If you haven’t read the PROLOGUE, check it out now.

Chapter One

On Principle 

Sixteen Years Later

“I don’t know why I’ve got to go with you,” Elise complained to her father.

“Because we need two votes on a business proposition like this,” he said. “Royce had an emergency and you’re the one that always says two votes.”

She wanted to growl at her father but wouldn’t when he wasn’t saying anything she didn’t know or hadn’t said for years.

Not since her father had his heart attack years ago and she and Royce thought they were going to lose him.

She’d been heartbroken.

The only parent who cared about her in her life and he was too young to leave this earth.

He worked too hard. He stressed himself out. He spread himself too thin.

All the things her mother bitched about for years and part of the reason her parents were divorced.

After the heart attack, her father put half of the business in her and Royce’s names. She ran the office end of everything now. Her brother, Royce, ran the construction end.

Her father, he had his finger in all the parts, but he didn’t do a ton of physical work like he used to.

They’d had another scare when her father’s pacemaker had to be replaced months ago. All it did was reinforce the fact she was going to do whatever he asked…within reason.

“But this is the second building the Fierces want to go in on. The first one is going well. You know Royce and I will agree to it.” 

Sometimes she gave him a hard time on principle. It was a game they played and both enjoyed.

Her father grinned. “And you didn’t want to do it.”

She rolled her eyes and it made her father laugh. “Fine. You were right. I was wrong. But it is a lot more work. And it will be more on Royce too. With the baby coming he wanted to take time off. We don’t want you doing any more.”

This part wasn’t a game to her. She did care about them and her biggest complaint was the amount of work it had put on everyone’s shoulders for the past almost two years since this started with the Fierces. She felt like there was a light at the end of the tunnel and should have realized that wouldn’t happen.

They’d looked at other buildings previously that didn’t pan out.

“Not a worry,” her father said. “Royce and I will work it out. We are just looking. Nothing is being finalized as of yet. I don’t need Royce with me to check the building over structurally. McCarthy’s will be there along with Grant and Garrett.”

Grant and Garrett being the lead on this, and their engineering firm would look over the structure with McCarthy Construction. Her family business did all the inside work.

And knowing that McCarthy’s was going to be there, meant a really good chance Gabe would be there too.

The reason she didn’t want to go and kept her distance from any of these business meetings, putting up more of a fuss than normal.

“Which means you don’t need me,” she argued. “We trust you and you know it.”

“Stop,” her father said. “I’ll treat you to lunch. You pick the place. If you behave, you can have ice cream after.”

She laughed and angled her head at him. He could always calm her down and cool her off. In her life she needed it more often than she ever let anyone see.

“You’ve got a deal.”

Elise had to get over this.

She was going to see Gabe just like she had for the past year. Like she had for years. 

Their two companies did business together. Just because no one knew why she wanted to avoid Gabe didn’t mean she had to be rude.

Though she was. Just not around her father half the time. She didn’t need that lecture.

“If you need help in the office, we’ll look into doing that,” her father said.

“We’re fine,” she said.

“Talk to me, Elise.”

“You know I do, Dad.”

“Sit down and do it now,” her father said firmly.

She knew not to argue.

“Things are good. Busy is good. We got through the last project just fine. I mean it’s been well over a year of actual work and the rest of the spaces are close to being under contract on this building. The Fierces having Roni there managing the site helps a ton. The work on my end is just dealing with the renters when it comes time to pick out their finishes.”

Even then Roni Hollister had been taking a hand in that and helping her out when needed. But there were still other projects going on with their business that didn’t have to do with this commercial building.

She never thought they’d consider a second building when the first wasn’t completed.

“That’s right,” her father said. “And like the last property, if we decide we like it, we won’t probably buy it until close to the end of the year. Then McCarthy’s has to do the bulk of the work to the structure itself.”

McCarthy’s focused more on commercial buildings. Steel structures, the roofs and the windows, the flooring, etc. Exterior work there too. They had more and bigger equipment. 

“So most likely the summer then,” she said, thinking of things in her mind. That was when the rest of their business picked up too.

“If we decide to go ahead with this, I’d say that is about the time things will pick up for you. But I do want to consider getting you some help. You can’t do it all.”

“Sure, I can,” she said, laughing.

“If anyone can, it’s you. But I don’t want you burning out. One of these days you’re going to find someone that you want to spend time with.”

“Nope,” she said. “I’m married to my job.”

“Elise. Your brother said the same thing and look at him now.”

“That’s because he knocked up Chloe,” she said, giggling.

Her father shook his head. “I know you’re joking and you love Chloe.”

