“Simon.” He extended his hand. “You’re in town for a friend’s wedding if I remember right. How was it?”
“Windy.” He gave a trace of a smile. “It was a shore-side event. Natasha loved it, of course, and got a lot of referrals. She says to tell you hello.”
“How long are you in town?”
“End of next week.”
He made a mental note to check his schedule, knowing he should offer to entertain them one night but already dreading it.
Cowboy up. You can handle Mr. Eccentric for one night.
Except, he worried about Natasha, too. Who knew what mood she’d be in?
“Well, thank you for making time to meet.” Jase waited for him and Penny to be seated before taking his own. “I figure speaking in person is better than a phone call or e-mail. Actually, that’s partly what I wanted to talk about.” He picked up a pen and rolled it between his fingers, choosing his words with care. “I met with Mayor Ferris yesterday afternoon.”
Simon sat his messenger bag next to his chair, crossing one knee over the other before stretching his arms along the chair’s armrests. “What’s Marty’s complaint now?”
“He’s received several hundred e-mails from the community about the restoration and feels like he needs more answers. He says he’s reached out to you, but without much success.”
He rubbed the tip of his nose as it scrunched like the air was foul. “That man. All of this will blow over once construction starts. I told him that a week ago.”
“I mentioned the same thing, but you can’t really fault his concern. He has a responsibility to the people. Plus, he’s up for re-election next year.”
Simon snorted loudly, a sound that couldn’t have contradicted his manners more if he’d walked in with a stain on his dress shirt. “So, his concerns are less for his people and more for himself?”
“Maybe, but he and the city council have been good to work with me for the past year in regard to the zoning for this project,” he said. “If it takes a response or two to keep him happy, we’ll do it.”
The architect didn’t protest.
“Did you get the list of local contractors I sent you?”
“I did.”
“Good. Look them over and let me know your thoughts.” Jase smoothed down his tie and braced for the push back defining the lines creasing Simon’s forehead.
“You do realize the limitations that puts on this project?”
“What? Using local?”
“Subcontractors are one thing, but I hesitate to use a general contractor I’m not familiar with.”
“You have the list. Check them out. Penny can help as well. She’s acquainted with most of them.”
His steadfast assistant rested her pencil against her notebook and smiled at Simon. “The Gardvant Group built the very building we’re sitting in. They’ve been in San Diego for over six decades. I think you’ll find there are several on that list you can trust. I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.”
Mr. Eccentric’s nose twitched again, but he inclined his head, and Jase took the gesture as a cue to move on to the next item on the agenda. “Where are we at with the exterior? Your original proposal suggested quite a bit of restructuring. I’d like that included in the first round of sketches you’re working on.”
Simon uncrossed his legs and sat forward. “I’ll have a rough draft sent over soon. The most extensive part will be taking it from its circular front to an inverted design.”
The soft scratch of Penny’s pencil stopped. “Inverted?”
“Here.” Simon pulled a paper and pen from his messenger. His hand raced across the single sheet with speed, creating short, straight lines in a rough but thorough sketch. “Like this.”
Jase nodded, mentally tracing the sharp angles jutting out over the entrance but stopped when a crease appeared between Penny’s brows. “What are you thinking?”
She sat back, clutching her notebook, but the lines didn’t fade. “The design is definitely intriguing.”
“But?”
His assistant studied the drawing before meeting their stares. “I’m afraid my opinion is tainted. I grew up going to this theatre. The entrance with its curved double doors and the way the building domes at the top? I felt like a princess entering a palace.”
As if the Old Theatre were right beyond the window in all its glory, his assistant looked past them with a wistful longing that cut straight to his core.
“I’ll just miss it, is all.” She took up her things again and gestured to Simon’s picture. “But this is impressive. The younger generations will especially love it.” She smiled, but those happy creases at the corners of her eyes didn’t appear like they should have.
Simon held up the eight and a half by eleven sheet of paper, his pinky sticking out. “As I explained to Jase in my original proposal, there really are only two choices. We can restore the theatre to what it once was, or we can wow and defy. This property won’t only be a grand theatre, it’ll be a cornerstone to the city, reflecting its forward-thinking ideals. The very way it mocks gravity will tell a story of ambition and daring.”
Jase took up his green and black pen again as Simon’s words drew out a memory. He focused on the blur of colors as he twisted the pen back and forth.
“…it's the lure to stretch the bounds of convention. And gravity. It's tempting to any designer…” His fingers froze as the rest of Madison’s words settled over him as clearly as if she’d whispered them in his ear. “…I like to build on what is already there…every piece of land or building has a story…”
Jase cleared his throat. “Penny.”
“Yes?”
“Can you give us a minute?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Of course.”
He stood as she gathered her things and shut the door behind her, but instead of retaking his seat, he walked to the window, needing a moment to think before turning back toward Simon. “What if we can have both?”
Simon’s silence couldn’t have been louder.
“Maybe we’re approaching this restoration from the wrong perspective,” he continued as he turned back around.
“What do you mean? You asked for bold. You wanted a statement.”
