Her Wolf

Chapter 4

“Dear Diary,

This has to be the worst week that I’ve had in a long time. It feels as if I’ve had a headache from the moment I wake up until the moment I collapse into bed at night; alone and exhausted. I’ve spent every day this week with Ryan, trying to sort out or clashing opinions and it doesn’t work. Now I’m sitting here, completely frustrated in my car and afraid to face the truth.

Maybe I’m not capable of working so closely with someone on a project I’ve found myself to be very passionate about. Maybe I’m too hardheaded.

Maybe I’m attracted to him.

All week long Ryan and I have hit nothing but dead ends and have taken it out on each other every time. We have disagreed on everything there was to disagree about, including how we should present ourselves at our meeting with the Board of Builders.

Through a favor, I had managed to find out that the head of the board was a male and I knew that sometimes, a little flirting could go a long way, but Ryan insisted he should be the one to do all the talking.

I still haven’t decided if I’m going to let that happen. We need to find out who the Developer is and that should be more important than whatever ego he thinks he has.

I feel like turning my car on and just going home. He’s late, again.

Apparently showing up on time is—“

The sound of someone knocking against Catherine’s car window pulled her attention away from the journal she used to confide in. Ryan stood outside of her car with his mouth tilted upwards in an enticing smirk and it caused Catherine’s heart to flutter.

“Wow,” she thought to herself as she pressed down the button that prompted her window to descend.

“You dressed up. You look good,” Catherine said once the window was low enough for him to hear. “Usually you don’t look so formal during our meetings.”

“Do you always give compliments with backhanded insults?” Ryan asked as he opened the door for Catherine to make her exit. “We have a meeting to get to and I know I’m late, so before you get on my case about that, why don’t we get in there and see what we can find out?”

Catherine climbed out of her car and locked it behind her. In her hand she held a package full of information she had gathered about each of the board members.

“Take this,” she said, handing the manila envelope to Ryan. “I pulled up what information I could find on the board. I think if we relate to them on a personal level, we will be able to get what we need out of them.”

“The only thing we need is the name of the developer, Catherine,” Ryan said, stuffing the envelope under his arm. “I’m pretty sure that’s public information and they can’t keep it from us.”

The courthouse they met at was one of the smaller ones in Denver and located in the third sector of the city. They had one chance to meet with the board and get the information they needed, but there was a question that remained.

Could they get along long enough to do it?

*****

The small meeting room in the judicial building was dark and dingy and Catherine crinkled her nose at the dust that lined the window. The windows were drawn shut and concealed with heavy drapery and it smelled of hopelessness.

“You think they could at least pop a plant or something in here to brighten it up,” Catherine muttered to Ryan beneath her breath. “It looks like we’re walking to our execution.”

Ryan barked out a laugh in response.

It was the first time she heard him laugh since they started working together. For the most part, Ryan’s brow was always furrowed or he was on the phone, bickering with someone named Alan who was apparently trying to keep Ryan from accomplishing his goals.

“I didn’t know you could laugh,” Catherine added.

“I didn’t know you could be funny,” Ryan replied, turning just enough to cast Catherine a smooth and playful wink. “What a surprise.”

Catherine shook her head and kept her comments to herself as the side door of the room opened and three women filed in to take their seats at one of the large tables at the other side of the room.

“Mr. Metcalfe, Miss Goldberry, I assume?” the eldest of the women who was wearing a tweed blazer questioned.

“That’s us,” Ryan answered as he pressed his hand to the small of Catherine’s back, urging her to take a seat at the table before them.

Catherine shivered unexpectedly.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately Mr. Buchholz is tied up with some important engagements and is unable to be here,” the woman said, not bothering to introduce herself. “We’re unable to release any information pertaining to any building permits or developers who have attained them without him present. As you know, part of the land belongs to the Native Americans and according to the treaty; there are certain rules that need to be followed when releasing the information. You will have to reschedule for another time.”

“Excuse me if I’m speaking out of term,” Ryan said, standing up from his seat. “But we don’t exactly have time to reschedule. We didn’t receive any notice that the chair wouldn’t be here and as I’m sure you’re familiar with our proposal, there isn’t a lot we can do without the information we need.”

“There’s really nothing that I can do, Mr. Metcalfe,” the woman said, pushing up from her chair with the remaining members of the board following. “If you don’t have the time to reschedule, don’t reschedule. I’m sure your reputation of being quite crafty isn’t a lie. Figure something out.”

Catherine and Ryan watched in awe as the three board members left the room without another word said. Ryan’s hands were squeezing the sides of the table to where his knuckles were turning white and it was evident that he was trying to keep his composure.