Chapter 28

28

" I t's been nice having you back on the team today," Mark said.

Faith smoothed mulch around a plant in the flower bed they were finishing up. "It's been nice playing in the dirt." She chuckled. "That's what Destiny's mom says we do for a living."

"That's one way to look at it." Mark laughed. "And how about Destiny happening by just in time for lunch? It reminded me of when we all worked together years ago."

Faith looked up at Mark with a smirk. "You know she didn't just happen by."

Mark chuckled. "Does that mean we'll be seeing a lot more of her around here? Are things changing, boss?"

"I've changed," Faith said honestly, rocking back on her knees to sit on her heels. "I let things get in the way of having a happy life. Destiny and I are in this together from now on. I don't know what that means for our companies, but we're waiting to hear from the bid. If we win, we'll all be working together. We'll see how it goes from there."

"That sounds like a solid plan," Mark said. "Hey, I'm really happy for you both. You belong together."

Faith grinned. "Yeah, we do."

Her phone beeped with a message and Mark raised his brows. "Someone must already miss you," he said.

"Ha ha." Faith looked at the message and frowned. "Huh, it's from David Orr."

"The guy from urban planning?" Mark asked.

"Yeah," Faith replied. Before she could say anything else her phone rang. She could see Destiny's smiling face in the caller ID. "Hey, babe."

"Hi," Destiny said. "I just got the strangest text from David Orr."

"I did, too," Faith replied. "He asked if I could meet him at the site. He said it was about our presentation."

"That's what he messaged me," Destiny said.

"Do you want me to come get you?" Faith asked. "I have my truck."

"Yeah, I'm with Claire's team. I'll text you the address," Destiny said.

"Okay, I'll be right there," Faith said, ending the call.

"Good luck," Mark said.

Faith got up and dusted off the dirt from her knees. "Fingers crossed."

As she drove to the apartment complex where Destiny was working, Faith couldn't fight off the bad feeling she got from the text.

Destiny was waiting and jumped into the truck when Faith pulled up. She leaned over the console and kissed Faith on the lips. "I've got to tell you," she said, buckling her seatbelt, "I don't have a good feeling about this."

Faith looked over at her and widened her eyes. "I don't either!"

"I can't imagine why he'd want us back at the site."

"They were doing the last presentations this morning," Faith said. "I figured they'd be meeting to decide on who won the bid."

"Yeah, me too." Destiny reached for Faith's hand and pulled it into her lap.

Faith squeezed Destiny's hand and smiled over at her. At least they were facing this together. "They're about to find out that we lead our companies by working. I hope they don't mind sweat."

"I think you look absolutely beautiful," Destiny said with a big grin. "We were very sweaty last night."

Faith chuckled. "You liked how we got sweaty."

"Yes, I did," Destiny said.

"Me, too," Faith replied. "Mark commented that it felt like old times with the three of us having lunch on site."

"Yeah, it did."

"I told him we were not letting anyone or anything get in the way of our happy life together," Faith said, glancing over at Destiny.

"That's right." Destiny kissed the back of Faith's hand. "Mmm, salty." She grinned at Faith.

Faith chuckled. "He asked me what was going to happen with our companies."

"Yeah, we didn't get around to talking about that last night," Destiny said.

"I explained if we win the bid that we'd all be working together and we'd go from there."

Destiny nodded. "That makes sense."

Faith could feel Destiny's eyes on her and quickly glanced her way. "What?"

"Neither one of us has said it, but we've always wanted to run our company together."

"I'm thinking the same thing, darling." Faith squeezed Destiny's hand and smiled.

"Maybe this will be the first of many jobs for Fields of Green," Destiny said.

"Oh, I hope so," Faith said, pulling off the interstate and onto the road to the construction site.

Faith and Destiny walked into the main building and saw David talking to two other people at the reception desk. He smiled and waved as he excused himself and walked over to greet them.

"Hi," he said. "Sorry to pull you off a job."

"No problem," Destiny replied.

"What's going on?" Faith asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Well, the committee would like to ask you a few follow up questions," he said.

"Okay." Destiny shrugged.

"Right this way," David said.

As they followed him into the meeting room, movement caught Faith's eyes. Over by the windows she noticed two people watching them.

"Des," she said softly, reaching for her arm. When Destiny glanced back at her, Faith nodded towards the window.

"You've got to be kidding me," Destiny said, rolling her eyes.

"Yep," Faith said. "Gloria's been watching us since we walked into the building."

"Do you know her?" David asked.

"Oh, yeah," Destiny said. "We're her favorite people."

David furrowed his brow.

"We'll explain it to you another time," Faith said.

They walked into the conference room and sat down at one end of the large table. It wasn't lost on Faith that just yesterday they had dazzled this same group of people with their presentation. Today the energy in the room was not positive.

"Thank you for coming in," the project manager said.

"It looks like we've brought you in from the field," the construction representative commented.

Destiny smiled. "We not only design and create landscapes?—"

"We also make them come to life," Faith added.

The people around the table smiled.

