Chasing Marisol (Blueprint to Love Book 3) (8 page)

If left to fester, Annie's fear would take on a life of its own. It would manifest itself and grow larger than the actual threat Phil posed. But what to do about it?

"Hell if I know. I thought it might be best to move her to another shelter . . . but no one's got space for her and the two kids. And we sure as hell can't split them up."

She frowned. "You think he poses that great a threat? I think it's mostly talk— don't you?"

Sharon's bracelets jangled against the desk every time she moved her wrist. "I'm worried that he always seems to show up when our staffing is light. I don't want him slippin' in here simply because we didn't have enough volunteers on duty. I wonder whether he's been watching enough to know that— or if he's just getting lucky." 

"I'll be glad when we get the new card access system installed." It would be worth the huge expense to have peace of mind. But that installation was months away.

"Sugar— we need that system now. And just look at what it's gonna be like for the next several months during construction." She waved her arms around, bracelets clanging. "There's people walking around all over the place."

"They've all had background checks. I made sure that was in our contract." Biting her lip, Mari wondered how hard it would be for someone to slip into the building while they were under construction. The shelter had been noticeably more chaotic since they broke ground two days earlier. At least twenty new faces— moving in and outside. Multiple entrances to the building.

Awareness crackled through her. "Damn, we should have thought of this during the pre-construction. All the systems we have in place to protect ourselves-"

"All gone," Sharon completed her thought. "For the next seven months we ain't gonna know who the hell is inside this building. And that goes for all the serving times during the day, too. The way we contain the homeless clientele to the vestibule, the cafeteria and the bathrooms. In a month or so— we won't be able to even do that. This place is gonna be Grand Central."

"We need a meeting with Specialty."

Sharon nodded. "My thoughts exactly. I'll go talk to Hank outside and have him call Stud Muffin. We need to see if they're available for a conference call. You go round up the staff."  

***

"Good morning, Annie." Jeff offered a smile and wave as he passed through the cafeteria. Since he'd started visiting the shelter, he'd made a special effort to greet the older woman each time he ran into her. "Expecting a big crowd today?"

"Good morning, Mr. Traynor." She moved her set-up cart to another table. The shelter staff was between mealtimes so the pace, while steady, was not as frenetic. "If it is, we'll be ready."

"Annie, do you think maybe by the end of this project, you'll be calling me Jeff?" She was so damn shy. He'd watched her in action. She was quiet and efficient and very dedicated. Annie had to be volunteering an easy fifty hours a week at New Beginnings. But she was painfully withdrawn.

She offered a rare smile. "We'll have to wait and see."

He smiled and headed toward the office wing, his mind shifting to Sharon's call. It was never good to receive an urgent call from the client on Day Three. Hank had simply told him to get his ass down there as quick as possible. Hank had already expressed his concerns about dealing with so many women 'changin' their minds every five seconds'. As a retired Army sniper, Hank wasn't exactly schooled in the art of finesse. His style was blunt. Their compromise had been that Jeff would handle the 'finessing' and Hank would 'build the damn job'.

Though he probably should have been more worried, Jeff couldn't contain his eagerness. Mari would be there. It was a full staff meeting— so she couldn't pull a disappearing act like she had Monday. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to seek her out. Then it had taken restraint not to call her that night. And the next day. But damn it, he'd wanted to. And what the hell did that say about him?

That he was head over heels in lust with a beautiful woman? There was nothing wrong with that. The problem was his suspicion that it might be
more
than lust. The month that she'd refused to date him had made him try harder. And by trying harder, he'd gotten to know her. And now that Jeff knew her— he liked her. A lot. Drawing a steadying breath, he released it. Mari wouldn't hide from him today. They were going to talk. What the hell he would say— he had no idea. But he wasn't wasting any more time pretending not to think about her. He was going to act.

He entered the conference room with a renewed sense of purpose. "Sorry to hold everyone up. I got here as fast as I could. What's our issue?"

Nodding at the chorus of hellos from the group, a quick glance around the room acknowledged Sharon and Hank, already in discussions over a set of plans. The rest of the administrative staff was huddled in groups of two and three. Mari glanced up from the notes she was taking, a frown marring her honeyed skin. She acknowledged his presence as neutrally as possible before averting her eyes.

His stupid heartbeat accelerated anyway. The atmosphere around him became charged the moment he saw her. Jeff wondered if anyone else could feel it. Damn— he'd missed her. As soon as he made the admission, he frowned. What the hell was happening to him? It had only been since Saturday. Four days and he was acting like a lovesick moron.

"We've got security issues." Hank looked up from the drawings, a frown in his eyes. "We may need to reconfigure some of the schedule to make sure we can button up the building."

Relieved to set aside his pathetic thoughts, Jeff mentally calculated the production schedule. "Can you be more specific?"

"We have clients here who are at risk— of being exposed to family members they don't wish to see."

His gaze shifted back to Mari, relieved he had a legitimate reason to catch her glance. "You're referring to the overnight guests, I assume? Women on the run?"

"That's correct." Her beautiful eyes held his, her expression grave. "But we're also concerned about the volunteers' safety during the day. While we feed a tremendous volume of people each day, we have systems in place to make sure the homeless population is contained to specific areas. They are not allowed to roam free in this building."

"We realized yesterday that with the chaos of the construction, we may have a breach in security." Sharon's usually gregarious personality was subdued, her chocolate eyes reflecting concern. "There were unfamiliar faces wandering in and out— and we haven't even begun work on the interior."

