Chapter 10
“You’d think that I’d murdered someone the way they’re staring,” Mel whispered to Tate the next morning as they slunk into their seats.
“You did; Stephanie and Andrew, or at least their reputation,” he joked. “I see you’ve decided to keep wearing the rock.”
“It is out there,” she told him with a shrug. “Oh, did I tell you I got a letter in the mail yesterday?”
“From whom?” he asked with a wink, and she was glad she’d kept the mail from his view last night when he didn’t mention anything about if he got one or not when they got there.
“Whitmore, how about you?”
“I got one, but I was going to wait to see you to open it.”
“Me too…Jordan didn’t mind he knows I’ll tell him as soon as I open it,” she assured him at his raised eyebrow.
“Want to do it now?”
“Right here in front of everyone?” she teased aware that part of the class had tuned into what they were saying.
“Absolutely, I’ve got to see if mine’s bigger,” he stated and she nearly died at the startled looks on the faces around her.
“Alright on three?” she said glancing towards his bag that was resting between their chairs.
“One…two…three,” he laughed pulling out his envelope as she slid hers out of her books. “Ah…they’re the same size.”
“Told you they would be,” she teased sliding her nail under the flap and opening it. “Well come on, I want to see the letter.”
“Alright, alright pushy woman; okay hand it over,” he said as they pulled them out. She took his and they smiled at each other before glancing down at them.
“Dear Mr. Tatum…blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…”
“Dear Mrs. yada, yada, yada…”
They read together aloud. “We are pleased to inform you…you’ve been accepted.”
Mel reached out and hugged Tate as he passed her letter back to her and she gave him his. “Well, nothing saying you can’t help out now if we get the bid.”
“When’s the meeting?”
“Friday, the board’s going to listen to the last arguments and then they’re going to take a vote,” she said feeling her heart flutter a bit at the thought of them not getting it.
“But unlike you I don’t have bags of money lying around to pay for school, or a scholarship from the school,” he told her pointedly.
“You’re going Tate. We’ll have a blast and if you take most of the classes I do then we’ll always know what the other’s studying and can help each other out.”
“We’ll see Mel,” he stated kissing her temple.
She kept repeating that motto to herself over the next few days. When Friday evening rolled around, her stomach was in knots, and she wasn’t the one doing the presentation. The first company gave a good presentation, but she didn’t think it was as good of an option as theirs was.
Jordan squeezed her hand and got up to present their ideas and she smiled proudly. He was finished with his outline when the board began asking questions and she hoped it meant something good.
“Mr. Holmes, you say with your bid priced where it is that you’ll still be able to complete the facilities on time. How do you plan on doing this with paying even minimum wage?”
“Our plan hinges on the very thing this entire endeavor for new buildings did, using resources to create something new and that means something to everyone working on it. As my wife pointed out to me when we sat down to begin writing our bid, the plans for each building cost nothing because the school and the board used their resources wisely. They used the ideas from the students and the knowledge that Whitmore provided them. That is what we plan to do with the next phase. If you look at the end of the bid you will find a list of several of the local high school tech programs who are willing to contract with us, providing real experience for their students under the watchful eye of seasoned builders and both the engineering and electrical departments right here at Whitmore are willing to come aboard as well. It will provide an education for those working on it and pride within them when they see the final products. We want to help bring the vision of past students into completion with the help of current and future ones. What better pride is there than to say you helped create something?”
Mel grinned when no one said anything after his answer, and she felt good about their chances.
“Any other questions?” the chairman asked. “Thank you, gentlemen. We’ll retire for further discussion and a vote. We’ll let you know by the end of next week what our decision is.”
Dwight stopped them at the door and shook Jordan’s hand. “Impressive and I hear it was your idea.”
“Guilty,” she said with a smile.
“Between us, I think they’ll go for it. You included a nice cushion for increase in building materials and that list is impressive. As was your application Mel,” Dwight added.
“Thank you. I got my acceptance letter earlier this week and so did Tate; he’s a little apprehensive about the sticker price but I should be able to wear him down.”
“I’m sure you can,” he stated.
“Let’s hope I can wear down the admissions office into letting me take some classes this summer. I want to get a head start on my sophomore year.”
