Everywhere and Every Way(59)

Cal spoke up. "We have the building and design team on standby. It is possible, and I promise you we will meet deadline."

Morgan locked gazes with Petra. Slowly the woman nodded. "Yes, I like  these changes. Since we're in town, I'll be able to work with you. I'll  go through your pictures and tell you what I think."

Slate turned to his wife. "Are you sure?"

Petra shrugged. "The Plaza is quite satisfactory, and I can see a few  Broadway plays this week. We can manage ten more days. I think we should  give Morgan another chance."

Slate nodded. "Then I'll go along with my wife. You have ten days."

"Thank you," Morgan said.

They shook hands, and she walked them out. When she returned to the conference room, Cal simmered behind the table.

"I hated the way they talked to you," he grumbled. "He'd look more manly with a black eye."

Morgan laughed. "I'm sure you've dealt with your own demanding clients.  He has a right to be pissed. He's spent millions on me, and I didn't  deliver."

"His opinion. Not mine."

"I know." She crossed the room and leaned in for a hug. The overwhelming  demands of the next ten days should have made her want to weep.  Instead, a rush of adrenaline and challenge beat in her blood. This time  she knew exactly what she had to do. "Are we ready to do this?"

"Yes. Tristan and Dalton are already at the house. Sydney's making calls  to suppliers, and Brady's already restructuring the measurements for  the film room. I booked my team for overtime, and we'll work through the  night if we have to."

She stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you, Charming."

"Welcome, princess. Now let's get to work."


Eleven days later, Morgan sat in the kitchen surrounded by boys,  munching on pizza. "I'm going to sleep for a week," she groaned, taking a  moment to shove a piece of crust in her mouth.

Cal grabbed two Heinekens from the refrigerator and slid them across the  marble countertop. "It was close, but we did it. Petra loved the new  design, which made Slate less of an asshole."

Tristan laughed and poured himself a glass of wine. "The Chinese  lanterns were a brilliant touch," he said. "It brought so much color to  the stark red and black."

"Yeah, but taking out those cabinets felt like a crime," Dalton muttered. "I like Morgan's original vision so much better."

"I caught you crying when you used your hammer," Cal teased.

"Imagine Michelangelo destroying David. That's how it felt."

Tristan rolled his eyes. "You are no Michelangelo, dude."

"You were always jealous of me."

Morgan laughed. "It hurt me, too, Dalton. Thinking of all that beautiful art and wood in the shed breaks my heart."

"You'll find another use for it," Cal assured her.

"I'm going to have three houses to renovate in the next few months, so those items will save my ass."

Cal took a bite of pizza, wiped his mouth, and nodded. "Brady scored an  addition job downtown, so I'll be starting on that next week."

"And Sandy Harper's dad hooked me up with the Bingo crew. A bunch of  them saw his deck and want one for themselves, so that'll keep me busy  awhile," Dalton said.

"The Rosenthals will be doing a spread in Home Style magazine, so the  publicity should bring you new clients," Morgan said. "Will it be  enough?"

"To turn a profit for the first year? Hopefully. We have two more months to hit it hard."

"We'll make it," Dalton said with confidence.

"What about you, Morgan?" Tristan asked. "Gonna take some time off, or do you have another client?"         

     



 

She glanced at Cal. He stiffened, but there was a determination in his  eyes. They were going to make it work because there was no other way.  They needed each other. When Tiffany Taylor emailed her, asking if she'd  complete an entire renovation on her three-million-dollar house in LA,  Morgan knew Cal was right. One mix-up with the Rosenthals wouldn't have  broken her. Now, with the successful redesign, she'd proved she could  deliver even when there was an error, which only made her worth go up.  It was a glamorous project she'd normally jump on. But last night,  considering the next few months, Morgan experienced a lightbulb moment. A  way to give them both what they wanted. She was just a bit nervous  about bringing it up, just in case they didn't like the idea.