"Maybe we should badge all the contractors?" He glanced at Hank. "Everyone's had a background check, right?"

Hank nodded. "Trouble is— the doors that are usually locked during the day— some of them are gonna have to remain open. I can see at least four times in the schedule where there might be an exposure."

"We’re not as worried about your subcontractors," Mari admitted. "Our concern is more about potentially violent behavior from the people in our client's former lives." Her husky voice crawled through Jeff's system while he diligently tried to ignore the impact.

"Meaning what specifically?"

"Meaning these women have escaped a known episode of violence against them or their children." Her tone indicated a weary familiarity with her topic. "The abuser is not pleased his victim has escaped. All too often, the abuser will seek a way to re-engage-"

A light bulb went off in his head and he interrupted. "Are you saying he comes here to get another shot at her?"

"That's exactly what we're saying." Sharon's mocha voice held a thread of steel. "We've had periodic attempts to break in— to kidnap the woman or her children. He knows if he can get to the kids— his threats will bring her back. It's not an uncommon occurrence."

"Sick bastards." Jeff was silent for several moments. "Okay— we've got two issues here. The first being our ability to keep the shelter on lock-down during the construction so everyone is safe." He directed his comment at Hank. "The second is projecting the exposure during each phase of construction and then coming up with appropriate work-arounds."

He shifted his attention to the group. "Hank and I will run through the plans and the schedule today and make a list of what we need to account for and what we think it will cost to implement each measure."

Sharon grimaced. "How much do you think this will add?"

Jeff knew them well enough by now to anticipate cost would be their first concern. He would have to calculate carefully. Knowing this group, if the price was too high, they'd sacrifice their own safety.

"Maybe we can steal from other areas?" Mari's expression was determined. Several others nodded in agreement. "We could select cheaper tile? Less expensive carpet, maybe? Perhaps we can pare down the size of the new bathrooms. That part of the budget is a big chunk of what we have to spend."

Jeff was impressed by her near photographic memory of the detailed renovation budget. This project had been near and dear to her heart for a long time. "Don't worry yet. Let me work up a revised budget and we'll review each measure before we implement anything."

"We may be able to find cost savings on items that were already budgeted," Hank reminded. "The new security features may not be entirely add-on cost."

"You mean like substitutes?" Sharon brightened considerably. "Hank Freeman, you may be my new best friend. I believe I'll be buying you lunch today."

Specialty's normally reserved foreman actually grinned. "Ma'am, I'll look forward to that."

***

The collective mood was a little deflated as they adjourned, but overall, Jeff felt the meeting went well. His client was worried about budget, but still confident in Specialty's ability to resolve the problem. The most important aspect of the client relationship— almost more than the actual building— was keeping their faith. That Specialty would do what they promised. Anticipating several hours of number-crunching, he spread out the plans on the conference table, rather than load everything up to take back to his office.

His staying had absolutely nothing to do with Mari. At least— that's what he told himself. Jeff mentally repeated the lie as he traced the steps down the hall to her office. And again as he rapped on the doorframe. What was it about her that had him absolutely tied in knots?

She glanced up, her expressive blue eyes startled. "Jefferson? Do you have everything you need?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted—" To take her in his arms. To kiss her until she was so out of her mind for him they'd contemplate locking the door and- He dragged in a deep breath. "I wanted to say hello and see how you and Hector were doing."

"I— we're . . . fine. We went to visit my parents Sunday. And now— it's just . . . work."

Forcibly reining in his thoughts, Jeff took stock of the situation. Marisol was clearly nervous, her tension palpable. She'd blown off the meeting Monday. And she was avoiding him now. If he wasn't careful, she'd convince herself the sexual fireworks they experienced every time he touched her were not something she cared to explore again.

"I have a few questions from the meeting. I asked Sharon and she suggested I talk with you."

Mari chewed her bottom lip, drawing his gaze in a way he wished he had the discipline to ignore. "Of course. I thought-" Whatever she was about to say would remain a mystery. "Please have a seat."

He exhaled slowly. Crisis averted. For the moment. "Can you give me some specifics on the types of threats you receive here?"

Mari steadied her nerves. She was acting like an imbecile. Everything was
not
about her. Jefferson had a job to do. They had to be able to work together. Especially since Sharon would keep throwing them together no matter how she tried to avoid him. She also had to face facts. Whether she liked it or not— she felt something for him. A ridiculously strong something.

"At our current size, we don't experience a great deal of violence. But there are always cases where the potential is there and we prepare for that possibility. Once we complete the addition and we fill to capacity, I can estimate we will experience several episodes per month."

"How often now?"

Jeff stared at her with serious hazel eyes that were thinking through a problem. Despite knowing that, Mari had trouble maintaining her focus. She remembered how his eyes heated when he'd kissed her. How they'd seemed to drink her in— as though she were the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Even now— with him seated across her desk— his mind on work— Mari felt the crazy, urgent need to touch him. To be touched by him. To see his control slip. The impulse was so strong it felt like a magnetic pull.

"Marisol?"

"Yes?" Embarrassed, she forcibly shook off the images crowding her brain.

"Does this door have a lock?"

Huh? She jerked herself from the self-induced haze. "Excuse me?"

His eyes darkened as his gaze swept over her. "Honey, if you keep looking at me like that— I'm going to lock that door and have my way with you."

Mortified, she pushed back in her chair, swallowing hard. "I- I'm so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"There's a lot of that going around." Sitting back in his chair, Jeff grinned, enjoying her confusion. "Okay— let's try again. Approximately how many times per month does an incident occur?"