by Morgan James
As for my job, I didn’t know what to do. Larry had dangled the promotion in front of me like a carrot, but I wasn’t sure I wanted it anymore, especially not if there were stipulations attached to it. I wouldn’t whore myself out for a raise.
I hung up with Whitney, not feeling much more optimistic about the situation, then changed and headed back downstairs. I hit the basement for a quick run on the treadmill and was just opening the door into the kitchen when I ran into my dad. “Hey. I’m gonna change, then eat. What would you prefer—chicken or pork?”
The doctor had given strict orders for my father to follow a healthier diet to try to lower his cholesterol. Not for the first time, I wished Mom was still around. For the last year and a half since she passed away, I was certain he hadn’t been taking care of himself. They’d spent so much time together, always going golfing or playing racquetball together, that it had never occurred to me to worry about his health. Now, though, I was acutely aware of his age. He was looking older and more frail, almost depressed. Mom’s battle with cancer had hit him hard, and I felt bad for not checking in with him more often.
He lifted one shoulder. “Whatever’s easiest for you.”
“Chicken it is.” This time, I didn’t even bother to argue. There was plenty of food in the pantry that he could make if he didn’t like it.
Seated at the oak table, he threw a look my way. “Something going on with you and Dr. Winfield?”
I froze at the question. Why the hell was he asking? I knew Dad was astute enough not to have missed the exchange between Kate and me, but he’d never expressed any interest in my love life. I decided on an easy answer. “We know each other. She was a client.”
My father grunted. “No wonder she ran away from you.”
“Always assume the worst about me, don’t you?”
Unfortunately, in this case, he was right. I’d hurt Kate, and I deserved her scorn. The way she’d looked at me in the hospital had nearly gutted me. I’d seen distrust and sadness, insecurity and accusation. But underneath all that, I’d also seen a glimmer of desire. This thing between us wasn’t even close to being over yet.
I SIDLED UP TO THE reception desk and peered at Mrs. Hodges. “I need to ask you a favor.”
I hadn’t been able to get Kate off my mind and, sometime during the past twenty-four hours since Dad had asked me about her, I’d finally come up with a plan. It wasn’t my best work, but it was all I had at the moment.
“What’s that?” The older woman turned an inquisitive gaze on me as I pulled up a chair and took a seat.
“I need you to call Dr. Winfield and have her come in.”
Her graying eyebrows drew together. “Whatever for? I believe everything has already been settled and—”
I shook my head. “I need to speak with her.”
Her eyes narrowed, then took on a speculative look as she tipped her head to one side. “Mr. Price—”
“Please,” I said when I knew she was about to balk. “I need to see her in person. It’s important. Whatever you want for Christmas this year, it’s yours.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Dating clients is against our policy, let alone our ethics—”
“She isn’t technically our client any longer,” I argued. “And this isn’t some whim. I promise,” I added when she opened her mouth to admonish me again. “Tell her anything to get her in here. I just need to see her.”
“I don’t know why you can’t just talk to the poor woman yourself,” she groused.
“I don’t want to scare her off,” I admitted. “Her husband cheated on her, and she doesn’t want to go through that again.”
“Poor dear.” Mrs. Hodges’s eyes softened, and I knew I almost had her. “She’s the sweetest thing.”
I almost choked on my reply. Kate and sweet weren’t exactly synonymous—in fact, her redheaded temper was one of the things I loved most about her. I managed to force down the laugh that had sprung to the tip of my tongue.
“She’s... incredible,” I amended. “Isn’t your husband a fan of the Stars?”
I knew Mr. Hodges was an avid hockey fan, and I’d give them season tickets if I could just convince her to get Kate in here. It was underhanded, I knew, but there was no way she’d come if I asked. Not after last time. I knew she still hadn’t forgiven me, hadn’t thought I was sincere. I needed to apologize, but I had to get her in here first, somewhere private so I could speak with her one-on-one.
“Oh, all right.” Mrs. Hodges threw up her hands, then shook a finger at me in warning. “But you’d better not hurt that poor girl.”
I grasped her fingers and grinned widely. “Thank you, Mrs. Hodges. I owe you. Anything you want, let me know.”
She pulled free and waved me off, a tiny smile curving her lips as she turned her focus back to the computer screen. “I have work to do.”
Still grinning, I stood and strode from the room, already thinking about how I was going to convince Kate to give me a second chance.
Chapter Seventeen
Kate
I settled back against the imitation leather of our favorite corner booth and peered out the window. Victoria and I used to have lunch together every Friday, but with the craziness of the past few months, our routine get-togethers had fallen by the wayside. I’d spoken with her a few times, and we’d had dinner that disastrous night at Eros, but I was dying for some girl time.
She seemed to be truly happy with Blake, and I was excited for her—really, I was. But I couldn’t help the little pang of envy that assaulted me when I thought of their relationship. I loved Victoria, and though I’d only spoken with Blake a few times, I felt that he was a genuinely good person. After all, he saved my life after the incident at the healthplex last month. That in itself told me just about everything I needed to know about him.
