Page 8 of A Perfect Pairing
“Mr. Davenport, do you have anything to add before we move on?”
“Yep.” He stood. “I’m going to be retiring in two weeks, and I’ll be handing the business over to Antonio Hayes. Stand up, son. Effective immediately, he’ll be handling all the current and upcoming projects.”
Natasha gasped and whipped her head around.No, no, no.If he was taking over the construction company, that meant he’d be staying for good. Antonio stood, and their gazes met. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held the same frost they had during their first encounter.
“Dana did not lie,” Terri said quietly. “That brother isdefinitelyfine with a capitalF. Rich brown skin and built like an African god…mercy! And with all these women staring at him like they want to put him on a plate and devour him, I guess she wasn’t lying about that, either.”
Natasha was still trying to process this grand announcement, and she couldn’t care less about those women.
Dana nudged Natasha. “Looks like you and Tony are going to be seeing a lot of each other.”
“This is a small town, but it’s still big enough for us to stay out of each other’s way,” Natasha countered.
“Obviously you’ve forgotten you’ll be working with him to fix up the Ward place to sell.”
She had forgotten. “This can’t be happening,” she muttered while rubbing her temples. It took several minutes for the crowd to settle down.
“It’s good to have you back, Antonio,” the mayor continued. “Do you have anything you’d like to say?”
Whereas there was buzzing all around the room previously, now Natasha could hear a pin drop. Apparently, not one person wanted to miss what he had to say. She told herself not to look his way, but ten seconds in, she lost the battle.
“I’m going to do my best to continue the legacy of Davenport Family Construction. And it’s good to be home,” Antonio added as he reclaimed his seat.
His gaze brushed Natasha’s once more before he turned away. She fell back against her chair. How in the world were they going to work together? But he’d just said he’d continue Mr. Davenport’s legacy, so that would include any dealings they might have, which meant every time she needed someone to fix up a potential home for sale. With the way he apparently still felt about her, she didn’t see how they’d be able to occupy the same space, let alone cooperate on a joint task. Then again, the company employed several other people. Hopefully, he’d assign one of them to all her jobs. A nudge in her side interrupted Natasha’s mental tirade. “What?” she asked Dana.
“The mayor is calling you.”
She snapped her head to the front. “I’m sorry, what was that, Mayor Brewer?”
“You had a question about the new condo project?”
Yes, but that was before I found out I’d have to work with Antonio.She hesitated, knowing her suggestion would obligate her to spend even more time with him. However, with all eyes on her, she had no choice. Slowly rising to her feet, she said, “I wanted to make a suggestion to have a few of the units furnished. It would be ideal for college graduates who want to return but can’t afford to purchase a house, or for those college students who want to stay in town, but live on their own.” It would also help Natasha establish herself as an interior designer and, hopefully, allow her to finally pursue her true passion.
“Sounds like a good plan to me,” a woman called out. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to keep my granddaughter here.”
Several other people echoed the sentiment, and the mayor held up a hand. “Let’s put it to a vote. All in favor say ‘aye.’” A loud chorus went up. “All opposed say ‘nay.’” A smattering of voices chimed in. “The ayes have it. Natasha, since this was your idea, I’ll trust that you’ll be able to put your interior design degree to good use in getting it done. Get on Antonio’s schedule to hammer out the details.”
Natasha’s response lodged in her throat, and all she could do was nod initially. Finally, she found her voice. “I am hoping to utilize my interior design skills for the project.” A few minutes later, the meeting was adjourned. Several women made a beeline to Antonio, smiling up at him as if he were royalty.
Serenity approached. “So, is that the Antonio I think it is?”
“Yep, that’s him.” As her college roommate, Serenity knew all about the breakup and had been there for Natasha during that devastating time.
“Looks like it’s going to get pretty interesting in this little town. Good thing Ms. Adele doesn’t live on your street.”
Natasha skewered her friend with a look. The older woman lived across the street from Serenity and was the town’s biggest gossip. “I don’t want interesting.” And she certainly didn’t want anyone in her business. Already there were a few people directing sly smiles her way.This is so not good. At. All.
CHAPTER 4
I’m glad you’re back, Antonio.”
“Do you need help moving into your place?”
“I can bring you dinneranytime.”
The last statement came from Claudia, and his grandmother’s words flashed in his mind like a neon sign. Antonio tried to create some space between him and the women surrounding him. “Thanks, but I’m fine. If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to the mayor before he leaves. Have a good evening, ladies.” Without waiting for a reply, he pivoted on his heel and strode across the room, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
Apparently, his godfather left out a lot about his new job, particularly with regard to Natasha. He spotted her talking to Dana and two other women he didn’t recognize. But then, he’d been away so long, he had no idea about the town’s newcomers. A few more people stopped to welcome him home before he could take five steps. After a minute or two of polite conversation, Antonio turned and froze. Natasha stood less than two feet in front of him. She closed the distance between them.
