Hearts Of Nepal Collection

Chapter 11

Michelle walked into the rear entry vestibule of the Tyler Construction office building and tossed her hardhat into the field equipment bin. As she shucked off her muddy boots, Don came trailing in behind her. Their morning site visit at the Eastman Office Park complex outside of town had run longer than expected due to being cornered by the client’s rep and the architect. More changes to the project scope, meaning another late night at the office doing a take-off and estimating the additional cost. Nothing she wasn’t used to dealing with. Change orders were an inevitable part of every project and could be profit boosters to the bottom-line, providing they weren’t a deduct or, worse yet, a result of someone at Tyler not doing their job.

But as Don hung his jacket beside her, her thoughts were far away from that. Instead, they were ruminating on a difficult moment they’d had in the car after he picked her up this morning. He’d sensed she was struggling with what to do about her ailing father. As close as they’d become over the last two years since the accident with her husband, he knew she was on the edge of a transition, and she had said as much. But it was the tender look he gave her that spoke louder than words. It was more than just a supportive gaze, and it had left her anxious. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him.

At last, she said, “Looks like another late night.”

“We’ll see,” he said, untying his Timberlines and setting them on the mud tray next to hers. “First thing we need to do is get a hold of Darren and get a price on the additional steel. Have Peter take care of that. I’ll deal with George on the HVAC. You and Ed and Molly can tackle divisions four through nine. Don’t go crazy trying to needle everything down. Just nail the big-ticket items. The rest, I’ll throw a generous number at and see what sticks. I’ll meet you in the large conference room…say in ten?”

“Okay. You want me to order lunch?”

He hesitated, pulled on his beard and glanced at her with a crooked smile. “Sure, why not? The usual, but let Lisa do it.”

She’d seen that smile on his face before, and with him pulling at his beard along with it, she sensed there was something afoot. “I don’t mind…”

“‘Chelle,” Don said, shoving his foot into his office shoes. “Please?”

Michelle shook her head, her sudden suspicions growing by the moment. “All right, all right!” She grasped the pull bar on the interior door, pulled back, and as an afterthought, eyeballed him and said, “You know, you’ve been doing that pulling on your beard thing a lot lately…like you do whenever you’re nervous about something or trying to keep a secret.”

“Am I?” he said, his hand darting away from his face.

“Yes, for the last week,” she said and went inside with a smile, leaving him behind to sort her observation out.

She went into her office, opened the lower file cabinet drawer under her desk and tossed her purse inside. Grabbing her mug, she started for the kitchenette, fairly sure she’d run into Lisa and Molly on the way. Her two twenty-something office clerks had heard Don was bringing on that new guy to run the Tyler housing division. What was his name…Gerry, Larry, Harry? Something ending in “arry.”

She’d met him briefly after the man’s job interview and had to admit the rugged dark-haired guy with soft hazel eyes was handsome, but he was nothing to get all wide-eyed about. Then again, she wasn’t in the market for any kind of male relationship at the moment. Her chief interest as office manager was whether he’d be a distraction. It was bad enough Peter turned heads without adding another to the mix.

She came to the end of the hall and turned the corner to find the main open office area strangely quiet. Panning her gaze around the room, she found no one there or in the kitchenette alcove.

What the…?

What the…?The phone rang and she picked up. “Tyler Construction.”

“Is Don Tyler around?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Trent Woods from Centria Metal Panels.”

“Hold on and I’ll see if he’s available,” Michelle said. She put the man on hold and rang Don up in his office. But her call to him went to voice mail. She frowned. Don had just come in with her.

Maybe he’s in the bathroom.

Maybe he’s in the bathroom.Switching back to Mr. Woods, she expressed her apologies and put him through to Don’s voice mail.

“Okay, now to find out where everyone is,” she muttered and stalked back down the hall feeling perturbed. As she went poking and peeking in through open office doors, she discovered that not only was Don away from his office but Peter, Ed, and Henry were gone too. In fact, all the project managers’ offices were empty. She eyed the large conference room door. It was shut, which was unusual when there were no meetings scheduled. Suddenly, Don’s pulling on his beard along with the hush-hush conversations and diffident smiles coming her way over the last week came to a head. But still… her birthday wasn’t until next week.

