* * *
The two men sat at the large conference table as Mason detailed the budget for his new multimillion-dollar building. Darryl listened intently, digesting the details like a good meal. He’d been inundated with information since he arrived, his brother’s excitement fueling his own. Adding to that exhilaration was discovering that Mason had hired Kenneth Charles to work on the architectural design.
Kenneth Charles was one of his idols, having won numerous awards for his work. He was considered an architectural genius amongst his peers, and Darryl was excited about the prospect of working with the legend. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the conference room door, the entrance swinging open easily.
Both Darryl and Mason came to their feet as Kenneth Charles made an entrance. “Mason, how are you?” the man said, extending a large hand as the two old friends greeted each other warmly.
“It’s good to see you, Kenneth.” He gestured behind him. “Let me introduce you to my brother. Darryl Boudreaux, this is Kenneth Charles. Kenneth, my brother Darryl.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” Darryl said, his eyes wide with awe.
“Your brother speaks quite highly of you, Darryl. I understand from Mason that you are quite talented in your own right. Is that true, son?” Kenneth asked.
Darryl shrugged ever so slightly. “I think my brother is a bit biased, sir.”
“Family usually is. Trust me when I tell you that the work I’ve done isn’t all that impressive, either. However, to hear my daughter tell it, you’d think I’d built stairwells past the moon and straight to heaven.”
A soft voice echoed from the entrance behind them. “Actually, Father, I tell people you’ve built stairwells past heaven and into the stratosphere.”
Darryl turned toward the entrance and stared. There was no missing the familial resemblance between Mr. Charles and the young woman entering the room. Without realizing it, Darryl found himself holding his breath. The stunning beauty had commanded his full and undivided attention.
She shared her father’s warm chocolate complexion and large dark eyes. He assumed that the full lips and pouty mouth that begged to be kissed had been inherited from her mother. In the tailored navy skirt and ruffled white blouse she wore, there was no denying the woman had a figure that could make even a strong man beg for her attention. She was curvaceous with a full bustline, whisper-thin waist and pleasingly thick hips. As he stared, Darryl suddenly felt weak, his legs feeling like jelly. He had to fight to shake the unnerving sensation. He took a deep breath and held it.
Mason laughed. “That’s right! Give credit where credit is due!” he said as he moved to wrap the young woman in a quick hug. “How are you, Camryn? It’s good to see you again.”
“I’m doing very well, Mason. It’s good to see you again, too. And congratulations! Father tells me you recently got married!”
“Yes, I did.” Mason grinned. “I hope to introduce you and your father to Phaedra in the very near future.”
The young woman smiled sweetly. “I can’t wait to meet her. It looks like marriage is serving you well.”
“It definitely is!” Mason said, nodding his agreement.
“Camryn, come say hello,” her father interrupted. “Darryl, this is my daughter, Camryn. Cam, this is Mason’s brother Darryl Boudreaux.”
The young woman tilted her head in greeting. There was no missing the good-looking man who’d caught her eye when she’d entered the room. Darryl Boudreaux was quite the male specimen. Standing tall and lean in a black silk suit, white shirt and red necktie, he had distinctive features that hinted at an African-Asian ancestry. He boasted slightly angular eyes, a thin nose, a high cheek line and full, pillow-soft lips. His complexion was a rich, deep umber and Camryn felt her heart quicken a beat or two as she met his intense gaze. “Mr. Boudreaux, it’s my pleasure.”
Still in awe, Darryl stared, his eyes wide, his mouth agape. “You’re Cam Charles?” he questioned as he took her extended hand, her palm gliding like silk against his.
The beautiful woman laughed lightly. “Is that a problem?”
Darryl shook his head, cutting an eye in Mason’s direction. “No, I just wasn’t expecting—”
Mason laughed heartily as he interrupted. “Sorry about that. I think my brother thought you were a man.”
Camryn nodded ever so slightly. “That happens often, but I’m very much a woman,” she said with a soft chuckle that made Darryl smile. She pulled her hand from his, acutely aware of the hold he had on her fingers. The two were still studying each other intently.
Darryl finally shook the daze that had consumed him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Charles,” he said.
“Please, call me Camryn,” she said, “or Cam.”
Darryl nodded as he pulled a chair out for Camryn and gestured for her father to take a seat. He caught his brother’s eye and nodded. “Shall we get down to business?”
Hours later, Darryl pulled at the necktie around his neck. Like his brother and Kenneth Charles, he’d tossed his suit jacket aside some time ago. The back-and-forth banter between the two companies was beginning to take its toll on all of them.
“I don’t agree,” Darryl was saying. “You have to keep the safety factor first and foremost in the design.”
“I’m fully aware of that,” Camryn responded, clearly perturbed by his insinuations. “However, the aesthetic value of the building and how it will complement the landscape is equally as important.”
Darryl shrugged his broad shoulders as he tossed his ink pen to the tabletop. He took a deep breath, totally annoyed that Camryn Charles was challenging him.
“I’m sorry, but what actually will your role be in this project?” Camryn suddenly asked. She was staring directly at Darryl, the two having already butted heads over more than that one issue.
Standing, Darryl leaned over the table, his weight resting on his arms. “Pro-ject man-a-ger,” he replied, uttering each syllable distinctly. “It’s my responsibility to see that this project comes in well within budget, to our exact specifications. I will be accountable for every single detail, including the specifics of the final design.”
Camryn rolled her eyes. It hadn’t taken long for her to realize that Darryl Boudreaux was going to be a royal pain in her well-rounded behind. The man had criticized, critiqued and questioned every suggestion and comment that she’d had. With the way he’d been hammering her, you would have thought that she’d had no previous experience in the design and building industry. Clearly, the man didn’t have a clue and she didn’t appreciate him being so confrontational. She also didn’t have a problem letting him know how she felt.
Camryn came to her feet, as well, crossing her arms over her chest as she met his gaze evenly. Annoyance tapped the toe of her leather pump. “And tell me again what makes you qualified for the job, because from my perspective our firm is more than capable of meeting your brother’s wish list without outside supervision.”
Darryl bristled. “Perhaps, but my brother would be unwise to not have a system of checks and balances. You don’t build a multimillion-dollar office complex by putting all your eggs in one basket. And as far as my qualifications go, I have a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and I’m a licensed building contractor. My forte is my penchant for details. All aspects of the details. So I am more than capable of overseeing this project and you.”
Both Mason and Kenneth leaned back in their seats, obviously amused by the standoff. Mason chuckled softly. “I think this is a good time to call it a day,” he said calmly. He cut his eye toward Kenneth. “We can pick this back up tomorrow, same time.”
Kenneth nodded. “I agree. But I’m