Rory sat in the padded chair, tryin

Rory sat in the padded chair, trying to hide her annoyance at being seated next to the bastard. She didn't understand why Mr. McGill was handling their bids this way. She'd known a month ago when she placed her bid that Connor was going for the same job. It hadn't been a big deal then, because they usually bid for the same job unless one of them was already busy.
Usually these things were handled more privately. She couldn't remember ever being in the room with her competition before when the client announced his decision. The only thing she could come up with was that the client was hoping to use their well known animosity towards each other to start a bidding war right here and now.
It wasn't going to happen. As much as she would love to get her hands on Strawberry Fields Manor, she wasn't about to get into another embarrassing public confrontation with Connor. The one they had last month at the strawberry festival still made her cringe.
Things probably wouldn't have gotten out of hand if their dates had just stayed out of it, but once Mary Lee decided to get in her face and Jeff took it as his cue to get into Connor's face, things kind of went downhill quickly. Okay, so she may have started trouble when she dumped the bucket of juicy mashed strawberries over Mary Lee's head, but in her defense, she could only hear '”stupid bitch” so many times before she snapped.
She still didn't understand why the festival committee banned them for a year, especially after they paid for all those strawberries they'd wrecked. At least she was still allowed to have a booth at next year's festival for her business, Shadow Construction. Granted, one of her brothers would have to man the table and that probably wouldn't go too well, but at least her company would be represented during the town's biggest event.
Connor shifted in his chair next to hers, probably just as nervous as she was. A thought occurred to her, annoying the hell out of her. If he actually went along with this and tried to outbid her, she was going pants his ass on the way out.
Her lips twitched at the memory of the last time she'd done that. Granted, it had been a week after he did it to her, but at least she hadn't been wearing pink boxers with hearts on them at a bar like a certain someone. It really had brought such joy to her and her brothers' lives as they watched guys hit on Connor all night and send drinks his way. She'd been sixty percent sure that he was going to kill her with his bare hands that night.
"As you both know," Mr. McGill started, bringing her attention back to him, "we've had problems getting permits and the heavy rain season pushed our plans back by six months."
They both nodded.
"I know you're both probably very confused as to why I've asked Shadow Construction and Highland Construction for a joint meeting." Thankfully, he didn't leave them in suspense. "My partners and I would like Strawberry Fields Hotel up and running by November."
"That's five months," she blurted out before she could stop herself. Connor threw her an annoyed look, probably for stating the obvious. Not that she cared if she aggravated the bastard. She could care less about that. What she did care about was the fact that there was no way her company could get Strawberry Fields Hotel up and running in five months. A year? Yes, and that was after hiring ten extra men and going overboard with overtime. Five months was not doable.
"Yes, it is," Mr. McGill agreed with a nod of his head. "As you know, Strawberry Fields Manor needs a bit of work." Rory just barely stopped herself from snorting her disbelief out loud.
Strawberry Fields Manor was going to need a complete overhaul. It was going to have to be completely gutted, have an electrical and plumbing overhaul. Those were just a few of the major things that needed to be fixed. She had a fifteen page list in her office of all the small problems that needed attention.
"I know this is highly unusual, but we'd like to hire both your companies to work together and finish the project," he said, shocking them both into utter stillness. She wasn't even sure she was breathing or knew how to at that moment.
He really couldn't expect the two of them to work together? Could he? They'd kill each other! The entire town knew that. Hell, there were several betting pools over who would kill who and how.
This could not be happening. As much as she'd love to work on Strawberry Fields Manor she really wasn't sure-
"If you're both able to do this and meet our deadline, you will each be paid a bonus of fifty-thousand dollars on top of the twenty percent we already decided to add to your bids," Mr. McGill announced. "As long as you both believe that you can work on this together without any problems," he stipulated, giving them a hard glance.
She looked over at Connor to find him looking at her. They narrowed their eyes on each other, deciding if that amount of money would be enough to stop them from killing each other. After several tense moments they both nodded, slowly.
For that kind of money she was more than willing to do a lot of unpleasant things like let the life ruining bastard live.
