Aloha With Love Page 2

  The words were right, but Jenna couldn’t help thinking it sounded a lot more like he was saying me rather than us. “It would be a really nice commission that would go a long way to paying for a wedding,” she hinted. When Darren didn’t respond, she added, “At the very least, we could officially get engaged. You know, buy a ring. Set a date.”

  Darren put his arms around her, and Jenna reluctantly allowed herself to be gathered into his embrace. “We both have so much going on right now, and if you get this account, you’re going to be the lead architect. Do you really want to be planning a wedding at the same time?”

  Did she? Jenna glanced over Darren’s shoulder at the photo on her laptop screen. What would Aunt May have said about her planning a wedding and leading her first architectural project at the same time? Jenna didn’t have to consider it long. May would have told her to get to work, then cheered her on. “I guess not.”

  Darren gave a little squeeze. “Of course not. There’s no rush. Fiancé is just a title. We can get married anytime.”

  “It doesn’t have to be a big wedding.” Jenna muttered, mostly to herself. Frankly, after four years, she’d settle for a ring and vows over takeout pizza if it meant they could finally break ground on their happily-ever-after. She’d even happily pick out her own engagement ring if Darren would just slide it into place on her finger. Heck, even officially moving in together might be enough to satisfy her need for forward momentum. Four years was a long time to be consigned to a single drawer at each other’s apartments.

  Darren dropped his arms as he moved back to the model, then shifted his attention to Jenna’s still-frozen laptop screen. Recognition clicked in his gaze. “How was the virtual birthday party?”

  The way he asked didn’t give Jenna the impression he was sorry to have missed it. Big surprise. “It was nice. Aunt May asked about you.”

  “Was your sister there?”

  “Sarah was there, with Mike and the kids.”

  Darren’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “And your dad? Isn’t he living with them now?”

  Jenna nodded. She already knew what was coming next. It always did.

  “How’s that working out?” Darren’s tone was tight, bordering on sarcastic.

  “You know how he is. Dad can be a ... handful.” It wasn’t exactly the right word, but it was the closest thing Jenna could think of with both her boyfriend and Terrace Pines staring her down.

  “That’s saying it nicely.”

  Nicely wasn’t the right word either, but perhaps Darren was approximating with his choice of vocabulary, too.

  Jenna sighed. There wasn’t a lot of love lost between her boyfriend and her father. Or most of her family, for that matter. Darren was a big-city guy, and Jenna’s family were island people. It wasn’t exactly a perfect match. Sometimes it felt more like they came from different planets than just from across a little bit of ocean. “He likes you. He really does.”

  Darren gave a wry laugh and ran his fingers through his perfectly gelled dark hair without making a single strand so much as twitch. “He certainly doesn’t act like he likes me.”

  “He’ll warm up to you.”

  “I’ve known him for four years now. How long does it take for the guy to warm up?”

  A pang of irritation flared in Jenna’s chest. “It’s going to take more than one trip to Maui and a handful of phone calls for him to get to know you.”

  The two locked eyes for a moment, Jenna’s point hitting home.

  “You know I don’t like to leave the city,” Darren said, then waited for Jenna to agree.

  She didn’t, instead letting the space between them fill with fresh air, quiet streets, lazy afternoons. Relaxation. Quality time.

  “How’s that huge piece of property doing?” he asked when the silence became too full. “Still sitting around being reclaimed by the tropics?”

  Jenna sighed. Of course Darren’s thoughts had gone to the one thing he loved above all else—real estate. He was great at his job, but Darren was an opportunist and the large piece of prime Hawaiian property in her family’s possession hadn’t gone unnoticed. Once Jenna had thought this a good quality—detail-oriented, long-term memory, that sort of thing—but now it was just sort of annoying. “That huge piece of property belongs to my aunt. And her house is right in the middle of it.”

  “I’m just making an observation,” Darren insisted, raising his hands. “It’s a substantial piece of land in a place everyone wants to be, and it’s just going to waste being left empty like it is since she moved into the retirement community. What do you think she’s going to do with it when she ... when she goes?”

