Winning Her Forever

by Harmony Evans

  He paused a beat, as if he expected her to explain.

  “It just surprised me, that’s all.”

  She didn’t want Trent to think she was being overly sensitive, and it was too soon to talk about the reasons for her reactions.

  She cupped her hand over her mouth and faked a yawn. “He definitely woke me up.”

  “I think there’s more, but I’m going to let it go for now. Anyway, I’m sorry for the interruption. My brother makes me a lot of money, but he also causes me a lot of trouble. He’s not the easiest man to like, or to defend.”

  “Aren’t you a co-owner?”

  “My father gave us equal control, but I’m more comfortable in a bulldozer than in the boardroom.”

  Sonya felt that invisible jolt inside when one connected with a kindred spirit.

  She’d felt the same way when she was a ballerina. She didn’t want to be bothered with the business side of things; she just wanted to dance.

  “Are you really going to build more affordable housing?”

  Trent folded his arms and rested them on the table.

  “Let me put it to you this way. I think we should. But that doesn’t mean we will. The only thing my father and brother care about is making money.”

  “And what about you?” she asked. “What do you care about?”

  “Building custom homes that allow families to live their lives in a safe, secure community.”

  “Sounds like a viable mission statement.”

  “The difference is that I believe it and work it every day.”

  “Maybe I’ll get to meet your brother one day.”

  “No, you won’t. I want to keep you all to myself.”

  “Now who is being selfish?” she teased back.

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” he asked.

  She took a sip of beer. “I’m an only child.”

  “Are you a little emperor?” he teased, referring to the stereotype that only children were selfish because they had no siblings and never learned to share.

  “No, but I’m the master of my own destiny.”

  “And what do you see in your future?”

  She tapped her index finger on her lips. His question took her by surprise. Since high school, she’d had her life mapped out. Her plan had been to graduate from college, audition for a major dance organization, be accepted and spend the rest of her life onstage, retire early and then teach.

  Somewhere along the way, as reoccurring injuries kept her sidelined, causing her to lose some key roles, she was forced to face a new reality. She knew that audiences were fickle, but didn’t know that they could make or break a season. Many of her friends had gone on to other careers, because being a dancer simply wasn’t sustainable. She never thought she’d be one of them, but here she was, back in Bay Point, living in her father’s house.

  “Let me see. I’d like to pass your class and get home in one piece, does that count?”

  “I have it on good authority that both will come true.”

  “Are you a magic genie?”

  He laughed. “No, just a man who has complete confidence.”

  After they finished their meal, Sonya excused herself to use the restroom while Trent paid the check. Outside, she gave him directions to her home. When he tried to help her with the helmet, she nudged his hand away.

  “I think I can do this by myself now.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself.”

  Sonya noted the hint of disappointment in his voice and figured that a man with his reputation wasn’t used to having a woman say no. She wasn’t helpless, just confused about all the feelings swirling inside of her.

  When they arrived, she got off the motorcycle and handed him the helmet.

  His eyes scanned over her house. “You’ve got a couple of shingles missing off your roof.”

  She followed his gaze, wondering how he’d spotted them, as she hadn’t seen them before.

  “I actually need to have the entire house inspected—inside and out.”

  “I can give you a few names to call, if you’d like.”

  “I’d appreciate that. Thanks for the ride, and for the dinner.”

  “It was my pleasure. When can I see you again?”

  “Next week. Outside the hardware store, remember?”

  He winked. “You’re lucky I’m a very patient man.”

  As she watched him drive away into the night, she murmured, “You’re going to be waiting a while.”

  As long as she kept this gorgeous man at arm’s length, she could continue to figure out how she was going to live the rest of her life. Not as a dancer on a stage, but like a regular person.

  No applause, no curtain calls and no encores.

  Chapter 4

  Trent groaned aloud as he pulled into the parking lot, wishing he could turn around and go somewhere he really wanted to be.

  He drove past his reserved spot in the front of the two-story glass-walled building, a contemporary 1980s monstrosity that housed their multi-million dollar construction and real-estate business. He didn’t like his family to see when he arrived, and he preferred to leave without notice.

  He waved to a barista smoking a cigarette as he parked his pickup truck in the back of the building.

  The family rented out the first floor to an independent coffee shop, and their offices were on the second floor.

  They also owned and leased space in two equally large office buildings of the same contemporary style on either side.

  He stayed away from the office as much as he could, but every week he had to attend a staff meeting.

  Even though it was the middle of the morning, Trent grabbed an espresso before taking the elevator to the second floor. He’d rather be at the other end of a dental drill than at the weekly staff meeting or, even better, spending time with Sonya.

  Trent chuckled to himself, and could hardly believe he was actually looking forward to teaching the home repair class, rather than dreading it.

  He was still smiling as he pulled open the glass doors to the office. His brother, who was chatting with the receptionist, shot Trent a look of disdain.

