Any Time, Any Place (Billionaire Builders #2)(16)

The bar.

Her time had officially run out. She needed her bar restored in order to make an impression. She couldn’t have pictures circulating without showing off the antique piece. And how could she keep the mismatched stools? They’d seemed funky and quirky when she opened, but now they just looked a bit sad. Wildly calculating in her mind the balance in her bank account, she decided it was a leap she needed to take sooner than later. She’d begin calling places and—

Ah, crap.

Dalton Pierce.

As if his words were hanging in front of her in a balloon from an old comic, she squeezed her eyes shut in pure misery. She could not hire him. Would not. Besides being stuck with his presence on a constant basis, she’d be surrendering and letting him win. Plus, he was still the enemy. How could she allow him to save her?

No. She’d follow every other alternative before she gave the Pierce brothers her business.

Firming up her decision, she marched into the kitchen to share her good news with Al.





chapter six




One week later, Raven paused in front of the office. Fighting the urge to climb back in her Jeep and forget the whole damn thing, she reminded herself that business came first. She could do this. Just because she needed them for a job didn’t mean she wasn’t in control. With the strict timeline to get the work completed, the few places she’d managed to contact had informed her they couldn’t start in time, given her outrageous quotes, or seemed so sloppy regarding the work, she couldn’t bear to hire them.

Which left her with Pierce Brothers Construction.

She pushed the door open.

A structured type of chaos swirled around her. Phones rang, the receptionist at the front desk juggled multiple calls and folders, and a handsome dark-haired man was involved in a lively discussion with Sydney, the executive assistant who frequented My Place with Morgan. Her magnificent red hair caught the light, making the strands shimmer. She was dressed in a structured black business suit and smart heels, and peered at the man over trendy glasses that gave off an air of arrogance.

“I told you if I didn’t file the new plans with the zoning board we’d be delayed,” the man said with a touch of frustration. “Tristan’s going to have my ass in a sling.”

Sydney puckered her lips as if she’d caught a bad taste. “Tristan didn’t give you the right date,” she clipped out. She uttered the name with bitterness. “Tristan got all crazy about securing the property, forged ahead without giving me the correct timeline for the renovation project, and now both of our asses are in a sling.”

The man groaned. “For God’s sake, why is every conversation between you two a battle of wills? Didn’t he talk to you?”

“He sent me an email with the wrong date.”

“An email. We all work together and he can’t go into your office and tell you what his plans are? I’m not getting caught in the middle anymore. You both need to work it out. I gotta go, I’m already late for my lunch appointment.”

The man stormed away. Sydney grumbled something under her breath.

Trying not to be noticed, Raven tiptoed to the reception desk and waited. The receptionist looked in her sixties, with a smooth complexion, pale hair, and a serene smile. “May I help you?”

“I’m here to see Caleb.”

“And you are?”

She tried to whisper. “Umm, Raven.”

“First door to the right. I’ll tell him you’re on your way.”

“Great, thanks so much, I—”

“Raven! What are you doing here?”

She winced at Sydney’s enthusiastic greeting. So much for flying under the radar. She was desperate not to see Dalton, and was hoping he was out on a job site and not in the office. She offered a weak smile. “Hi, Sydney. I just wanted to speak to Cal about something.”

“Oh, are you looking to do some renovation for the restaurant? I can track down Dalton for you, if you want.”

“No! Umm, no, thanks, I want to speak to Cal.”

“Okay, let me know if I can help you with anything. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner. Becca is in love with the chicken fingers, and I love that Al makes them with whole wheat flour and organic meat.”

“I’ll make sure I tell him. Thanks again.”

Raven shot down the hallway and stepped into Cal’s office. He looked up from his desk and gave an easy grin of welcome. “Raven, good to see you.”

Though they knew each other casually from the bar, she stuck out her hand, and he took it with a firm grip. She studied his face in an honest assessment. There was a definite resemblance between the brothers, but Cal had inherited gunmetal-gray eyes instead of blue, and his hair was a deep hazelnut color and seemed thick and unruly. His face was an interesting mixture of sharp angles set off by a hooked nose and bushy brows. Not as pretty or classical as Tristan or Dalton, but no woman could easily look past him without thinking about him once or twice. He held a powerful presence that shimmered with authority, even in worn jeans and work boots. Thankfully, there was nothing that attracted her to Cal, or even Tristan. It seemed only the youngest in the crew had her like Ryan Gosling winking and uttering, “Hey, girl.”

Pathetic.

She forced herself to focus. “Thanks for seeing me on short notice. I wanted to know if you’d take on a job for My Place.”