"But you should, by definition, maximize your clients dollar per square foot. Wasting money on frills does not serve the client if that is not part of their design protocol," the young man stated.
Michael sighed, 'The intro class was so much easier,' he thought.
The twenty students in his master's level class looked up at him from their seats, waiting for a response.
The last three days had been a whirlwind. .........
Valerie and Tera had been none to happy with him early Monday morning as he stepped out of the cab in front of his flat.
What had followed was a surprisingly easy morning.
Michael had cooked them all breakfast, the first decent meal any of them had in almost 24 hours.
They talked easily about school starting that day, of Valerie's need to get an early start at the office. The innocuous chatter of people at ease in each other's company.
"I best be off," Valerie said as she stood from the table, taking her dishes into the kitchen.
"If you'll be on campus would you like to have lunch?" she asked over the sound of the water washing away the remnants of her breakfast from the plate.
"We would love to," Michael said, more than a little bit of a question in his answer as he glanced from Tera to Valerie.
"One or both, I'll be happy with either," Valerie said, as she walked back over to the table.
Her hands slid gently into Michael's hair on both sides of his head as she bent over, her lips finding his.
Michael was surprised by the passion of her kiss. Valerie's lips were soft and warm, parting as her tongue teased his in a seductive dance that ended far too quickly for Michaels taste.
"I'll see you later," Valerie said, looking into his eyes. Her statement laden with promise.
Turning she bent and gave Tera a kiss on her cheek.
Michael watched as a knowing smile passed between the two and then Valerie was grabbing her purse. Turning, she caught the keys Tera threw to her for the car Nigel had given her. The front door drifted closed behind her as she walked out into the gray dawn.
Michael sat looking towards the closed door for a moment, the after image of Valerie's auburn hair, the last bit of her to pass the threshold, burned into his memory.
Tera watched Michael as he stared at the door, smiling and shaking her head she rose and headed for the kitchen.
Rinsing off her plate she was watching as Michael's gaze moved from the door to her.
Smiling at him she said, "I'm going to get a few hours of sleep, when do you want to go to the University?"
"A few hours, it's only just after six, I feel like a run. What say we head over about elevenish?" he asked.
She stood there for a moment; he noticed her hands on either side of the sink, her long fingers splayed out on the cool umber shaded granite. The arch in her back, the way her eyes watched him, so very much like a predator sizing up her prey.
"That sounds good, do you want me to run with you before I hit the sack?" she asked.
"No, it should be fine, I got a ton of sleep yesterday and I need the exercise, with classes starting today I should be fine, you get some rest," he finished as she moved around the counter towards him.
Michael stood as Tera moved in close to him. "Be careful," she said in a soft, almost worried voice.
She looked up into his eyes from beneath her lids, in that moment she seemed young, vulnerable, he had never seen a look from her quite like it.
His hand slipped into her dark hair, his palm and fingers caressing her, he bent just a bit and kissed her.
Her lips were hot, wet, lush. Her body moved into his, forming to his chest as her hands wound around his waist.
Their kiss was short but passionate. As it broke she opened her eyes and he saw a dark, seething passion there, one he would be happy to become lost in.
Her arms released him as she stepped back. Her finger came up, pointing at him. "I mean it, be careful," she said.
Moving quickly he bent and kissed the tip of her finger, surprising her as his lips closed over it. His eyes locking with hers for an instant and then that lopsided grin of his and he was off, taking the stairs to the loft three at a time as he went to change.
Tera shook her head, breaking the spell, trying to get her breathing back to normal from the ragged cadence it had suddenly taken on.
She sat at the table, listening to him moving around above her, the flush of the toilet, him humming lightly to himself as he brushed his teeth, the little things that many people never noticed. Tera noticed them all.
He came down the stairs, again taking them three at a time.
He was wearing the thin running suit that he favored, warm against the wind but not bulky so as not to impede his movement.
Michael smiled at Tera for a moment then he was out the door.
Tera, much as Michael had done only moments before, simply stared at the closed door long after he gone.
Michael's run had two notable moments.
