Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
That was not okay.
I came down hard on Ramona for drunkenly talking to Henry about sex toys, and there I was, soberly daydreaming about Kierra.
I wondered what was overwhelming her and making her sad.
I bet it was that fucker Henry.
Okay, maybe he wasn’t a fucker toward me, but he was a fucker toward her, which made him a fucker to me. What kind of man went ahead and made all the choices on a home, giving his wife a meditation room to shut her up, instead of adding her input? How did he not involve her in the plans? How had she not seen the blueprints when we were about to break ground? And why, oh why, did it rub me the wrong way?
I wasn’t one for relationships, but if I had been and I had a wife, I’d want her involved. If I was married to Kierra, I’d want to know all her thoughts on it. Heck, I currently wanted to know all her thoughts.
Why did I want to know all her thoughts?
“Hey, Boss Man. More cinnamon muffins?” the front doorman, Eddie, asked as I walked up to the GS Architecture building.
I smirked and handed him the three extra muffins I had, just as I had done the day before. “There’s only three this time. I got greedy and ate some.”
Eddie smiled big and shook his head. “I don’t care. I took these bad boys home to the missus, and I’m pretty sure they have some kind of drugs in them, because she devoured them within five seconds.”
“I’m pretty sure they are drugged,” I agreed. “I haven’t been able to stop eating them since I had my first one.”
“The missus told me if I didn’t bring her more, she’d divorce me. But I know that’s just her hunger hormones acting up with the baby.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Baby?”
Eddie stood tall and nodded with pride. “She gave me the okay to start telling people. We’re three months in. I’m going to finally get my linebacker football son or my ballerina daughter. Or vice versa. The kids can be whatever the hell they want, as long as they’re healthy.”
I patted Eddie’s shoulder, genuinely overjoyed for him. Eddie had been working for me for over three years now, and I knew he and his wife, Sarah, had been trying for years to get pregnant. Even through the ups and downs, Eddie held on to his faith that what’s meant to be would always find its way. He said his and Sarah’s baby was out there in the universe; he or she just had to find their way home.
It felt good to know that some stories received happy endings.
“Congratulations, Eddie. You both will make great parents. That’s a lucky kid.”
“I’m a lucky man,” he countered. “With muffins. What more could a person want? Have a good day, Boss Man.”
“You too, buddy.”
One of the projects I was most proud of working on was the GS Architecture building. The building itself looked like a piece of contemporary art with an oval shape from the outside that had over six floors. The outside was all white, with large windows that were a pain in the ass to have cleaned, but worth every second. We worked with a fantastic crew who handled that task. I knew it wouldn’t look as good if I had to clean them myself.
Inside, the building felt fresh and modern with an avant-garde structure. Each floor held an open-plan interior that was flooded with natural light from all the windows. The use of geometric shapes and innovative materials was one of my favorite elements to explore.
Speaking of elements, each level had a focus on a certain element. The first floor was covered in earth tones. It was designed to make you feel as if you’d walked straight into a Zen garden. The colors were very muted greens and browns. The front desk was made with rustic stone that had a welcoming nature, and the sign resting on the wall behind the entrance desk was made of bamboo and read GS ARCHITECTURE. From there, the floors built up around the other elements.
Though the best floor was the fifth floor—the gaming lunch hall where one could go to decompress. I learned early on that my job could be very stressful. The same was true for my employees, who worked harder than most. I thought it was important to have a place where they could go escape during the workday for a short time to breathe. Whether it be taking advantage of the candy bar, playing video or arcade games, or taking a stroll to the meditation room—also known as the nap room. That was what the fifth floor was for, and it went over amazingly.
After I took the elevator to that floor to get water, I nodded once toward Bobby, who was one of the best architects at the firm. Not only was he a genius at his craft and a million times more talented than I’d ever been, but he was also my best friend, who handled my crazy ideas and spur-of-the-moment actions.