 
* * * *
 
Connor walked into O'Malley's tavern, grinning. He really couldn't help it. Not only had he landed the most sought after project of the decade, but he was going to be getting a very nice bonus at the end. He spotted five very large men sitting to the far right, glaring openly at him and he was reminded of the little problem he would have to quickly rectify.
No doubt the little tomboy thought they were really going to work this project together. That was just sad, because really at this stage of the game she should know better.
This was his project and the sooner she figured that out the better off everyone would be. Sure, he'd keep her around for appearances' sake. She could fetch his lunch or something to make herself useful, but she would be staying away from his project. The use of her men was certainly a nice little bonus.
Even he had to admit that he hadn't been looking forward to hiring temporary workers. There wasn't time to sort through applicants right now and this project was definitely not something he wanted anyone green to work on. He needed seasoned workers and he'd reluctantly admit that Rory's crew was good. His eyes darted over to the five men, who looked torn between kicking his ass and eating their appetizers.
Having the James brothers working this project was like winning the lottery. Not that he would ever admit it, but the James brothers were the best, even better than his team. They worked hard, always finished their projects on time, and their work was unquestionably the best in the area. He'd never admit any of that of course. Not when he was their main competition. His boys were good, very good, but they didn't have that extra edge the James boys brought to each job.
What he wouldn't give to have even one of them on his crew, hell, running his crew. Over the past five years he'd seriously considered risking war with Rory and going after one of her brothers on more than one occasion. If he could get one, just one, he could probably lure the rest of them over to his side. His eyes moved over to the oldest brother, Craig. He was the clear leader of the group. If he came over the rest would follow.
How they managed to end up working for their baby sister, he would never know. Any of those men could easily have started up his own company and given Connor a run for his money, but they hadn't. No doubt they worked for Rory out of fear of old man James. His boys might be grown men, but he still ruled the family with an iron fist. He probably told the boys to help their sister and they jumped to do it, afraid the old man would kick their collective asses. Hell, even Connor didn't turn his back on the sixty year old man. He wasn't stupid.
Of course if any of the James brothers decided after working this particular project that they'd rather work with him, who was he to argue?
"Did we get it?" Andrew, one of his oldest friends and one of his foremen, asked as Connor joined them at the round tavern table. The four other men stopped talking and sipping their beers to watch him expectantly.
"Oh yeah," he said, grinning, looking towards the James brothers. "Maybe even more.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Rory duduk di kursi empuk, berusaha untuk menyembunyikan nya kekecewaannya pada sedang duduk di sebelah bajingan. Dia tidak mengerti mengapa Tn. McGill adalah penanganan tawaran mereka dengan cara ini. Dia dikenal sebulan yang lalu ketika dia ditempatkan nya tawaran yang Connor akan untuk pekerjaan yang sama. Itu tidak menjadi masalah besar, karena mereka biasanya tawaran untuk pekerjaan yang sama kecuali salah satu dari mereka sudah sibuk.Biasanya hal ini ditangani lebih pribadi. Dia tidak bisa ingat pernah berada di ruangan dengan nya kompetisi sebelum ketika klien mengumumkan keputusannya. Satu-satunya hal yang dia bisa datang dengan adalah bahwa klien berharap untuk menggunakan mereka terkenal kebencian terhadap satu sama lain untuk memulai perang penawaran di sini dan sekarang.Itu tidak akan terjadi. Sama seperti dia akan senang untuk mendapatkan tangan pada Strawberry