Lone Star Millionaire

by Susan Mallery

  “You’re wrong. It’s a knee-jerk reaction to wanting to see you socially.”

  Now what? Straightforward refusal, that’s what. “I just can’t. I’m sorry, Scott.”

  “I’m sorry, too.” After an awkward moment, he turned and walked to the door, putting his hand on the knob. “Thanks for letting me barge in. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

  “Not at all. It was my idea.”

  “Yeah. I remember. Good night.” Then he was gone.

  Feeling like the slime that formed on rotten vegetables in the refrigerator, she stared at the spot where he’d been standing a second before. She was relieved that he’d finally accepted her no. But she couldn’t help the tiniest bit of disappointment, too. Which was stupid, since she didn’t want to go out with him. She didn’t have room in her life.

  Shaking her head, she realized it had been a long time since she’d thought in terms of having a life. After losing David, it had really and truly felt as if a part of her had died, too. Coming back had been long and painful but she was getting there. The problem with having a life was the potential for complications.

  There was no question she found Scott attractive. Everything about him appealed to her. He was a good man and a good father. It was impossible not to like him. But that was useless information. She was going to have a baby. Thanks to modern science, she didn’t need a man and that was just fine with her.

  Having her husband’s baby wasn’t the only vow Thea had made on David’s deathbed. She’d also promised herself that she would never want or need a man again. And she’d just made sure there was no chance of that happening.

  Chapter 7

  Scott walked into his younger brother’s office at Matthews and Sons and slapped a folder down on the desk.

  Mike Matthews glanced up from the spreadsheet on his computer screen. “Something wrong?”

  Scott looked at his brother, working at the computer as if he didn’t have a care in the world. And he probably didn’t, because he’d never married and had kids. Not that Scott regretted his kids. He did, however, regret the woman he’d chosen to be their mother.

  People had always said the two of them looked like twins. But that was where the resemblance stopped. Mike wore wire-rimmed glasses, compliments of being a computer geek. And his position as a desk jockey, instead of out in the field doing construction, meant that to stay fit he spent lots of time in the gym. Other than the fact that he envied his brother’s simple lifestyle—no commitment, no way, no how—they were good friends. But he didn’t really want to answer the question—was anything wrong?

  “No,” he finally said. “Why?”

  Mike swiveled his desk chair and faced front. “Scuttlebutt has it that mortgage rates are expected to creep up. That could slow new home sales.”

  Scott shrugged. “Not in this area. Santa Clarita is booming and shows no signs of slowing down.”

  “I heard Josh McCardle is quitting. Isn’t he your best crew foreman?”

  “Yeah. Richmond West is really busy and offered him a better deal than we could. I told him to take it.”

  “He’s been with the company for ten years. You taught him everything. Doesn’t it tick you off that he went with a busy company—and our biggest competitor?”

  Busy. That’s what Thea had said. She was too busy to go out to dinner with him. She might just as well have said he was ugly and his mother dressed him funny. Too busy meant the same thing. Everyone had to eat. How could you be too busy to go out to dinner? It wasn’t like he was asking her to sleep with him. He just wanted to take her out to a damn dinner.

  Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted Thea any way he could get her. And if a romantic rendezvous afterwards at her place was in the cards, he wouldn’t wimp out and throw in his hand.

  “Scott?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You look like someone left your favorite drill out in the rain to rust. What’s up with you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Something wrong with the girls? Did Kendra get turned down at UCLA?”

  “No. The girls are fine.”

  His brother leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers over his abdomen. “Look, bro, you’ve been in a crap mood for a week now. I’m trying to be supportive, but I gotta tell you, playing twenty questions is getting real old. Either you tell me what’s wrong or get out of my office. I don’t much care which.”

  Scott released a long breath and stared out the window for several moments. “Okay. You win. Besides, I’m going to explode if I don’t talk to someone about this.”

  “I’m here for you, Scott, you know that.”

  “I know you’ve had a lot of experience with women.”

  Mike’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “This is about a woman?”

  The skeptical look on his brother’s face didn’t do anything to sweeten Scott’s mood. “Don’t look so shocked.”

  “Sorry. I can’t help it. It’s been a long time between women for you.” He shrugged. “I just didn’t think—”

  “That I could have a problem with one?”

  “Well, yeah.” He grinned. “You made it clear that your personal life ran a distant third behind the girls and your job. It never occurred to me that you’ve been walking around in a black funk for a week and it was all about a woman.”

  “So it’s breaking news?”

  “I’m proud of you, bro.”

  “Don’t be.” Scott snorted. “She turned me down flat.”

  “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Thea Bell and she owns a catering business here in town. I’ve hired her to take care of Ken’s graduation party.”

  “And she’s hot?”

  “She’s a very nice, very attractive woman,” he answered. His tone must have held a warning because Mike lifted a hand as if to say she’s all yours.

  “She must be all that and more to get your attention.”

  “What does that mean?” Scott asked.

  “Just that since your divorce, you haven’t shown enough interest in any woman to walk around in a funk for a day, let alone a week.”