“And I still do.”
“You can’t please everyone.” The Seattle native threw a glance at the door Penny had just exited. “That’s one of the first lessons of any art. And business. You of all people know this.”
“I do. I also know when to follow my instincts.” He leaned a shoulder against the cool glass, folding his arms. “Here’s something else I know. The Old Theatre meant a lot of things to a lot of people. It’s a part of their history.” A thrill shot through him at the possibilities opening up in his mind, and he wondered if this was what Madison felt with each of her designs. “I think we might be wrong to alter so much of it.”
Simon stood, a curse parting those thin lips. “So…what? Weeks’ worth of work, weeks of my time, gone. Like that? We’re just going to go in there and restore the theatre to an exact mirror of its old self? I didn’t sign on to restore another architect’s creation.”
Jase’s ears stung by the time the designer finished his fueled speech, but he couldn’t fault the man. “Neither your time or work is wasted.” He held up a hand. “We simply need to find a way to mesh its history with our current vision.”
The outburst he expected didn’t come. Instead, Simon paced the spot behind his chair, his fingers massaging his temples.
“There’s more.” Jase pushed off the window and scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck, following another instinct. “I’d like to bring Madison Blakeley in on the project.” He braced for the uproar but Simon’s eyes only steeled.
“Is this some joke?”
Despite the calm words, feral came to Jase’s mind as the man’s mouth twisted around the question. He pointed to a chair. “Please, sit.”
Simon’s hands flexed at his sides. “No. I won’t sit. Blakeley?
Are you serious?”
“This project is more than a business opportunity for me. It has personal value. So, to answer you, yes. Yes, I’m entirely serious.” He raised himself to his full height. “And the more I consider it, the more right it feels.”
“Unbelievable.”
His head felt as heavy as the hazy skyline. “You’ll be lead architect, and the whole of your ideas will stay. Think of it more as a collaboration.”
Simon’s nostrils flared.
“This is a massive project with several phases. You can’t deny having someone here on this end, close to the project, would be a huge benefit to your firm. It will also go a long way with the community.”
The designer gripped the top of his chair. “Weston Designs does not collaborate.”
“Think about it. It’s the right decision.”
His phone chose that moment to chime a text, and he glanced to the screen as it lit up with Madison’s name between them on the desk.
Simon scoffed. “She’s completely played you.”
“Watch it.”
The man’s posture was as stiff as his hair. Completely inflexible.
“Your ideas for this project are fresh and cutting edge, and I’m not asking you to give them all up. Nor do I want you to. I’ll make sure she understands the agreement and what it entails. She won’t be under any illusions as to why I’m bringing her on. But she’s incredibly talented and will be able to add some authenticity to the theatre. Trust me on this one.” He’d never been more sure.
Simon’s lips pressed into a thin line as he seemed to even out his breathing. “And she agreed to all of this?”
“She knows nothing about it. I’ll meet with her tomorrow to make the offer.”
“Something tells me you aren’t giving me a choice here.”
“I want you on this restoration, Simon.”
The man’s hooded eyes gave nothing away. “It better be made clear to both Blakeley and the media that Weston Designs is the head architect on this project.”
“Fair enough.”
“And I want the mayor off my back.”
“Done. Only I expect a few things in return,” he countered.
“Of course you do.”
Jase deflected the juvenile jab with a raised brow. “There will be respect between the two firms. Nothing less will be tolerated. And, please, give her input real thought and CC me on any correspondence.”
Simon jerked his suit jacket down before securing the single button. “Anything else?”
“I’d like the three of us to meet before you fly back to Seattle. Preferably in the next few days.” Moving around his desk, he walked toward the door. Simon didn’t respond. He didn’t argue either, so Jase took it as a go. “I don’t regret my choice in hiring your firm, Simon. You were my first choice, and I stand by my original decision. If this project didn’t have such deep roots in this community, I wouldn’t go to all of this trouble. But like I said, it means a lot to a lot of people, so I appreciate your understanding.”
His outstretched hand was barely acknowledged before Simon walked out, and a long run sounded better by the minute. Sitting on the edge of his desk, he read Madison’s text through twice, then typed out a reply.
—Friday instead?—
He startled when his phone rang a second later. “Hey.”
“Hi. Thought this might be easier.”
The stale mood from Simon’s departure lifted with the sound of Madison’s voice. He’d missed it. “Except, now I can’t use emojis to express all the layers of my emotion.”
“I can hang up…”
His laughter started deep in his throat. “Don’t you dare.”
“About lunch tomorrow. I feel terrible, but I can’t make it. I’ll be onsite with a client the next two days. I have a few minutes now, though, if you’d like? Just let me grab my notes.”
“I actually have something I’d like to discuss.” He scratched the day-old scruff on his jaw, debating. “Though, I’d prefer to do so in person.”
“Oh.”
Her uncertain reaction got a smile out of him. “It’s about the Old Theatre.”
“Oh.”
The change of inflection in her voice made his grin stretch wider, and he straightened, the proposition spilling out as he walked around behind his desk. “How would you like to join my restoration team? For the theatre?” He stared at a knot in the wood desktop, his lips pressed together as he waited for her answer.
