by P J Gordon
Manda continued the explanation. “We’ll create the look and feel we want for the foundation’s online materials, then he’ll flesh out the functional, working site with the content you and Jen create. We’ll do something similar with the branding guidelines. We’ll spell out exactly how the foundation should be portrayed, how the logo should be used, all that. That will ensure that the organization will always be branded consistently, no matter who’s doing the work.”
“How involved will you need us to be?” Richard asked, frowning thoughtfully.
“Well,” Manda responded tentatively, “we usually ask for a free hand for a lot of this, and just ask for client input at key stages of development.” Richard’s frown deepened as Manda spoke, and Josh began to look disappointed as well. Pleased by their reactions, Manda rushed to finish. “But with you guys, I’d prefer to have your input and involvement throughout the process if possible.”
David nodded his agreement and Josh and Richard both looked pleased. Jen was clearly surprised by Manda’s departure from the usual routine and looked at her quizzically.
Manda grinned and explained. “The four of us have worked really well as a team and I know this project will benefit from having Richard and Josh’s input all the way through.” Manda turned back to the brothers. “Will you be able to work with us over the next couple of months?”
“We’re still at your disposal,” Richard assured her with a smile.
Jen arched her eyebrows but didn’t comment. Instead she directed the meeting toward matters of logistics and scheduling. After an hour of discussion and planning they had established a timeline for the next stage of the project and a good idea what the extent of the work would be. Richard and Josh left with promises to see Manda on Friday.
Jen remained after the two men had departed, collecting her notes. “Things are going well on this project, then?” she asked as she gathered her things.
“Very well,” Manda replied enthusiastically. “I think this is going to be some of our best work.”
“I think you’re right,” David agreed. “Working with these guys is a nice change of pace. You couldn’t ask for better clients.”
“So, not like Fieldings at all,” Jen said. Her hand was on the door handle but she paused with a pained look. “Curt told me about that. Sorry guys. Let me know what I can do to help. Now I’ve got to go follow up on some of this.” She gestured with her notes. “I’ll talk to you later.”
After she left, David and Manda set to work enthusiastically, deciding which elements of the project they would handle themselves and which they could delegate. That decided, they got busy and the remainder of the day flew by.
The rest of the week was a flurry of activity, and before Manda knew it, Friday at five o’clock had arrived and Richard and Josh were there, ready for their evening outing.
“Hi, guys,” David greeted as he opened the door for the brothers.
“Hey, David,” Josh returned the greeting. “What’s up?”
“Just been working on your project. It’s coming right along.”
“If you guys come by on Monday, we’ll have something to show you,” Manda offered, emerging briefly from her office. “Hi, Josh. Hi, Richard. I’ll be ready to go in a couple of minutes.”
“Take your time,” Richard said, following Josh into the room.
“Have a seat and make yourself at home,” David invited, as Manda ducked back into her office to wrap up for the day and collect her things. “Manda says you guys are going to have some dinner and play miniature golf. Watch out for that Katie. She’s really good. She mopped the floor with me last year.”
Josh and Richard made themselves comfortable on the sofa. “What about Manda?” Richard asked, amused.
“Terrible!” David confided with a grin.
“Hey! I heard that!” Manda called from her office.
“I call ‘em as I see ‘em,” David called back.
Manda laughed to herself as she logged off of her computer. He was right. She really wasn’t very good. Even Emily had been able to beat her the last time they’d played. She released her laptop from the docking station and slipped it into her computer bag, retrieved her purse from her desk drawer, and joined the men in the common area.
“What are your plans for tonight?” Josh was asking David when she joined them.
“Stacey and I are going out with some friends. A little Cajun food and some dancing, I think.”
“Sounds like fun,” Josh commented.
“You’re always welcome to come along,” David offered. “Anytime you’re free.”
Josh’s face lit up. “Really? That would be great!”
“We’ll plan on it then. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go meet Stacey. Have fun tonight.” David slung his backpack over his shoulder and ducked out the door with a wave.
“Are you guys ready to go then?” Manda asked. “I’m parked in the garage right across the street.”
“We’re ready when you are,” Josh assured her.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where you live,” Richard said with a warm smile. “More pieces of the puzzle, you know.”
“I’m afraid this particular puzzle isn’t very challenging, and the picture you’ll get isn’t very exciting,” Manda responded with a self-conscious laugh. She was a little nervous about their upcoming outing. It was one thing to interact with Richard and Josh at work or in public, but taking them to her house was like opening a door into her personal life. She was self-conscious and worried about what these two rich and well-traveled men would think of her modest home.
“Oh, I doubt that,” Richard replied skeptically. He and Josh followed as Manda led the way to her car. During the short walk, Josh responded to Manda’s inquiry about how their business meetings were going, giving her a quick overview of their last few days, including their meeting with Curt and Jen.
When they arrived at Manda’s car, Josh called “Shotgun!” and slid into the front passenger seat with a grin. Richard rolled his eyes in amusement.
“Boys will be boys,” he commented in an undertone as he slipped into the back seat behind Manda. They rode in silence as Manda threaded her way through the dense downtown traffic. When she was finally on the interstate heading north, Richard spoke again.
