Chapter Thirty-Seven #2
Barrett had never asked her an easier question. She leaned in, her lips burning when they found Barrett’s eager ones, but the kiss was tender, soft, everything she’d ever imagined a first kiss could be but never truly believed in.
The hand Barrett had on her back clutched tightly, the one in her hair sinking deeper to pull her closer, and every part of being so wrapped up in Barrett was blissful perfection.
Iris wanted her closer still, her fingers tracing hungrily over Barrett’s cheek and down her neck.
The where and the when barely mattered at all, the only important thing was that Barrett was kissing her like she’d been waiting all her life for Iris, like this meant every bit as much to Barrett as it did to her, and like Barrett could keep kissing her forever too.
She’d never been kissed like that before, but it was everything—Barrett was everything.
Oscar’s tail whacked happily at Iris’ hip where she held him, and she smiled into the kiss, delirious with happiness when Barrett did too.
It was perfect that she was holding him for their first kiss, that he was almost as happy as she felt, that Barrett could smile into their kiss and radiate nothing but joy. It really was the perfect first kiss.
And then, the phone rang behind her and she jumped.
Barrett held her close for a lingering moment. “I suppose we probably shouldn’t be kissing at work.”
“Says who?” Iris asked breathlessly.
“You sound like me.”
Iris pulled back and smiled at her. “There are worse people to sound like.”
Barrett hummed and swooped back in to press a quick kiss against her lips. “Like the person interrupting us. I’m banning phones in the vicinity of our next kiss. Tonight? My place?”
“Sounds like a great plan.” Iris turned to answer the phone and she agreed even harder when it was Mr. McMillan on the line.
“Iris, I saw your last email and I had to call because we’re getting nowhere over email.” He spoke like he was rushing somewhere but, based on her previous interactions with him, Iris knew that was always how he sounded. He could have been relaxing in bed and he’d probably still sound that way.
“Of course. What can I do for you?”
“You simply aren’t grasping that I need this two story sunroom. You’ve reduced it again on the latest plans after I’ve sent them back to you multiple times with it enlarged.”
She held back a sigh, looking at Barrett. On the one hand, it helped. Barrett made her feel strong and grounded. On the other, Barrett set her pulse racing and had her breathing ragged, especially when she shot Iris a dark look like she wanted nothing more than to devour her right there.
She looked aback at her desk. “Mr. McMillan, I have tried, multiple times, to explain this to you, but there is no way to get what you want approved in New York. You can have a smaller sunroom or no sunroom at all.”
She’d been polite with him the whole time, increasingly tried to pacify him as she’d felt herself losing her essence to the reappearance of Natasha.
Now, she felt at peace again. She’d never had trouble correcting clients before if they wanted something illegal and impossible.
She didn’t want to lose that part of herself.
It helped make her the architect she was.
And Natasha wasn’t taking that from her.
Neither was Mr. McMillan.
“Well, I’m sure there’s someone who can help us out,” he insisted. “I likely know someone who knows someone in the planning department.”
She shook her head. He hadn’t listened to a word she’d said when she’d taken him through the planning process. “It will still be illegal.”
He laughed like he thought nothing was illegal to him, like he alone could bypass New York City planning laws and be fine. “I will be getting that sunroom and I’ll be tipping you less for making me do all the work for you.”
Iris laughed as he hung up the phone. People didn’t generally tip their architects. She wasn’t exactly relying on it and the threat of losing a tip she wasn’t expecting was not going to entice her into breaking planning permissions.
Barrett looked at her as if she was about to comment, but Penn swept into the room, gesturing dramatically at the wrapped bagel sitting on their desk.
They looked from Barrett to Iris. “Do I need to worry one of you did something terrible if you’re leaving me treats so early in the morning?”
“Not at all,” Barrett said, all smooth confidence like she wasn’t anxious in the slightest about getting knocked back on the project they were finally telling Penn about. “It’s something good.”
Iris grimaced. “Well, maybe a little of both, actually.”
Penn narrowed their eyes, stepping closer to Iris. “Explain.”
“Oh, just Mr. McMillan on the phone yelling about his sunroom.”
“He’s still on that?”
“Indeed. Apparently, he’s got friends of friends in the planning office that will help him. And I’ll be getting my tip cut for making him do all the work.”
Penn looked like their soul had left their body out of boredom. “If he keeps that up, just fire him as a client. I don’t care.”
Iris laughed. Penn had always been like that. It was an unusual approach to business, but it had been serving them surprisingly well so far, so Iris wasn’t going to start asking questions.
They turned to Barrett. “And your good news?”
“Ah, well.” Barrett actually looked a little flustered for all of one second. “It’s actually our good news.”
“You’re finally dating? Yes, thank you, I have eyes.”
Iris blushed and fidgeted with Oscar.
Barrett laughed, relaxing into her chair. “Well, yes, actually, but not that.”
Penn grinned knowingly. “Fabulous. Congratulations. Just don’t break up and destroy my business.”
“We wouldn’t do that,” Iris said weakly.
“I’m counting on it.”
“Of course you are.”
Barrett looked overjoyed. “But, the actual news. I’m sure you saw the call for—”
“The project in the Bronx?”
“Uh, yeah?”
Penn rolled their eyes, sitting on their desk and ripping into the bagel, smiling as they saw it was their favorite. “You’re acting like I didn’t know you’d want to bid for it the second I saw it.”
“Oh. Right. Well.” Barrett looked like she was having a mini crisis over being so known. Iris was simply glad to be one of the people knowing her.
“It’s a big project, right? Whole company kind of thing?”
“Yes. Exactly. But Iris and I have already been working on some ideas and we have a presentation for you—”
“Yeah, cool. Email it to me and I’ll look at it over lunch.”
Iris smiled as Barrett looked at her bewildered. She hadn’t been expecting quite this response from Penn either, but she wasn’t exactly surprised.
“You don’t want us to take you through it?” Barrett offered.
“No need. You’re both perfectly competent and I’m sure we’re going to put together a fantastic proposal.”
“You’re interested?”
Penn scrunched their face up, watching Barrett. “Firstly, yes. It’s an important project and would be great for Burrow. Secondly, what part of our relationship so far has made you think I don’t expect you to bring me projects like this, Barrett? You remember I interviewed and hired you, right?”
“Well, yes. But… this one’s quite a bit bigger than—”
“The bigger, the better. That’s how we grow.
” They laughed and hopped off their desk to drop into their chair.
“I’m just ecstatic that you two getting together means you’re volunteering to work together.
You’ve done some of your finest work that way, but I had to force you into it, like two kids on the playground. ”
Iris scowled. They hadn’t been that bad.
Sure, she’d been a little reticent, but Barrett had always been enthusiastic about the group projects.
Iris might have been the problem. But even she had to admit the outcomes always had been incredible.
Perhaps she should have taken it as a sign that they really did work well together.
“So, when’s the wedding?” Penn laughed as their computer sprang to life.
Iris and Barrett shared a look, and she didn’t miss that Barrett looked far less embarrassed than she felt.
“One step at a time, yeah?” Barrett offered.
“Sure.” Penn twisted their chair to look at them. “First comes love, then comes a shared architecture project, then comes marriage.”
Iris sagged, turning back to her work, and planning to focus on the affordable housing project until Mr. McMillan got back to her again. “Mm. Something like that.”