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Authors: Sally Clements
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morning.”
“Sure is. There’s coffee in the kitchen.” No matter the weather, Anna was always in before him, and always started the coffee machine percolating. When they’d interviewed candidates for the job, Connor had been smitten by Anna’s blonde good looks and breezy personality. Finn had wanted someone older, with more experience. Thank God Connor had won that particular fight. Now, he couldn’t imagine anyone better than Anna for the job.
Finn nodded. “Is Connor in?”
“In his office.” The phone rang. Anna turned away to answer it.
Finn poured two coffees, and tapped on the door of Connor’s office.
“Come.” Connor looked up from his computer screen.
“I brought you a refill.” He placed the mug on the desk and sank down on the black leather chair opposite Connor. “I spoke to Simon Wood yesterday. He can’t make it and is sending another photographer instead.”
He frowned. The three other photographers they’d chosen had impressive bodies of work behind them, and stellar reputations. He’d been surprised at Simon’s call, and reluctant to commit to using an unknown in Simon’s stead.
But when he’d learned the replacement was Val…
“Problem?” Simon watched him carefully.
“I know her. It could be difficult.”
“Hang on. The girl?” He’d told Connor about the speed dating night, and that he’d met Val again at the wedding, but hadn’t told Connor about the kiss.
Finn nodded. “The girl. Her name is Val. Wood assures me she’s up to the job, but the fact that I know her can’t influence our decision.”
“Are you involved?”
“No.” Although that could change if they were working together.
“You like her though.” Simon tapped his mug with a pen. “I know you, man. You’re interested.”
There was no point lying about it. “Yes. I like her. I’d like to get to know her better. The complication that she’s now a candidate for the commission is something I could damned well do without. I’m determined not to make it an issue. There’s no preferential treatment. When the test shots are done, I want to see them all without knowing who took what, so we can make a decision on the photographs alone.”
Connor grinned. “Anna can be in charge of all the pictures as they come in. We’ll both be in the dark as to who the photographers are, that way neither of us will be influenced.”
“Great.” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “I’m taking her to Merlin’s Grove this morning, and you are out with another photographer to Phil and Eileen’s.”
“Yes, I’m meeting them there. I’ll make the introductions and leave them to it,” Connor said. “I have a meeting back here at eleven, and I’ll take them out to Merlin’s Grove in the afternoon.”
Ferrying photographers around to their clients’ over the next couple of days would cut into valuable time, but had to be done—two of their clients had been gracious enough to agree to have their houses photographed at short notice. They deserved the courtesy of having Finn and Connor on site.
The fact he had cancelled today’s appointments to ferry Val around to both houses wasn’t worth mentioning.
Chapter Seven
It was so cold, Val wished she’d been able to dress in jeans instead of the moss green wool dress, but going casual wasn’t an option. Not when she had so much to prove. She wore opaque tights under black, high-heeled suede boots, and the charcoal wool coat Mum had bought her on her last birthday. She looked like a professional businesswoman, even if she didn’t feel it.
The spacious offices of Logan & O’Donoghue were in Dublin’s city center. Rent around here was crazily expensive—Finn must be doing okay. The receptionist had directed her to the large leather sofas that graced the open plan reception area. She took in the details: a pile of glossy architectural magazines on a modernistic glass coffee table; thick white shag-pile carpet that must be impossible to
“Sure is. There’s coffee in the kitchen.” No matter the weather, Anna was always in before him, and always started the coffee machine percolating. When they’d interviewed candidates for the job, Connor had been smitten by Anna’s blonde good looks and breezy personality. Finn had wanted someone older, with more experience. Thank God Connor had won that particular fight. Now, he couldn’t imagine anyone better than Anna for the job.
Finn nodded. “Is Connor in?”
“In his office.” The phone rang. Anna turned away to answer it.
Finn poured two coffees, and tapped on the door of Connor’s office.
“Come.” Connor looked up from his computer screen.
“I brought you a refill.” He placed the mug on the desk and sank down on the black leather chair opposite Connor. “I spoke to Simon Wood yesterday. He can’t make it and is sending another photographer instead.”
He frowned. The three other photographers they’d chosen had impressive bodies of work behind them, and stellar reputations. He’d been surprised at Simon’s call, and reluctant to commit to using an unknown in Simon’s stead.
But when he’d learned the replacement was Val…
“Problem?” Simon watched him carefully.
“I know her. It could be difficult.”
“Hang on. The girl?” He’d told Connor about the speed dating night, and that he’d met Val again at the wedding, but hadn’t told Connor about the kiss.
Finn nodded. “The girl. Her name is Val. Wood assures me she’s up to the job, but the fact that I know her can’t influence our decision.”
“Are you involved?”
“No.” Although that could change if they were working together.
“You like her though.” Simon tapped his mug with a pen. “I know you, man. You’re interested.”
There was no point lying about it. “Yes. I like her. I’d like to get to know her better. The complication that she’s now a candidate for the commission is something I could damned well do without. I’m determined not to make it an issue. There’s no preferential treatment. When the test shots are done, I want to see them all without knowing who took what, so we can make a decision on the photographs alone.”
Connor grinned. “Anna can be in charge of all the pictures as they come in. We’ll both be in the dark as to who the photographers are, that way neither of us will be influenced.”
“Great.” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “I’m taking her to Merlin’s Grove this morning, and you are out with another photographer to Phil and Eileen’s.”
“Yes, I’m meeting them there. I’ll make the introductions and leave them to it,” Connor said. “I have a meeting back here at eleven, and I’ll take them out to Merlin’s Grove in the afternoon.”
Ferrying photographers around to their clients’ over the next couple of days would cut into valuable time, but had to be done—two of their clients had been gracious enough to agree to have their houses photographed at short notice. They deserved the courtesy of having Finn and Connor on site.
The fact he had cancelled today’s appointments to ferry Val around to both houses wasn’t worth mentioning.
Chapter Seven
It was so cold, Val wished she’d been able to dress in jeans instead of the moss green wool dress, but going casual wasn’t an option. Not when she had so much to prove. She wore opaque tights under black, high-heeled suede boots, and the charcoal wool coat Mum had bought her on her last birthday. She looked like a professional businesswoman, even if she didn’t feel it.
The spacious offices of Logan & O’Donoghue were in Dublin’s city center. Rent around here was crazily expensive—Finn must be doing okay. The receptionist had directed her to the large leather sofas that graced the open plan reception area. She took in the details: a pile of glossy architectural magazines on a modernistic glass coffee table; thick white shag-pile carpet that must be impossible to
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