Page 29 of With Wine Comes War

“Thanks Amelia, I’ll call you later.” I gave her my best, “I'm doing just fine smile.” She simply nodded. I turned around and walked into Roman’s office with barely a glance in his direction.

***

ROMAN

As much as I don’t like going to these sites because of the nails in my tires, the hard hats, the scaffolding and the dirt, I really love seeing the before and after pictures of the projects. This was basically a rundown apartment complex that had a slumlord for a landlord who didn’t care how people lived as long as he was getting paid. At least we didn’t have to kick anyone out before we started the project. It was in such bad shape we probably could’ve condemned it, but it had major potential and impressive structural integrity. The foundation and bones were still intact which would be good; we won’t have to start from scratch.

Today we’re going over the designs for the renovations to see where we need to start. This part totally fascinates me and even though I went to college for architectural design, I learned so much more right here in the thick of it. I should really start thinking about a training facility at the office so I can hire teams from within and not do any more subcontracting. That way I can do most of these meetings from the office and really get to know who I’m dealing with as far as project managers. I’ll text that to Amelia and see if we can pow wow about that later and meet with some of my builders and architects to see what they think.

Charlie, Stewart, and I spread the plans out on a fold out table they had set up under a tent. Charlie is my foreman on this project. He’s about the only one of my subcontractors I truly trust. The plans look amazing and everything seems to be on schedule so I can head back to the office for lunch with Amelia. Plus, I have to get my mind ready for my meeting with Alex.

Amelia had lunch set up in the conference room and an hourglass on the table. I shot her a confused but curious look as I eyed the hourglass and went into my office to hang up my suit jacket on the hook behind the door. I threw my phone and keys on the desk– I didn’t want to be distracted. I needed her to help me figure my shit out where it concerned Alex.

I walked in, gesturing to the hourglass asked, “What’s all this?” The expression on her face was so serious I almost got worried. Maybe that’s all the time I have left before she kills me.

“Well, this is a therapy session.”

A what?

I laughed.

“And I’m expecting a raise. You have a lot of issues that we can’t fit into an hour, so I brought a timer.” I laughed as I dropped into the nearest chair.

“You know you’re the best, don’t you?”

She quickly responded, “Yes, now pay accordingly.”

I told her about the conversation I had with Alex last night and she said, “For someone so tough on the outside, she sure is fragile.”

“She seems terrified of breaking or breaking me.”

“Has she reached out to your mom?”

“Not that I know of, but I told her she needed to.” Amelia seemed to be contemplating something.

“Do you think it’s a good idea to tell her she needs therapy?”

“I mean it was just a suggestion.” I thought back to our conversation to see if maybe I told her she needed therapy.

“It’s like you’re telling her she’s crazy.”

I’ve done that before. “You think so?” I ticked off the short list in my head of why I thought she needed a therapist.

Amelia said, “Hey there dreamer, time’s almost up and you have another meeting at one.”

I snapped out of it. “Shit, sorry I was just thinking about something.”

She arched her brows and said, “Care to share?”

I shook my head. I'm not admitting she was right. “Nope.” She laughed and I helped her clean up the table and got ready for my one o’clock with Matt.

***

“Hey Matt, let’s have a seat over there.” I gestured to the dark leather sofas.

Matt said as we got situated, “So, I’d like to discuss Burrow Township first. Grant’s been helping us locate property in my district to relocate the residents, and he’s sent me some houses, but I don’t have time to look into this, and neither does he. I’m worried we can’t do our best. This is where I think we can get Alex involved again. Maybe if she focuses on something helpful it will keep her distracted from the case and maybe help her get her mind back.”

“I’ll bring it up at the meeting today. She’s asking for favors so maybe she’ll be willing to reciprocate if it doesn’t have anything to do with me.” Maybe the key to her mind is distraction.

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