17. Lucas
LUCAS
“ D amnit!”
I closed my eyes and dropped my head back as my computer screen froze in the middle of packaging important site schematics for an addition on a historical building we’d been contracted to renovate.
The day had been riddled with issues. Equipment breakdowns at Helen’s project, delayed building permits, and a well-loved employee gave two weeks' notice because her husband’s job was being relocated. Even my lunch order was wrong.
I didn’t do this often, but I was seriously considering using my company owner privileges and leaving early just to avoid the rest of the day.
My phone lit up from its spot on my desk, displaying a photo of Helen decked out in gaudy jewelry and bright red lips. I did not have photos assigned to client contacts, but Helen had insisted I add this one for her because she “looked at least seven years younger. ”
I was in no mood to talk to her, but she was bankrolling our largest active project. I was the president and technically client interaction fell under my job responsibilities. It was my job to pick up the phone. Days like this, I envied Leo.
“Hello, Helen,” I answered.
“Hi, handsome. How are you and those gorgeous brothers of yours?”
When I first met Helen, she was still married to her husband, but that hadn’t stopped her from objectifying my brothers and me, always inviting us to wear tighter pants or work without our shirts.
Adrian absolutely ate it up and Leo would often turn a bright shade of pink.
That alone made it worth it for me. Watching my stoic brother flush with embarrassment made me giddy, and Helen had become one of my personal heroes.
“We’re good Helen. Can I help you with something?”
“Always, dear.” A healthy amount of innuendo colored her response.
“But today I’m calling because I have a request. There’s a small hotel, Granger Manor, that is hosting an event Labor Day weekend.
Just a dinner, but the hotel itself is gorgeous and I think it would be such an inspiration to see it in person. ”
“Sounds great. Have a wonderful time.”
“Oh no dear, not me. I’d like for you and Olivia to go. I’ve already seen it.”
She wanted me to go spend a holiday weekend at some random hotel with Olivia? I couldn’t begin to count the reasons that was a terrible idea.
“Labor Day is this weekend.”
“It is, yes. ”
“So, this event is in four days?”
“I would feel bad for the late notice, but I happen to know that neither of you young people have the social lives you should have.”
Jesus. This woman. It was like she lived to make my life difficult.
“Have you spoken to Olivia yet?”
“I have! She’s very excited. You know Olivia, always willing to go the extra mile.”
And there it was. Comments like that were the kind that had made me nervous since the moment Helen first mentioned Olivia. She simply liked her more than us. The worst part was, I couldn’t even blame her. When it came to our business and my family, though, it made me more than a little on edge.
“Alright, well, I suppose I can make it work. What makes you think they’ll have openings for this so last minute?”
“No worries about that, dear. I’ve already booked your accommodations and registered you both for the dinner. I’ll email over the details for you. You’ll want to contact Olivia and coordinate travel. No need for you to make the drive individually.”
Okay, now I was getting suspicious.
“Helen, when did you make these plans?”
“Gotta run sweetie! Have a great time. I’ll send everything over!”
She hung up hastily, leaving me reeling over the insane thing I’d just agreed to .
The weekend was going just as poorly as I had expected. First, I’d gotten hung up at a job site, making it impossible for me to get home or shower before I had to pick Olivia up. I was dirty, tired, and in no mood for forced socializing.
Then Olivia met me at Alessi Construction wearing another one of her white cropped tops and dark orange high waisted linen pants. She had her hair up in a casual bun and looked completely relaxed.
Meanwhile, every muscle in my body was tense from having her two feet away in the cab of my pickup truck. I was a rubber band that had been stretched further and further over the past few months, and now I was ready to snap.
We’d only spoken about Helen’s project since the night at the gristmill.
I knew what I needed to do, which was to pull back and not let this thing move any further, but it was getting harder and harder to look at her.
Every time I did, a feeling pulled in my gut that I was denying something decidedly right.
More important than my self preservation, though, was Olivia’s. We were supposed to be professional acquaintances, and I’d put her in an uncomfortable position. Taking her to my building. Kissing her like that.
