3. Chapter 2 Katrina
O ctober 2023
Head down, I push into the crowded conference room. My colleagues crowd around a table set up with coffee and pastries from the bakery across the street. The smell is enticing, but I know better than to head to that table.
It’s bad enough I’m the only female contractor in this misogynistic frat house, but God forbid the girl with curves eats a baked good. It was a lesson I learned the hard way and have no interest in ever repeating. Instead, I keep to myself as I slip into an empty chair, not too close to the front, but not too far away, either. I scan the agenda already laid out before me, then pretend to be engrossed in something on my phone.
Of course, I’m not actually looking at anything. I don’t have any active projects right now and the only person who would maybe text me is my boyfriend. However, I’m sure Will is sleeping after a long overnight shift at the hospital. Besides, after being together for two years, we’ve moved past the honeymoon phase of needing to text each other throughout the day.
A few minutes later, Thomas Dalton enters the room with his assistant Nadine, the only other female in the office, trailing behind him. “Take a seat, everyone.”
Thomas might look like your typical southern gentleman who’s used to hard work, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Don’t be fooled by the jeans and casual button-down. Thomas inherited a dynasty and has only continued to build it up in the years since he took over. Dalton Enterprises is responsible for some of the biggest builds South Carolina has seen in the last eighty years and has even been known to take on private homes and housing communities.
No project is too big or small. Let us build your dream. That’s our motto.
It doesn’t matter if no one here actually cares about the clients we work with, it’s all about the appearance and reputation we have. If we appear to be one big, happy family, the community will buy into it and trust us to help build it up. We’ll make money, we’ll get our name in the media, and we’ll keep growing until we’re the only name that comes to mind for design and construction.
If I had it my way, we’d focus more on family homes and giving back to the community who has given us so much.
Not that it matters. I’m just the stepdaughter. I’ll never take this company over. Thomas has his eye set on a few of my male colleagues for the role. Right now, I’m lucky I have a job. I’m even luckier if I’m given one project a quarter—I’m never given more than one at a time, and they’re usually short-term, and so ridiculously easy I can do them in my sleep.
I’m the most disposable employee in this entire office, but he knows he can’t get rid of me.
“Let’s get this meeting started.” Thomas calls the room to attention with only his tone of voice as everyone takes their seats. “We have a number of proposals to get through today, but I think we should start with the one no one will want: a sports complex in Columbia.”
Everyone around me groans.
“Why didn’t you pass on this one, boss?” Brent, the office asshole but one of Thomas’s favorites, asks. “You had to know how we’d all react.”
“But why?” I speak up, earning several surprised looks. I tend to wait to be spoken to in these meetings. Now that I have everyone’s attention, I have to finish my point. “What’s the big deal? We haven’t even heard what all it’ll entail.”
Brent leers at me, eyes sparkling with amusement. There’s nothing this guy loves more than being able to mansplain something to me. “This happens every four years or so, Katrina, typically in conjunction with the Olympics. Everyone gets the sports bug and wants to open the complex their community so desperately needs. These projects are rarely seen through, or they end up falling apart and being abandoned a year after opening. They’re a waste of time.”
“This one might not be,” Thomas breaks in, bringing everyone’s attention back to him. “It’s owned by two Olympic swimmers, Bryce Clark and Carter Abrams. One of them is retired, the other will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2024 Games. They want a full natatorium they can coach a team out of. That means there will be two pools, a full gym, seats for spectators, offices, and fully equipped locker rooms. This one has the potential to pull through. They want it open by next fall.”
Brent leans back in his seat. “Which is why we’re taking this one, because it’s tied to two big names? I’m still not taking the job, boss.”
Thomas picks up a small packet full of the project details. “Well, it’s a good thing I was going to have Liam take the design lead on this one.”
Embarrassed anger flushes Brent’s cheeks as I hold back a snicker. I can see Nadine doing the same thing out of the corner of my eye, and it takes everything in me not to turn to share a commiserating look with her.
Brent thinks he’s God’s gift to women and architecture, but the reality is he’s more of a walking red flag in both areas. His designs are modern, cold, and impersonal. He wouldn’t know what natural light and color was if it smacked him in the face. Just like he wouldn’t know what basic human decency is if his life depended on it. The longest relationship he’s had since I’ve known him was a total of five months, and he believes Nadine and I are here for his visual and physical entertainment.
