“His surgery can’t come soon enough. For both of them.”
Cruz looked up. “And for you, too.” Dominic felt his brother’s gaze on him. Cruz took his time mulling over his next words. “Once Dad’s surgery is behind us, how much longer do you think you’ll stick it out here?”
“Guess as long as Dad’s health takes to recover.”
“Sorensen Construction could survive without you. We did before Dad got sick and we’d manage now. Have you contacted the university to see about getting back into the program?”
Dominic sighed and straightened. Cruz was not going to let up today. “I don’t know about the whole architectural license thing anymore. You know that.”
“Don’t get your license then. But don’t hide away here, either. It’s time you start focusing on getting things in order. Get on with your life. You don’t have to sacrifice your dreams any longer—we’d be all right. You know your heart isn’t in this.”
“I’ll keep it under advisement.”
Cruz shook his head and sighed heavily before looking back down at his desk. The sound of the pencil scratching across the smooth surface of the paper assured Dominic he wouldn’t have to worry about Cruz revisiting the topic today.
It was quiet in the room and Dominic thought over what his brother had said. He knew his dad and the business would probably be okay if he left. So what was holding him back from getting out there and doing what he wanted?
For a long time, it had been Melinda. She’d crushed him when she left him. She hadn’t been interested in being the wife of a general contractor. Or a carpenter, as she’d called him. She’d wanted more. He hadn’t realized how much she had bet on him getting his architectural license to finish the picture. When he’d told her he was going to have to bail to help out with the family business after his dad had his heart attack, she’d warned him it wouldn’t be enough for her. And she’d meant it. He’d heard she’d married some banker a couple of years ago.
He’d been hiding out here ever since, going on three years. It had been okay for a while, reeling from Melinda’s decampment and worried about his dad and the business. It was the right thing to do. At the time. But now…
Cruz had the business end of things well under control. In fact, he’d made quite a name for Sorensen Construction in the past couple of years. And Dominic was itching to get out on his own again. Immerse himself in his own designs, his own plans for renovating and designing homes, new and old. Making each one special.
Suddenly Dominic realized, with a jolt, that the thought of Melinda had barely caused him any pain. In fact, this past week only one woman had been filling his waking thoughts and his dreams.
Kate. She intrigued him. She wasn’t what he expected, and he itched to find out more of what made her tick.
He also had to admit to wondering if their ruse was for the sole purpose of earning partnership, or if there was another agenda. Like making her ex jealous. Maybe even getting him back.
Something he’d have to remind himself of many times over the next month. He’d already fallen for the wrong woman before. He wasn’t going to repeat that mistake again.
…
From her position spying behind the folds of her new drapes, Kate stared at the cars parked in front of Glenda’s house and her driveway. Laughter echoed in the night air. In Kate’s estimation, there were about two dozen people inside. None of whom she knew.
Frick, she hated these things.
She’d been watching the house for the past ten minutes, not sure if she was relieved that Dominic was running behind and she’d earned a reprieve or frustrated that she was just prolonging the inevitable. But truth be told, they didn’t look that bad. Actually, they looked pretty nice. Friendly. Down-to-earth. Unlike the guests at the parties she and Michael used to attend. And the people at the events the Vaughns hosted that Payton had dragged her to. They had seen through her. Known she wasn’t one of them.
Which was why she hated these kinds of things.
She looked down at her watch as the time edged closer to quarter after. Had she misunderstood the plan? Last night she’d worked past ten, arriving home to find Dominic had finished an hour earlier. He’d left a note on the fridge saying he’d see her at six.
Had he meant she should meet him there at six?
Crap. She really didn’t want to go over there alone, but if her grandmother had taught her anything, being punctual was the most important rule of etiquette. Actually, her grandmother had been fond of sharing a lot of her own personal rules. Her favorite being that opportunity knocked only once, while temptation leaned on the doorbell. A weird little saying that hadn’t meant much to Kate before.
Then she’d met Dominic.
He was nothing but temptation. And she’d be sure to remember that this was nothing more than a business arrangement. She didn’t want to get caught up again in something that could have no future, only inevitable heartache, since Dominic didn’t seem like the type of guy who let himself get wrapped up in any one woman. He was a love-’em-and-leave-’em type of guy.
And if he wasn’t? Well, even if he could commit, it wasn’t likely he’d appreciate a woman who worked upward of sixty hours a week and chose billable hours at the office over a late movie with him. That’s why being with Michael had been so…perfect.
A purr from near her ankles reminded her she still needed to feed Oscar. Kate stepped away from the curtains and went to the kitchen to crack open a can of cat food. She wasn’t procrastinating. Not at all.
Although she should wash her hands for a good sixty seconds after handling the cat food. There could be a pregnant woman there or something. Or was that the kitty litter?
Quick tapping at her back door broke the quiet of her kitchen and nearly sent her jumping out of the skin. She leaned back until she could make out a face peering through the glass panes of the door.