Falling for the Millionaire(6)

"Works for me." Carter nodded.

Hudson nodded but didn't say anything. He wanted to ask about the  colored water and balloons on the fountain but decided against it. The  less he said the better at this point. The situation demanded patience.  Not one of his virtues. He'd let Carter take the lead. That might be  more to Melody's liking.         

     



 

Melody took one of the sidewalks leading away from the fountain toward  the right side of the quad. She said little until they reached the  building, where she punched in a code on the pad next to the door.  Looking up at Carter, she motioned for him to go in. "We hold security  very important, especially for our women. So we require background  checks on every member of your crew if you win the bid for this  project."

Without a word, Carter entered the building and Hudson followed, walking  along the hallway where the faint smell of a pine-scented cleaning  solution explained the gleaming tile floors. "Nice facility you have  here."

"Thanks." Melody turned her head, giving him the first genuine smile of  the day. "This used to be a dormitory that we converted into apartments.  There are a dozen on each floor. That's what we plan to do with the  other building. That's why I wanted to start here."

"Your new project's similar to this one?" Hudson asked.

"Yes." Melody stepped toward the first door. "I've made arrangements for  you to look at this apartment. The resident gave her permission to let  me show the place while she's attending job training. You're welcome to  look around."

Carter made a hurried trip through the place while Hudson took a more  leisurely stroll, observing the modest furnishings in the two-bedroom  dwelling. When he finished his tour, he joined Carter, who was studying  the blueprints he'd laid out on the dinette table near the galley  kitchen.

Hudson glanced at Melody. "Do they all have the same layout?"

"Basically." Melody shifted her weight from foot to foot as her gaze  flitted around the room. "Are you ready to see the other building?"

"Absolutely," Carter said as he rolled up the blueprint.

Minutes later, as Melody reached the door to the next building, she  turned, focusing her attention on Carter. Hudson didn't want to believe  that she was doing her best to ignore him, but he couldn't dismiss the  evidence.

"When we go in, you'll see that the interior has been gutted. It's been  that way for a couple of years. We'd planned to renovate it right after  we did the other one, but we didn't have the funds at the time. So we  put this one on hold."

Hudson digested this information as Melody granted them access. He  glanced around at the bare concrete block walls and floors illuminated  with light filtering through dingy windows. He tried to focus on the  possibilities rather than the grim picture the place presented while  Carter asked the questions. Hudson figured the less he said the better.

After they completed the tour, Melody locked up, then turned to face them. "Do you have more questions for me?"

"Not right now, but I may have some after I go over the information I've  collected today." Carter stuck the rolled-up blueprints under his arm.

Melody produced one of those forced smiles. "Good. Then we'll meet with Adam."

While they walked back across the quad, she chatted comfortably with  Carter. The breeze ruffled her blond hair around her shoulders as she  laughed at something he said. Why couldn't she be that comfortable with  him? She obviously wanted to make it abundantly clear that she meant  what she'd told him the night of the fund-raiser. She wouldn't go out  with him again. Would that be a strike against Conrick Construction  getting the bid?

Hudson shook that question away as they walked into the senior center  cafeteria. The folks here at The Village would make a sound business  decision based on the bids they received. Not on personal feelings.

Melody introduced them to the woman who signed them in. Another layer of  security. Immediately, Adam joined them and led them to a nearby table.

"Do you have questions for me now that you've seen the building we want to renovate?" Adam asked.

Hudson leaned back and steepled his fingers as he placed his elbows on  the arms of the chair. "Melody has explained your emphasis on security,  so will we have access to a construction entrance for our heavy  equipment?"

"I'm glad you brought up that point. When we did the first renovations,  we didn't have any residents so we didn't have to worry about security."  Adam wrinkled his brow. "We have an emergency entrance on the road that  runs along the back side of the campus. It's there for vehicles that  are unable to go through the main gate. I'm sure we can make some  arrangements to use it if the need arises."

Melody scooted forward in her chair and frowned. "Do you think it'll be necessary to use that?"

Despite her frown, Hudson relished her question. At least, she was  talking to him. "I wanted to cover all the bases. The logistics will  figure into our bid. I know how important security is to you."

A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, it is. So opening another entrance worries me."

"I understand. If we get the bid, I'll be personally responsible for  personnel and vehicles that go through there if we have to use it."  Hudson watched her expression as she took in his response.         

     



 

"I appreciate that, and I'll hold you to it." The look in her brown eyes  let him know that she meant business. "We can't be too careful when it  comes to the women here. They depend on us for their safety."

Hudson tried to put himself in the place of the women who had fled abusive situations and the fear they must feel.

"Does that cover everything?" Adam asked.

Nodding, Carter looked Hudson's way as he tapped the roll of blueprints. "I've got everything I need."

"Great." Adam stood. "You're welcome to join us for lunch."

"Sounds good to me." Hudson nodded as he glanced at Melody. He breathed a  sigh of relief when she didn't make some excuse to leave.

Carter stood. "I appreciate the invitation, but I've got to get back to the office. We'll have that bid to you by the deadline."

Hudson popped up from his chair. "I'll be right back after I see Carter to the exit."

"Good to meet you. I look forward to seeing your bid." Adam shook  Carter's hand, then turned to Hudson. "We'll wait here for you."

"Thanks." Hudson fell into step beside Carter. "So what do you think?"

"We can come up with a competitive bid, but I'm not sure it'll meet  muster with that pretty blonde. What did you do to get on her bad side?"  Carter gave Hudson a speculative glance.

"Hard telling. I'm not going to worry about her."

Carter narrowed his gaze. "I thought you wanted this project because of her."

"I told you before she's not the reason for my interest in this. Showing  my dad that I can be my own man is on top of the list." Hudson clapped  Carter on the back. "We'll talk after you've had a chance to crunch the  numbers. Thanks for your work."

Hudson hurried back to the table. He didn't miss Melody's  less-than-enthusiastic smile upon his return, but he wouldn't let that  dampen his spirit.

As they went through the cafeteria line, Hudson took in Melody's  interaction with those around her. She had a smile for the workers and  knew them by name. What did he need to do to gain one of those smiles?  Maybe he should quit thinking about himself. That might be a start in  the right direction.

For too many years, he'd lived his life, never understanding the plight  of folks less fortunate than himself. Even though his parents had always  been charity minded, he hadn't known how other people lived until he'd  joined the army. Looking back, he could see his father's wisdom when  he'd insisted that Hudson spend time in the military. The experience had  given him a new perspective on life and the world.

Could Melody appreciate that, or would she continue to look at him as a  person who was out of touch with the people she served? He'd done  himself no favors the night of the fund-raiser when he'd jokingly talked  about attending the event to please his father. At the beginning of the  evening, he'd had no idea that he'd find Melody a very fascinating  woman. Now he had to work doubly hard to undo her bad impression of him.  No easy task. And if she did show an interest in him, would it be for  him or the money he could contribute to her cause? When it came to  women, that thought was never far from the surface.

After they brought their food to the table, Adam offered a prayer of  thanks. For a few minutes, they ate without saying anything, the sounds  of lively conversation flowing around them. Hudson observed the  residents of the senior center as they partook of their meals. The place  radiated with joy. This was a happy place-one he wanted to help. And he  wanted to help one very independent woman, but he wasn't sure she  wanted it.