Liam will be a good fit for a project like this. Based on the little information Thomas has shared with us, I get the sense these two athletes are passionate about what they’re doing, and Liam will take that into consideration with his designs. He’s the only architect on the team I enjoy working with. He’s a good guy, who listens to his clients, and succeeds in bringing their vision to life. It’s not about putting his name on a shiny new building for Liam; it’s about building things that matter.
“I’d be happy to take this on, Mr. Dalton.” Okay, so maybe Liam is a bit of an ass-kisser, but he’s only been here for a year. He’s still trying to get on Thomas’s good side—if one exists—and he’s one of the younger architects here. “Who’s the lead contractor going to be?”
Groans and sounds of protest echo from every single man on my team.
And I don’t get it. I don’t know what a project like this will look like, but someone has to take it on. Maybe this could be a chance for me to prove myself. I’ll have all the plans drawn up by Liam, who I know is exceptionally good at his job. All I have to do is oversee the renovation, which is literally my job, and I’m damn good at it. Despite my stepfather’s inability to see it.
“I can take it.” The words come tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them, and every head turns to look at me once again.
I fight the urge to sink back in my seat, pretending I hadn’t said anything.
Thomas arches a brow. “I’m not sure this project is the right one for you, Katrina.”
Now I do feel myself sinking under his amused look.
“Why not?” Liam speaks up from across the table. He grins in my direction when I look at him. My heart is erratic in my chest. “In fact, I would prefer to work with Katrina on this one.”
His encouragement gives me motivation to fight for myself, too. I sit up straighter. “You already know Liam and I work well together; every project you’ve paired us up for has been completed on time and under budget. No one else wants to take it on, but you clearly don’t want to lose it. Let me take this job.”
I can practically see the wheels turning in Thomas’s head. Yes, this is a big project, but there’s really no way I can mess it up. He would get everything he wants. Dalton Enterprises would be associated with a couple of Olympians, and he’d have me out of his hair for several months. It’s shocking for him to take so long to say yes.
“All right, the job is yours, Katrina.” He finally relents, but he lifts his chin until he can stare down his nose at me. “However, I expect weekly updates. Also, the clients have been extremely strict about staying on budget. It’s a nonnegotiable to them.”
I hold my head a little taller. “I’ll get it done on time and under budget.” It’s a tall promise to make, especially since I haven’t seen a single thing on the project, but I’m committed to see this chance through. No one will be disappointed. “Whatever updates you want, I’ll provide them.”
Thomas doesn’t look impressed, but he also doesn’t change his mind. “Nadine, please get both Liam and Katrina the full file. Liam will need to meet with them to go over plans and be sure to secure an appropriate rental for Katrina to stay in during the project.”
Unable to hide her own grin, Nadine nods, and takes notes. I’m suddenly more anxious for this meeting to end than I was before it started. I want to get my hands on the file. I want to talk to Liam about any preliminary plans he has. I’m itching to get started on a project for the first time in literal years. My desire to dive headfirst into a project is back, and it’s exhilarating. I’m ready to work on building something that will matter to someone.
More than that, I’m ready to finally prove my worth to every person in this goddamn room. Prove to them I deserve to be here and not only because of who my stepfather is.
He has never given me much of anything, despite what so many people think. I was twelve when he came into my life and never really left, but never became a part of it either. He remained on the sidelines as my life continued. When he married my mother a year later, he gave me his name. I didn’t have much of a say in that matter. She wanted us to appear like a united front, a perfect little ready-made family. So that’s what we became.
The well-respected developer and doctor, with the well-behaved daughter that never caused them any issues. It was the role we all needed to play, and we did it well. The only reason I have this job now is because of the way my mother wants society to view us. All Thomas had to do was hire me. He didn’t need to give me any real authority or duties. The sexist asshole made sure a woman’s name wasn’t on anything important.
Until now. I’m not na?ve enough to think he won’t be taking credit for most of my work, reminding me of where my last name came from, but it’s a start. I’m not sure I need the credit and the glory; I want enough space to be able to do my job. If I screw this up, I’ll never have this chance again. Hell, it’d probably end up being the one thing he could use to get rid of me, like he’s always wanted.
So, I better not screw this up.
B y the time I get back to my desk, I’m feeling confident in my ability to make this project a success. The quick pep talk from Nadine and Liam has me floating on cloud nine, my confidence at an all-time high. It’s a feeling I don’t have all that often, so I want to keep riding it as long as I can.