Okay, what’s going on?

Okay, what’s going on?She walked up to the conference room door, drew breath and pushed in.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY-ANNIVERSARY!”

Her breath ran away from her as she looked over the motley dressed crew that made up the family of the Tyler Construction Company. Don came forward toting a pair of hiking poles in one hand and a pair of binoculars in the other. Along with everyone else, he’d changed into a fleece mountain vest and khaki hiking pants.

“We know your birthday isn’t ‘til next week,” Don said, “but today’s also your anniversary here at Tyler. And it’s a big one. Eighteen years! So, seeing how you have a big trip coming up, we all thought it would be right and proper to celebrate everything at once.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Michelle said, trying to collect herself while Don put his arm around her. She looked at Peter and Ed in their slipshod hiking attire and grinned. It was like watching a warped version of Ace Ventura and Uncle Buck in Deliverance.

Deliverance“Just promise us you’re coming back,” Don said.

“She better come back,” Peter called out, “she’s the only one who knows how things work around here.”

Everyone laughed.

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back. And Peter…stay out of my office, and especially my computer. The last time you were in there, it took me a week to straighten things out.”

That was followed by a loud, “Oooo” from the crew. Don spoke up. “Who’s hungry? We have a few of ‘Chelle’s favorites here. The guest of honor goes first, though.”

He took her hand and led her to the buffet on the conference room table that had been pushed to the side of the room. She eyed him as they went and tried to tell herself the look he’d given her this morning was no more than a look he’d give his own sister. Except there was a twinge in her gut that was telling her otherwise. Had she been seeing that hopeful gaze and denying it over the last few months? She didn’t know, and with everyone talking at her at once, she didn’t have time to examine it.

She smiled, grabbed a plate and silverware, and helped herself to a chicken leg, salad greens and a cookie, then looked around for a place to sit. Henry came to the rescue, soda in hand, and directed her to the door leading out to the attached warehouse. He opened it and she walked in to see that an open area had been culled out within the material supply bay. Above it hung a huge white banner with the slogan, MICHELLE - NEPAL OR BUST written in big, bold blue letters. A makeshift plywood bench to her right held several brightly wrapped gifts.

She eyed Henry. “Really?”

“Hey, I’m just the messenger,” he said with a wide toothy grin. He took a drink of his soda and nodded toward three picnic tables with white tablecloths draped over them that were placed under the banner. “The table in the center is yours, I believe.”

She sighed, wanting to disappear. It wasn’t so much she didn’t appreciate what people had done for her, but she didn’t like being the center of attention and never had. Being out on the stage alone with unsaid expectations ringing in her ears left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

She turned to Henry. “So, who’s responsible for this?” she said, having a good idea who it was.

“All of us. It was a team effort,” Henry said.

Michelle nodded. “Uh-huh. Okay, have your secrets,” she said as Don came in behind her with a heaping plate of food. He popped a bacon-wrapped scallop in his mouth and licked his fingers.

“What’d’ya think?” he said.

“I think someone overdid things, is what I think,” she said, eyeing her boss sideways only to realize her reply had nicked him. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong.” She dipped her head. “It’s nice to be thought of. I just don’t do well being on center stage.”

. Don brightened. “It’s okay, neither do I.”

Which was a lie of course. Don was a natural on stage and people gravitated to him. But she wasn’t going to argue the point. She tilted her head toward the table. “Shall we?”

They took their seats next to each other as the rest of the crew filed in. Someone fired up the office intercom and “Sway” came squawking out of the warehouse speakers above. Michelle glanced down the table at Lisa. Obviously, someone had been doing their homework on her taste in music.

“Michael Bublé. You guys thought of everything,” she said, pointing upward.

“What’s not to like?” Lisa said, lifting her fork and waving her hand to the beat of the song.

“So, what’s it feel like being an old timer?” Ed said from down the table. He gave her one of his classic, wicked grins that usually ended up cornering someone into doing something entertaining at their own expense.

“Hey, I’m not that old,” Michelle fired back, and smiled. “And, no, I’m not going to give any speeches, Mr. Caron, so just forget it.”

Don leaned toward her and whispered, “You realize you’ve just signed your own death warrant.”

Michelle groaned. “Don’t start.”