“So, you usually take the train? Is fighting the traffic worse than dealing with the humans then?” he asked.
“That’s part of it,” Manda chuckled. “Mostly it’s because I get some of my best ideas while I’m commuting and I can’t write them down if I’m driving—at least not without causing an accident! I’ve forgotten more good ideas because I couldn’t write them down right away.”
“Richard says you grew up in Colorado. Was it around here?” Josh inquired as they sped north.
“I grew up in Fort Collins, about an hour away. My parents both taught at the university there.”
“Really?” Richard responded with interest. “What fields?”
“My father was a wildlife biologist and my mother taught graphic design.”
“You inherited your talent from her then,” Richard surmised. “I imagine she’d be very proud of you now.”
“Thanks,” Manda said softly. “I hope so.”
“If you don’t want to talk about this just say so,” Josh said, hesitantly, “but after our parents’ car wreck, I had Richard to look out for me. What did you do?”
“I had Emily and Andy. I lived with them until I bought my own house a couple of years ago. I did stay in the dorm at CSU after my parents died, though. It’s just too far to drive from Emily and Andy’s house to Fort Collins every day. They live close enough to Boulder that I was able to stay with them while I was in grad school at CU though, so that was nice.”
“No wonder you’re so close to Katie and Robbie. You lived with them for most of their lives,” Richard said thoughtfully. Manda guessed he was putting together more of his puzzle pieces and wondered wryly if he’d been a detective in a former life.
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“Are you and your sister very close?” Josh asked.
“I guess so. Not like you and Richard though. She’s always been more motherly toward me, since she’s so much older than I am. But, yeah, we get along great. She and Andy are the best!”
Manda guided her car onto the off-ramp. It was just a few more miles to her house, and she definitely had butterflies in her stomach now.
“What do they do for a living?” Josh continued his questioning.
“Emily’s an executive recruiter and Andy’s a partner in one of the big accounting firms.” Manda tapped her index finger against the steering wheel nervously as she waited at a red light. She was close to wishing she had never gotten herself into this evening. She was definitely out of her comfort zone.
“What’s wrong, Manda? You seem a little anxious,” Richard asked from behind her.
Manda sighed. Leave it to Richard to pick up on her agitation. He was very perceptive. “I’ve never invited anyone famous to my house before,” she admitted, deciding that honesty was best, even if it was a bit embarrassing. The light turned green and she turned onto the street that bordered her neighborhood. “It’s a little unsettling.”
“But it’s just Richard and I,” Josh said, trying to reassure her.
“If you’re uncomfortable with this, we don’t have to do it,” Richard offered in a voice that was solemn and concerned. “If it would make you feel more at ease, we can cancel tonight and you can just bring Katie in for lunch one day, like you suggested before. We don’t want to push you into anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“No, no, it’s not that,” Manda denied quickly. She sighed again and blushed. “It’s just a little unnerving taking you to my house. It’s really nothing fancy,” she admitted in a rush.
“We’re not impressed by ‘fancy,’” Richard assured her kindly, “and we don’t judge people by what they own. But I’m sure your home is lovely. After all, a home reflects the person who lives there.”
Manda grimaced. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Both men chuckled as she turned into her neighborhood. She wound her way through the maze of house-lined streets and pulled into her garage before finally working up the courage to ask the question that had been lurking in the back of her mind.
“Why are you doing this, anyway?”
“Doing what?” Josh asked, puzzled.
“Going out of your way like this just to make Katie feel better. It’s very nice of you, but it’s definitely above and beyond the call of duty. I’m sure you could think of better ways to spend your time.”
“We’re not going out of our way at all,” Josh said, shaking his head firmly. “We really want to take you and Katie out tonight. It will be a lot of fun.”
“We enjoy your company, Manda. You act like this is some sort of hardship for us, but it’s not at all.” Richard sounded so earnest that Manda was convinced that the two men really did want to go on this outing, which surprised her. The famous Raines brothers were not at all what she’d originally anticipated. She was more and more impressed with them with each passing day. She felt a tiny bit better about letting them into her home. She took a deep breath.
“Shall we go in then? I’d like to change and freshen up a bit before we go get Katie if you don’t mind.” She slid out of the car and Richard and Josh followed suit, but Richard paused with his hand on the open car door.
“Are you sure, Manda? If you don’t want to invite us in, we can just wait in the car.”
Manda answered with an apologetic grin. “Don’t be silly. Of course you should come in. We can’t let our insecurities rule us, after all.”
“Words of wisdom,” Richard commented appreciatively, shutting the car door and following Manda and Josh into the house.
Chapter 7
Manda finished rubbing the sunscreen onto her arms and laid back in the chaise lounge. She fanned her hair out around her shoulders to let it dry in the sun and closed her eyes. She usually would have chosen a chair in the shade, under one of the many umbrellas scattered around the pool, but it had been an unusually cool summer and it was a little too chilly in the shade this late in the season. Today was the last day the pool would be open this year, and tomorrow Katie and Robbie would be going back to school.