  “Goes?” echoed Jenna. “I don’t know, and I don’t think about it.” Now was her turn to change the subject, otherwise she was going to get too flustered to present her pitch. She redirected. “So, tell me more about Orville Barrington.”

  Darren adjusted his posture and straightened his tie. “Orville Barrington leads a group of investors always looking for projects to put their substantial capital into. He brokers the deal, so the investors remain anonymous, but don’t let that fool you. Barrington works on commission, and he knows what he’s doing. He’s been in business for forty years. My firm has worked with him since the beginning. He’s tough.”

  “And he’s here.” Darren’s eyes darted over Jenna’s shoulder to the window behind her, then to his watch. “Men like Barrington like to be early, just to keep everyone on their toes.”

  Probably why you showed up early today, too. Without looking behind her, Jenna moved to drape a white cloth over the Terrace Pines model. It wouldn’t do for Barrington to get a peek before she had the chance to set up the pitch. She let out a sigh of relief when the pinwheel of death on her laptop screen expanded, bringing her PowerPoint presentation with it.

  “He’s a huge basketball fan, so make a basketball reference,” Darren suggested.

  “I don’t know anything about basketball.” Jenna would have appreciated any tips for handling Barrington earlier—say, anytime before he was about to walk through the door. Besides, couldn’t any man make a deal without needing a sports reference?

  “Just say, ‘This deal is a slam dunk!’” Darren said behind her. “I should go, though. I don’t want him to think I’m coaching you in any way.

  Coaching. Jenna rolled her eyes. Another sports reference. “Sort of like what you were just doing?”

  “Exactly. Good luck.”

  “Dinner tonight?” Jenna tried, and hoped the question didn’t sound too eager.

  Darren was already halfway out the door. “I’m working late, but I’ll make it up to you.”

  Chapter Three

  Orville Barrington was a tall black man with salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed goatee which bore a striking resembles to the one Darren had started to cultivate on his usually clean-shaven chin. He wore an impeccable three-piece suit and a fixed “impress me” expression, both of which told Jenna it was going to take a lot more than a lazy sports metaphor to get him excited about her pitch. She got the impression Orville Barrington didn’t get excited about much.

  Barrington tapped the toe of his freshly shined shoe against the tile. Apparently, he didn’t like to be kept waiting, either.

  After a series of handshakes and introductions, Patti, Barrington, Darren, and Jenna filed into the conference room. As soon as everyone was settled around the table, Jenna inhaled a deep gulp of air, held it long enough to help stabilize her breath, and clicked on her laser pointer. Then, she nodded at Patti to begin the presentation queued up on her laptop. When she looked at Darren, he gave her a sly thumbs up from his side of the table.

  No pressure. Today was only the biggest pitch of her life—so far. Maybe Darren was right: Terrace Pines could be the starting point for their future together. But, if that were true, what would happen if she failed?

  Jenna swallowed the thought.

  “Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Barrington,” she began. H
er words came out clipped and she smiled, blinked to calm her nerves, and snuck in another sip of air. “According to the National Association of Home Builders, more than half of all condo buyers move out in six years or less. Now, with mortgage rates at an all-time low and single-family developments at an all-time high, how do we make a condo development a can’t-miss investment?”

  She paused for effect. Barrington blinked. You’re losing him already.

  “The answer,” Jenna continued, picking up the pace, “I believe, is community. We construct a complex built for the long-term, both in the sustainability of the structure itself and in its ability to meet the ongoing needs for its residents. We build a place that says home. Community.”

  Having already positioned the tag line of her pitch, it was time to wow her would-be investor with the model’s curb appeal and all the details she’d agonized over for months. Jenna swept the cloth from the model.

