Dare to Forgive (The Dare 3)

“But we would still be on a deadline that would be tough to meet if we spit crews,” Hank told her firmly.

“Sir, if you plan on getting this job, you are going to need to double the amount of workers you have now on the payroll. It would be worth it to increase that so that you won’t have to increase the time of completion. The Morrisons want all the homes sold before they are even built, so there won’t be too much concern over not meeting the deadline. Give yourself leg room and then if all goes according to plan you can tell Morrison you’re ahead of schedule and will have it complete before the deadline.”

“I like her thinking,” Will stated and then he started talking about the way to attack construction. Leo added his comments and she took notes.

She listened to the three brothers go over everything, disagree, resolve the disagreement, and tease one another. As usual, Hank was the more serious one and barely cracked a smile when Leo insulted Will or vice versa.

They were so different, yet a lot alike. She took in Hank’s firm expression, his large hands as he held the pen in one and reprimanded his brothers while he jotted things down. He was such a disciplinary man, where Will was a comedian and Leo was an all-around friendly, fun guy.

She felt her cell phone vibrate but ignored it. A few minutes later, as she chuckled at something Will called Leo, she felt her phone vibrate again.

“Do you need to answer that?” Hank asked her, sounding annoyed. She tightened up. Hank had that effect on her.

He raised one of his eyebrows up at her.

“Well, see who it is and if need be take a minute. My brothers are acting like morons and could use the moment to gather their stupidity.”

“Hey, Hank, meetings don’t have to be constant business and no fun. After all, this is going to be a project with months of these meetings before we even break ground,” Will told him as she glanced down at her cell ph

one.

“We have to get the job first, Will,” Hank replied as Adel looked at the caller ID on her cell. She felt that instant sick feeling in her gut. Her face felt as if it went on fire. She was suddenly hot and that meant looking overheated.

Bentley, you jerk. What in God’s name do you want with me? God, could he seriously think I would take him back? After what he did?

She felt the tears reach her eyes as she quickly turned her cell phone off. That was when she noticed how quiet it got. Slowly she looked up and all three men were staring at her.

“Are you okay?” Will asked her.

She looked away and reached for the laptop to move it closer.

“Yes, of course. So where were we?”

“Is something wrong? Do you need to respond to that message?” Leo asked her, his expression firm, making him appear almost as intimidating as Hank.

She shook her head and placed her fingers on the keyboard, hoping they got the message to continue. When she locked gazes with Hank, figuring it would be easier to make him see she wasn’t hiding anything, she was shocked to see the concern in his expression.

“We went over a lot today. We need to go over the time frame, make up the charts on the phases and anything else preliminary before we move onto the blueprints, land structure, and designs. Let’s meet back in an hour or so after lunch.”

She glanced at her computer screen. It was almost fifteen minutes past one. Had they really been in this meeting that long? She was surprised, but she was relieved to get a breather.

Leo and Will stood up, and she closed the laptop and then reached for her phone and bag.

They didn’t say anything to her. She thought maybe one of them might ask about the call or if she were okay, but she must have read into the expressions of concern on their faces. They were probably just annoyed that her phone buzzing interrupted the meeting. So why did that realization make her feel like crap?

She was making herself nuts. One minute she compared these men to Bentley, and pushed any attraction to them away, and the next she was looking for their attention, their care, that apparently she must be creating in her mind. These men didn’t care about anything involving her but her professional position in their company. She was alone. Get used to it.

She headed out of the room and felt the phone buzzing again. She glanced at it, wanting to throw it across the room or at minimal, throw it into the small garbage by her desk.

She growled in annoyance as she read the text.

We need to talk. I’ll keep texting. Come on now, Adel. Now.

Damn it pissed her off so much that he was still making demands on her. She could practically hear his voice, and that demanding ordering tone of his. Now, Adel. Now! Screw him.

“Hey, are you okay?” Marcy asked as Alicia reached down to grab her purse that was under the desk.

“Fine,” she replied.