"We were very impressed with your presentation," the project manager began. "Did you share your vision with anyone else before presenting it to us?"

Faith looked at Destiny and furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

"Did you tell any of the other landscapers bidding on the project what your ideas were?" he replied.

"No," Destiny stated. "When bidding on a project you don't usually share your ideas with your competitors."

"That's what I thought," he said.

"Here's the thing," David said, sharing a look with the project manager. "Your idea to do the rock cairns was unique as well as interesting, but another company also presented the idea."

Faith exchanged a look with Destiny. How Gloria fit into this Faith wasn't sure, but she could feel it and from the look on Destiny's face she did too.

"We thought it was odd," the project manager said.

"Okay," Destiny said. "Are you asking if we took the idea from another company?"

"Destiny gave you the history behind the rock cairns and why we chose to use them," Faith said.

"You gave your presentation before the other one, too," David added.

"Let me put everything out on the table," the project manager said. "Another company—a larger company—mentioned rock cairns in their presentation and offered to do whatever type landscaping we liked best for a better price."

Faith and Destiny looked at each other and shook their heads.

"We gave you a presentation you liked along with the costs," Destiny said.

"We wouldn't have bid on the project if we couldn't deliver," Faith said. "So the size of the company shouldn't matter if you like the vision."

"I'm not sure how this other company can do the fountain or the rock cairns that we laid out for you without our plans," Destiny said. "It would be a substandard copy, if you ask me."

"The fountain you showed us was like nothing I've seen," David said.

Her patience wearing thin, Faith cleared her throat. "Why did you ask us here? Are you accusing us of something?" She felt Destiny's hand gently rest on her thigh in an effort to calm her agitation.

"No," David said. "It's obvious that one of the larger, well-known companies couldn't come up with anything near your creativity. They found out about your ideas for the property and are trying to, dare I say, steal them."

Faith took a moment to look into the eyes of each committee member. She wondered what they saw. Did they see two hard-working landscapers who could be taken advantage of? Or did they see two creative women who loved to bring beauty to buildings?

"We're in a business where size seems to matter," the construction rep said. "Just look at this place. The entire layout is huge, but you made it look welcoming instead of like a giant building trying to impress God knows who."

"The building is big because we have a lot of employees," the project manager said defensively.

"I understand that, but you don't need a huge landscaping company to swoop in with big ideas when they aren't as good as theirs," he said, gesturing towards Faith and Destiny.

"I agree," David said. "That other company is trying to do something deceitful and convince you that's how things are done. Well, I'm here to tell you, that's not true."

A woman who represented the HR department for the corporation stood up. "Would you mind waiting outside for just a moment so the committee can clear up a couple of things? It won't take but a minute."

The woman smiled at them both and Faith felt like she was about to explain to this group of men how things were going to be done.

Faith and Destiny got up and walked out of the room. It was obvious that Gloria had somehow found out about their ideas and offered to implement them at a lower cost.

When the door closed, Faith turned to Destiny and grabbed her hand. "She can't hurt us, babe."

"I know," Destiny said between clenched teeth. "But that doesn't mean I can't hurt her."

Faith grinned. "You are so hot when you're…hot."

Destiny's eyes widened and the corners of her mouth quivered until a small smile crept onto her face. "Stop that!"

Faith chuckled. "Let them give the job to Gloria. I'd love to see her try to stack rocks."

"Rock cairns?" Gloria said, walking up behind them. "Whose idea was that?"

"Have you ever had an original, creative thought in your life?" Destiny asked, dismissing Gloria's question.

Gloria laughed. "When you're the CEO you pay people to be creative."

"I guess you didn't pay them enough this time," Faith said with a smirk.

"That's when you flex your big company muscles and get the job done no matter what," Gloria said brashly.

"No matter who you hurt in the process," Faith said, staring at Gloria.

"When you're playing with the big boys you have to get dirty just like they do," Gloria stated.

"What about the women at the table?" Destiny said. "It would be unwise to overlook them."

"Ha," Gloria replied. "Women stick together."

Faith put a protective arm around Destiny's waist. "Be careful, Gloria. While you're playing dirty with the boys some small company may come along and trip you up when you least expect it."

Gloria scoffed. "You two were meant for each other." She pointed at the closed conference room doors. "If you think a major corporation is going to choose a little company like you've put together with bosses who smell of sweat and dirt over a national leader in the industry, you're both delusional. Why, you're lucky they even entertained your bid. They wouldn't if we weren't in liberal Austin."

"It's called urban planning, Gloria," Destiny said. "It doesn't have anything to do with being liberal or not."

"You never did understand aesthetics," Faith added. "It's always about the numbers and the cost."

"Damn right it is," Gloria said, bristling. "That's how things get done."

Destiny grinned and tilted her head. "Wow, Gloria. You're getting worked up."

"Are you afraid you're going to lose this bid?" Faith asked with a sarcastic grin of her own.

"What would happen to your bottom line then?" Destiny smirked.

The conference room doors opened before Gloria could reply, but Faith felt like they'd won a little battle whether they got the job or not. The look on Gloria's face showed she was worried.