  Scott sat on the corner of the desk and blew out a long breath. “Here’s the thing, Mike. She’s different. She’s not the type who talks much about her personal life.”

  “So ask her out and get to know her.”

  “I did. Like I said. She rejected me.”

  “What did she say?”

  “That she was too busy.”

  Mike winced. “Ooh. That’s bad.”

  “Even I know that. But it gets worse.”

  “How?”

  “She knows Kendra is graduating from high school and going to college. She said that my asking her for a date was a knee-jerk reaction to the fact that I’ll be an empty-nester.”

  “Ouch.” Mike shook his head. “But you defended yourself, right? Set her straight?”

  “I didn’t think my ego could handle it. I got the feeling she was trying to let me down easy. It seemed to me if I pushed her, and she let me down any easier, I’d be a rust-colored stain on the carpet.”

  “Yeah. I can see how you’d get that impression.”

  Scott rubbed the back of his neck. “But here’s the other thing, Mike. I really like her. And I know I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed where women are concerned, but I would bet my favorite hammer that she likes me, too.”

  “So?”

  “So, I guess I could accept a No more gracefully if she just flat out said she’s not interested.”

  “You want it up front and right between the eyes?” Mike asked.

  “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  That was preferable to having children and spending years with a woman only to find out he didn’t know her at all. After Kendra was born, he’d thought things were better than ever between him and his wife. So when she gave him her sweeping pronouncement that she wasn’t happy being a wife and mother, it had come out of nowhere. And her timing couldn’t have been worse. He’d been pa
tting himself on the back for making it over the speed bumps in their marriage. Hell, he’d taken pride in the fact that they’d nipped their problems in the bud and were going to make it as a family. Then, to find out he’d been so wrong, he’d felt like the world’s biggest chump.

  “Maybe Thea’s married,” Mike suggested.

  Scott shook his head. “She’s a widow.”

  “Could be she’s already got a boyfriend.” Mike leaned forward and rested his forearms on his desk. “But if she does, wouldn’t she just say so?”

  Scott would be the first to admit he wasn’t the best judge of character. But his gut was telling him that Thea was out-spoken and direct. If she was personally involved with another guy she wouldn’t hesitate to say so.

  “Yeah. She would have been up front about dating someone else.”

  “So what’s her deal?” Mike asked.

  “Damned if I know.”

  And that was the hell of it. He didn’t know. Not even what tragedy had taken her husband from her too soon. If he knew what was good for him, he would just drop the subject. Get through his daughter’s party and walk away in one piece. Forget about Thea Bell. Why should he stick his neck out? Why put himself on the line again? He didn’t much enjoy feeling like he’d been flattened by a speeding locomotive.

  The thing was, he had a feeling Thea had been flattened even worse than he had. And he’d been telling the God’s honest truth when he said he liked her. How long had it been since he’d met a woman he could say that about? He wasn’t willing to blow it off without at least giving it another try.

  He met his brother’s gaze. “Mikey, I’m going to find out what her deal is if it’s the last thing I do.”

  “That’s the spirit. But, Scotty—”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t ever call me Mikey again. If you do, I’m gonna have to hurt you.”

  Scott grinned. “You and what army?”

  But he felt better than he had in a week. Because now he had a plan. Come hell or high water, he intended to find out personal information about Ms. Thea Bell.

  “I’m grounded.”

  “But why?” Thea asked, settling herself on the sofa.

  She’d arrived for her appointment with Scott at the agreed-upon time but he wasn’t home from work yet. Kendra had let her in and invited her to sit in the family room. The first words out of her mouth were about her punishment.

  “He’s so unreasonable. I came in just a little after my curfew.”

  Thea remembered what Scott had told her about the rule. “I guess he figures if he gives an inch, you’ll take a mile.”

  “But it’s not fair.”

  “He said you were working on something for school. Did you need more time?”

  Kendra shrugged. “It took a little longer than we thought.”

  “I don’t get the impression your dad is completely unreasonable. Did you call and explain the situation?”

  “With my dad that’s a waste of time and cell phone minutes.”

  “So you didn’t even try?”

  The teen flopped back on the couch. “My battery was dead. I tried to explain, but he said being grounded will give me time to think about remembering to plug it in.”

  Scott was tough as nails, Thea thought. In the same situation, she’d have been tempted to relax the rules, as long as schoolwork was involved. But she could certainly see the wisdom of running a tight ship the way he did.

  “But what about your friend’s house? Is it a cave without phone service?” Thea’s mouth curved up. “No, let me guess. Both of your hands were broken and you couldn’t dial the phone. And all your friends had the same problem.”

  The girl grinned reluctantly. “No. Zoe’s house has a working phone. But I forgot because…”

  “What?” she asked, when the girl got a funny look on her face.

  She didn’t quite meet Thea’s gaze. “Because we left.”

  “And? What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Zoe wanted to go to Java ’n Jazz where her boyfriend works. He was going to ask her to prom and we all got excited. I didn’t think. And—”

  “There’s more?” Thea asked, surprised.