“I’ll put a bug in their ears,” Dwight offered and she smiled, more than happy for any help with it she could manage.
“That’d be great,” Jordan stated as they left. “We’ll see you later, hopefully with good news all around.”
They made it through the next few days waiting for the phone to ring and by Wednesday morning they were jumpy.
“Okay, we need to cool it,” Jordan told her as she got ready for classes. “They said by the end of the week and that’s Friday, if we continue like this we’re both going to be neurotic.”
“Okay, no more obsessing. I’ll be cool, calm and collected,” she teased kissing him as she got into the Jeep. “Behave Jordan, I have spies in the office you know.”
“Don’t I ever; I swear Ricki thought I was cheating on you when Nicole showed up last week. The looks she gave me…I do not want to be on her bad side,” he said kissing her again. “I’ll see you later, baby.”
Mel made it to lunch before the waiting started creeping up on her again and she sighed tossing her half-eaten fry onto her tray.
“What’s wrong Mel?” Tate asked. “Seriously you’re agonizing over the bid again?”
“Yes, it would be so great for the company but also for Jordan, seeing his designs go up…”
“He’d be elated. I know Mel. You all did your best, put together the best ideas you could and there’s no point in going over it again and again trying to see if there was one other little detail you needed.”
“Okay, now you sound like Jordan.”
“Now that’s something I never thought I’d hear; never thought I’d remind you of your husband.”
“You never thought I’d have a husband at eighteen,” she teased tossing a fry at him.
“Seventeen, you were seventeen Mel…uh Mel…”
“What?” she said noting his amused look as he glanced out towards the parking lot.
“It looks like you’re not the only one obsessing over that bid,” he stated and she saw Jordan coming towards them.
She spied the letter in his hand and her heart stopped as she got up to meet him. “What is it?”
“Read,” he said handing it to her.
“Dear Mr. Holmes, thank you for your bid regarding the new development for Whitmore. After careful consideration, we have made a choice regarding the bids process. Holmes Construction and Architecture presented a well thought out and imaginative bid, but we are unable…to accept it as written,” she stopped reading it and looked up at him. “Jordan…”
“Keep going Mel.”
She looked back and finished it, “While the amount proposed is acceptable we do not wish to have future increases in the building materials affecting the level of skills the oversight team will need and the funds with which to pay them. We are offering you the contract with an increased price of three million over your current bid. Whitmore, like your bid, strives to find new and creative solutions to help our community and we look forward to working with you. Enclosed you’ll find a contract with the increased price and your bid proposal.
Oh my god! We got it?” she asked as her face lit up.
“We got it,” he told her as he reached down and picked her up in a hug, twirling her around before setting her down as he kissed her. “You made this happen, Mel.”
“We made it happen,” she argued as Tate came over to them.
“So does this mean I can come over and eat without getting indigestion from your all’s worrying?”
“This means that tonight we’re celebrating,” Jordan stated. “Take the afternoon off, get dolled up because we’re going out.”
“No fair,” Tate mocked.
“You’re coming too,” he said as they clapped hands for a shoulder bump type of hug. “I’m going to call Mom and Dad, and the others. I’m sure Jake will be thrilled to look over the contract and give me some legal advice.”
“Go on,” she told him kissing his cheek. “Well, I guess that’s one thing off the list. Now to getting you into class with me at Whitmore.”
“Mel,” he warned. “I’m not taking your money.”
“Well you can work for the crew this summer and put some away and then who knows,” she said with a light shrug. She’d find a way to get him the financing. She wasn’t going to go to college without her best friend beside her.
The next few months slipped by as they prepared to increase the size of their company’s workforce as well as keeping her grades up to par.
She was still ahead of Stephanie, which made her furious, and she constantly went after her but now that the truth about her and Jordan was out there no one paid attention to her.
Prom was interesting since Jordan was hesitant to go but the second he stepped through the doors with her it felt right. Tate brought one of his ‘study buddies’ from the college with him and the four of them had a great time despite Stephanie and Andrew’s attempts to bother them.
They were about to crown the king and queen when she sent a sly glance towards Tate who nodded at her.
“What was that about?” Jordan asked as they danced slowly on the edge of the dance floor.