“I don’t understand.”
“I’d like you to partner with Simon on the theatre. In a collaboration.” Her hesitation seemed to buzz in the static on the line, and it hit him she might actually say no. “There are two main reasons I chose Weston Designs for the project,” he rushed on as he sat in his chair. “Simon has the experience, and his ideas are solid. But…”
“Does he have a conflict?”
“No. Nothing like that. It’s just…a part of why I took on this project was to give back to the community.” He glanced to the seat Penny had sat in earlier. “And I feel like I’ve let them down.”
“I’m still not quite following. Why me? Why now?”
He slouched back into his leather chair. “Truthfully?”
“Truthfully.”
He gave into the ghost of a smile with the familiar back-and-forth. “Like I said, Simon has some incredible ideas, but it hit me today that something is missing. There’s a disconnect between what the theatre once was and what our vision is for its future. You can fix that.”
More static.
“Madison, this project needs you. It needs your inspiration. I want Penny, and the others like her, to recognize the iconic theatre they grew up with but also to get the future generations of San Diego excited. I want that awe factor.”
“And Simon agreed to this?”
He crumpled an old memo in his fist, wishing he could see her face. “He has.”
“So, I’d be working under him?”
“He’ll take lead. I know it’s not ideal, but collaborations aren’t unheard of, and I think it can work here.” The paper in his hand was now a tight ball. “I’m not below begging.” He wanted that playfulness back between them, but still, several seconds ticked by before she answered.
“Okay.”
He sat forward. “Is that a yes?”
“I’d be a fool to turn it down.”
It wasn’t necessarily a lack of joy in her words as it was caution, and, for the hundredth time, he wished he knew what had happened between the two architects at the gala. “You won’t regret it.”
I know I won’t.
Chapter Fourteen
Madison stared at her e-mail, afraid to close it out for fear it would chime again with more horrible news. If only this were some demented dream she would wake up from at any moment. Except, it wasn't. This was definitely reality, and it wasn't great. A month ago, she would have never believed any of this could happen.
The worst part was not understanding why.
“Everything okay?”
She glanced up from where she sat behind her desk to see Sarah by the door. “No.”
“Um…anything I can do?”
“Not unless you can tell me why Royce isn’t signing the contract.” She stared at her computer, still wide-eyed, absently running her fingers over the raised pink scar on her arm.
“What?” Sarah threw the door open, walking all the way inside. “Did he say why?”
Madison rubbed her forehead. “He said he’s concerned with the company’s competency, but the way he worded it was funny. I don’t know. When Camille cut ties with us, I knew there was a chance Royce would follow. They’re family, after all, and I know they talk.”
Flopping down in one of the empty chairs, her receptionist made a disgusted noise. “I still can’t believe Camille didn’t sign the contract. Last month, she stood right here, gushing about how amazing you are.”
“Apparently, things changed.” She put her head on her desk, una
ble to shake the ugly seed that had sprouted when they were back in Idaho—a seed that was now a giant, itchy weed, that couldn’t be yanked out. One that hinted strongly of Simon and Natasha. “But I don’t get it,” she muttered.
“What don’t you get?”
Madison glanced up at Eric over Sarah's blonde curls. “I got an e-mail from Royce. He’s out.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope.”
He leaned against the side of Sarah’s chair. “He’ll regret it. No one will nail his vision down like you did. I’m glad he didn’t see your final ideas.”
She shrugged, because what else was there to say? Reading the names on her calendar of the two client meetings the following week, self-doubt crept in, and anger joined her disappointment.
“You know what? We’re only surprised because these are happening at the same time.” Sarah’s curls bounced as she put both hands on her hips. “Clients change their minds all the time. How about old Dave Campbell? The guy left us three times before we finally got his place built. Everything is fine.”
Madison answered with a smile, or at least what she hoped resembled one. The encouragement was appreciated, but the deep sense that something, or someone, was working against her only grew.
“Or,” Sarah added, her forehead wrinkling, “maybe it’s time Mr. Cutter gives us some publicity with the Idaho house. Two words from him and Royce and Camille will come slinking back. I’d bet my Rover on it.”
Madison was shaking her head before her receptionist finished. “Not an option, sorry.”
“Fine, then.” The girl’s bangs puffed up with her dramatic breath. “You’ll just have to wow everyone with your ideas for the restoration.”
This time a genuine smile pulled at Madison’s lips. It didn’t stick long but did ease some of the heaviness pressing down on her shoulders. “True.” She leaned back, swiveling her chair back and forth slowly. “If Simon gives me the chance. Honestly, it was hard to get a yes out when Jase made the offer yesterday. Both because of Simon, and my pride. I’m not going to lie that it feels like seconds—which, it is, but…I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. This is what I’ve wanted.”
Sort of.
She released a heavy breath, rivaling Sarah’s, but caught Eric’s gaze. His face was as blank as the sheets in her open drafting pad, giving zero visibility to his thoughts.
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