“Yes, and I was lucky to get the property when I did.”
Liza breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that if this project doesn’t work out and you decide to go with someone else, the opportunities for commercial architecture and design projects are plentiful. It’s one of the reasons I moved to Bay Point.”
He pinned his gaze on her. “And the other reasons?”
She paused and turned away to fight back the tears that suddenly sprang to her eyes.
There was no way she was getting into the details of how the grief over losing her mom, and then her dad, had made life in Denver almost unbearable.
Liza turned back abruptly and forced a smile. “Sun, surf and a fresh start, what else?”
Plus the chance to work with a very hot man, she thought. An unexpected bonus.
Anthony grinned, seeming to be satisfied with her answer. “Keep that pretty smile on your face because you’re about to see something amazing.”
She followed him under an arch that connected one side of the motel with the other. Looking overhead, she could see the stucco was cracked in many places, weeds poking through like disembodied roots in some dank underground cave.
When they emerged, she gasped aloud.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Ahead of them was a clear view of the Pacific Ocean. Miles and miles of blue, hauntingly still water, framed by the orange glow of the sun rising in a clear sky.
“Amazing,” she said, inhaling quietly but deeply. The salty scent of the air was both delicate and mysterious, like a secret that would never be revealed.
Liza tore her attention away from the ocean and focused on Anthony. She had to fight the urge to pick up her digital camera and snap a photo of him.
With his powerful arms outstretched and the sun glowing behind him, he looked like he could be on the cover of one of those money or entrepreneurial magazines. The guy who’d captured the world and held it in the palm of his hand. A man who’d made it, and made it big.
Liza smiled. And it would be she, not some bureaucratic architectural firm that moved like a sloth and charged a king’s ransom for its services, that would push him to even greater heights.
Without warning, a quick fantasy of him in the same position but completely nude skittered through her mind. The sun glinting off his black hair, his arms outstretched, the lower half of him stirring to life right before her very eyes.
“I’d say the view is priceless,” she murmured.
He motioned her forward, and the fantasy ended. She followed him to the edge of the weed-choked patio.
When she looked down, she almost swooned, not realizing how steep a cliff they were on. All that was between them and certain death was a rickety old wooden fence. The kind with two long pieces of wood and a space in the middle, wide enough for a small car to plow through, like in those old cop shows from the ’70s.
Anthony peered down. “Stairs to the beach will be a requirement of the new design.” He pointed to the right. “There’s a narrow opening over there that may work.”
They both leaned against the wood, her barely grazing it, him with a bit more pressure, and she felt the railing wobble.
“Careful,” she warned, clasping his arm. Her voice was sharp, but only because of the flash of fear that had slid through her body, at the mere thought of something happening to him.
Even though she’d only known him for a very short time, she would be upset that he got hurt in any way, but she wasn’t about to reveal her feelings about him. Not only was it unprofessional, but also too embarrassing if he didn’t feel the same way.
His eyes met hers, but she didn’t let go. “What are you, my guardian angel?”
She pursed her lips and retorted. “If you fall off this cliff, I can’t build you a clinic, now can I?”
He moved away from her, forcing her to release her grip, and seemed surprised at her answer.
She took a few snapshots of the motel. When would this man realize that she was just as career driven as he was?
“I wish this broken-down place was demolished. My wheels are already starting to turn.”
He smiled, and took another step away from the railing. “Agreed. There are a few loose ends to take care of, and I want to have the architect in place before the demolition. In fact, I want that person to select the construction team for the build.”
“That’s not a problem. I’ve already started to make connections and get references from local companies. I think it’s best to hire a builder from the area rather than out of town, because they are more familiar with the regulations.”
She fingered the lens of her camera. “Once the building is razed, we’ll need to have the land graded and surveyed. There are a thousand things to do before we even think about laying the foundation.”
Anthony nodded. “I’ve read up on the LEED rating system. I want my clinic to be LEED-certified, from the ground up.”
Liza tilted her head, hugely impressed and excited. Barring his statement about saving the trees to preserve a natural habitat, she never would have pegged Anthony for an environmentalist.
“That’s great to hear. LEED certification is the gold standard in healthy, resource-efficient building practices. But going green is going to add to your cost and could extend the project timeline,” she warned.
“I don’t care about the cost, but I do want to ensure we are using as many environmentally friendly materials as possible.”
She smiled. “Building green certainly fits with your vision. It will show your patients and employees that you care about their overall health and well-being as well as every aspect of their experience at the clinic.”
“Exactly. My position at Bay Point Community Hospital is secure, and even when the clinic is open, I’ll still be a part of the staff but on a part-time, on-call basis. I don’t want to rush this. I want to do it right.”
Anthony walked over to a small pool. Liza followed and saw that it was empty of water, but littered with trash.
“I can appreciate that sentiment,” she said, stepping away from the edge. “I always suggest that my clients use environmentally friendly materials when available. I’m glad you care about the Earth as much as I do.”
“Another thing we have in common.”
Liza couldn’t help noticing how his eyes quickly traveled over her body.
“And another reason why you should work with me, instead of a huge firm,” she added, with a grin of pleasure.
They toured the grounds for another half hour. His arm brushed against hers every so often, those brief touches warming her in places the sun never could.
As they walked, she listened closely as Anthony gave her a quick lesson on the flowers and shrubs that were native to the region.
“You’re quite the horticulturalist,” she said in a teasing voice.
He shrugged. “I don’t get to garden much with my schedule. So I’m really looking forward to working with the landscaper. I want to keep as much of the existing plants and vegetation as possible.”
Liza took pictures throughout the tour. An hour later, they were back in the parking lot.
“Can I see some of the photos you took?”
Liza nearly gasped aloud. When he wasn’t looking, she’d taken some pictures of him. Just for fun, she said to herself, not for fantasies.
“Um. I’ll email them to you later today, okay?”