The Mighty Quinns: Danny Read Online Free PDF Page B

again.
    â€œWill you do the job?”
    â€œAre you going to let me kiss you again?”
    She shook her head. “This project is very important to me, Mr. Quinn.”
    â€œIf you call me Mr. Quinn again, I’ll walk out of here and you can get Neddy O’Doul to do your work. He usually shoes horses and he makes a hames of that.”
    â€œDanny,” she said. “My future depends upon this project. It has to come in on time and under budget. You have no idea how much is riding on this. We can’t have any distractions.”
    He wasn’t going to get any closer to Jordan sitting at home. He’d have to take the bad with the good. “I’ll do the job,” he said. “You won’t have to worry.” He pushed away from the desk and saw relief flood her features. All the tension in her body eased. “Tell me why this is so important.”
    â€œI have a lot to prove to my boss, who just happens to be my father. If I do a good job here, then maybe he’ll finally recognize that I’m competent and trustworthy. And as good as any son he has.”
    â€œYou work for your father?”
    â€œYes. I’ve worked for his real estate development and construction firm since I was in high school. Some day, I plan to run it.” Jordan paused, then smiled weakly. “I’ll just have to find a way to get rid of my four older brothers first, but I’m working on that.”
    â€œWell, I’ll have to make sure that you get what you want while you’re here,” Danny said.
    She nodded. “Yes. Fine. I suppose we should talk about compensation.”
    â€œI don’t like to talk about money,” he said. “That’s business. And it will be difficult to know how much this will cost until I buy materials and get started.”
    â€œBut I have to have some idea,” she said, concern furrowing her brow.
    â€œWhat’s your budget?”
    â€œThirty thousand plus materials,” she stated.
    â€œMaterials. There’s where the budget could go to hell. You’ll have to decide if you want iron or steel.”
    â€œWhat’s the difference?”
    â€œIron is authentic to the time period but very expensive. Steel is cheaper, but it doesn’t have the same look.”
    â€œIron,” she said. “When aesthetics make a difference. Steel, when practicality is important. This has to be an authentic restoration.”
    â€œThe labor budget sounds more than reasonable,” he said. In truth, it was enough to live on for a good year. Once he completed this job, he could spend the next twelve months working on his art instead of working in the smithy. “You’ve got your man.”
    She relaxed and smiled. “Good.”
    â€œNow, why don’t you show me where I’m going to live and where I’ll set up the forge.”
    They made a quick tour of the house, upstairs and down, then walked outside to tour the collection of stone buildings that surrounded the manor. There was a stable, a barn and a huge garden with a newly restoreddrystone wall. “You’ll need a gate for this?” he asked, peering over.
    An elderly man and woman were inside, wearing wide-brimmed hats and wellies, standing among huge piles of earth. They stared down into a hole in the ground, not noticing Danny and Jordan. “What are they doing?” he asked.
    â€œThat’s Bartie and his friend, Daisy. They run the garden club in Glencairn. They showed up one morning and volunteered to do the work for free if I paid for the plantings. Bartie claims that he played in the garden as a child.”
    â€œFolks around the county weren’t very happy to hear that an American bought this place,” he said. “They’re kind of suspicious of outsiders.”
    â€œI know. But I’m employing a lot of local craftsmen and once they find out who bought the place, they’ll be fine. The person is of Irish