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"When do you think you can start on the project?" Jordan asked.
I was sitting with his group in their conference room, discussing the building’s renovations. They were looking not only to spruce up the office’s appearance but create a place for their workforce that added focus and comfort. It was a tech group that employed around thirty people. With the square footage they had, it should be a piece of cake.
"I’ll speak to my team and send you a proposal. I’ll let you know the dates as well. I don't like to make promises on dates before consulting with my team."
"Fair enough," he said.
We shook hands as I got up.
"Can I just say that you’re doing an excellent job? I've looked at a lot of architecture companies, but no one comes close to your design ability or your customer service."
"Thanks, I appreciate that.” And I did. Praise like this was music to my ears.
As I left his office, I became acutely aware of a problem. When I’d pitched for this project, I had counted on Megan joining our team. We were short-staffed as it was, and I would need to bring on more people. But if she didn't start the job tomorrow, I was going to be in a position I didn't like. Even more reason to convince her to come on board.
Honestly, I got the whole shock of it all—maybe it was embarrassment on her part. I was thrilled to have her in the office for lots of reasons. I hadn’t planned on our relationship ending after just one night. She’d given me her number, and after a day or two at most, I’d certainly planned on calling her to schedule dinner. I reallylikedher.
Professionally, she was a great fit for the team. She had good credentials and a demeanor I thought would work well with clients.
And I reallylikedher.
Really.
I went straight home after that. My penthouse was a few blocks from LaSalle Street. It was lavish, I admit, and I hadn't spared any expense. The property itself had been outrageously expensive, but the location was worth it. I had completely remodeled the inside, broken down walls, and erected others so the whole space would be to my taste. All the walls had floor-to-ceiling windows. The amount of light it got was incredible. Originally, it had three bedrooms. I'd opened up the first one into the living room because I wanted a huge space. I could think better in big spaces. I had an enormous couch in the shape of a half circle with armchairs at the end. It accommodated big groups, and I had friends and family over often.
I also had direct access to the rooftop, where I had a private pool. I liked overlooking Chicago from above. I had a fantastic view of this city.My city. I was proud of myself and my family. Growing up, everyone called us the Maxwell heirs. My parents and my grandparents before them had owned a chain of Maxwell bookstores, and they sold it successfully when I was younger. After that, the expectations changed. Most people thought we'd just live off our trust fund and probably party hard for the rest of our lives. But that hadn't happened.
We’d all paved our way in life. A friend once told me we were trying too hard to show the world we could succeed on our own, but the truth was, we were proving it to ourselves. Self-worth went a long way, and each of us was proud of our accomplishments.
There was nothing wrong with continuing a legacy. If my family still owned the bookstore business, I would have stepped up to take it over and done so with joy. But I also derived great pride from the fact that I’d built a successful business by myself.
I glanced at the clock, deciding it was time to call Reese. My cousin and my grandmother should be settled in London by now. I’d waited for them to get to the hotel before calling them so they'd be comfortable. They weren't going to London just for fun. My uncle, Reese's dad, had blindsided our family when we found out he had anewfamily and hadn't told anyone about it.
My uncle's wife had passed away years earlier, which threw him into a long depression. That was the reason why Reese and Kimberly were more our sisters than cousins. We'd practically grown up together at my house with my parents and Gran.
Reese answered on the second ring, but she promptly hung up.What the hell?A few seconds later, she called me back, using WhatsApp.
"What did you just do?" I asked.
"No calls when we're overseas, right? It's free through WhatsApp."
I burst out laughing. "Honestly, Reese, who cares?"
"Hey, don't be like that. It's good to be careful with money, even when you have a lot of it."
Out of all of us, Reese was the most conservative with spending.
"Yes, I remember that... most of the time. How was the flight?"
"Oh, it was good. The seats were comfy."
"And the hotel?"
"It's amazing. I have to say, when Kimberly showed me the pictures, I wasn't convinced. It seemed a bit old-school and stuffy.”
That was my opinion exactly. I liked modern structures.
“But it's wonderful and elegant,” she continued. “I feel like I'm a princess or something. I can already feel myself relaxing, even though we have yet to meet with Dad."
