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“That’s life.”
“I didn’t have any idea.”
“Right.”
“You believe me?”
He made an impatient sound. “You’re a walking, breathing cliché. In this case, for one, you’re a naive and idealistic schoolteacher who’s been kept out of the loop.”
“Well, at least I’ve improved in your estimation in the last fifteen years.” She dropped her handbag onto a chair. If she couldn’t sit, at least she could get rid of some dead weight while she faced Cole. “That’s more than you would have said about me in high school.”
“At this point I have a good sense of when you’re to blame,” he shot back, not answering directly.
“Meaning you have plenty of experience?”
Cole gave her a penetrating look and then said, “Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to tell the principal—”
“Mr. Dobson.”
“—that you’ve got me on board for the fund-raiser, but there’s one condition attached.”
“Serenghetti Construction gets the job.”
Marisa had been on a roller coaster of emotions since walking into Cole’s office. And right now elation that Cole was agreeing to be her headliner threatened to overwhelm everything else. She tried to appear calm but a part of her wanted to jump up and down with relief.
Cole nodded, seemingly oblivious to her emotional state. “Let Dobson deal with the board of directors. My guess is that the member with ties to JM Construction will have to back down. If Dobson plays his cards right, he’ll marshal support even before the next board meeting.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He will, especially if I say Jordan will show up, too, even though he’s not a graduate of the school. Pershing isn’t a public school that’s legally bound to accept the lowest bid on a contract. And giving the contract to Serenghetti Construction makes sense. The money that the school would save not having to pay a big name to appear at their fund-raiser tips the balance on the bottom line.”
She sighed. “You’ve thought of everything.”
“Not everything. I still have to deal with you, sweet pea.”
His words hurt, but she managed to keep her expression even. “Bad luck.”
“Bad luck comes in threes. Getting injured, needing to take over a construction firm, you showing up...”
“We’re even,” she parried. “I’ve been cheated on, gotten dumped by my fiancé and had to recruit you for the fund-raiser.”
He smiled, and she thought she detected a spark of admiration for her willingness to meet him head-on. “Not so diplomatic now that you know you have me hooked.”
“Only because you’re willing to be ruthless with your competitors.”
“Just like your douche bag fiancé?” he asked. “How did you wind up engaged to Sal? Are you hanging out in sports bars these days?”
“You know from personal experience that I visit boxing gyms.” She shrugged. “Why not a sports bar?”
His eyes crinkled. “You showed up at Jimmy’s only because you were tracking me. You’d probably claim your appearance was under duress.”
“I’m not going to argue.”
“You’re not?” he quipped. “What a change.”
“You’re welcome.”
His expression sobered. “For the record, you don’t know what to wear to a gym.”
