Chapter 58 Astrid
ASTRID
This cannot be happening. I’ve stumbled into an alternate universe. A House of Horrors where every nightmare is made real. Seán is speaking, but I can’t hear him over the ringing in my ears and the blood rushing to my head.
No. No. No.
Fan!
This can’t be real.
What is he even doing here? I’m so confused.
“Darling.” Seán blocks my ex from view, stepping in front of me and clasping my face. “Talk to me. What the hell is going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I’d like the answer to that question too.
“We know one another,” Callan says, sounding way too close for comfort.
His sultry, deep voice yanks me back into the moment. Panic is nipping at my heels, and I need to do damage control. “We went to high school together. Callan moved to Ryemont in senior year. I haven’t seen him in years.” None of that is a lie, but it’s not the full truth either.
“We were—”
“Good friends.” I cut across whatever he was about to reveal.
Seán’s insightful gaze drills into mine, and I know I need to fess up, but it won’t be now. We need privacy for that conversation. I’m in complete shock. Never in a million years did I imagine meeting Callan again like this, but I can’t let my emotions derail me.
I’m a professional, and this is a professional environment, an important first meeting, and I’m not going to blow it the very first time I’m on-site.
So, I pull my big-girl panties on, check the walls of my mental lockbox are intact, and plaster the fakest smile on my face.
I shuck out of Seán’s embrace, stepping around him, and thrust out my hand, praying I can pull this off.
“This is the last place I ever expected to see you, Callan.”
He glances at my hand for a few awkward seconds before firmly grasping my palm. Tingles shoot up my arm from the contact, and I barely resist the urge to yank my hand back.
“My construction company has completed the renovation,” he says, pumping my hand while staring deep into my eyes. “I was expecting Melissa. Is she no longer working on the project?”
I pull my hand back, noticing the absence of a wedding band on his ring finger.
“You should’ve received an update email from Mandy.
” Seán circles his arm around my waist as he glares at his new assistant.
I’m guessing this one isn’t going to last much longer either.
She is the third assistant Seán has had since I’ve known him, and it’s a running joke around the company that he terrorizes them all into quitting on purpose before they complete their probationary period.
“I was so sure I had sent it.” Mandy visibly trembles, and I feel for her.
“We’ve had an issue with some emails going missing or landing in spam,” Callan says. “The fault is probably on our side.” I don’t know if that’s true or a lie to protect the young assistant.
“You should fix that in case any more important communications get lost.” Seán’s jaw tightens the longer he stares at Callan.
“We are handling the issue,” Callan calmly replies.
“To answer your question, no, Melissa is no longer assigned to this project. My fiancée is in charge of the remodeling, though it appears formal introductions are not required.” His cold tone mirrors the expression on his face, and I can almost see the wheels churning in his brain.
“You’re engaged?” Hurt glimmers in Callan’s eyes for a split second before he masks it. It’s highly unlikely my astute fiancé missed it. Callan’s eyes linger on my engagement ring. “Nice rock.”
It looks like it’s painful for him to say, and anger joins the mushrooming emotions building in my chest. Who the fuck is he to cast judgment? And why the hell does he even care?
“She’s mine.” Seán all but growls the words, and fear joins panic in taking turns to punch me in the gut.
His grip on my waist tightens. Seán is acting unprofessionally, which is completely out of character for him, but it’s obvious he feels threatened, and this is about to turn nasty if I don’t defuse the situation.
The girl standing at Callan’s side is watching this play out like all she needs is a bucket of popcorn and a large soda.
“We should all sit.” Preferably before my legs give out. “We have a lot to get through today, and we can’t afford to fall behind.” It’s a fucking miracle I can speak, let alone sound competent. I beseech Seán with my eyes. “Any other concerns can be discussed later.”
Seán pierces me with a probing look, like he wishes he had the power to pluck the truth from my mind.
“We thought we could have lunch while we review the schedule,” Dave says, frowning a little as he picks up on the evident tension in the room.
He met us at the hotel entrance, and Seán peppered the older supervisor with questions on the walk here.
He appears knowledgeable and affable. Someone I can easily see myself getting along with. Unlike his boss.
