Changing the bad boy

Chapter 7

PRESTON POV

Valerie is already in the office when I get there. She has a cup of coffee in her hand, staring at something on the computer screen. She's so into it that she doesn't hear me coming. I'm considering saying something sarcastic about her finally figuring out the coffee machine, but for some strange reason, I don't go there.

Instead, I just say, "Good morning, Valerie." Which startles her.

"Hey," she says as she looks up, and then immediately corrects herself. "Good morning," she says instead, sounding more professional, and I'm surprised to see her cheeks go slightly pink.

Interesting.

That was not the kind of response I expected from her. She seems fiercely independent and not very intimidated by management or making mistakes. But then again, maybe she is doing something on the computer she shouldn't be and is worried that someone will find out.

That must be it. But it's not as though she can access anything terrible on the computer. Easton forgot he was on his work computer at home once and tried to get onto a porn website. It locked him out and simultaneously alerted our IT department. Luckily for him, they didn't involve our dad, just Andrew.

The IT guys had been in that bad to

tell Andrew. He still laughs about it.

So, I'm not too worried. If she does something stupid, she'll be found out and it will be her ticket out of here. That thought makes me smile.

I'm in a good mood as I head into the kitchen and grab a cup of coffee. Someone brought in donuts, and since I had a good workout at the gym, I grabbed one. I'm on my way back to my office when Valerie calls my name.

"Yes." I stop and turn to her. She is no longer blushing. Her eyes are peering up at me from behind a pair of rose-colored eyeglass frames I haven't seen before, and there is a serious expression on her face.

"You have a meeting request for this afternoon from Peter regarding a Marramount account, and I see you have one scheduled for tomorrow as well with Mr.Demers. Is that a mistake? Is it supposed to be just one meeting?"

"Peter requested a meeting?"

"Yes." She nods and gestures to her computer screen. "He sent a request half an hour ago."

Now that was interesting. I hadn't told Peter about the meeting I had scheduled for Friday. So, either he'd heard from Demers, or there was something else he wanted to discuss. All I had asked him was to review the updated estimates and our budget. If he wanted to discuss it

in person, it might be bad

news.

"Accept the meeting," I tell her.

"Okay." She nods and clicks a button on her keyboard."And keep tomorrow's meeting?"

"Yes." I take a step back to walk to my office but stop. I'll need to review the records we have before the meeting. "I need you to get me the file on this as soon as possible," I tell Valerie, "and print whatever notes are on the file, okay?"

"Okay."

She doesn't ask me any questions, or what she needs to do to access it and I hate to admit but that impresses

me. As long as she's able to figure it out and not screw anything else up, of course.

Her eyes are back on the screen as I walk into my office, and I take a second to study her. There's something about her that annoys the s**t out of me, but I can't put my finger on what it is.

I start my computer while I drink my coffee. The door opens in the hallway, and I hear Alana and Lydia come in. They say hello to Valerie and then the door opens again, and I hear Andrew's voice. He stops at Valerie's desk and asks her something about a latte. She laughs, and that's something I haven't heard before.

Andrew chuckles along with her like they know each other She sounds angry and I'm wondering what the hell is going on. But there's nothing further. Just the normal office gossip as Lydia and Alana walk back in.

I reviewed a couple of reports for a new apartment building we are to renovate on 5th Street. It's a ten-story building with ground-floor retail space. Everything appears to be on target. All the bids are in, initial payments have been made, and we're set to begin building in a few weeks. I approve the outstanding invoices that are above the manager's authority and am about to close the file when I decide to double-check the budget. I need to stay on top of this one and make sure Peter does as well. We cannot afford to have this one run millions over budget

like parramount.

And that has me jot down a note on my pad of questions I need to review on the Marramount account. We need to figure out just how delayed we will be on that project, and how much over budget. It concerns me more and more that we may not be able to get the 5th Street project off the ground if we have to sink more time and money towards Marramount than we intended. And then what happens to future projects? We already have a few other proposals in mind. One we're about to sign off on and a couple we're getting estimates for. And if we don't have enough capital, it could create a chain reaction to future deals.

Hayes' voice comes into the hallway as I'm opening the spreadsheets I keep for the Marramount account. A minute later, he peeks his head into my office.

"Hey," he says with a slow smirk.

"Good morning to you too, "I respond and make a show out of checking my watch.

"I'm not late," Hayes says as he walks over to the chair across from me and sinks into it like it's been a long day already and he's exhausted.

He's not technically late, it's just after nine, but he's not on time either. We're all usually in the office by eight.

"Late night?" I guess and receive a scowl in return. I mean, I know he left the bar with Deanna, and based on the way he looks, he didn't get much sleep.

"Like you should talk."

My eyebrows go up. "I was home before eleven."

"Yeah, me too."

I roll my eyes at him. "Alone, Hayes."

"Damn, bro." Hayes leans his head against the back of the chair and closes his eyes. "You losing your touch? That's very unusual for you. Unless you hooked up with someone at the bar, of course?"