Fields Manor, dia tidak akan mendapatkan ke lain memalukan umum konfrontasi dengan Connor. Yang mereka memiliki bulan lalu di festival stroberi masih membuatnya ngeri.Hal-hal yang mungkin tidak akan mendapatkan keluar dari tangan jika tanggal mereka telah hanya tinggal dari itu, tapi setelah Maria Lee memutuskan untuk mendapatkan di wajahnya dan Jeff menganggapnya sebagai petunjuk untuk mendapatkan ke wajah Connor's, hal-hal semacam pergi menurun dengan cepat. Oke, jadi dia mungkin sudah mulai kesulitan ketika dia dibuang ember juicy Pure stroberi atas Mary Lee kepala, tetapi dalam pertahanan dia, ia hanya dapat mendengar ' "bitch bodoh" berkali-kali sebelum ia tersentak.Dia masih tidak mengerti mengapa Komite festival melarang mereka selama satu tahun, terutama setelah mereka dibayar untuk semua stroberi-mereka telah hancur. Setidaknya dia masih diperbolehkan untuk memiliki stan di festival tahun depan untuknya bisnis, bayangan konstruksi. Memang, salah satu kakaknya harus manusia tabel dan yang mungkin tidak akan pergi terlalu baik, tapi setidaknya perusahaan akan diwakili selama acara terbesar di kota.Connor bergeser di kursi-nya disamping miliknya, mungkin hanya gugup karena dia. Pikiran terjadi padanya, mengganggu neraka keluar dari dirinya. Jika ia benar-benar pergi bersama dengan ini dan mencoba untuk dlm dia, dia adalah celana pergi pantat di jalan keluar.Bibirnya twitched di memori terakhir kali dia telah melakukan itu. Memang, sudah seminggu setelah ia melakukannya padanya, tapi setidaknya dia tidak memakai pink petinju dengan hati mereka di sebuah bar seperti seseorang tertentu. Itu benar-benar telah membawa sukacita dan saudara hidup ketika mereka melihat orang-orang yang memukul pada Connor sepanjang malam dan mengirim minuman jalannya. Ia telah enam puluh persen yakin bahwa ia akan membunuhnya dengan tangan kosongnya malam itu."Seperti yang Anda berdua tahu," Mr McGill mulai, membawa perhatian kembali kepada-Nya, "Kami punya masalah mendapatkan izin dan musim hujan lebat mendorong rencana kami kembali oleh enam bulan."Mereka berdua mengangguk."Saya tahu Anda berdua mungkin sangat bingung sebagai ke mengapa saya diminta bayangan konstruksi dan Highland konstruksi untuk pertemuan bersama." Untungnya, dia tidak meninggalkan mereka dalam ketegangan. "Mitra saya dan saya ingin Strawberry Fields Hotel dan berjalan oleh November.""Itu adalah lima bulan," dia terlepas cakap sebelum dia bisa berhenti sendiri. Connor melemparkan pandangan yang kesal, mungkin untuk menyatakan yang sudah jelas. Bukan berarti dia peduli jika dia diperparah bajingan. Dia tidak peduli tentang hal itu. Apa yang dia lakukan peduli adalah fakta bahwa ada tidak ada cara perusahaan bisa Strawberry Fields Hotel up dan menjalankan dalam lima bulan. Setahun? Ya, dan itu setelah menyewa sepuluh orang tambahan dan pergi ke laut dengan lembur. Lima bulan itu tidak dapat dilakukan."Ya, itu adalah," Mr McGill setuju dengan anggukan kepala. "Seperti yang Anda tahu, Strawberry Fields Manor perlu sedikit kerja." Rory nyaris tidak menghentikan dirinya dari mendengus kekafiran nya keras.Strawberry Fields Manor akan perlu merekonstruksi secara lengkap. Itu akan harus patah hati sepenuhnya, memiliki perombakan listrik dan pipa. Mereka adalah hanya beberapa dari hal-hal utama yang perlu diperbaiki. Dia punya daftar lima belas halaman di kantornya dari semua masalah kecil yang perlu mendapat perhatian."Aku tahu ini sangat tidak biasa, tapi kami ingin menyewa kedua perusahaan Anda untuk bekerja sama dan menyelesaikan proyek," katanya, mengejutkan mereka berdua ke mengucapkan keheningan. Dia bahkan tidak yakin dia adalah bernapas atau tahu bagaimana saat itu.Dia benar-benar tidak bisa mengharapkan mereka untuk bekerja sama? Mungkin dia? Mereka akan membunuh satu sama lain! Seluruh kota tahu itu. Neraka, ada yang beberapa kolam renang taruhan atas yang akan membunuh yang dan bagaimana.Ini tidak mungkin terjadi. Sama seperti dia akan senang bekerja pada Manor ladang stroberi dia benar-benar tidak yakin-"Jika Anda berdua mampu melakukan hal ini dan memenuhi