The first was turning the corner and seeing the wooden windows open at the rowing hut he and Tera had found last week.
There were several people milling around, moving sculls into the water at the small dock, rummaging through a large pile of oars.
Michael slowed and walked up to the door, peering inside he was comforted that boat houses such as these, no matter what side of the Atlantic they were on, never changed.
"Good morning," Michael said to the man with the clipboard who had a decidedly haggard look on his face.
"Morning, what can I do for you," the man asked, more than a little impatience in his voice.
Michael understood how it was, trying to get rowers organized and on the water was somewhat akin to herding a pack of 5th graders around an amusement park. An exercise in patience.
"Nothing pressing, I see your busy, I had heard faculty could use a scull now and then, saw you were open and wanted to introduce myself and get a bit of information," Michael said with an easy friendly tone.
"Sorry, first day back and getting everyone where they need to be is challenging, Anthony Timmons, I coach this motley crew," he said walking up to Michael and extending a hand.
"A pleasure, Michael Dane, I'm teaching a few architecture classes this term," Michael said shaking the mans hand.
"Dane, Dane...ahhh, University of Florida, you were good, I remember seeing a few of your races," Anthony said.
"I did a bit of rowing in college, was hoping to get a bit of oar time while I'm here, its been years," Michael said, a brief blush crossing his cheeks at being remembered yet again for something that was, for him, simply something that made him...him.
"I'm sure we can get you fixed up, mornings are usually crazy but the hour before dusk is usually pretty quiet, why don't you come back by one evening next week and we should be able to set you up, you rowed singles yes?" Anthony asked as he moved back into the hut.
"Yep, singles was my thing, I appreciate the help, I'll swing back round one evening next week, have a great day Anthony," Michael said as he turned, restarting his run along the canal.
The other thing that happened was a name popped into his head un-bidden as he turned heading back towards his flat.
He was thinking of Aoife at the time, replaying the visions he had had. The cavern, the ancient energy of the place, all of it had a surprising duality of feeling, as if it was real and...not, both at the same time.
The name that slid into his consciousness during his ruminations was Sirrush.
Michael shrugged as he picked up speed crossing the bridge just around the corner from his flat. The name falling to the back of his mind as the rest of the day's activities took its place.
The day had moved along easily. After his run Michael moved through his day, always conscious of either Tera, or Valerie, usually of both of them.
Lunch passed in a similar manner as breakfast had. Easy discussions, quiet laughter, the three of them getting more and more comfortable with the other.
"My uncle had a new car dropped off for me," Valerie said as lunch was concluding.
Reaching into her purse she grabbed a set of keys and laid them in front of Tera.
"You can have these back, it's parked over in the employee lot, don't want you guys to be stranded," Valerie said with a grin.
Tera smiled and took the keys, sliding them into her pocket.
"Thanks, my bike was destroyed, being so close to the explosion and all, it will be a few days before I can get it replaced," Tera said taking a last swallow of her coffee.
Michael watched the interplay between the two women, enjoying their easy conversation.
Thinking about it, Michael found that he was in need of transportation as well.
He always took great joy in driving, having a unique and eclectic mix of cars over the years. He missed the GT3 and found that he was looking forward to getting behind the wheel again.
His statement of this need brought about a surprising response from Valerie.
"I'm sure my uncle would be happy to help track down a car for you," Valerie said a little to quickly, eliciting a bit of a glare from Tera.
"Well, ummm..." Michael started, hesitating a bit at what seemed to him an odd remark. He continued, "...I appreciate the offer Valerie, but I think I can handle tracking something down."
There was an awkward silence at the table for a few moments. Valerie was kicking herself mentally for not keeping her wits. Tera was slightly amused as she looked over at the younger woman, seeing the blush in her cheeks and tension in her eyes.
It was Michael who broke the silence.
"I should be in good shape today, I have a few things to finish up this afternoon, but tomorrow looks to be fairly empty. I think I'll run into London tomorrow, poke around a bit see if I can come up with something," he said, as he laid his hand over Valerie's, trying to ease the worry that seemed to have come over her.