  “Couldn’t you have changed your shoes before coming to the office?”

  Trent glanced down at his muddy construction boots.

  “I wanted to install a shower in the office, but you decided you needed your own personal bathroom with a full-length mirror and a jetted tub.”

  Steve spread his arms and grinned. “I’m here in the office so much it’s practically my second home. Too bad I can’t say the same for you. Where have you been? I was trying to reach you all night.”

  “I was busy having a life. You could take notes from me.”

  Steve was older than Trent by two years, but he’d been blessed with a baby face complemented by dark caramel skin, which made him scorned by most men and desired by many women. It was his job to scout and acquire land for custom-home projects. On the side, he bought foreclosed and distressed properties for rehabbing and reselling, which fueled his habit for designer clothes, luxury cars and lavish vacations around the world.

  “Ha ha. But seriously, I need you to hop on a plane to New Mexico.”

  Trent almost spit out his coffee. “What? Are you nuts?”

  “Don’t act like you didn’t know that we’re planning on expanding our portfolio to Albuquerque. I need you to go there and look at a plot of land.”

  “Sorry, no can do.”

  “Why not?”

  “First of all, you know I can’t stand flying. Second, I would never leave my projects halfway done, and last, I’ve got a class to teach.”

  “What class?”

  Trent shot him a look, and Steve rolled his eyes.

  “Oh, that one. Can’t you skip it?”

  �
�Like you did? Not a chance.”

  Steve patted him on the back. “I knew you could handle it, little bro.”

  They walked into the conference room where Lawrence and Agnes Waterson were already seated at opposite heads of the table.

  His father was on a phone call, so Trent just shook his hand, and then he walked to the other end of the table to reach his mother.

  He kissed her on the cheek. “Hello, Mom. Sorry I’m late.”

  Agnes Waterson, from whom he’d inherited his dark honey complexion, had just turned fifty and was an important balance of reason and influence in her testosterone-heavy clan. The petite self-ascribed people person enjoyed serving others in her role as director of marketing and human resources. She loved to spruce up the company’s headquarter offices.

  She returned a warm smile. “Good to see you. I heard you and your brother talking outside.”

  “Yes, he was asking me to fly, and he knows I hate to fly, and besides, I don’t have the time.”

  “Come on, Mother,” Steve cut in. “Even though I’m the first born, you always loved Trent more and thought he was a perfect little angel. He’s got to have wings hiding underneath all that muscle somewhere.”

  “I love you both equally.”

  She got up to straighten one of the framed renderings of the developments that hung on the walls. “There’s fresh coffee and muffins if you’re hungry.”

  Trent stepped over to the antique mahogany sideboard that Agnes had insisted be put into the conference room to lend the room an air of elegance.

  Of course, Steve was already there, munching on the last banana muffin, which he knew was Trent’s favorite. He settled for pumpkin, but only because he was really hungry.

  Lawrence ended the conference call with an audible huff and a growl. He put his palms facedown on the table, as if he were about to stand up. Trent had long learned that was a habit, something his father did to steady himself after a difficult conversation. As president and CEO of Waterson Builders, he had plenty of those every day.

  At six foot four, he towered over both of his sons and his wife, but never used his stature as a point of intimidation. It was when he stroked his neatly groomed salt-and-pepper beard that they all knew to brace themselves—not for yelling or screaming, but for tough questions. The company that he’d founded was his baby and he would do anything to protect its interests.

  “What are you two boys squabbling about now?”

  “Angel’s wings, Dad,” Steve said jokingly as he pulled out his chair and sat down.

  “Here’s something that’s not very funny,” his mother said. “Have you read the latest editorials in the Bay Point Courier? That’s the first topic on our agenda today.”

  “No, and I don’t want to hear it,” Trent’s father said, and Steve agreed with a nod.

  Agnes threw up her hands in disgust. “You two are as stubborn as mules.”

  Trent sat down and began to thumb through the paper in front of him. “What’s going on, Mom?”

  “Backlash galore,” she replied with a huge huff of a breath. “Everyone is complaining that our homes are too expensive, and out of reach for the average income-earning person.”

  “I don’t know what the problem is,” Steve muttered, placing his paper to the side. “Luxury homes are our business. We’re not any different from any other company that services high-net-worth customers.”

  “I agree with Steve. We’ve been successful for over twenty years because our customers are overjoyed with their homes.”

  “There’s even an editorial from Mayor Langston,” Trent said, scanning the page. “He thinks it’s our civic responsibility to build affordable housing. I’m actually surprised we haven’t been called out before this.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” his father demanded with a slam of his fist on the table.

  Trent’s tone was grim. “The luxury townhomes and apartments downtown that were built during the period of revitalization can only be afforded by the wealthy. They’re out of reach for many longtime residents of Bay Point.”

  “We’re a private company, not a public institution. We are only accountable to ourselves and our customers,” Steve piped in.