Don chuckled and as they ate, the conversation around the table drifted to a mix of business and her upcoming trip until finally, Don cast a glance at Molly that sent the woman into the office. A moment later, the music was cut off, and he stood up and tapped his fork on his soda bottle. Everyone went quiet.

“I want to raise a toast to someone who epitomizes the Tyler family’s service to our clients and our community. She came to us eighteen years ago, fresh out of college, with a desire to learn and be the best she could be for us, and that continues to this day. She is a shining example of what it is to be a professional in anything you do. She is also my voice of reason when I get ahead of myself, always keeping me balanced and looking at things from the other point of view. Michelle, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do.”

“Here, here,” Henry said, and they all drank to her success.

But Don wasn’t through. He cleared his throat and when she saw him take a deep breath, her body tensed.

What are you up to?

What are you up to?“You are my friend first and always, Michelle, and now I’m hoping you’ll be my partner,” Don said.

Michelle felt the room shrink around her as she tried to make sense of what she’d just heard. Partner? She swallowed and looked up at him unbelieving, trying to comprehend what he’d just done. And there was that look again that sent a wave of panic through her. How could he have put her in such a tight spot in front of everyone?

Partner? Her heart drummed as she fought the urge to ask him just what the hell he was doing. Everyone stared back at her expectantly, and it was a good thing she was sitting because were she standing, she was sure her legs would give out from under her. “I…I’m not sure what to say,” she said, trying not to trap herself into a commitment.

“You could say yes,” Don said, raising a brow and eyeing her with that compelling expression she found hard to say no to.

She forced a smile, refusing to believe he would intentionally put her in such a tight spot. But to be fair, he was a spur-of-the-moment type of guy who thought on his feet too often for his own good.

At last, an idea came to her that seemed good, and she said, “I’m flattered, Don, I am, but I don’t have anything to invest.”

He looked down at her in his knowing way, as if to say, I can wait, then said, “You’ve already invested in this company, ‘Chelle, and you’ll continue to do so. That’s enough for me. All I need from you is a dollar to make things legal when you’re ready.”

I can waitMichelle’s mind spun. At last, she said, “I…I’ll look into it. No promises!”

“Good enough for me,” Don said.

That’s good, because that’s all you’re going to get right now. We’re going to talk after we’re done here.

That’s good, because that’s all you’re going to get right now. We’re going to talk after we’re done here.Molly spoke up, “Who wants cake?”

“And there’s presents to be opened,” Lisa piped up.

A minute later, the music was back on and cake was being passed out. Ed set a chair next to the gift bench and after everyone had finished up, Michelle was ushered over to it. She sat as Don came forward and took the first gift off the table. He handed her the present wrapped in a blueprint sheet and stood nearby as she opened the card.

“This is from Peter,” she said and after she read it out loud, she tore the paper away and held it up for everyone to see.

Peter said, “It’s an emergency bright stick just in case you get lost at night on the trail.”

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Oh, geez, thank you for your confidence.” She set it aside as Don handed her the next gift from Henry, which was a collapsible shovel. Following these were hiking socks, a new fleece, gloves, a solar stove from Peter, a head lantern from Ed, and a host of gag gifts that included, not least of all, toilet paper—just in case.

Michelle set the last box with her gifts on the couch in her living room, kicked off her shoes and tossed her purse beside them. It had been a long, long day, working late on the change order notwithstanding. She flipped on the TV, went to the kitchen and poured a tall glass of wine. As she stood by the breakfast bar sipping the grape, she thought about the conversation she’d had with Don after the party. In fact, it was all she’d been thinking about since he’d ambushed her with the proposal. The man was totally clueless about the spot he’d put her in, which was totally who he was. But the offer, so far as she could see, was just an offer to be a business partner. So why was her gut shouting at her to run the other direction?

Don was a good man; no, he was better than a good man. He’d been there for her and given her all the time she needed to start putting her life back together after the accident. A life she was still trying to put back together, a life that didn’t have room, at the moment, for anything other than friendship.

