Overall Construction

By Catherine Carson

Kenneth Fordyce needs to find a wife before his thirtieth birthday in order to inherit the company he has worked hard to build.
Callie Shields accepts the conditions of their convenient marriage but things do not work out quite as they expect when they are thrown into a world of suspicion and betrayal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326213633

Book preview

Overall Construction

Overall Construction

By Catherine Carson

Content Copyright © Catherine Carson 2015

ISBN  978-1-326-21363-3 eBook

About the author

I live in the North West of England and have been married to the same man (whom I left my native Scotland to be with) for some considerable time. We have three grown up children who between them have given us six grandchildren who are the light of our lives.

Writing was always something I enjoyed but confined it to letters, but over the years the recipients of those missives used to say I could write a book, to which my set answer was ‘I daresay I could but who would want to read it’.

Thanks to my very good friend Lisa who convinced me to have a go I found the courage to release the stories which had always been in my mind.

I hope anyone who reads my stories will enjoy them, and the characters I have created as much as I loved writing them.

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www.facebook.com/catherinecarsonbooks.uk

www.catherinerenacarson.jimdo.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my youngest son.

The characters in this book are completely fictional and bear no resemblance to any living person.

Other books by this author

The Mouse in the Library

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Family Ties

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Tapestry of Love (Book 1)       

Twins Exchanged (Book 2) 

Highland Feud (Book 3)         

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Overall Construction

Wounded Wolf

Coffee and Cakes

Memories Rekindled

Wholesale Love

Hope’s Conflict

Estates of the Heart

Sibling Rivalry

Fighting for Custody

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Soil, Seed & Betrayal (Book 1)

Desert Prince, Exiled Princess (Book 2

Body Language (Book 3)

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White Knight Black Knight

Through the Garden Gate or The Girl Next Door

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An Open Book (Book 1)

Afraid to Love (Book 2)

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A Second Chance (Book 1)

Taming the Playboy (Book2)

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Love Lost and Found

Chapter 1

Your Father has been on the phone again asking when you are going to see him.  Raising his eyes Ken Fordyce looked at his PA, Geoff Hagan.

Tell my Father that I shall meet him in his office at nine tomorrow morning.  Now get out of here and let me get back to work.

Robert Fordyce CEO of Fordyce Construction had issued the ultimatum to his son either marry before his thirtieth birthday or lose his inheritance to his cousin Richard Colton.

The fact that his birthday was in four weeks time Ken knew that his time was running out.  He had worked long hours to keep his Father’s company ahead of most of the companies in their field and he was damned if he was going to let that toad Richard Colton profit by his hard work. 

As a result of the long hours he put in sitting in his office his social life always took a backseat and the prospect of a future wife was practically non-existent. 

His present girlfriend Angela Burrows was beginning to hint that she would not be averse to a more permanent relationship but although he found her a willing and adventurous sexual partner he knew it was time to move on.

Somehow he was going to have to find a woman to marry – someone who would not make demands on him – someone who would be a wife in name only.  Opening the door he called his PA to come back into his office.

As I see it my Father wants me to marry but he never stated how long I have to stay married did he? Geoff looked at him not quite sure where his boss’ train of thought was going. 

All I have to do is find a woman who is willing to be married to me long enough to satisfy my Father and when everything is settled and he signs the company over to me she can go back to wherever she came from and I can get on with running this company. 

Whoa! Where are you going to find a woman in less than a week willing to marry you and then walk away? Do you really think a stranger will walk away when she finds out your corporate worth? Geoff tried to bring some sanity to Ken’s statement. 

Why do I have less than a week? It’s four weeks before my birthday. Ken asked innocently. 

For someone who can pull off multimillion construction deals you really can be naive at times.  You have to post wedding banns for at least three weeks before the intended date and if you are really serious about this then we need to start looking at prospective candidates immediately.  Geoff was constantly amused by the fact that for such a clever man Kenneth Fordyce could have no common sense.

Okay, so what about within the company there must be a woman in this building somewhere who would be willing to marry me for a short time.  His hopeful expression was enough for Geoff to consult his electronic notepad and check the employee details held within its programmes. 

According to staff records there are a couple of women who might fit the bill.  Wilma Montgomery is a twenty-six year old Receptionist and the other Callie Shields is a twenty-four year old who according to the records has worked for the company since leaving school starting in the Depot Office and is currently employed as a – wow! She’s a qualified crane driver.

Arrange for both of them to come to my office for interview – tell them we are starting a programme for employees who have proved themselves worthy of promotion.  You better include at least a couple of men and at least one married women to make it look genuine.

Geoff explained that he had been asked to invite her to the Managing Directors office as he had something of great importance to discuss with her. 

It really is in your best interests to accompany me Miss Shields so if you could perhaps remove your overalls and put on some suitable attire I will take you to see Mr Fordyce.

If Mr Kenneth Fordyce wants to see me that badly then he can see me as I am overalls, boots and hardhat if necessary! On the way up in the lift to the second floor Geoff wondered what Ken was going to make of this outspoken young woman.

When the lift opened she was asked to take a seat and would be called in due course.  Sitting down and picking up a magazine Callie looked round at the assembled group. 

Besides herself there were two men one in a dark grey business suit the other more casually dressed in jeans and polo shirt, next to them sat a woman in her mid forties who seemed to be having difficulty keeping her tight skirt from riding up over her thighs and next to her was the epitome of chic – a young woman with blonde hair neatly held in a French pleat and her hourglass figure encased in a tailored pearl grey trouser suit under which she wore a shell pink silk shirt blouse, her feet were clad in black court shoes. 

‘Well whatever Mr Kenneth Fordyce has in mind he certainly picked a motley crew for its purpose’ Callie thought.

One by one they were called into the MD’s office and after some twenty minutes they were ushered out and taken directly to the lift.  Presumably to prevent them talking to the remaining employees.  I believe they are looking at candidates to be promoted and we have all been chosen for our outstanding work within the company.  The woman struggling with her skirt must have been feeling the tension of the situation and felt it necessary to qualify her presence. 

The two men had already gone and Miss Chic was at present being interviewed and Callie put down her magazine and looked directly at the woman.  I think that is a load of old rubbish the boss man has a reason for asking us to come here but I do not for one minute think it has anything to do with promotion at least not in my case.  I don’t remember ever seeing him in the compound never mind knowing what I do.

The door of the office opened and a giggling Miss Chic was ushered to the lift and on his return Geoff invited the tight skirted lady to enter the office. 

Callie had read every magazine lying on the coffee table and was thinking what a waste of her time this was and considered writing a message