  “Don’t forget the hundreds of people we employ every day in Bay Point and other cities in the region,” his mother added. “We play an important role in the local economy.”

  Trent took a few minutes to read the rest of the editorials, and when he was finished, he sat back in his chair.

  “The voice of the people.”

  He thought back to his conversation with Dario the previous evening. He realized his attitude and response had been shameful. He could no longer stand by and do nothing.

  “Give it a couple of weeks. With Trent in front of the classroom, and all the ladies ogling his good looks, I’m sure he will do his duty and speak positively about our company,” Steve said smugly.

  Trent croaked out a laugh. “If you’re expecting me to be a walking billboard, Steve, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

  Trent was thankful for all the opportunities his family’s company had afforded him and he loved his job, but there was always something inside of him that wished he could do more. Dario’s comments and the editorials were the kick in the pants he needed.

  “Besides, it explicitly states in the contract for adjunct instructors that we cannot promote a specific business,” Trent said.

  “Regardless, Waterson Builders only wants what is best for Bay Point.”

  “Yes, but we know the truth.” Trent smirked.

  Steve raised a brow. “And what truth is that?”

  “We’ve only been focused on making money.”

  Steve and Lawrence glanced at each other and parroted, “And that’s a bad thing?”

  “I thought we were being charitable by offering free home improvement classes to help people to become more knowledgeable about home renovation. Isn’t that enough?”

  “It was a first step, Dad, and of course, it’s not wrong to make money. However, it might do us some good to consider acquiring some land for the specific purpose of building affordable housing.”

  “I agree with Trent. We have to do more for the community. From a public relations perspective, it makes total sense.”

  “Spoken like a true marketer, Mom,” Steve replied in a dry tone.

  “If we do this, we do it right.” He turned toward his brother. “We use the same high-quality materials that we do in all our other custom homes. No cutting corners.”

  “Fine.” Steve sucked in a deep breath. “We’ll have to get the land for cheap.”

  His father wore a grim look. “That won’t be easy. I may not agree with all of Mayor Langston’s policies, but his revitalization efforts have paid off. Bay Point has become one of the most popular places for relocation, and as a result, land prices have skyrocketed.”

  Steve turned to his mother. “Which is why we’ve been forced to expand outside of California. If Trent won’t go to New Mexico, can we hire someone who will?”

  Mother waved away his comment and said cheerily, “I’ll go. I can videoconference everyone in via phone. We can all take a look at the land together—virtually.”

  She tapped her chin and looked around the room. He could almost see the wheels grinding away in her brain.

  “I’ve been thinking about redecorating this place, anyway.”

  The three men groaned. If there was one thing they all could agree upon, it was that their mother would travel anywhere, anytime to go shopping.

  “I guess it’s all settled,” Steve said. “I’ll start putting out feelers today for available land in Bay Point.”

  Agnes waved a finger, and whenever she did, everyone listened a little harder. “No. I think we’d better keep this hush-hush, until we are ready to make a formal announcement.”


  “She’s right, son. You better take care of this yourself,” his father commanded. “Now, we all have a lot of work to do today. Let’s move on to the rest of the agenda.”

  Steve, who normally worked through his posse of brokers, grumbled under his breath. He did not look happy at the prospect of doing the legwork on his own, and Trent wasn’t sure if he even knew how.

  At the end of the meeting, Trent stuck around for a few minutes to catch up with his mother.

  “So, when are you going to bring a nice girl home for me to meet?”

  Trent laughed at the question, which was a running joke in the family, although his brother didn’t think it was so funny. Every time he brought a girl home to meet his parents, the woman took one glance at Trent and changed her mind.

  Both men were handsome, but Trent believed he had something that his brother did not—integrity.

  “Do you want to start another feud?”

  “Of course not,” she replied. “I just figured that as soon as one of you get married, you’ll both stop squabbling.”

  Trent shrugged. “You’re probably right, but when I tie the knot, I want it to be right. Steve falls in love with a woman as easily as he does his own reflection.”

  “Be nice,” Agnes warned. “Your brother is just lonely, that’s all. Even though he wouldn’t dare admit it.”

  “Like he wouldn’t dare admit he’s the hottest guy in Bay Point, or so he claims?” Trent replied.

  “He’s just confident,” his mother sniffed. “You both would have been married long ago, if you weren’t workaholics.”

  “I’m in no rush. I want my marriage to be as successful as you and Dad’s.”

  “We’ve had our rocky times like all marriages do,” Agnes said. “Lawrence is my best friend. That’s why I’m able to work with him, day in and day out, plus be his wife.”

  Trent nodded and kissed his mother on the cheek. Though he understood her wish for him to be in a relationship, at the moment there was something more important on his mind.

  He tried to recall land in the area where, as he traveled to and from his job sites, he might have seen a for-sale sign. It was a short list. He jotted the addresses down and handed them to Steve. Though his brother thanked him, Trent would just have to wait and see if he used it or not.