After everything she’d been through, Victoria deserved someone like him, someone who would love her and treasure her for who she really was. I thought I’d found that in Steve, but I was wrong. We had similar interests, and for a while, it was enough. Unfortunately, our attraction and lust didn’t have the power that I saw between Blake and Victoria. When Blake watched her, his face softened, and admiration and adoration filled his eyes. I wanted someone to look at me that way, like I was their single focus, the one person they would put before anything else.
My thoughts turned inexorably to Gavin and our chance meeting at the hospital nearly a week ago. It seemed that everywhere I went, Gavin just happened to show up. It felt like a kind of sign, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. Either he was a sociopathic stalker or fate was trying to push us together. I had a gut feeling it was the latter.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the night we spent together. The way he made me feel was terrifying. I had a sneaking suspicion that if I ever truly gave myself over to the sensation, I would never recover. The front door of the café opened, and my eyes were drawn to Victoria’s familiar form as she stepped inside and pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. She held the door for the person behind her, a pretty young brunette with a baby in tow. To my surprise, both of them headed in my direction.
I slid from the booth and greeted Victoria with a hug. She pulled away and gestured to the woman standing just behind her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Lydia to have lunch with us.”
I smiled and stuck out my hand. “Kate Winfield.”
“I’m Lydia,” she introduced herself, “and this is Alexia.” She jiggled the little girl propped on her hip.
We took a seat in the booth, and Victoria turned to me. “Do you remember me talking about Blake’s friend, Xander?” I nodded. “This is his wife and little girl.”
“Oh,” I said, finally making the connection. “It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”
“You, too,” Lydia said as her eyes darted toward my forehead. “I hope you’re feeling better.”
She had a savage-looking wound as well, and a small smile quirked my lips. “I am, th
ank you. But it looks like we could be twins.”
She blushed and lifted one hand toward her head self-consciously. “Thankfully my hair is starting to grow back, so it’s not as noticeable as it was.”
I nodded. She swept her hair to the side, partially covering the wound, and she was right; unless you were specifically looking for it, it didn’t stand out. She still seemed a little bit uncomfortable, so I moved the conversation along. “What do you do again?”
I couldn’t remember ever hearing what she did for a living, but she seemed shy, and I wanted to draw her out of her shell.
“I own Something Blue, a bridal salon downtown.”
I grinned and turned my attention to Victoria. “Well, that’s convenient.”
“I know, that’s part of the reason I invited them,” Victoria allowed. “Lydia will be designing my wedding gown. I hope you’re going to be my maid of honor. I’d like her to design a gown for you too.”
“I’d be thrilled,” I said, and I meant it wholeheartedly. “So have you set a date yet?”
Victoria grimaced a little bit. “Not exactly. I want to keep it small, get married this fall, but Blake thinks it’s better to take our time.”
My brows drew together. “Is he having second thoughts?”
“No.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “He says he wants to make sure it’s what I want, and he’s pushing for a long engagement.”
“I can’t blame him,” I said softly. “He just wants what’s best for you.”
“I don’t know why he’s being so stubborn about it,” Victoria griped.
I shot a look at Lydia, who looked a little lost. I tipped my head toward Victoria. “She balked last time, so Blake is dragging his feet now,” I explained.
“I didn’t balk,” Victoria said with no small amount of disdain. “I just...”
I barely held back a snort. “You freaked out and ended your relationship when he told you he wanted the two of you to move in together. Of course he wants to make sure he doesn’t screw up again.” I turned to Lydia. “Right?”
She bit her lip. “I’m not sure I’m really the person you want to ask about relationship advice. I made a huge mess of things myself.”
“Between you and Xander?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Lydia breathed. “It’s not exactly common knowledge, but...” She glanced between Victoria and me. “I’m sure I can trust both of you.”
“Of course.” We shared a look, then nodded, and Lydia continued. “Xander and I haven’t exactly had a normal relationship,” she stated slowly. “We met at my cousin’s wedding in Vegas, then got to talking at the bar. Things got a little out of hand, and we... decided to get married.”
I lifted my brows in surprise. She didn’t exactly strike me as the type of person to do something rash and impulsive. “Well, that’s one hell of a story to tell your grandkids.”
“Yeah, well there’s more.” Her cheeks turned red, and she looked horribly contrite. “I woke up the next morning, then freaked out and told him I wanted a divorce. He was already heading back overseas when I realized that this little one was on the way.” She ran one hand lovingly over the baby’s pale blonde hair, then dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “We hadn’t really taken the time to get to know each other, and I didn’t exactly have a way to reach him.”
All of a sudden, I knew exactly where the story was going. “How did he find out?”
She bit her lip. “His tour ended just a couple months ago, and he ended up moving back. I emailed him a couple times while he was out of the country, but he never responded. Then he tracked me down one day and saw Alexia at the salon with me, and he just... knew.”