She took her wine glass up and drifted back into the living room where David Letterman was reciting his top ten list. As the late-night host wound down to his number one answer, she went over to the boxes containing her birthday gifts and smiled. Everyone had gotten all dressed up in hiking gear for her party. The Tyler clan was good people. That they’d gone out of their way for her birthday meant a lot. She set her glass on the coffee table and pawed through the gifts again. Some of them, the socks and thermal underwear sets, were duplicates of things she’d already bought for the trip, but she hadn’t had the heart to say so. The emergency stick was definitely going with her along, though, with the new fleece with Tyler’s logo on it. As for the stove and the collapsible shovel, she’d stow them away for a future camping trip.

She tucked them back in the box, set it aside, and taking up her wine glass, sat and put her feet up on the coffee table. Thank God tomorrow was Saturday. She could sleep in and take the weekend to decompress before heading back Monday to finish up the estimate. Sipping her wine, she dug through her purse and pulled her phone out to check on messages. When she tapped her password in, the phone buzzed in her hand repeatedly. Cam had blown up her phone. She read the texts that wondered where she was and flipped her head back. They’d planned a dinner date at Pierre’s she’d forgotten about.

She’d have to call Cam back in the morning and apologize. She tossed the phone on the coffee table, feeling bad she’d accidentally blown her best friend off only to tip her purse over in the process, dumping an envelope on the floor. Don had given it to her earlier in the day. She bent over and picked it up, remembering how he’d shoved it in her hand after the party was over. Said not to open it until after she got home. She eyed the sealed business-sized envelope with her name scrawled across the front of it and felt her body tighten.

“He asked you what?” Cam said, sitting across the table from her.

“To be his partner,” Michelle said, picking up her water. She took a sip, set it down, and added, “Said I epitomized Tyler, that I was the shining example of professionalism, and his voice of reason.”

“Holy s**t. I’m so happy for you.”

Michelle nodded, forcing a smile, and looked away toward the oil painting of Upper Canada Village on the wall beside them. “I didn’t accept yet,” she said turning back.

Cam’s eye’s widened, and she leaned forward. “Excuse me, umm…hello, anyone home?”

“It’s a huge step, Cam. I’m not just going to go winging it here.”

Cam frowned. “Well, of course not. It is a big step. But holy crap, these kinds of offers don’t just fall into your lap every day. What did he say?”

“He didn’t have a problem with it, at least not that I saw,” Michelle said, and took another drink of water. “He gave me a bonus, too.”

“Oh? That’ll come in handy for the trip.”

“I’d say. It was ten grand,” Michelle said as the server came to take their order.

Cam almost blew her sip of wine across the table. She swallowed hard, took a breath and said, “Ten thousand? This just keeps on getting better.” She smiled at the server and said to him, “When the time comes, she’ll be taking the bill.”

Michelle grinned. “Maybe I should’ve waited with that piece of information until after you ordered.”

“Damned straight,” Cam said, then laughed.

They gave the server their order and after he left Michelle looked off, staring aimlessly toward the bank of windows facing the golf course. Finally, she said, “I think Don has more in mind than just making me his business partner.”

Cam tilted her head and shot her a quizzical expression. “How do you mean?”

“He gave me a look…you know, a look guys give when…”

Cam stared back, her eyes popping open and her mouth hanging agape. Finally, she cleared her throat. “Are you sure?”

“Not entirely, but it sure seemed that way, and he’s been very attentive lately.”

Cam grinned. “So, he has the hots for you. Wow! And if he…”

“I don’t think so,” Michelle said, cutting her off. “But outside of you, he’s my best friend. I don’t want to hurt him.”

Cam knitted her brow. “So don’t!”

Michelle rolled her eyes. “That’s easy for you to say, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“How so?”

“Umm… well…if I accept the partnership, and he has plans for me, what then? I’d be cornered into an unpleasant situation if things went south. And then, there’s my father. I may not be going anywhere for the foreseeable future, but who knows what can happen. I don’t want to hem myself in, and if I take the partnership, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’d be tied down here, so to speak.”

“Which is what I thought you wanted,” Cam said. “Not tied down, but to stay here.”

“Yes, it is, but only for the time being. In the long run, I have to think of my father. He’s still alive.”

Cam nodded. “I guess…but…walking away from an opportunity like this…”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, do what you want,” Cam said, sitting back. “But opportunities like this don’t come along every day. Just saying.”

Michelle sipped her water.