Sunday,” he mumbled.

  I didn’t know how to respond. Why is he saying sorry for this? It wasn’t a big deal he didn’t text me back, maybe a bit rude, but that happens.

  “You said you wouldn’t text me if I texted you on Sunday. It’s really not a big deal,” I said shyly.

  “I was joking. But I’m sorry, I have had a busy week. I don’t want you to think I was ignoring you.” He sounded sincere.

  “Tyler, really it’s fine.” I turned to look at him.

  His eyes looked indecisive. We sat in silence again. It was so awkward, nothing like last Friday night.

  “Well, this client is a big opportunity for us to pick up. They are quickly expanding. They could help us venture out to the coastlines, ” he said, breaking the air.

  “Well then we better bring our A-game.”

  He smiled, “And that is why I wanted you to come.”

  Is that the only reason why? I secretly asked in my head. I remember Will’s email said management wanted me to come. It must have been Tyler. I was trying to hide my blush. He noticed and looked amused. “Is something wrong?” he flirted. Now he was becoming playful again. I liked this side of him.

  I turned to him biting my lip, trying to hold my embarrassment and shook my head, no.

  ~

  We spent the day touring Enterprise Yachts’ current facility that they wanted to replicate and update. I had taken notes on my iPad and did some rough sketches. It was very overwhelming. I had never thought it would be this big. Enterprise Yachts would not be disclosing the location of their new building until they chose which architecture firm they were going to use. I could tell Tyler was tense about it. He followed alongside Nathan as he chatted with the owner. Nathan really knew how to bring on the charm. Tyler did too, when he was smiling. I caught a glimpse of him smiling every now and then throughout the day. It was to die for, nice white straight teeth; it was dazzling. A few times he would catch me looking at him, and I tried not to look flustered.

  After the long day of watching Nathan work his magic and studying the immaculate yacht warehouse, it was 7:00pm and we all went back to the hotel for dinner and drinks. I decided to pass. I was too tired. I couldn’t wait to get into my room and relax. I got my key and started heading to the elevator. Tyler started to run up beside me from the bar.

  “Hi,” his eyes glittered. “’You’re not going to get a drink with everyone?”

  “No, I’m pretty tired.” I glanced out the window and saw a hot tub. Shoot, I should have brought my bathing suit. My tired body could go for that right now.

  “Do you want me to carry your bag?” He held his hand out as we walked onto the elevator. I gave him a puzzled look. So now he was going to be nice again? He had ignored me all day with the others around.

  Tyler was caught off guard by my reaction. “Is something wrong?”

  I gave him a blank stare, “No, I… aren’t you going to have a drink with everyone?” I quickly changed the subject.

  He squirmed under my stare. “I was going to change into some jeans and go for a walk on the beach.” He paused and looked at me, “I thought maybe you would like to come with me?” He gulped.

  “Okay, let me change. I will meet you in the lobby?” I was very uncertain with my answer.

  “We can walk down together. We are on the same floor. I will wait for you outside your room when you’re done,” Tyler said.

  We both went our separate ways to our rooms. Good thing I packed my favorite jeans. I threw on a T-shirt and a dark blue hoodie. It was the middle of October and the breeze by the water was very chilly. I was impressed we had gotten a hotel on the water. I threw my hair up; it was flat from the day’s activities, and my makeup needed some freshening as well. I only touched up my eyes and made sure my mascara wasn’t falling down my cheeks. I really didn’t look like anything spectacular. Not that I could figure out if I needed to look my best with this mercurial man. Why was he so moody?

  I opened my door, and Tyler was leaning on the opposite side of the wall with his hands behind his back. He was wearing worn light blue jeans and a black fleece jacket. He was utterly beautiful. I felt like a rag doll standing in front of him. He looked down and smirked at me. “Ready?” I nodded my head and followed him to the stairs. We were on the second floor so it didn’t take us long to get to the main floor. We walked out the side entrance past the pool and hot tub. It was chillier than I thought, so I wrapped my arms around my chest.

  We walked in silence towards the pier. I didn’t really know what to say to him.

  “So, do you have any plans this weekend?” I tentatively asked.

  He grinned looking at his feet. “I’m not sure, you?”

  “I will probably do something with my roommate to avoid my family dinner on Sunday.” He gave me a questioning look that made me feel like I had to further explain. “My mom always does a family dinner on Sundays. It’s the one day my dad doesn’t work, and she always wants all of us to come.”

  “Why would you want to avoid it?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Do you enjoy your family dinners?” I said raising my eyebrows.

  He laughed, “We don’t have family dinners. My mother has her personal chef cook every now and then for us, but my father is hardly ever there. We had them a lot when my grandparents were alive though. I didn’t mind those.”