“Of course I do. And it’s not a joke but a fact. He knocked her up, but he loves her as much as we do. And I’m going to have a niece to play with and spoil, so yeah, I’d like to have some time to help out.”

Her father smiled. “You’re a good kid, Elise. You don’t show it to many that you’ve got a heart of gold, but it’s there.”

“And I’m keeping it locked up in a safe too,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “It’s my only treasured possession.”

He picked his keys up on his desk. “Why don’t we go now?”

“It’s too early,” she complained. If they got there too soon she’d be stuck standing around making small talk with people.

With Gabe. 

If he was there. 

He was bound to be there. Not his younger brother, Jayce, who didn’t work for the company or his sister, Jocelyn, who did. Jocelyn did the finances and kept to herself.

Elise only knew these things because her father was always bringing up the McCarthys lately.

She supposed it had to do with the fact of the close relationship the four businesses had.

Fierce Engineering. Kennedy Construction. McCarthy Construction. Olsen Law.

They did make a great team if she did say so herself.

Didn’t mean she had to play nice with Gabe though.

“How about I let you get ice cream before lunch?” her father asked.

Her head went side to side. “That could work. I’ll just get a cone. That’s easy to travel with.”

“Get whatever you want,” her father said. His phone went off and he reached for it on his desk. “Why don’t you give me ten minutes, then we’ll go. I’ve got to make a call.”

She left her father’s office and went back to compose herself in her office. She could play nice. She’d been doing it for years.

But why did it seem to keep getting harder and harder?

***

“Hi, Grant,” Richard Kennedy said when Grant picked up his phone. He shut his door the minute his daughter was in her office. He didn’t want her to hear this.

“Are you coming alone or with Elise?” Grant asked.

“Elise is coming with me. I had to bribe her. Do you know if Gabe is going to be there?”

“Jim said yes,” Grant said. 

“My daughter is in a mood,” he said. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. She really doesn’t care for Gabe for some reason.”

“Sparks,” Grant said. “Lots of sparks. It won’t take much to start a flame.”

“Some flames burn out fast or burn out so hot they create a backdraft.”

Grant laughed. “I doubt it’d come to that.”

“You don’t know my daughter,” he said, laughing. “When she has her mind made up about someone or something, there is no talking her out of it. We could be caught in the fire with no help in sight.”

He knew it came from his ex-wife.

Elise was neglected by her mother. She’d had no good role model either and he wasn’t so sure he did that great of a job parenting the way he could have.

He tried and he knew Elise appreciated it.

“You have no idea why she seems to have an issue with Gabe?” Grant asked. “I find him extremely laid back and likable.”

“Me too,” he said. “He gets along great with Royce also. I’m not sure what the deal is. Maybe he’s too pretty for her.”

Grant laughed. “I thought that too, but I’d never say it to Jim. I think Gabe would be embarrassed.”

“I’m sure Gabe enjoys the way he looks more than most,” Richard said. He did worry if Gabe might have a reputation as a ladies man, but he’d never heard that.

Just because the guy had some model looks and had women looking at him when he walked down the street didn’t mean Gabe did anything with them. At least he hoped not.

He was putting his faith in the Fierces that they knew what they were doing with his daughter since they did so well with his son.

“That’s between him and his conscience,” he said. 

Grant laughed. “Trust me, I get it. Not that I’ve got a daughter, but I’ve got two nieces. Jade and Ella are strong women capable of handling those things. From what I know of Elise, she’s one of those strong women too.”

“Very much so,” he said. “Maybe too strong at times. Which I’m sure is why she’s still single.”

He knew Elise just wanted to do her own thing in life. 

She liked to call the shots. She liked to come and go when she wanted.

She didn’t like anyone to tell her what to do.

Most likely because Elise’s mother tried to put his daughter in a mold that got broken one too many times.

He’d never do that to Elise. Ever.

He let her have more freedom than maybe he should have, but she was a good kid. More misunderstood than anything, but she knew right from wrong and was respectful when it called for it.

Elise could stand her ground and hold her own and there wasn’t much more a man could want out of his daughter. At least what he could want.

“And that is what we are going to try to help you with,” Grant said. “We just have to figure this out on the down low.”

“Elise will be onto you in a hurry,” he said. “She knows everything that happened with Royce and everyone else. I actually thought you were working on Roni and Trent right now.”

“We are,” Grant said. “Not sure we are making much progress, but no one says we can’t start trying to throw a few chums in the water with your daughter.”

“Good lord, that is the best analogy because I’m positive Elise is going to come out like a shark and someone is going to end up bleeding. I just hope it’s not me.”