Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
CALEB
I hold open the door to my corner office, allowing us both to enter. April has been silent since we left her band of loyal followers and Samuel downstairs.
She moves to the chair opposite my desk, but instead, I point to the sofa and chairs by the window.
“Can I get you a drink?” I ask.
“Water, thank you.”
I watch as she takes a seat, her hands rubbing up and down her trouser leg, her knee bouncing.
I move to my desk and press the intercom.
“Hi Trish, can I get a water for Ms Wilson and my usual.”
“Of course, Caleb, I’ll bring them straight in.”
I grab the folder and the new architectural plans Jaxson sent through this morning off my desk and make my way towards April. Her rigid posture and lack of eye contact tell me this may not be as smooth sailing as I hoped.
“That was quite an entrance,” I say, taking a seat in the chair next to hers, watching her move her leg away from me.
“I’m sorry it delayed our meeting. I did not know they were going to do that,” she says awkwardly .
I hide my smile. April clearly has no idea how much her community thinks of her, or the letters we’ve received to protest against the current plans.
“No harm done,” I tell her. “You arrived early, so we’re still on time.”
Her shoulders relax a little at my words, although her back remains ramrod straight.
“I know you’re busy. Shall we get down to business?” she says, her eyes finally rising to my face.
Okay, no small talk.
There’s a knock on my door, and Trish enters carrying our drinks.
“Here you go. Is there anything else I can get you?” she asks, smiling over at April as she places our drinks down on the table next to us.
April returns her smile, and my heart skips a beat.
I’m still waiting for Elijah’s intel. I know I’m overstepping, but there’s something about this woman. I want to know what makes her tick.
“Thanks, Trish,” I say, wanting her to leave.
She nods with another smile for April.
When the door shuts, April turns her attention to me, all signs of the smile gone, her expression focused.
“I’ve read your emails,” I say, opening the folder. “I can only apologise for not getting back to you.”
I was furious when I finally received the messages. The team in charge of incoming communications won’t be making the same mistake again.
April nods, her gaze moving to her hands.
She remains silent, and I sit back in my chair and watch her. As I suspect, she takes a few moments to realise I’ve stopped talking. She looks at me, her eyes wide, but there’s a spark of annoyance in their depths.
“Why have you called me here?” she asks .
Ah, there she is, the firecracker I met in the bar.
I tilt my head and stare at her for a moment.
“I want you to forget what has been,” I say. “Imagine we’re meeting for the first time five months ago. We’ve come to your studio with the landlord. What would you be asking of me and my company?”
“Isn’t that a moot point and a waste of both of our time? We can’t turn back the clock.”
“You’re right,” I add.
We both sit in silence.
April drops her chin to her chest and inhales. “Sorry. It’s been a long couple of weeks.”
I can only imagine.
I know the affect seeing her again has had on me, with the added stress of losing her business…
“We can’t change the past, but we can look at moving forward,” I say and watch her nod.
She takes a deep breath. The shuddering exhale lets me know exactly how tense she is.
“I’d be asking to renew my lease,” she says, sitting up and holding her shoulders back. “But I’ve seen Frazer Development's plans for the building. It’s been redesigned as small industrial and retail units with apartments above. There’s no space for my dance studio. You have a new swanky gym and fitness centre for that.”
I grimace. She’s right, of course. All our developments include a fitness centre, gym, and pool. We aim to offer all the residents and community a place close to home where they can go to exercise in the city. That and eat and buy groceries. It’s why our waiting list for apartments continues to grow daily. It’s become so big we’re struggling to keep up with the demand. The apartments for our last development sold out within a day of going on sale.
“Would you be interested in space within the gym complex?” I ask. It’s not something I had given much credence to.
Her laughter shocks me. “Can you really see Tyler and his mates wandering into a swanky gym with a membership policy, alongside all the new DINKies that have moved into the area? My teenagers and OAPs are not part of that world—not when their families are on minimum wage or benefits.”
My mind wanders back to the OAPs who had just finished her class. Who were willing to fight for the woman in front of me. Of the kids currently downstairs, who have skipped school to support her today.
“Okay, but just so you’re aware. Our development includes family apartments and social housing. Yes, there will be young couples, but in fact, the development will contain a range of apartments, from one-bedroom studios to four-bedroom apartments.”
I keep my tone neutral, but I want her to understand what we’re trying to do for her community.
“You might be interested in this.”
I pull a piece of paper out of the file and hand it to her.
She sits forward and takes it before dropping back in the seat as she stares at the numbers.
“I don’t understand,” she says, glancing up at me.
“The left column is your old rent. The figures we got from your landlord. The figures on the right are what you would be paying Frazer Development Management Company.”
“But?”
“The figures are lower than what you’re currently paying. Add in all the additional factors and improvements that make the building more energy-efficient and cost-effective. You should see a dramatic drop in your overheads.”
“There is still the issue. My dance school is now retail outlets. ”
I roll out the reworked set of architectural plans Jax sent over this morning and lay them out on the table. The board have yet to approve them, but that’s my problem. I just need to get April on board.
I say nothing, patiently waiting for her to engage.