  He was sad again. But this time I didn’t want to change the subject.

  “You loved your grandparents a lot, didn’t you?” I asked timidly.

  He stopped and sat down on the edge of the pier, letting his legs dangle over the side. The waves gently slapped the concrete six feet below us. I slowly sat down next to him. The sound of the water reminded me of when I was in high school jumping off the pier with my friends.

  Tyler still didn’t answer me. I could see his face in the moonlight. He looked so sad. Slowly he turned his head towards me, his eyes looking raw.

  “My grandparents were wonderful. They were there for me more than my parents.” He looked at me as though he
wanted me to save him, but I didn’t know from what. “When my grandfather died, I felt like a big chunk of me broke off. I didn’t know who to turn to for anything. I am a very private man to begin with, but business wise, my grandfather was my go-to guy. My brothers and I looked up to him a lot.”

  I didn’t know what to say. He was so exposed out here in the open with the water surrounding us and the moon lighting our expressions.

  “What’s the best memory you have about them?” I wanted him to become happy again. My question was starting to work because a half smile crept on his face. “My papa taught me how to play baseball.” His eyes started to glitter with excitement. “He would always spend time teaching me how to throw and hit. Nathan was never interested, and Mitchell was too young at the time. My papa was the reason why I played baseball for the University of Michigan.”

  That was something new I didn’t know. He must have been good to play for a Big Ten team. “What position did you play?”

  His smiled turned boyish. “First base. I could switch hit too; Papa taught me that. I could have been drafted right into the majors. It was always my dream to play for the Cubs.”

  I wiggled my nose. “The Cubs?”

  Tyler laughed. “What? Not like I would want to play for the Tigers.”

  I gasped playfully. He looked at me admiringly.

  “And your grandmother?” His face grew softer with the moonlight.

  “She was wonderful,” he sighed. “She would let me help her cook. We would mainly make cookies and cakes of course.”

  I tilted my head in awe at him. It was obvious he loved his grandparents very much. I didn’t know my grandparents. My father was an eager foster kid and my mother’s parents died when she was young. That is why they were so good for each other; they were all each other had.

  He looked down at the water with contentment.

  I slowly reached my hand over to his. His breathing hitched at the contact as he quickly turned his head to me. Suddenly I felt embarrassed and pulled my hand away.

  Shit. I just ruined a perfectly good moment.

  “Becca… I…” Tyler stuttered in confusion.

  I quickly stood up flustered. “I’m sorry, I…”

  He stood up in front of me. I couldn’t bear to look at him. He slowly grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to this.”

  Used to what? I turned my head up to him. He still looked very confused. I decided not to question him. He turned to start walking again, not letting go of my hand.

  ~

  We didn’t say anything the rest of the way back to the hotel. His grip was so tight on my hand, he held it as though he was going to be sucked into the lake if he let go.

  Tyler stopped just as we got back to the hotel. He pulled me in front of him, still grasping my hand. “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “You’re welcome.” I searched his eyes, not sure why he was thanking me. His breathing changed as his eyes bore into mine. My hand still in his, he brought it up to his face so the back of my hand was touching his cheek. He sighed in contentment and leaned into my hand. His eyes relaxed, the tension leaving his face. Was he nervous for my touch? He seemed so sensitive to it. The contact felt so intimate, all I wanted to do was push my body up against him and wrap my arms around his waist. His chest looked so comforting. But I couldn’t gain the courage to snuggle up against him.

  He opened his eyes and gazed at me. Tyler’s soft eyes were all the encouragement I needed. I started to move my hand to his waist and lifted my chin while closing my eyes. He grasped my hand before it found his waist. I sucked in a breath of air, startled by his sudden movement. Before I could breathe out his mouth was on mine.

  Any tension in my body evaporated once his lips were on mine. Tyler had my hands in a vice grip as he deepened the kiss. His tongue caressed mine, causing me to melt into his chest. I wanted his arms wrapped around me. I wanted to run my hands through his hair, but he held them pinned against my sides. He let out a soft groan into my mouth when I pushed forward, opening my mouth wider, urging his tongue to dance closer with mine. His hands squeezed our interlaced fingers, pulling them up so our elbows were bent, bringing one hand back to the side of his face as our tongues kept exploring one another. Man, did he know how to kiss intimately. My body was starting to rev up, and the small voice in my head inviting him back to my hotel room was becoming louder and louder.

  But then, he suddenly jerked back, dropping my hands. His head whipped towards the hotel. I tried to gain my composure, my head still spinning from the bluntness of his kiss. When I finally came back to reality, I followed his head to the hotel. Someone was sitting on a pool chair talking on the phone. It wasn’t anyone I recognized.