As per my usual routine of things, I scan through the brief on the request for a proposal, taking note of the contact information of the two owners. Their emails are personal ones, not tied to business accounts, which makes me relax even more. They have as much to lose if this doesn’t work out as I do.
Well, maybe not just as much. After all, they’re Olympians, and I’m only a contractor from South Carolina, who desperately wants to get out from underneath her family’s overbearing thumb. Still, we’re practically one and the same.
Next on my to-do list is an introductory email. The three of us won’t meet until it’s time to break ground, but I always prefer to let clients know who’s on their team right up front. That way, there are no surprises. I move my mouse until my computer comes to life and click into my email, starting a new draft: Dear Mr. Abrams and Mr. Clark, My name is Katrina Dalton and I’m a contractor with Dalton Enterprises. I am reaching out to introduce myself as the second half of your design team. Once you approve the design elements with Liam, I’ll take over the construction process. To oversee the project to the best of my ability, I’ll be temporarily relocating to Columbia and will be available to assist in any way I can. I’m looking forward to getting to work with you both to bring your vision to life. I’ll be working closely with Liam to ensure all your expectations are met. Our current timeline has us scheduled to break ground on January 2, 2024, following the holiday. This will allow us to keep up with your proposed timeline and give us extra time should the need arise, though I don’t anticipate it will. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Liam. We will be more than happy to assist you. All my contact information is listed below. I look forward to working with you! Best, Katrina Dalton Contractor Dalton Enterprises
As soon as I send the email, I switch my focus to the project folder Liam has already set up and sent through to me. There’s not much in there, though—just some preliminary photos of the property, a document of notes, and some research he’s done on other natatoriums around the country. I open the folders first.
The moment I do, my stomach drops. This place is a mess. It’s not the worst I’ve seen, but it’s not the easy turnover I was expecting to see based on what I was told in the meeting. Just looking at the first picture, a sinking feeling has me doubting my ability to keep this under budget and on schedule, which is another one of the mottos of Dalton Enterprises. Honestly, for a company who doesn’t give a shit about people, we have a lot of those.
I’m still on the first picture when I reach for a legal pad and pen to jot down my own notes. There is only so much I can tell about this place from the photos, but there are areas I’ll want to focus on. With each picture I click through, my notes get more extensive.
Over the hour, I become fully engrossed. I can start to see this project coming together. Liam’s designs will heighten the appeal that’s already there and we’ll be able to pull together a really great place—lots of natural light and comfortable seating for those enjoying the pools. It can be a great place; I can see why the owners wanted it.
An incoming email pulls me from my daydreaming. It’s from Mr. Abrams. Hello Katrina, Thank you for reaching out. Bryce and I are looking forward to working with you both on this project as well. I appreciate your willingness to relocate for the duration of the rebuild. It shows a level of commitment we’re used to but rarely see in other people. With that being said, I’m not sure how often our paths will cross. You will primarily be working with, and getting approval from, Bryce. He’ll be the one on site, as I’ll be remaining in Georgia to continue training for the Olympics. I’m sure I’ll be around occasionally, but he will provide most of the updates to me. If something important does come up, or you need me specifically, I can be available, so please don’t hesitate to reach out when needed. All I ask is for your understanding, since my schedule might not allow me to have a prompt response time. Let us know if you need anything else from us, Carter Abrams.
I’m caught off guard by the email. Thomas had told us one of them was still swimming, but there was no mention of him not being available during the construction process. Most of the time, I’m fairly hands off with the clients but with a project this large, and me relocating for it, we’ll end up sharing the same spaces at least every so often. I’m sure they’ll want to utilize any of the rooms they can during the construction, as they’re trying to grow a business. Which is fine, as it means they’re easily available when I need to run something by them, but it’s not helpful when only one owner is present.
And what did he mean his schedule doesn’t allow him to have a prompt response time? He’s a swimmer! What more could he possibly need to do other than swim? I know I’m out of my element with this job, but come on, even I’m not that dense.
At least he told me I could reach out to him if I need to. I know better than to rely on only one owner to make decisions. Someone always ends up mad when we end up cutting the one thing they were dying to have. Communication is key in business, and I’ll be damned if Carter isn’t part of this and ends up disappointed with the results. He’s not messing this chance up for me because he’s too busy to answer a phone call or email.