Glass Hearts

Chapter 42: Admiration

Kevin keeps staring. I don't know what it is that's got him so intrigued, but since Shanelle left the room he's been stealing not-so-subtle looks. I shift in my seat but keep my attention glued to Darwin. I don't have the mental capacity right now to entertain whatever questions are burning behind those dark brooding eyes.

"What do you think?" Darwin asks.

The virtual presentation Darwin and his team put together makes the once far-off idea a reality. The photos we saw of Grenada at our last meeting took my breath away. The building's architecture alone was enough to wow but with the decor and theme implemented, I think we are definitely on the right track.

I give the tablet back to him with a smile. "This is exactly what I had in mind. I love the layout."

"I'm glad to hear it." Darwin radiates with satisfaction. "And what about you Kevin?"

Kevin hands the second tablet to Darwin. "Agreed. Very Impressive."

Darwin returns both tablets to his red tote bag and gives both of us a copy of the expenses."This is the breakdown of the cost for labor and the decorations which you will see is way under the discussed budget."

I scan the document and analyze the items as best I can. The expenses sheet is extensive and shows the item descriptions, calculated cost, method of payment, dates of purchase, and much more. The figures go over my head and I'm not sure I understand what I'm looking at.

I take a peek at Kevin. He's already flipped to the next page and is writing notes on one of the boxes at the bottom. Based on his intense concentration he seems to comprehend way more than me.

I clear my throat and tuck a strand of curly hair that escaped from my ponytail behind my ear. "Everything looks good but I'd like to have some time to review the expenses further."

Kevin nods in agreement. "Let's reconvene later this week. "

"My Friday is open. If your schedules allow, we can meet at Grenada and do a walk-through of the property." Darwin suggests.

Kevin's eyes fall on me and I take this cue to voice my thoughts.

"It would be helpful to see how the preparations are going in real-time and then we can make any necessary adjustments."

"I'll have my assistant pencil it in," Darwin says, then types a quick reminder on his phone.

The meeting wraps up a few minutes later with mutual approval. Kevin and I continue to look over the figures even after Darwin leaves. I underline some sections that don't make sense and try to tackle those first but after a few more minutes of staring in confusion, I give up.

"Kevin."

He glances up from his paper.

I sigh. "What is Table 3 referencing?"

A faint smile tugs at his lips as he rolls his sleeves up before angling his chair toward me. Sitting next to Kevin seemed like a good idea to address Darwin as a team but now with him so close, his cologne does something to my senses. The clean but intoxicating scent of Juniper and Sandalwood conjures dangerous ideas of approaching this potentially deadly flower and inhaling deeply.

"Which part is giving you trouble?" Kevin asks.

His voice coaxes me from my observations and I laser-focus on the paper in front of me.

"Start at the beginning please."

He nods in understanding and slides the document in between us so we can both refer to my copy. He reaches for my pen and his fingertips graze my knuckles. I chew on the inside of my cheek to distract myself from the way my skin tingles in response.