  Tyler shook his head, looking utterly torn. “I um… I should get back to my room and get to bed.”

  I didn’t know what to say. How could he turn himself off so fast like that? I felt denied. Did he regret kissing me?

  “Yeah, I’m pretty tired. Have a good night,” I murmured, sliding past him, bolting for the stairs fighting back tears, feeling shot down.

  “Becca, wait!” Tyler yelled, following me in the stairwell. I stopped midway up the stairs, refusing to turn and show him my tears. I felt his breath behind me on my neck. I imagined his lips just below my ear. My breath got shaky from the thought.

  “Can I walk you to your room?” He sounded flustered. I didn’t say anything, afraid my voice would give away how he had gotten to me. He gently took my hand and led me up the stairs as I kept my eyes on the ground.

  Before we walked through the door to the hallway Tyler scanned the space in front of us. Gripping my hand even tighter, he led the way to my hotel room door. Once in front of my room, I bravely peeked up at him. He looked so scared again. It made my heart hurt.

  He sighed, “Have a good night, Becca.”

  I nodded and opened my door to walk in. Before he could say anything else, I closed the door with him standing in the hallway looking at his feet. I locked the door and threw myself on the bed and the dam broke.

  I felt used again. He had only kissed me, but the intimacy of the kiss was so much more. Why did he cower away so quickly? It had to affect him, at least a little bit. The intensity of his kiss was too much for it not to have. I turned my phone to silent and cried myself to sleep.

  Chapter 6

  My eyes opened to the sound of the radio alarm in the hotel room. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to adjust my sight to the light, but my vision was blurry from crying myself to sleep. How stupid was I? I never should have gone on a walk with him, and I never should have reached for his hand. I started this mess. And he was my boss. How was I going to face him today? Walking into the bathroom I jumped in the shower in hopes it would turn me into a new person.

  I sluggishly dragged myself out of the shower. I looked in the mirror and sighed. I put on a gray pencil skirt and a light blue button up blouse. I threw my hair up in a messy bun, fussing with my side bangs. I huffed as I looked in the mirror. Today was going to be horribly awkward. I went back into the bedroom and grabbed my phone from the charger. I had three texts and four missed calls. They were all from Tyler. My heart started to beat faster.

  The first text was about a half hour after I closed the door last night.

  Thank you for tonight. -Tyler

  What?

  Fifteen minutes later.

  Are you ignoring my calls or sleeping? –Tyler

  I rolled my eyes. I don’t think I was ignoring him intentionally. I only turned my phone on silent because I knew I would reply to him or answer his calls if I had heard the ringer.

  Another 15 minutes later.

  I’m sorry. Sleep well. -Tyler

  This man was maddening. Why exactly was he sorry? Was he sorry that he stopped kissing me? Sorry that he even kissed me in the first place? Maybe he just felt weird how we parted and that was why he was sorry, because it was extremely weird. He practically mauled my mouth then suddenly s
topped, but then led me back to my room. He was probably just trying to be a gentleman, and didn’t want me to feel awkward, but that was going to be impossible.

  I packed up my things and walked down to the lobby. There was a continental breakfast.

  Hopefully it wasn’t all bread and cereal. I hadn’t started my morning with processed carbs in over a year. Nathan was sitting at a table drinking coffee and eating a muffin. He studied the paper looking stunning in his charcoal suit with a blue shirt and gray tie. I eyed the table of food and noticed some hard boiled eggs. Grabbing a plate, I put a few eggs on and decided to get a glass of orange juice. Nathan saw me out of the corner of his eye. Without taking his eyes off the paper he said, “Hey Becca, come join me.”

  I sat across from him and took a sip of my orange juice. The sugar almost burned my throat, but overall it tasted sweet and refreshing.

  He set the paper flat on the table and put his hands under his chin to look at me, “So, what did you do last night?” All of a sudden I felt like I was sitting at the table with my father. Was I supposed to tell him I was with Tyler?

  I shrugged my shoulders, “I went for a walk on the pier and went to bed early. Sorry I didn’t join you for drinks last night.” I wasn’t lying; I just didn’t say I wasn’t by myself.

  He tilted his head, “It’s no big deal, and it was a nice night to go for a walk. Tyler went for a walk too, I think.” I took another sip of my orange juice and looked down into my glass. He scratched his chin, “Did you see him?” I chewed my egg, trying to buy myself some more time.

  “Good morning, brother, Becca.” Tyler slid himself into the seat next to Nathan. He was wearing a light gray suit with a light blue dress shirt and gray tie. We could be matching. His eyes were sparkling blue today and his hair was perfectly messy, held in place with gel.

  “Good morning. I was just asking Becca if she saw you while she was walking on the pier last night.”