Page 43 of Mayhem
When Cruz pulled into his parking space, they got out; he grabbed her suitcase from the back seat and followed her inside. Once on his floor, Cruz placed the suitcase down, allowing Emberly to pull it to the break room while he greeted his client.
Cruz led her into his office and sat behind his desk. For the next forty-five minutes, he listened to her tell him what she was looking for. She was in the process of building new condos and wanted his security software. She wanted access panels for the front and back of the building that residents would use to get in, software in the elevator so they could access their floors, and the option for the residents to have security systems added inside their condos.
She wanted the entire building wired with his software. Cruz didn’t see that being a problem. She’d brought blueprints of each floor for him and paperwork with the number of panels she anticipated needing. He told her he would get back to her next week with an estimate.
He wasn’t alone in his office long after she left before Nik walked in and took a seat across from him.
“Thanks for picking Ember up. I was in the middle of doing performance reviews and didn’t notice she’d called.”
Cruz shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Where are you taking her?”
“Chayse and I are taking her to Rocky Mountain National Park. Ember wants to work on her photography skills.”Cruz nodded. “How’s the tattoo shop coming?”Nik then questioned, leaning back in the chair he occupied.
“Everything that we ordered has come in, and Paetyn was there today to direct where the furniture should go. How’s the photography studio?”
“I ordered some more backdrops, even though she has quite a few. Taila will be in town next week since she’s missing Mother’s Day, and I’ll get Chayse’s photography equipment out of her storage building.”
“When do you plan on giving it to her?”Cruz inquired.
“On our anniversary. So, I’ve got time to get it all set up and have a few extra things ordered.”
“Uncle Nik,”Emberly stated, walking in. “I didn’t know you’d made it.”
“Hey, Munchkin. I’m just killing time until we have to pick up Chayse.”
Emberly nodded, taking the empty chair beside Nik.”Uncle Cruz, do you have some candy?”
“Do I look like a store, Brat?”Cruz countered.
“I promise you and Uncle Kieran like to be rude just for fun.”
Cruz snorted as he opened one of his bottom desk drawers while Nik chuckled. He pulled out aTwixand handed it to Emberly, who smiled at him before saying thank you. Cruz just liked giving her a hard time. It was how he balanced out giving Emberly things. Whether she asked for them or not. Cruz was sure it was the same with Kieran because, though neither of them would admit it, they spoiled Emberly. Cruz knew he and Nik tended to be the main culprits, but Paetyn and Kieran were not far behind them.
“Thank you for my birthday card,”Emberly stated as she opened the candy.
“You’re welcome,” Cruz responded.
Cruz spoke to Nik and picked on Emberly for a few more minutes until they left. Looking at the time, he found it was a little after five. He decided to send the information from his last meeting to his finance department, have them draw up three different estimate packages, and then leave for the day.
Cruz nodded to his secretary, who was packing her things as he left. Once in his car, he thought about stopping by Erin’s, but he figured she was still helping Alijah. So, he headed home instead. He would call her later.
When Cruz arrived home, he found Paetyn in the living room watching television. He was watching reruns of a new cooking competition that aired at the end of last year.
“You still haven’t decided?”Cruz questioned, taking a seat beside him.
“I haven’t,” Paetyn responded.
Paetyn employed a virtual assistant, and he received an email on Monday asking him to judge the upcoming season of the show. Cruz knew it was more than likely for ratings. From the information Josh, Paetyn’s assistant, sent over, the ratings were okay, but they wouldn’t be passing any larger cooking shows with them. Asking Paetyn to be a judge would increase their ratings.
“When are they going to start filming the new season?”Cruz inquired.
“According to their proposal, whenever they get my answer.”
Cruz chuckled. “So, they’ve based their timeline on when you answer. They must really want you if they’re willing to wait.”Paetyn hummed, his eyes still on the television, and Cruz looked down at his watch. “It’s after six.”
“Yeah, I’m not leaving until seven-thirty, but I should start getting ready,”Paetyn responded, standing. “I cooked if you decide you want to eat.”
Cruz wondered if Paetyn sometimes forgot that he could cook. It wasn’t like he had a choice growing up with his mother and Paetyn. Let them both tell it: He needed to be able to cook, if not for self-preservation, then because women liked a man who could cook. Cruz wouldn’t complain about not having to.