Jax has come through. In the new plans, he’s repurposed the proposed retail outlets and reinstated the dance school, moving it from the centre of the building to the end. He’s increased the space and allowed for additional rooms, including a coffee shop next door after I mentioned how popular the current one was with the kids and ladies. When I mentioned the Frazer Foundation was thinking of employing a counsellor, he included space for additional meeting rooms. The retail and industrial space is vastly reduced, but the community will gain what it needs.
April stares at the plans but remains quiet.
“What are the kids and I supposed to do in the meantime, or can we stay in situ?”
I shake my head. “Unfortunately, that’s not possible. The redevelopment is taking the building back to bare brick and rebuilding the inside using modern eco methods.”
She throws up her hands and gets to her feet. “Then what the hell is all this about, Cal? This will take months. I won’t have a business.”
“Please, April, sit down.”
Shit .
In my desire to see her again, I have not thought this through. This is not like me. I never go into a business proposition unprepared.
Since she reappeared, my head has been in a tailspin.
I almost sigh in relief when April sits and decides to close our deal instead.
“I haven’t ironed out all the details yet, but as you can see. I’ve made progress,” I tell her. “I need you to trust me. Give me time to iron out all the kinks, talk to my board.”
She gives a little snort, but when her eyes meet mine, I see a flicker of hope.
“Okay, I can give you time, Cal. It’s not like I have any alternatives. But at the end of the day. Actions speak louder than words, and trust needs to be earned where I come from.”
My heart skips a beat, and I find myself wanting to punch the air. She’s giving me a chance and I will fix this.
She’s right, and now I have to earn her trust. If Wes and the board don’t like it, fuck ‘em , I’ll bloody cover the cost myself if I have to. April is not losing her business.
“I understand. I get it—just let me prove you can trust me.”
“Why?” Her question comes out of the blue. “Why are you doing this? You don’t owe me or the kids anything. You would earn more money with the industrial and retail units.”
Taking a deep breath, I lean forward, hoping she believes what I’m about to say. “That might be true. I’m a developer.” I shrug. “But I aim to redevelop rundown areas, improve them for everyone concerned. The old and new residents. Create sustainable communities that can continue to grow on their own. Displacing the old, simply doesn’t work. In the long run we will earn more money with a thriving community.”
I couldn’t be more surprised when she nods.
I stand up, and she follows. I hold out my hand, which she stares at for a moment before placing hers in mine.
“I’ll be in touch after the weekend when I have some more information,” I say, clasping her hand in mine. The memory of her hands and mouth on other parts of my body, sends a sharp ache through my chest. She pulls away, her hand fisting at her side .
Before I can stop myself, I add, “Work with me and my team to help your community.”
“What? Why?” she asks, her blue eyes clashing with mine.
“Why? You know the community better than anyone. The support they showed you at the meeting and today. You can help us bridge the gap, help us understand what they need. Your dance school can be that bridge between old and new.”
The more I speak, the more I can see this isn’t the crazy idea I first thought it to be. She will also be near, and I want her nearby.
“I don’t know.”
I see her wavering but decide not to push.
“Think about it. Talk to Samuel,” I say, although his name sticks on my tongue. I hate the familiarity he has around April, the way he’s always touching her. I know he’s gay, but still. She relies on him.
“Okay. Thank you for taking the time to see me today, Mr Frazer.”
I quirk a brow in her direction. “Back to Mr Frazer again?”
“Yes, Mr Frazer. This is a professional working relationship.”
I laugh then, a true belly laugh, and she looks at me like I’ve lost the plot.
“Oh—not even the cleaning staff call me Mr Frazer. I’m Caleb to everyone here and Cal to you,” I say.
“Fine, Caleb.”
I bite my tongue to prevent the grin that threatens. I don’t think me finding her comment amusing will go down well. I need to tread carefully. I hold open my office door, allowing her to step through, and walk her to the elevator.
“Until Monday, April. Have a lovely weekend.”
I hold out my hand, which she shakes.
She says nothing, her eyes avoiding mine as the elevator doors close. I make my way back into my office, my grin now on full display.
“What the hell is going on?” Wes slams into the office behind me. “We have a bunch of teenagers dancing in the canteen, and I’ve just had a new plan for Sunny Down delivered to my desk. Have you lost your fucking mind?”
The smile melts from my lips, my eyes hardening, making Wes stop. “Who the hell do you think you are coming in here and talking to me like that? I thought we had this discussion?” I say, my tone cold and hard.
“Me? What about you? Months of planning and money, up in smoke.” He runs a hand through his hair. “All for what, a shag? You trying to get in her pants? Is she really that good?”
Before I can stop myself, I have Wes by the collar, his back slammed up against the door.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I hiss, my eyes holding his. “Get out of my office and take this attitude with you. If I hear one word against Ms Wilson or the plan changes, you’ll be sorry. Remember who you work for.” I shove backwards. “Never question me again.”
He pulls his shirt down and smoothes a hand down his front. “The board have called an emergency meeting in an hour.”
I turn on him, my smile, all teeth. “I know, I called it.” I tell him and watch as he deflates before my eyes.
“Get out.”
He shoots me a look that tells me he thinks I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have, but when he turns and slithers away like the snake he is, I let him go.
I move to my desk, dropping into my chair. Now I have another problem to solve. I promised April a solution, but I just need to convince the board that it’s the right one.