Page 48 of Loving Wild
“Your daughter has impeccable taste,” Karen states as she takes her seat.
I sit back in my own and wait for Cooper to open the meeting. After introducing Karen to the team, he talks through drawings, permits that may need to be acquired, the materials we’ll be using, time frame, and last of all, cost. Another hour is spent making changes, another negotiating the cost, it’s all boring, standard stuff, and as Karen’s eyes seem to constantly be on me, my mind wanders to Lauren and the way she looked this morning when I left her. Wet and wanting more. I pretend to trace the outline of my lip with my fingers, but instead, I breathe in and think of my horny little bird.
The way her soft body feels when it’s pressed against mine, how her waist curves in and her hips curve out, the roundness of her arse and tits. The way she always smells fresh and citrusy. Even now, showered and wearing my own aftershave, I can smell her on me, and I get an instant ache in my lower belly and balls.
“Gabe?”
“What?” I look up at the sound of my name, shifting in my seat as I realise everyone is looking at me.
“Karen suggested that as you live nearest, you could meet her on-site once a week for a walkthrough.”
I narrow my eyes on Cooper, he gives a slight shrug of one shoulder by way of apology. When Lauren introduced me to her new client, the last person in the world I was expecting it to be was Karen, but despite our shared history, we were both professional, and at no time did she make me think or feel that working together would be an issue. Now I’m not so sure. And this is one more fucking headache I just don’t need, and neither does Lauren.
“I’m sure Dave will have everything under control, and if thereareany issues,thenI can call in.”
I say to the room, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Karen.
There’s an awkward silence before Zac interjects.
“Okay, well, it looks like with everyone’s agreeance, we can start the demo work as early as Monday.”
“Fantastic,” Karen stands and says. “We really would like to be in by Christmas if at all possible.”
The rest of us around the table stand with her. “I think that’s doable, but a lot will depend on whether we can lock in the landscaper you want to use. I know we’ve had to book them up to a year in advance for previous projects,” Cooper responds.
“Just tell them who the work’s for. Craig will fit us in,” Karen replies assuredly as she puts on her coat. I shake my head a little as Dave slides out from his chair and helps her on with it. My eyes hit Coops, and I can’t help but roll them, both at Dave’s actions and Karen’s comment letting us all know how fucking important she is.
“Gabe, maybe it’ll be a good idea to grab your mobile, just . . .”
“Dani will email you a list of all the relevant numbers you’ll need,” I tell her. “If mine’s not on there, you can always leave a message with Dave, and you have Lauren’s number if you really get stuck.” I finish with a fake smile aimed her way.
“Lauren, of course. Right.” She aims a tight smile at me before turning to Cooper. “I’ll arrange to get a set of keys sent over along with the signed contracts in the next couple of days.”
“Dani will email those out to you today. We’d like them back by Wednesday at the latest, along with the initial deposit,” I tell her, getting a nod in return before she holds out her hand. I take it, give it a quick shake and let go. I don’t know what else she was expecting, and don’t wait to find out, instead, I head straight back to my own office.
Five minutes later, both Zac and Cooper barge through the door without even a knock. Holding his hands up in a surrender pose as he moves towards me, Coop says, “I’m sorry, she came up with that out of nowhere and you were away with the fucking fairies, paying zero attention to what was being said.”
I throw the pencil I was spinning between my fingers at him, and we all watch as it bounces off his chest onto the floor.
“You’re a fucking dick,” I tell him. “It’s bad enough Lauren’s gonna have to work with her, she’s not gonna be happy when she finds out you’ve . . .”
“I’m sorry,” he repeats. “We’ll sort it out so it’s either Dave or Spencer who deals with her.”
“You think she’s gonna be a problem?” Zac asks.
“I’d like to think it was a long time ago, we’ve all moved on, and she’ll respect the fact that I’m with Lauren, but who fucking knows.”
“Didn’t she go a bit wonky when you gave her the flick before?”
I nod in response to Zac’s question.
“She stalked me, and I do not need that kind of shit in my life right now or fucking ever. Neither does Lauren.”
“You brought us the work. She would’ve gone to East if you hadn’t have offered,” Cooper attempts to deflect.
“Only because I had no clue what I was walking into when Lauren introduced me to her new client. She acted like we were cool in front of Lauren. Today, I was getting the stalker vibes she gave off twenty years ago, or whenever it was. Plus, she’s a high-profile client. We do this right, the refurb will end up in every lifestyle magazine in Australia.”
“Gotta admit, she still looks fucking good,” Zac says as he sits his arse on the edge of my desk.
