Page 43 of Claiming Her Cougar (Shifting Pines #2)

MALLORY

I hate January. I know it’s supposed to be the season of fresh starts and resolutions, but to me it’s the season of crappy weather, monotony, and loneliness.

Daphne is doing marketing work with her video tours of centers, so she’s not in the office every day.

The collection work is almost done, so I’ve started working on some leasing.

Steve worked on some commercial transactions, so I have experience with retail leases, but not the volume that Morgan deals with.

Thankfully, it’s a bit like riding a bike. You don’t forget how to do it.

Valerie moved in and is still giving me the cold shoulder.

I try not to let it bother me; I know she’s been through a lot lately, but I don’t enjoy having a strained relationship with her.

I don’t want her to think less of me for being involved with Liam.

Not that we’ve been involved since that night at Devil’s Den.

We text and FaceTime now and then, but it’s not the same as it was.

I know I said this was friends with benefits, but it’s not.

First, there are no benefits being had at the moment, so that’s a failure.

Secondly, I feel more than friendship. I want more than that.

He’s a good man, and I like him. I could see myself falling in love with him.

Honestly, I’m afraid I already have. I see what Daphne has with Logan, and I want that too.

I think we could have it. Well, I thought we could have it. I feel like Liam has been pulling away.

My phone rings. “Good morning. Morgan Development. This is Mallory. How may I help you?”

It’s Liam—he’s in town and wants to meet with me.

“I’m not going to be your nooner,” I tease.

I hear a throat clear behind me and spin my chair around to find Mike standing in the doorway of my office. He heard what I said, and I want to hide for the next ten years. Maybe by then, the flush that’s probably turning my face crimson will have faded.

“Hi, Mike.” I hang up the phone without saying goodbye to Liam. “What’s up?”

He gives me an embarrassed grin. He probably wants to go hide somewhere too.

“Can you come downstairs? There’s a meeting we want you to be a part of.”

Oh crap, the human resources department is downstairs. Do they know about me and Liam? Not that there’s anything to know about. There aren’t any fraternization rules either. I’ve checked.

“Sure. Do I need to bring anything? Laptop?” Purse, coat, personal belongings because I’m being fired and escorted out of the building?

“Just yourself,” Mike assures me.

All righty then.

We take the stairs to the second floor and turn toward the conference room.

To my relief, no one from human resources is there.

Instead, Will, Ben, Miller, Teagan, Jake, and Liam are occupying the seats around the table.

My eyes widen. When he said “meet with him,” I didn’t think he meant attend a meeting!

“Good, we’re all here,” Will says from the head of the table as I take the seat next to Ben, and Mike sits at the other side of the table, opposite Will.

Teagan is directly across from me, next to Jake.

Liam is down the table, next to his uncle.

Unless I turn my head to look at him, I can’t see him.

From the glance I had when I walked in, he’s wearing a navy suit.

He looks so handsome. He’s not wearing a tie, and the top buttons on his shirt are open, showing the spot at the base of his neck I love to kiss.

Our eyes meet briefly when I glance his way again, but he looks away.

Will looks to my side of the table and starts speaking.

“As you know, Morgan Development has purchased the Sand Dollar Pier and will renovate it. It will not be opening as a typical Morgan retail center. This property is going to be a mixed retail and entertainment property as a joint venture between Morgan Development and Penhall Enterprises. Representing Penhall Enterprises are Teagan Penhall, owner of the Devil’s Den casino and on the board of Penhall Enterprises, and Jake Whitman, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Devil’s Den. ”

I smile across the table at Teagan and Jake. I had no idea Teagan was a Penhall. We didn’t share last names at the Flyers game.

“Thanks, Will,” Teagan says. “As I’ve discussed with Mallory previously, spaces that are a mix of retail and entertainment are the way of the future.”

Will smiles at me with approval, like I passed a test. We were just chatting at a game. It wasn’t a business strategy meeting!

Jake takes the reins of the conversation.

“We’ve done research and will have an ice rink installed on the main floor of the pier.

It will be a full-size sheet, capable of hosting hockey games, figure skating competitions, ice shows.

It will be open for public skating and private lessons, parties, and events.

There will be locker rooms, concessions, and a pro shop.

We’ll want additional tenants that will complement the rink.

Retail, restaurants, other entertainment. ”

I grab a pen and pad from the center of the table and start writing notes.

