Conklin's Blueprints by Brooke Page Read Free Book Online

were better there, and Will did say the building was open 24/7.  I doubted they would care if I worked on something personal at 8:00pm on a Friday.  Is this what my new life would be?  Friday nights at the office?  I would turn into my father, a working machine.  No.  This doesn’t count.  I’m doing something for fun, not work.  If I had a family it would be different.  I would be at home with them. 
    I walked quickly in the crisp fall air.  It was starting to get colder.   Soon I would have to bust out my winter jacket and boots.  The thought made me wince.  I really didn’t like snow, and hopefully they plowed the sidewalks.
    My phone rang during my walk, and I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the screen.  It was Ashlynn .  Click .  Not in the mood to hear her rant about her perfect life.
    I showed my ID to the security guard who looked less than thrilled to be on duty.   He sighed and handed me my ID back. 
    “Enjoy your evening,” he said gloomily.
    When I got to my department floor, it was dark and silent on either side of the elevator.  I walked past the reception desk and the lights slowly popped on.  I brought the plans and set them to the side.  I might as well start afresh; I wasn’t going to need kids’ rooms, or at least I wasn’t going to title them as kids’ rooms.  I put my ear buds in and plugged them into my phone and buried myself into making a new dream home while listening to Panic! At the Disco.  
    Listening to Panic was a stupid idea.  One of their songs reminded me of my “first time.”  It wasn’t with Connor, which is I’m sure what everyone assumed.  It was my senior year, after prom, and not with my prom date.  We had a mutual understanding the rest of the summer.  But he, Gage Stark, sure knew how to make my blood swell.  I had way more sparks with him than with Connor; I’d never admit it though.  He had even called me after he heard I had broken up with Connor, offering his sympathy.  Ok, so I had a fling with him when I came back home a few times within the year I took off.  The thought of calling him crossed my mind, but I swiftly pushed it out.  I couldn’t start my new life by calling a former classmate for casual sex, no matter how good it was with him.  I tried to not let the song take me back to Gage and shook my head as if that would take me out of the sudden urges I was beginning to feel.  Just as I took a deep breath and put my hand on my head, I noticed Tyler Conklin resting his elbow on the side of my cubicle with an amused look on his face.
    I quickly sat up, startled by his presence.  I yanked the ear buds from my ears and said, “You scared me!” My heart was racing.  Not only from being startled, but because this man was way too attractive for anyone’s well being. 
    “I didn’t mean to startle you.  I was coming to grab some plans from the residential department and noticed the light was on in here.  I thought I would check it out.  Isn’t it a little late for you to be working?”
    “Yeah… I have been just… um…” I didn’t know what to say.  I was in his building working on personal things using his supplies.  I was suddenly aware that this might look bad.  I tried to not look flustered. 
    His eyes lit up as he peered down at my drawing.  “Working on a dream house?  I think every architect has a few of these.”  He came over to me and leaned over the desk to get a better look.  I was trying not to seem embarrassed.
    “Oh, it’s nothing, just a few ideas…” I blurted, starting to roll up the plans.
    “Don’t worry, you are welcome to use your space for stuff like this, even if it is at,” he looked down at his watch, “11:00 at night.”
    Holy crap, was it really that late?  I guess I did dive right into what I was doing.  I wasn’t even tired.  I hadn’t stayed up this late since I moved back to Michigan.
    My shoulders slouched, “Thanks. I just didn’t really have