  “Dad says Zoe doesn’t have enough parental supervision and he’s not happy about me hanging out with her.”

  The way things turned out, he was right to be concerned, Thea thought. But all she said was, “A rule is a rule.”

  “You sound just like him. He said the same thing. Followed by—and I quote—next time you won’t forget.” She heaved a big sigh.

  Thea reached over and patted her arm. “I’d love to bash your father with you,” she lied. “Except I agree with him.”

  “Traitor.” But there was no heat or hostility in the word.

  “Tell me honestly that if he relaxed the rule on this, you wouldn’t push the envelope again under the same circumstances. Or next time you’re out on a school night working on a project with your friends, tell me you won’t remember this consequence and be home by curfew.”

  Kendra tucked a strand of long dark hair, the same shade as her father’s, behind her ear. “Okay. You might have a point.”

  “I knew you were a reasonable young woman the first time I met you.”

  “Not so much,” the girl said. “I plan to stay mad at my dad for a long time.”

  “You might consider one thing.”

  “What?”

  “He’s letting you have a catered graduation party and picking up the tab. And I’m not just saying that because I got the job.”

  Kendra’s shoulders slumped as she shook her head. “I hate it when people are rational, logical and sensible.”

  “I can be annoying that way,” Thea agreed.

  The teen met her gaze. “So you think I should be nice to him?”

  “I think you should accept your punishment gracefully and move on.” She tapped her lip thoughtfully. “If you really want to freak him out, tell him you completely understand why he punished you, then thank him for caring so much.”

  Kendra grinned. “You’re diabolical.”

  “It drove my parents crazy,” she agreed. She opened the notebook on her lap. “Did you taste the dishes I left?”

  The teen nodded. “I loved them all. Especially the lasagna and quesadilla. The Greek salad not so much. Egg rolls,” she closed her eyes and heaved a huge sigh. “To die for.”

  “So do you want to do an international sort of menu?”

  “Dad said you didn’t mind if that’s what I wanted.”

  Thea nodded. “It makes no difference to me. Like I told him, the client is always right.”

  “Then how come I got grounded?”

  “Because you were wrong not to follow your father’s rules.” Thea looked at her. “You might want to consider law school after college. Way to twist the daylights out of an innocent remark.”

  “Thanks.” Kendra grinned proudly. Then she asked, “Isn’t it more expensive to mix up different foods?”

  Thea shook her head. “It’s all about the ingredients. If you wanted a recipe with shrimp, lobster or crab or something with expensive fixings, I’d have to pass on the cost to your father.”

  “What are the most expensive things you make?” the girl asked, a gleam in her eyes.

  “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not getting caught in the middle of World War III.”

  Thea heard the front door open and close and her heart skipped a beat. Scott was home. She’d been half relieved and half disappointed he wasn’t there when she’d arrived. Although mostly she dreaded seeing him again after their awkward last meeting. If only he hadn’t tried to make things personal. Under different circumstances, she would have been like a teenage girl at her first boy/girl party. But letting things between them become more than a simple business association was a recipe for disaster. And she’d had enough of that to last her a lifetime.

  The teen grinned at her just before her father walked into the room. “Hi, Dad.”

  “
Hey, sweetie.” He looked surprised, as if he’d expected hostility. “Sorry I’m late, Thea.”

  “No problem. It gave Kendra and me a chance to talk things over.”

  “What things?”

  The teen stood and walked over to him. She kissed his cheek. “I just wanted to say thanks for grounding me. I deserved it, and I’m sorry I broke the rules.”

  He stared at his daughter as if she’d beamed down from the Starship Enterprise before his very eyes. “You are?”

  “I’m going upstairs to do my homework.”

  “Okay,” he said.

  “See you later, Thea. Thanks for talking with me.”

  “Anytime,” she said.

  Although she’d rather the teen stick around and not leave her alone with Scott. But after advising her to shake him up, she couldn’t very well ruin this Kodak moment.

  After his daughter disappeared upstairs, Scott slid her a shell-shocked look. “Do you want to explain that?”

  “No.”

  “So there is an explanation?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “It was implied,” he said.

  “She’s your daughter.”

  “Maybe.” He glanced up at the ceiling, where his child had disappeared. “Or maybe my daughter was kidnapped by aliens who left a very cooperative, very scary clone in her place.”

  Thea laughed. “She’s a good kid. Leave it at that.”

  “Okay.” He set his briefcase on the floor by a wing chair. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long. I got hung up in a meeting with my brother Mike.”

  “No problem. It gave Kendra and me a chance to discuss what she wants for food. She decided to do an international smorgasbord. Lasagna, quesadillas, egg rolls. I recommend a big green salad and fresh fruit salad with that.”

  “So are we talking a second mortgage on my house to cover it?” he teased.

  “Actually, I explained to her that the ingredients of a recipe determine the cost. She wanted to know what my most expensive main dishes are.”

  “And?” he said cringing.

  “You walked in and she became a teen angel.” Thea shrugged. “Actually she approved all of your choices. Apparently you have similar taste.”