can find a place that’s ours.”
His eyes widened, but she launched herself toward him, erasing any distance between their bodies. Without breaking the kiss, he scooped her up into his arms and took the stairs two at a time. She hoped Ocee didn’t get underfoot. After all, she wanted nothing to get in the way between her, Rory, and the bed.
24
“Dave, this is amazing!” Sandy had carefully toured the offices on the first eight floors of the Partridge Tower, thrilled with the results. Those that were already leased had their furniture and decor completed, thanks to Barbara. The office spaces that had not been leased at this time had been generically designed and now stood ready for potential clients to view.
Everything from the tile and carpet to the room placements and walls and inner windows, doors, cabinets, outer window treatments, conference rooms, workrooms, break rooms, and especially the executive offices were exactly as Carmichael Designs had created.
“According to Anthony, he now has new leases that complete the third, fourth, and fifth floors,” Dave said, looking down at his clipboard.
“Oh, wow, that’s even more than the other day.” Sandy stood in the middle of the floor lobby and turned slowly, her gaze carefully moving over the entire space. Turning back to Dave, she looked at the clipboard in his hand and laughed. “I see you’re still using the clipboard and not the tablet.”
He grinned and shook his head. “I use them both, but I’d prefer flipping through papers to find what I want rather than poking onto a tablet. Guess I just like doing things the old-fashioned way.”
They wandered into one of the workrooms, and she looked at the electrical outlets that were placed along the top edge of the counter. Glancing over her shoulder, she asked, “And everything was inspected? Um… according to the code requirements for a building this size?”
His lips twitched as he held her gaze. “Signed off on everything, Ms. Carmichael. I know you had concerns, but I followed through with the inspector and Perkins Electrical. I talked directly with the company president, Mr. Perkins himself.”
“Good. Now Anthony and his father, Albert, can get ready for the grand opening. Will you be there?”
Snorting, he sighed heavily. “Yes, but I won’t be in a black tie. I’ll just come in my wedding and funeral suit.”
In the process of checking the window treatments in one of the offices, she stopped, her hands still raised in the air. Eyes wide, she stared at him. “Funeral suit?”
He chuckled. “You know, every man has a suit that he only drags out if he has to go to something special, like weddings or a funeral.”
“I… I… uh… I can’t figure out if that’s ghoulish or smart!” She turned back to the window, reaching as high as she could to straighten the blinds that appeared to be crooked. Dave laid his clipboard and tablet down on a nearby desk and stepped over to assist.
“Dave!”
They turned at the sound of one of the men standing at the doorway.
“Sorry to interrupt, but you’re needed up in condo thirteen-oh-seven. A potential buyer is up there and has some questions the realtor doesn’t know how to answer.”
“Where’s the condo project manager?”
“Dunno, but the realtor called for someone to come.”
Just then, Dave’s phone rang, and he grumbled as he hustled toward the elevator. “I thought things were busy as this place was being built. You’d think my job here was almost over, but now it seems like there are more fires to put out.”
Now alone, she stood in the space and just let the emotions of a completed job roll over her. Satisfaction and pride. Then, with a hands-in-the-air dance, she celebrated the fact that Carmichael Designs’ phone had been ringing with potential new clients who had heard about the work she had accomplished at Partridge Tower.
Flipping off the light switch as she left the office, she heard a slight crackle behind the switch cover. Stopping, she stepped back into the room. She flipped the switch back on and the small pop sound was barely audible. Wondering if it was simply the click of a new light switch, she flipped it several times, hearing the sound again, this time followed by more of a crackle than a pop. Reaching into her large purse, she pulled out her cosmetic bag and searched for a nail file. No luck. Glancing around for something to use on the screws of the switch plate, her gaze landed on the clipboard left behind by