Manda could make out their voices clearly among the others at the neighborhood pool. The two children laughed and chattered happily with their friends. Both her niece and nephew were very strong swimmers, and she knew several of the other mothers were watching all of the children with eagle-eyes, so Manda relaxed and let her mind drift to the events of the previous two days.
In spite of her fears, Josh and Richard had been gracious and complimentary guests.
“This isn’t what I expected at all after seeing your office,” Josh exclaimed, “but I really like it.”
“It’s beautiful. You’ve created a very peaceful sanctuary for yourself. Remind me to let you decorate my next place.” Richards praise was genuine, and Manda immediately felt silly about her nervousness. She looked around, trying to see her home as they must see it—as someone seeing it for the first time would.
Hardwood floors stretched throughout the ground level, while the cool, earthy colors that covered the walls throughout the open floor plan were echoed in the curtains and upholstery. Mixed amongst comfortable seating, clean-lined hardwood furnishings added their own rich glow to the space.
Manda had simply tried to create rooms that she herself enjoyed and was comfortable in. The result, she now decided, was very welcoming. The furnishings were beautiful and well-made, but casual enough to be homey and relaxing. She supposed “peaceful sanctuary” was an apt description.
A warm glow of relief and pleasure filled Manda as she led her guests through her family room, kitchen, and dining room, to her living room.
“Thanks! Make yourselves at home. I’ll only be a minute. Can I get either of you something to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine,” Richard replied, settling himself into the overstuffed sofa.
“Nothing for me, thanks,” Josh echoed, taking a chair by the window.
“Well, if you change your mind, help yourself to anything in the fridge. The glasses are in the cupboard by the sink.”
It took Manda less than ten minutes to change from her blouse and sandals to a t-shirt and sneakers, then quickly run a brush through her hair and freshen up what little makeup she wore. She skipped back down the stairs, grabbing a light jacket from the closet at the bottom.
“Okay. I’m ready,” she announced as she retrieved her phone and wallet from her purse and slid them into the pockets of her jacket. Thus armed for their outing, she led the way back to her car.
The rest of the evening flew by. They collected Katie from Emily and Andy’s house, where Manda briefly introduced Richard and Josh to her slightly flustered sister and brother-in-law. After a casual dinner at Katie’s favorite Chinese restaurant, the foursome tackled the local miniature golf center. It had an extensive and elaborate layout, with four separate themed courses. As she’d expected, Manda was by far the worst player, while Katie, Richard, and Josh all vied for the lead. Manda suspected the two men were letting Katie win most of the time.
Josh and Katie were enthusiastic and lively, feeding off of each other’s energy. Josh went out of his way to be kind and charming to the younger girl, and the two were inseparable all night, often hurrying ahead and leaving Richard and Manda to trail after them. Manda, being the unashamedly bad player that she was, always took longer to complete a hole than the others, and Richard would wait patiently for her each time, smiling in amusement when she would occasionally give up and push her ball into the hole with her foot.
The evening was entertaining and relaxed. It was almost as if the four of them had known each other for years instead of merely days. There were no awkward silences, merely occasional, comfortable lulls in the conversation, and Manda found herself unwinding—a fact that surprised her, given th
e way Richard’s company tended to make her pulse accelerate. That was a particularly pleasant and enjoyable tension though, and it coexisted oddly with the pleasant relaxation she felt.
Manda had half expected their evening to be cut short by flocking fans, and was relieved when her fears proved to be baseless. Although there were a few looks and whispers, their fellow golfers were amazingly respectful of their privacy, and the evening passed without incident. It was only when they were preparing to leave that a small group of girls who Katie had recognized from both school and the pool approached. Addressing Katie timidly, they asked if she would introduce them to Richard and Josh. Katie looked at Josh uncertainly, seeking his approval and beamed happily when he immediately stepped forward with a smile.
Josh and Richard both greeted the girls, signing autographs and posing for pictures, then Richard retreated back to Manda’s side while Josh engaged his young fans in animated conversation—eliciting repeated fits of giggles from them. Katie had taken up a proprietary position at Josh’s side and his arm was draped casually over her shoulders. Manda noted that Katie’s classmates seemed to regard her with no small amount of awe.
Manda chuckled softly and leaned closer to Richard, speaking in an undertone. “I think Katie is going to be something of a celebrity when she goes back to school.”
Richard grinned and responded in a similarly quiet voice. “I think that’s what Josh is going for. That won’t cause any problems, will it?”
Manda shook her head, regarding her niece fondly. “No. She’s very sensible. She takes everything in stride.”
After several more minutes, Richard sighed. “I’ll have to go collect my brother. There’s no telling how long he’ll be stuck there if I don’t. He’s not very good at extricating himself yet. He’s always afraid of hurting someone’s feelings.” Richard rejoined Josh amid the cluster of girls and quickly excused his brother and Katie, managing it so deftly that the faces he left behind were smiling happily. When her three companions rejoined her, Manda noted how satisfied Katie looked—so satisfied that, had she been a cat, she would surely have been purring.