“What can I get you to drink?” the pretty redhead asks. “I’m Alicia, by the way,” she adds, thrusting out her hand and smiling. “I work with Callan and Travis at Garner Hunt.”
“GH Construction,” I murmur. “Garner Hunt.” I should have researched them. If my assignment hadn’t been hijacked at the last minute, maybe there would’ve been time to figure it out.
Alicia beams at me as she enthusiastically shakes my hand. “The official registered name is Garner Hunt Construction Limited, but our branding is GH Construction because it flows better. That was my idea.”
“Alicia.” Callan’s tone carries caution.
“I’m sorry. I tend to get carried away. Please sit, Astrid, and tell me what you’d like to drink.”
“We don’t have any cappuccinos, but there is coffee, tea, soda, water,” Callan says.
I jerk my head briefly in his direction as Seán pulls a chair out for me at the top of the table. “Black coffee.” I slip into the seat. “I’ll take a bottle of water too, please.”
Alicia fixes drinks for everyone while Dave lowers a screen from the ceiling and hooks his laptop up to it.
You could cut the tension with a knife, and it’s awkward in the extreme. Seán sits to my left with Callan on my right, and they are assessing one another like opponents across a chessboard.
Seán breaks his stare-off with my ex to grab a few sandwiches, sliding a plate in front of me before he gets his own lunch. “Eat, darling. I know you must be starving.”
I was until I got here and came face-to-face with my past. Yes, I have considered this might happen in the three weeks I’ve had time to come to terms with my change of assignment.
But I didn’t fucking expect him to be the goddamn contractor I’m supposed to work closely with for the next six months.
It’s a shit show of epic proportions, and I’m still reeling.
Which is probably for the best, because I can operate on autopilot mode and figure out what the fuck I’m going to do later in the privacy of home.
I force food down my throat as Dave starts talking us through the project plan and timings, asking relevant questions in between bites, and focus on my job.
Seán is still clearly wary of Callan, but he quickly dons his CEO hat, and mercifully, Callan does the same.
Tension still simmers under the surface, but for now, everyone has their game faces on.
Alicia takes notes as we agree on a few things, and then Seán and I leave with Dave and Callan for a tour of the property.
“This must be nostalgic for you, darling.” Seán keeps his hand on my lower back as we follow the two men.
“Oh?” Dave glances over his shoulder at me.
“I worked here for a few years as a teenager. I started as a server in the restaurant before moving to the front desk.”
His eyes pop wide. “You’re from Ryemont?”
I nod and smile. “Born and raised.”
“You still have family here?” he asks as we walk along the widened hallway toward the guestrooms on the lower level.
The largest team will work on the bedrooms while a smaller team will remodel the hallways, lobby, restaurants, bars, gym, spa, and other communal areas.
The extension now houses a theater room, kids’ club, game room, and a library, and it’s much more luxurious than it was when I worked here. Or it will be when it’s all finished.
I shake my head. “My family moved to Sweden, where my mom is from, a few years ago. I went to Bennington Turo after high school and moved to New York after my college graduation. I haven’t been in Ryemont since.”
“Mr. Devlin is right then. This must be nostalgic for you.”
He has no idea. “Extremely.”
Callan’s shoulders stiffen.
“Call me Seán. Please.”
Dave, he likes.
“I knew Astrid had to be the one to manage this project,” Seán says. “Because Ryemont has always been so close to her heart. It seemed like a wasted opportunity not to bring her with me, and I couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from her.”
It was one of the excuses put forth for his interference, and it was hard to argue with his logic. Of course, it’s partly my fault because I haven’t told Seán the truth about my first love or how I fled this town eight years ago, telling my parents I just couldn’t come back. It hurt far too much.
In another uncharacteristic display of unprofessionalism, Seán leans down and kisses me right in front of Dave and Callan.
I want to push him away and scream at him to knock it off because I’m sure both men are convinced I only got this gig because I’m the CEO’s fiancée, not on talent and merit.
I know what’s driving his behavior, and until we’ve had a chance to talk, I’ll just have to suck it up and say nothing.