The Story Of Us - Teri Wilson Page 0,4

President of Ridley Property Development, said with a nod, dragging Sawyer’s thoughts back to the present—back where he was supposed to be. Where he wanted to be. “I think the Waterford Council will, too.”

He breathed a triumphant sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

Dana angled her head toward him, the blunt edge of her smooth blond bob skimming the collar of her white power suit. “Sawyer, how many projects have you done for Ridley? Five?”

He gestured toward his PowerPoint presentation. “If you pick this one, seven.”

She nodded. “Seven. Impressive. I’m going to let you in on a little secret.” Dana stood, striding past the conference room windows and their sweeping views of Portland down below. Sawyer followed her, because he supposed it was the right thing to do.

“The Waterford Project isn’t secured yet,” she said without bothering to turn around, as she clearly knew he’d be right on her heels. “It will be. Which is where you come in.”

Dana slowed down enough for him to fully catch up.

“Me?” He started to feel uncomfortably warm again. He’d done his part—more than his part, technically. This was the second full set of designs he’d come up with.

“You’re from Waterford,” Dana said. “A point you made in your initial presentation.”

Behind her, the Willamette River glittered jade green as it snaked its way through downtown Portland. Sawyer could see the snow-capped peak of Mount Hood in the distance, looming over the city he hoped would soon become his permanent home.

He wasn’t a kid anymore—he’d just turned thirty-five. He’d had enough of crisscrossing his way all over the country. He wanted a home. A life. If he could just get a permanent position at Ridley rather than continuing on as a freelance architect, he might be able to make that happen.

“I am…” He nodded, wondering where this conversation could possibly be headed. So far, it didn’t yet sound like the permanent job offer he wanted.

“That’s going to help us when it comes to persuading the community.” She beamed at him as if he was the answer to all of her problems.

She wasn’t actually suggesting that he go to Waterford, was she?

Sawyer shook his head. “Hold on, Dana. I haven’t been back in a very long time. And besides, I’m just the architect.”

“But you could be more,” Dana said. Yep, she was definitely suggesting a trip back home. Her enthusiasm almost made Sawyer wonder if she had a suitcase already packed for him, ready to go. “Here’s your opportunity. The Waterford Council wants us to present our designs in a couple days before they take an initial vote next week.”

If the vote was scheduled for next week, he’d only have to spend a few days in Waterford. But it had been ages since he’d set foot there. No way could he effectively sway the vote.

Dana seemed to think otherwise, though. “We’ve secured several properties already, but their sales are contingent on this project going to the next step. Help Ridley take that next step, and we can talk about bringing you in-house.”

Sawyer opened his mouth to protest, then promptly closed it when he fully absorbed what she was saying. A permanent job at Ridley—exactly what he’d been hoping for.

Finally.

“So, no more per-project bids?” he asked, just to clarify. After years of freelancing, it almost seemed too good to be true.

“How does that sound to you?” Dana smiled.

“That sounds great.” Count him in. He’d do pretty much anything for a real job with real benefits. Something that would let him settle down in a real home. He had so many frequent flyer miles that he could’ve probably flown to the moon and back for free. First class.

“Good.” The matter all settled, Dana nodded.

Sawyer wished he shared her confidence that his presence in Waterford would make a legitimate difference in the council’s decision. What was he supposed to do—dust off his old letter jacket and remind all the locals that back in high school, he’d been crowned homecoming king? As marketing strategies went, it wasn’t exactly a solid one. Besides, shouldn’t his architectural plan be good enough to stand on its own merits?

But he’d make it work. Sawyer’s closest friend, Rick, still lived in their hometown, so at least he’d have a comfortable place to stay, plus a respected local business owner to vouch for him. Towns that had been on the map for a while weren’t always keen to roll out the welcome mat for real estate developers. Having Rick on his side couldn’t hurt.

Sawyer had his work cut