tenggat kami, Anda akan masing-masing dibayar bonus lima puluh ribu dolar di atas dua puluh persen kita sudah memutuskan untuk menambah tawaran," Mr McGill mengumumkan. "Selama yang Anda berdua percaya bahwa Anda dapat bekerja pada ini bersama-sama tanpa masalah," ia ditetapkan, memberikan sekilas keras.Dia memandang Connor menemukan dia menatapnya. Mereka mempersempit mata mereka pada satu sama lain, memutuskan jika jumlah uang akan cukup untuk menghentikan mereka dari membunuh satu sama lain. Setelah beberapa tegang saat mereka berdua mengangguk, perlahan-lahan.Untuk jenis uang yang dia adalah lebih dari bersedia untuk melakukan banyak hal-hal yang tidak menyenangkan seperti membiarkan kehidupan merusak bajingan hidup. * * * * Connor berjalan ke O'Malley's tavern, menyeringai. Dia benar-benar tidak bisa membantu. Tidak hanya dia mendarat yang paling dicari setelah proyek dekade, tetapi ia akan mendapatkan bonus yang sangat bagus pada akhir. Dia melihat lima pria sangat besar duduk ke kanan, mencolok terbuka kepadanya dan Dia teringat sedikit masalah yang ia harus cepat memperbaiki.Tidak diragukan lagi tomboi sedikit berpikir mereka benar-benar akan bekerja proyek ini bersama-sama. Itu hanya sedih, karena benar-benar pada tahap ini permainan dia seharusnya tahu lebih baik.Ini adalah proyek dan semakin cepat dia memperkirakan bahwa keluar lebih baik semua orang akan. Tentu saja, dia akan membuat dia di sekitar demi penampilan. Dia bisa mengambil makan siang atau sesuatu untuk membuat dirinya berguna, tapi dia akan tinggal jauh dari proyek. Penggunaan buahnya pasti adalah bonus bagus sedikit.Bahkan ia harus mengakui bahwa ia tidak menantikan mempekerjakan pekerja sementara. Tidak ada waktu untuk menyortir melalui pelamar sekarang dan proyek ini pasti tidak sesuatu yang ia inginkan orang hijau untuk bekerja pada. Ia membutuhkan pekerja berpengalaman dan ia akan enggan mengakui bahwa awak Rory's itu baik. Matanya kecilpun atas untuk lima orang, yang tampak robek antara menendang pantatnya dan makan makanan pembuka mereka.Setelah James bersaudara yang bekerja proyek ini adalah seperti memenangkan lotre. Bukan karena ia pernah akan mengakuinya, tapi James saudara adalah yang terbaik, bahkan lebih baik daripada timnya. Mereka bekerja keras, selalu selesai proyek-proyek mereka tepat waktu, dan pekerjaan mereka adalah tidak diragukan lagi yang terbaik di daerah tersebut. Dia tidak akan pernah mengakui semua itu tentu saja. Tidak ketika ia berusia kompetisi utama mereka. Anak yang baik, sangat baik, tetapi mereka tidak memiliki tambahan tepi yang anak-anak James dibawa ke setiap pekerjaan.Apa yang tidak dia memberikan untuk memiliki bahkan salah satu dari mereka di krunya, neraka, menjalankan krunya. Selama lima tahun ia telah serius mempertimbangkan risiko perang dengan Rory dan terjadi setelah salah satu kakaknya lebih dari satu kali. Jika dia bisa mendapatkan satu, hanya satu, ia dapat mungkin membujuk sisa mereka atas ke sisinya. Matanya pindah ke saudara tertua, Craig. Dia adalah pemimpin yang jelas dari kelompok. Jika ia datang yang lain akan mengikuti.How they managed to end up working for their baby sister, he would never know. Any of those men could easily have started up his own company and given Connor a run for his money, but they hadn't. No doubt they worked for Rory out of fear of old man James. His boys might be grown men, but he still ruled the family with an iron fist. He probably told the boys to help their sister and they jumped to do it, afraid the old man would kick their collective asses. Hell, even Connor didn't turn his back on the sixty year old man. He wasn't stupid.Of course if any of the James brothers decided after working this particular project that they'd rather work with him, who was he to argue?"Did we get it?" Andrew, one of his oldest friends and one of his foremen, asked as Connor joined them at the round tavern table. The four other men stopped talking and sipping their beers to watch him expectantly."Oh yeah," he said, grinning, looking towards the James brothers. "Maybe even more.