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“That’s right.” Brooke rested her elbows on the table. “We’re about ninety percent done with exterior construction. The shelter is on the MC’s property. They own an enormous plot of farmland. We built the shelter far enough back on the property that the women we serve won’t be running into giant bikers all the time, and we just finished paving a private entry road.
“Probably smart,” Brenna said as she jotted notes. The more she learned about this club, the more baffled she became. None of what she’d encountered met her expectations. Burly bikers who ran a women’s shelter? What planet had she landed on? “You’ll be serving women who’ve survived domestic violence? Is that correct?”
“Yes, absolutely, but we’re also hoping, especially hoping, I guess you could say, to serve as a safe place for victims of human trafficking.”
Brenna glanced up. “Oh, wow. That’s amazing.”
“We want to be a place for women to receive the support and care they need while transitioning back home or living independently.”
“That’s really impressive, Brooke.”
Her client smiled. “Thank you. It’s an issue that’s near and dear to us.”
“Us?” Did she mean the MC?
“Us ol’ ladies.”
“Oh, that’s like girlfriends of the bikers, right? I met Liv last night.”
Brooke’s face lit up. “Oh, you did? Great. She’s my business partner and planned to be here today but got… sidetracked.” She winked. “… if you know what I mean. Spec tends to have that effect on her.”
Brenna’s cheeks heated. Had she ever bailed on a meeting to have hot sex with her man? Nope.
Lucky bitch.
“So, recognizing we will be serving a vulnerable population who might be experiencing severe trauma, we are looking to create a welcoming and comforting environment that is also empowering.” Brooke chuckled. “Is that even possible?”
Bubbles of excitement began to zip through Brenna’s veins. She loved projects like this. Designing trendy homes for wealthy clients or sleek corporate interiors was fun and the bread and butter of her business, but creating a space with a life-altering purpose gave her immense joy. Those projects were few and far between but made her heart sing.
“Yes, absolutely,” she said with conviction as her mind began to pop and fizz with ideas. “I’m assuming we’re talking bedrooms and some common areas?” She typed away on her iPad as she spoke.
“That’s correct. Once open, we’ll be set up to house twelve clients at a time. Each woman will have her own room… no roommates. We felt it was important to give everyone their personal space. There will also be two bedrooms for staff. Someone will always be there, even throughout the night. We haven’t determined yet if we’ll hire someone to live on-site or if my partners and I will rotate days.” She chuckled. “Not that any of that matters to you.”
Brenna waved away her concern and encouraged her to continue with a one-hand motion.
Brooke sipped her drink. “Let’s see,” she said, setting the tall cup down. “We’ll have a rec room, a fitness space, a group therapy area, and a few individual therapy rooms. There’s a kitchen, four administrative offices, a large outdoor space, and two other common areas we haven’t fully fleshed out. Maybe a craft room and… something else.”
Brenna’s jaw dropped. “That’s huge.” What a project. She practically salivated as she imagined the possibilities.
Chuckling, Brooke nodded. “It is. You’ll find that any project Liv is involved with is above and beyond. The good news is we have the budget to make it spectacular.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I wouldn’t divulge this to just anyone, but you’re connected to the club now, so…” Brooke shrugged.
Connected to the club? Because of what happened only one day ago? That was wild. And why did it have a sense of warmth spreading across her chest?
Madness. She really needed some sleep. Or maybe more coffee. Lots more coffee.
Brenna grabbed her drink and took a long gulp.
“Liv was involved with a man who had ties to a human trafficking ring. She fled for her safety once she found out. Eventually, her ex came after her. Long story short, he is no longer alive, and Liv ended up inheriting a fortune she wanted nothing to do with. It was all blood money in her eyes.”
Brenna’s jaw dropped. “Um…” That explained some of the woman’s reactions the previous night.
“Yeah, how else do you respond to a story like that, right?” Brooke said with a sideways grin. “Liv is fine and ended up with Spec, so you don’t need to worry about her. Anyway, she wanted to refuse the money, but we made her wait before making such a rash decision. After a bit, she decided to accept it and put the money to good use, as I had no doubt she would.” Brooke beamed, obviously proud of her friend and their project. “Her entire inheritance has been allotted for the shelter and its future. Trust me when I say money will never be an issue. We want to go all out.”
“I don’t even know what to say.” Holy crap, a spectacular cause and an unlimited budget. It was a designer’s dream. “You certainly know how to dangle a carrot,” she said with a smile for her new favorite client. “What do you say? You give me a few days to come up with some vision boards for you to review, and you can decide if you’d like to retain my services from there.” She’d come up with ideas so spectacular, they’d blow anyone else’s out of the water.
Brooke shook her head at Brenna’s suggestion. “By all means, design some ideas for me to show my partners, but we won’t be meeting with anyone else. Now that I know you’re a club friend, we’re all in with you. Just tell me where to sign.”
Well, that certainly wasn’t an intelligent way to run a business. As much as it killed her, she’d be remiss in not mentioning her situation to Brooke a bit more.