  “Our concept for Terrace Pines is based on the idea that the complex itself should be more than just a place to call home, but a place to be home. It has a jogging path and an indoor/outdoor catering space, coffee bistro, workout space, green spaces, and more. We’ve maximized all available space, and as a result, have been able to include more units than you asked for. Thirty of those units have two bedrooms, twenty have three bedrooms, and the remainder have one bedroom. People want extra room, even in their beachfront properties.”

  Jenna closed her mouth before anything about his and hers offices popped out and watched as Barrington eyed her first, then the model. His expression remained stoic as he studied everything from the careful landscaping to the solar panels and other energy-efficient features she’d added. If anything impressed him, it didn’t show.

  Barrington’s gaze swung back to Jenna. “You’re very ... sunny ... aren’t you?”

  “I try to be.” Was sunny a bad thing?

  He harrumphed and jerked his head back to the model. “You’ve added in a lot of high-tech hardware. How do you plan on keeping the maintenance fees low?”

  “New battery technology combined with solar panels will keep maintenance fees lower than any other condominium complex in the area,” Jenna promised. “Thermal cladding for the exterior. Graywater plumbing systems for irrigation for the greenbelts. I estimate we can lower common utility costs by up to seventeen percent.”

  “Well, I’m not hating it so far.”

  Resisting the urge to glance at Patti, Jenna forced her face into a confident smile and straightened her posture as Barrington rose from his seat to drift around the table, sizing up the model. He didn’t speak for several minutes while he evaluated Terrace Pines from every possible angle. Finally, he took a deep breath and shook his head in a gesture that was a close cousin to approval.

  “Nice looking,” he decided. “A little—” His eyes slid back at Jenna. “Sunny. But it’s not terrible.”

  Not terrible? The comment stung, but it wasn’t a pass. A good sign, right?

  “It’s more than looks,” Patti cut in, her voice brisk and professional. Realtors like Darren and his firm might bring in heavy hitters, but Patti Murray knew how to wheel and deal. She could sell a concrete box to a hotel tycoon on a bad day. “This build has personality. Longevity.”

  Nodding, Barrington returned to his chair and Jenna and Patti took their seats across from him. They waited patiently as he reviewed the printed materials prepared for him.

  When he was finished scanning the pages, Barrington stacked them and crossed his hands atop the papers. “I’ve heard your marketing pitch, now let’s get down to brass tacks. How many units do you have, exactly?”

  Jenna’s answer was automatic. “Sixty-six. Ten more than you asked for.”

  “And the parking garage is—”

  “In the sub levels,” she finished. “So there is no wasted real estate.”

  “No pool?” Barrington raised an eyebrow in Jenna’s direction.

  “And give back the ten units?”

  “I like the way you think,” Barrington pressed, “but a condo complex without a pool? A pool is a strong selling point.”

  Jenna had anticipated this question and had an answer at the ready. “There’s a public pool nearby, and the property Darren has identified as a suitable location is within walking distance to the beach. We can work a deal with the town to offer a discount to your tenants, so you get the best of all worlds—a members-only pool your investors don’t have to maintain or sacrifice space for, fast access to the beach for tenants, and the income from ten additional units.”

  Barrington reclined in his chair and looked impressed. He took off his glasses and picked up the papers, reading them this time rather than skimming. The left corner of his mouth twitched—not exactly enough to be considered a smile, but something close to approval anyway. “Sunny and smart, interesting combination. Tell me about the catering space.”

  “The units are spacious for a single person, a couple, or even a small family to host a decent size gathering. But if a tenant wants to throw, say, an engagement party with fifty guests, they can rent the catering space for half of what they’d pay to rent a catering hall. And when a tenant isn’t renting the space, you can rent it out to the public—utilize it as a separate revenue stream.”

  “How much do you think we can rent it for?”

  Jenna smiled, happy to have captured Barrington’s full attention as she slid a sheet of paper with additional numbers across the table. “I ran an analysis based on what mid to top-tier restaurants charge in the neighborhood to accommodate fifty to seventy-five people.”