So I was letting her set the tone. Letting her drive the conversation. And so far, she hadn’t brought it up. We’d spoken mostly via email with a couple phone calls sprinkled in. Most of our necessary outings were complete, and materials ordered for most parts of the project .
She seemed fine to revert to the professional relationship I wasn’t sure had ever existed for me. Since the day she showed up at our offices, an inherent desire for her had clouded every thought and decision.
Worse, it seemed like every person in my life was hell bent on pushing me toward this woman, no one seeming to understand or agree with what was at stake.
With so many voices echoing the same message, it was getting more and more difficult to listen to the one in my own head telling me I needed to pull it together. To at least wait until this project was complete before pursuing anything more.
Olivia seemed determined to make it even more difficult, an arm’s length away in my passenger seat with her sandals kicked off and her legs drawn up to sit cross-legged.
After an initial, slightly awkward greeting, she’d mostly been talking about Helen’s home.
How she’d begun “the fun part” of searching for pieces to furnish and decorate.
She was recounting a particularly successful thrift trip when we turned onto a long, winding drive that ended at a large stone building.
“Oh, wow,” she exclaimed. “No wonder Helen sent us here. It’s so beautiful. Just like her home. Gosh, she has exquisite taste.”
I pictured Helen’s costume jewelry and outlandish outfits. Exquisite probably wouldn’t be my adjective of choice.
“It’s definitely not what I would picture for her from meeting her,” I offered .
Olivia took a moment to ponder my assessment. “Her personal style is a bit more… outlandish, I guess.”
“That’s being kind.”
“Well, I’m a kind person.” She winked.
Winked at me. Jesus. I was never getting through this weekend.
We parked and I grabbed our bags from the bed of the truck. I had expected a family of luggage, but Olivia had shown up with one reasonably sized weekend bag.
Walking into the hotel, it was obvious why Helen had wanted us here. It was so similar to the home we were building for her. It was almost eerie. Excluding that this was a business and her home was obviously residential.
Olivia and I walked side by side to the front desk, where a redhead with a high ponytail and a bright smile greeted us.
“Hi there! Can I help you get checked in?”
“Yes, hi. Helen Arnoult made reservations for us. I’m not sure if they’re under her name or each of ours,” Olivia explained.
“Let me check. I have nothing under Arnoult. Can I have your names?”
“Lucas Alessi,” I interjected.
Olivia gave the woman her name.
“I don’t see anything for you, Ms. Dawson, but I do have a room for you, Mr. Alessi.”
I froze.
“That can’t be right. She invited both of us. She would have known to make reservations for us both.”
The woman looked uncomfortable, clearly picking up on my slightly frantic tone .
“I’m sorry. Maybe she thought you intended to share the room? It’s one of our king bed suites.”
Olivia laughed out loud at what was probably an expression of horror on my face. Through her laughter, she assured me, “It’s fine, Lucas. I’ll just get another room.”
The formerly chipper redhead could not look more uncomfortable.
“Unfortunately, we’re all booked up for the weekend. The Labor Day dinner is a popular event…”
Olivia turned to me with a much less humorous look on her face. Now she was catching up to my reaction. We were hours from home. Even if we turned around now, we’d need to find somewhere to stay for the night.
God, this had been a terrible idea.
“Is there a sofa in the room?” I asked.
“Yes, but it’s not a pull out, unfortunately.”
“That’s fine.” I turned to Olivia. “You can take the bed. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
Olivia eyed me with about as much skepticism as I was feeling.
“If you’re sure, Lucas. I don’t want to make this uncomfortable.”
“Too late, Angel. Let’s just go.”
The redhead looked relieved to get out of this very awkward encounter and quickly handed over the room keys, pointing us toward our room.
I let Olivia lead the way as I tried to steel my emotions. This was fine. I could share a room with this woman. We were both adults. It was just two nights. No reason to get all worked up .
As we reached our room and Olivia used her card to open the door, the large, lone king bed came into view and the only sound I could hear was loud laughter in my head that sounded a lot like my brother Adrian.