"Actually, I considered sticking around here for a bit." They stopped  eating and stared at her. "Seems like Pierce Brothers is expanding. With  all the properties Tristan wants to buy, and the renovation projects  piling up, I was wondering if maybe, well, maybe you'd need some help?"

Cal grinned. Tristan and Dalton high-fived.

"Is that a yes?"

"Hell yes!" Tristan said. "Are you kidding? I'd love to work with you,  and I'm looking at pushing in right on the edge of Harrington. The  possibilities are endless."

"Are you sure you won't get bored?" Cal asked. "Harrington isn't  glamorous. There's not a lot of celebrities hanging around, looking for  million-dollar houses."

"No, I think the people in Harrington are even better." Morgan smiled.  "They're real people who want a home. A beautiful home. I'd like to be a  bigger part of making their world a better place."

"Welcome to Pierce Brothers," Tristan said.

Morgan stared at the men around the table. Tears stung her eyes. They  had her back like she was part of the family, calling in favors and  working twenty-four hours a day to make sure the Rosenthals' house was  done within ten days. It had been her fault, and they could've walked  away, knowing their part of the contract had been met. Instead, they  refused to blame her and did everything to help, like she belonged to  them.

"Thank you," she said. Her voice came out ragged. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Tristan and Dalton looked nervous, eyes filled with wariness. "Umm,  Morgan, we're good. Please don't cry. We can't handle that shit," Dalton

said.

She blinked furiously and gave a half laugh. "Okay. But you mean a lot to me."

"Back atcha," Tristan said. "Besides, you belong to Cal. Which means you now belong to us."

And that did it.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and a choking sob came from her throat.

Cal groaned. "Dude, did you really have to get mushy? Look what you did."

"I'm sorry! Shit, don't cry."

She laughed and cried until Cal gave an irritated sigh and pulled her  into his arms, patting her back. "It's okay. I would cry, too, if I was  stuck with the three of us."

Morgan held on to Cal in the middle of his kitchen, surrounded by his brothers, and felt like she was finally home.





epilogue







This doesn't feel kinky, Cal. It just feels creepy. Can't I take the blindfold off?"

"No. We're almost there."

She gave a long, dramatic sigh and he grinned. His truck bumped along  the uneven road as they climbed a hill that was half-hidden in the  trees. Finally he pulled to a stop and faced her. "We're here."

"Good. I'm getting carsick."

"Sorry, baby. Hang on."

He got out of the car, opened her door, and eased her out. Cal ignored  his racing heart. It was ridiculous to be nervous. Stupid, even. She'd  like it. Wouldn't she? His gut lurched, but he manned up and decided to  see it through. Couldn't put her back in the car at this point anyway.

"Cal? Can I take this off now?"

"Yes. One minute. Okay, here we go."

He pulled the scarf from her eyes. She blinked in the sunlight, taking  in the scene before her. The acres of land were untouched, and high  weeds choked the lot. The barrier of thick woods lined the back, and a  small pond lay to the right. The view from the hill gave a tantalizing  view of the harbor in the distance. It reminded him of the Rosenthals'  property but set further back.

"Well?" he asked impatiently. "What do you think?"

Morgan turned around to see the full plot of land. "This is beautiful,  Cal. How'd you manage to buy it? Most of this property was taken. When I  was looking into building for the Rosenthals, we had limited options."         

     



 

"My father bought this piece of land years ago," he said. "There were  three separate lots to go to each of us, with no restrictions on how we  use them. We could sell the land or build on it."

"Did you get a new client?" she asked. "Are we going to build a house here?"

Cal swallowed. "Yes. We're going to build a house here. But it's not for a new client."

Morgan frowned. "I don't understand."

Cal dragged in a breath. Reached in his pocket. And dropped to one knee.

"I want to build our house here, Morgan. I want you to have the home of  your dreams, inside and out. With me. You changed my life and I love  you. Will you marry me?"

"Oh, my God!" She covered her mouth with both hands and shook. "Oh, my God!"