  Barrington’s lip twitched even higher when he saw the number. “Not bad.” He set the papers down, gave the model another scrutinizing glance. “Not great. I’m not sure the coffee shop is necessary.”

  “I am,” Patti chimed in. She lifted her coffee cup in salute. “There’s over eight hundred coffee shops in the LA area, but none of them are unique to Terrace Pines. People will pay for the privilege of an on-site café just for them. Sometimes it’s not just about the availability of something, but the exclusiveness of it.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. Patti made a fair point.

  “And unlike area restaurants,” Jenna continued, “our bistro model includes two large glass doors that open out to the garden, giving guests the additional option to enjoy outdoor seating as well.”

  “A garden? How many additional units could you have included if you hadn’t given up valuable space?”

  Barrington’s sharp tone cut Jenna to the quick. “We could add in more units, but that wouldn’t be as aesthetically pleasing, or the best use of space in my opinion.”

  He held up his palm in the universal gesture for pause. “Well, Miss Burke, aesthetically my investors will care more about the ROI on any additional units than they will on a bunch of plants. Pretty flowers and greenspaces are what landscaping is for.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “What’s the total cost on the build?”

  Jenna cleared her throat. “Construction cost is five percent under your target budget—”

  “Five percent?”

  “That’s correct.”

  “I presume the low margin is due to your—” He flicked the kou tree, knocking it aside. “Finishing touches?”

  Jenna’s heart flipped. So much for curb appeal. Sure, her pitch could have included substantially deeper savings, but she’d tried to recoup for upfront investment in long-term gains. “Our concept may be a bit more costly upfront, but we are confident the additional elements we’ve included will make the property more attractive to investors, and will appeal to residents looking for a long-term housing solution. And, with the green roof and solar panels, combined with new battery technology that can store solar energy, Terrace Pines will save tens of thousands over the coming years. A smaller margin upfront will equate to substantially higher returns down the road.”

  Remembering Darren’s coaching, Jenna pointed to one more feature right in
front of the building. “Oh, and we have a flagpole. It’s a grand slam!”

  Barrington shuffled his papers into a neat stack and pushed himself up from the table. “I’m a basketball fan.”

  

  Patti stuck her head into Jenna’s office just as she finished packing up for the day. She’d moved the Terrace Pines model into her office, where it still sat uncovered atop her desk. Jenna had rearranged the foliage half a dozen more times since Barrington left, shepherded out by Darren, who hadn’t bothered to say goodbye. The kou tree Barrington had knocked over still lay unrooted.

  “Grand slam?” Patti asked, sipping her afternoon coffee. “Where’d you come up with that one?”

  Jenna’s shoulders sagged. She decided against telling Patti it had been Darren’s last-minute tip. “I got my sports terms mixed up.”

  “You did great, Jenna,” Patti offered by way of comfort. “You’re very talented and the work you put into this deal really showed today, sports terms notwithstanding.”

  Did she? “I took some chances with the green roof and solar panels.” And the landscaping.

  Patti shrugged down another sip of coffee. “Like you said in the pitch, a few extra upfront dollars will save them money down the road. You want long-term, you have to think long-term.”

  “But it will cost upfront. Barrington balked at only five percent.” Jenna gazed at her model, thumbed at the downed kou tree. Long-term thinking might have short-term consequences.

  “Listen to me, Jenna,” said Patti. “Creativity is all too often stymied by the almighty dollar, but that’s why this business needs people like you who push boundaries and think outside the box. You created a beautiful complex with an incredible amount of personality for its residents—and it makes good business sense.”

  Jenna digested Patti’s words and tried to remember she’d been in this business a lot longer than Jenna had. “So, what do you think? Do we have a shot?”

  “Barrington may have rushed out of here, but he took the papers with him. That’s a good sign. We’ll just have to wait and see. Try not to obsess over it—it’ll give you wrinkles.” She eyed Jenna over the brim of her coffee cup and redirected. “Darren rushed out of here quick on Barrington’s heels. Isn’t tonight date night?”