She gave a little shrug of her shoulders, and my heart went out to her. She looked genuinely distraught, as if she truly regretted what had happened. Determined to stay positive for her, I piped up.
“Well, it looks like everything worked out for you. That’s all that matters. Besides, I have friends in the military who missed the birth of their babies. There’s nothing to say he would’ve been able to make it back in time anyway.”
“I guess,” she said, though she didn’t sound convinced.
Victoria turned her probing gaze on me. “Since we’re speaking of men, how’s Gavin?”
I speared her with a glare. “I told you—”
“Yeah, yeah. I know what you said. Now tell me the truth.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
She tipped her head and lifted one eyebrow as she studied me. “Liar.”
“We...” I trailed off, trying to figure out exactly what to say. So much had happened, and I’d never filled her in on what exactly transpired that night at Eros. “We’ve been talking a little bit here and there.”
Victoria glanced at Lydia. “She’s crazy about this guy, but she won’t admit it because he was the lawyer who represented her in her divorce.”
“That’s not—”
Lydia pursed her lips. “You’re not talking about Gavin Price, are you?”
Immediately, every sense went on high alert, and I eyed her. “Why?”
I couldn’t begin to explain the irrational jealousy that flared up when I heard Gavin’s name fall from the other woman’s lips. I tried to brush it off, but the prickly sensation remained.
“He was actually our lawyer, too—before we cancelled the paperwork.”
“Small world,” Victoria remarked as I let out a relieved breath. She turned back to me. “So, are you dating now?”
I cleared my throat. “Not officially.” Not at all.
She just nodded, but her clear gray eyes held a mixture of concern and pity. Part of me wanted to ask for advice, but I couldn’t begin to formulate my own feelings on the matter. One minute I’d decided I was better off without him; the next I was wishing that he was next to me again. I’d heard the expression “when you know, you know.” Well, I didn’t have a freaking clue. When the hell would it click for me? I felt like my emotions were all over the damn place.
“I’m still trying to work through everything,” I admitted. “I’m not sure what I should feel or think. Part of me still feels guilty.”
“Why?”
“You know.” I leaned my elbows on the table. “I was still married. And even though Steve cheated on me, I always wanted to hold myself to a higher standard. Plus, a lot has happened between Gavin and me already. I don’t know if it’s fixable.”
Victoria sucked her bottom lip into her mouth before speaking. “This is only my two cents, so take it with a grain of salt.” I lifted a brow at her. “I can attest to the power of communication. I nearly ruined something good because Blake and I weren’t on the same page. I don’t know what’s been said or what happened between you and Gavin, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I believe anything’s fixable if you both want it.”
I pondered her words for several long moments. I knew she was right. There was only one problem... I had no clue what I wanted.
“Just think about it,” she said softly.
“I will.” I let out a sigh as I glanced at my phone. “I’ve gotta go. I have an appointment in half an hour.”
“Gavin?” Victoria turned her gray eyes on me, and I nodded.
“I just have to stop in to fix a billing issue.”
“Good.” Victoria’s lips curled into a smile. “Then you can—”
I waved her off before she could tell me—again—how sweet Gavin seemed and how I should give him a chance. “I already know where you’re going with that.”
“Then you should know I’ll just keep pestering you until you listen.” She gave me a big phony grin when I glared at her. “Quid pro quo. You helped me with Blake. Now it’s my turn to help you with Gavin.”
I rolled my eyes as I scooted out of the booth. “See you later. Nice to meet you, Lydia. Thank you for not matchmaking like this traitor here.” I jerked my head toward Victoria, and Lydia laughed.
“Good luck. If he’s really as amazing as Victoria says he
is, I think you’ll need it.”
Yeah. So did I.
Chapter Eighteen
Gavin
I tapped my foot anxiously, every nerve ending buzzing with anticipation. The phone on my desk rang, and I snatched it up. “Price.”
“She’s in conference room A,” Mrs. Hodges said on a sigh. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
I hung up and straightened my suit jacket as I drew in a deep breath. Holy shit, I was nervous as hell. Mrs. Hodges had told Kate there was a discrepancy in the billing and that she needed to correct the paperwork. It was true, to a point. I’d foregone my usual fee, charging only what the firm required and nothing extra. I didn’t want a dime of Kate’s money. I wanted her fair and square, and I wanted us to start with a clean slate.
Grabbing up the envelope on the corner of my desk, I headed out of my office and down the hall toward conference room A. I’d chosen this room specifically because it was designed to accommodate only a few people. The last several times Kate had been here, we’d met in the larger room. I didn’t want a single reminder of Steve or her divorce today; only us.
I paused a few feet from the doorway and drew a fortifying breath before stepping inside and closing the door. Kate’s eyes went wide and round as I seated myself across from her.
“What are you doing here?”
I lifted a brow. “Last I checked, I work here.”
She darted a glance toward the door. “Your assistant said she would be right back, so—”
I stopped her with a shake of my head. “She’s not coming back.”
Her mouth opened, then closed. She blinked once, then her eyes became narrowed slits. “You set this up.”