“I intend to.”
Walter moved toward the elevators.
Nicholas appeared behind him.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he smiled.
“You did it.”
Maggie shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“No?”
“We still need to finalize the financing, secure the leases, complete the contracts, and actually repair the building.”
Nicholas laughed.
“Of course.”
She looked at him.
“But we have a chance.”
“Yes.”
Her eyes shone.
“A real chance.”
He nodded.
“A real one.”
Maggie looked down at her portfolio.
Then back at him.
“Did you vote?”
“No.”
“Did you speak?”
“Only to answer factual questions about the existing acquisition and financing.”
She studied him.
Nicholas continued.
“I wanted the board to decide whether the proposal worked.”
“And they did.”
“Yes.”
A small silence followed.
Then Maggie stepped toward him.
“Thank you.”
He shook his head.
“You don't owe me anything.”
“I know.”
She looked into his eyes.
“That's why I can say it.”
Nicholas smiled.
For the first time in weeks, the distance between them felt slightly less impossible.
The next six months were the most demanding of Maggie's professional life.
She established a small design practice under her own name.
At first, Bennett Restoration Studio consisted of a rented workroom, one drafting table, a secondhand filing cabinet, and a telephone that frequently rang at inconvenient moments.
Tessa designed a simple logo.
Rose supplied endless encouragement.
Leonard helped her navigate the practical difficulties of managing a restoration project larger than anything she had previously undertaken.
The financing took longer than expected.
Several donors reduced their initial pledges.
A bank requested additional security.
The proposed commercial leases required negotiation.
There were moments when Maggie feared the project would collapse under the weight of a thousand small difficulties.
But it did not.
The Starlight Preservation Trust was formally established with independent trustees.
Sterling Properties entered into a long-term lease agreement with carefully defined maintenance obligations and financial protections.
The first phase of restoration began.
Steel supports were installed.
The damaged roof was repaired.
The old service passage became one of the project's most useful discoveries.
Maggie visited the site every morning.
She wore work boots, rolled-up sleeves, and a hard hat that Tessa insisted made her look far too pleased with herself.
She argued with contractors.
Approved samples.
Rejected unsuitable materials.
And occasionally stood in the empty auditorium just to remind herself why she had begun.
Nicholas kept his professional distance where the project required it.
He attended necessary meetings.
He answered questions.
But he no longer inserted himself into decisions that belonged to Maggie and the independent project team.
Their personal lives remained more complicated.
They exchanged occasional letters.
Met for coffee twice.
And once spent an entire Saturday afternoon walking through Central Park after Maggie admitted she missed having someone to argue with about buildings.
They did not immediately resume their romance.