Ideas flood my brain of what else would work there.

Batting cages, an indoor driving range, a sports bar, athletic wear stores.

I realize the room is quiet except for the scratching of my pen on the pad. I look up, embarrassed.

“Sorry. Had some ideas. Can’t help it,” I say sheepishly.

Teagan smiles at me warmly. “That’s exactly why I asked for you to be on the leasing team! I knew you’d have ideas and understand what we were trying to do.”

“Oh, yeah, you three are the primary legal and leasing team,” Mike says. “Miller and Mallory are just about done with collections, and Ben has excellent leasing experience. The three of you working together will be a dream team.”

Ben holds up his fists so Miller and I can each bump one.

“What did you write down, Mallory?” Liam asks, his blue eyes intent on mine. I want to crawl across the table and kiss him. I’ve missed him.

I look down at my pad, glad I didn’t write my grocery list.

“I was brainstorming what else may be good along with the rink. In terms of entertainment, we could focus on other sports with batting cages and an indoor driving range. A sports bar, as well as a family-friendly place with an arcade, like the fifties diner down Route 42. Ooh, mini golf.” I add that to my list. “For retail, a sporting goods store, casual clothing, athletic wear. Book store.”

“Book store?” Jake asks.

“A lot of families will have one person—adult or child—who isn’t feeling like being sporty and would much rather sit somewhere and read. Parents needing something to read during a practice. Having a bookstore will cater to them. Plus, you’ll draw people from the beach and boardwalk.”

Everyone is smiling, so I guess my ideas made sense.

“Total dream team,” Mike says, smiling down the table at us.

Liam drums his fingers on the table. Is he nervous?

“It’s early days still, and we should be able to provide more details and plans in a few weeks as more pieces fall into place,” Will says.

“However, we wanted to bring you three in now to give you the heads up. We’ll make a formal announcement upstairs when we know more.

The role the three of you will have is not a secret, but it’s not common knowledge yet. Any questions?”

“Are we remaining Morgan Development employees, or is the joint venture a separate entity?” Miller asks.

“Still Morgan,” Will says with a smile. “You’re our all-stars. We’re not letting you get away!”

Jake leans in. “The joint venture is going to be a separate entity, but the leasing will remain in Morgan’s purview.”

“Will we get an employee discount to use the rink?” Ben asks with a laugh.

Liam turns to Teagan and Jake. “Ben has twins in pee-wee hockey and has to go to Voorhees for practices and ice time.”

Teagan grins at Ben. “The three of us love hockey, and part of the reason for wanting a rink in the pier is so that we can help support and establish youth hockey here at the shore. We hope teams will make the pier their home base and cut out the commute. You’ll definitely get a discount.”

“Any other questions?” Mike asks. There are head shakes around the table. “I guess we’re done then. Thanks for coming down,” he says to us. “Thanks for coming in,” he says to Teagan and Jake. We all rise, and handshakes are exchanged.

“Want to join us at Francisco’s?” Teagan asks as we shake hands. Her gaze includes Ben and Miller.

I wasn’t expecting that. I glance to Liam. He gives a quick lift of his brows. What the hell?

“Sure. Let me run upstairs and get my purse. I’ll meet you guys there?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Teagan says.

“I brought lunch, but thanks,” Miller says.

“Me too, and I use my lunch break to study. I’m in law school,” Ben says.

I leave the conference room behind Ben and Miller. We take the elevator upstairs, so we have a moment alone.

“Wow,” Miller says, “wasn’t expecting that.”

“I know, so cool,” Ben says. “Have you known Teagan long, Mallory?”

“No. Just a few weeks. I went to a Flyers game and sat in the Morgan box. She and Jake were there as friends of Liam’s.

I didn’t realize she was a Penhall. We had a casual conversation about shopping centers needing to be more than just retail to stay relevant in the age of online shopping.

I didn’t realize this was going to come from that. ”

“Good job making an impression! You had some great ideas too. I’m looking forward to working together on this,” Miller says.

The elevator reaches our floor, and we exit to return to our own spaces. I grab my purse and head back downstairs. Liam is waiting in the lobby.

“Want to ride together?” he asks.

I look around to see if anyone’s nearby, but we’re alone.

“I’m only having lunch. I meant it when I said I wasn’t going to be your nooner,” I warn him with a flirtatious wink.