"I can manage to be myself for one night"

"Yeah?" He grins but keeps his eyes closed. "You keep that hand busy? Good for you."

"Mmhm, sure, whatever. But this is not about me, Hayes."

"Why is it about me?" he asks and cracks one eye open.

"The woman you brought home last night..."

That gets him to open both eyes, and he sits up straight."Don't tell me you've f****d her."

I chuckle and lean back in my chair, enjoying him sweating a little more than I should. "No, Hayes."

He lets out a breath and asks. "Then what?"

"Do you know her name?"

"Yeah," he says and glares at me like I insulted him for even asking. And that's total bullshit. He's hooked up with plenty of women he doesn't know. We all have.

"Her name's Deanna."

So he knew that part. I cross my ankle over my knee and get comfortable in the seat while I keep my eyes on Hayes, waiting for him to continue, but he doesn't. He just stares at me.

"I know," I tell him. "Do you know her last name?"

His eyes narrow, but he admits he doesn't.

I can't help but smile and the scowl on his face disappears.

and he's starting to look weary instead.

"Woodcock," I inform him.

It takes him a few seconds until the name clicks. And when it does, his eyes go wide. "As in Joshua Woodcock?"

I smile and nod. "Yeah..."

He blinks and then blinks again.

"As in his younger sister," I finish.

"Oh, f**k me," he groans.

I chuckle. "Pretty sure she already did that, and from the size of that hickey on your throat you're so proudly showing off, you must have enjoyed baby

Woodcock."

"For f**k's sake," he hisses."She left a hickey on my throat?"

I stare at him like he's stupid. "Don't you use that big f*****g mirror you have in your bedroom?"

"Funny." He grimaces. "I kind of rushed getting dressed."

That has me cracking up."So, she stayed over. Wow, Hayes."

"Shut up, Pres!" he growls.

Easton walks in and looks from Hayes to me. "Are we having a meeting? Should I get Andrew?"

"No " Haves groans

"I was just enlightening him about who he f****d last night."

Easton grins.

"You knew too?" Hayes asks and eyes Easton out of the corner of his eye.

Easton's smile widens.

"What's going on?" Andrew asks, and just like that, my office is crowded.

"We're discussing Hayes'night," Easton offers like it's a very exciting development.

"And his hickey," I add.

Andrew walks around the back of Hayes' chair and when he notices the dark red mark on the side of his neck he starts to blush

"f**k you all," Hayes groans and buries his face in his hands.

"Baby sister Woodcock did that," I say because I can't help myself. It's too funny.

Easton laughs, and Andrew's eyes dart between me, Easton, and Hayes. He knows who Joshua Woodcock is, and that he used to be my friend, but he doesn't know much else about it. The age gap between us is too big.

"Can you not?" Hayes complains, but it doesn't stop either me or Easton.

We're all laughing at his expense when Valerie steps into the room with an enormous pile of papers and several rolls of miner under her arm.

"I'm sorry," she says, "I didn't mean to interrupt.

It's just that I knew you needed these and that it was urgent."

"That's a lot of freaking records," Easton comments.

"Yeah, it's for the paramount."

"Let me help you with those," Andrew offers like a gentleman and gets to her before I'm even able to move.

"Thanks." She gives him a small smile and I'm surprised when her cheeks pinken. She hands him half the pile and looks to me for direction.

"You can put them here, "I say and point to the corner of my desk while my eyes dart between her and a grinning Andrew, wondering what the hell is going on.

"Damn," Easton sighs and I'm half expecting him to also be watching Valerie and Andrew's exchange, but he's not. He's focused on the large pile of documents she's busy stacking on my desk. It must be everything we have including the drawings. I didn't need them, but I got to give it to Valerie. She seems thorough, and that impresses me a bit.

"Is that everything?" Andrew asks.

"That we have," Valerie responds.

He nods and turns to me.

"The meetings tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I'm seeing Peter this afternoon."

"Why?" Andrew asks in a surprised tone.

I shrug. "He requested the meeting. But it's good. I want his take on everything before I talk to Demers, anyway."

"Do you need me to attend the meeting with Demers?"Easton asks. "Do you think this will impact our costs of the individual units?"

I think it will affect everything we're planning on doing from now on, but I don't want to worry my brothers until I know more, so I tell him "It might. but why don't I figure out what's going on first?"

"Sounds good," Hayes says and yawns.

Valerie excuses herself again and walks towards the door. I notice Andrew watching her leave, and my eyes narrow.

What the f**k is that all about?

My eyes snap back to Valerie, and I also watch her, how her round ass sways from side to side with each step she takes. She's wearing a dress today, and it shows off her body in a whole different way from the clothes she's worn so far. And I get what Andrew sees. She has a smoking body and if she keeps dressing like

this, she might become a distraction. And not just for me...

I look back at Andrew.

He catches me watching her and just shrugs his shoulders like it's no big deal that he's ogling my admin with interest. I don't want him checking her out. And that pisses me off.