“Wait, is this for Liliana?” he asked, then laughed when my mother smiled and nodded.
With a sigh, I grabbed the paper back from him, reached down, and picked up my daughter.
“Where are you going?” my mother asked, following close on my heels.
“To Imaginations Unlimited. I’m going to nip this in the bud right now,” I stated as I spun on my heels. “You are playing games, Momma.”
She scoffed. “I am not. I merely wanted my granddaughter to have the best possible playhouse available. Can I help it if the man who builds those happens to be your age? Handsome, I might add. And rich. And single.”
“Ugh! You’re impossible!” I yelled before stomping out of the house like a child.
I walked straight to my car, put Liliana in her car seat and then pulled up Truitt’s business on my phone. After I put the address in my maps, I set off to let Mr. Carter know he would not be building my daughter’s playhouse.
Thirty minutes later, I was walking down Main with Liliana on my hip. I stopped outside a larger, newer building. It appeared there were a few different businesses, all of them with the same last name.
Carter.
My pulse quickened as I read each sign.
Ryan Carter, Esquire.
Nick Carter, Southwest Land and Cattle Company.
Truitt Carter, Imaginations Unlimited.
I pulled in a deep breath and walked into the main door. To my left was the law office. On my right was the Land and Cattle Company, and straight ahead, Imaginations Unlimited.
“Okay, Liliana, we can do this.”
“Payhouwse!” Liliana screamed as we walked toward the door. On the wall outside the office was a picture of the cutest playhouse I’d ever seen. It looked like a gingerbread house. For a moment my heart melted.
“Mommy! Look!” Liliana exclaimed.
“Yes, Mommy sees the playhouse.”
I walked in. Sitting to the right was an older woman. I smiled and she returned the gesture.
“Hello, may I help you?”
“Um, yes, I was wondering if Truitt, I mean, if Mr. Carter was in?”
She looked me over slowly and raised a brow. “Do you have an appointment with…Mr. Carter?”
“No. But I need to talk to him about this.” I handed her the architectural drawing of the over-the-top castle.
The older woman smiled. “Well, Mr. Carter is in the office today, which is rare, but he doesn’t like people to show up without an appointment.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. “Please, Ms.…?”
“Townsend.”
“Ms. Townsend, I’m supposed to meet with Mr. Carter this evening to discuss this project, and…”
Her eyes lit up. “You’re Evie’s daughter!”
My stomach dropped. Oh Lord, what was my mother up to? She had inside help on this one.
“Yes, I am.”
Before I got the words out, she picked up the phone. “Mr. Carter, Saryn Night is here to see you.”
Her smile disappeared as she listened to him speak. “Oh…well…yes, but wouldn’t you rather…yes. Of course, Mr. Carter.”
She hung up the phone and this time her smile was forced. “He is unable to see you right now, and he also wanted to tell you that he will not be able to join you and your family for dinner tonight.”
I frowned. “My family?”
Her gaze dropped away from mine. What in the hell was going on here?
“I need to speak with him. Now.”
Ms. Townsend opened her mouth, then closed it. Then opened it again, only to snap it shut.
“This is insane,” I said, turning and walking down the hall. “Which office is his?”
I didn’t need to wait for her to reply, although she was now up and trying to walk in front of me.
“Mrs. Night!”
“Ms.,” I corrected.
“Ms. Night! You can’t go into his office!”
Ha! Watch me, lady.
The large oak door at the end of the hall had the cowboy’s name on it. Truitt Carter. I reached for it and pushed it open, only to come to a halt. My eyes nearly popped out of my head at the sight before me.
Standing before me was Truitt Carter, wearing next to nothing. My insides melted like butter on a hot biscuit. Slowly, I let my gaze move over his body.
His almost naked body.
Truitt
THE DOOR TO my office flew open as I pulled up my boxers. One of the things I loved about my office was that I had my own private bathroom, shower and all. After working out in the gym doing upper body—since my ankle was still a bit swollen—I had jumped into the shower and was in the process of re-dressing.
“Oh my gosh, you’re naked!” Saryn nearly shouted.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Carter, she just walked back here on her own!” Ms. Townsend said, panic etched in her voice.
I smiled. “It’s okay, Ms. Townsend.”
Three sets of female eyes were now on me. Saryn’s daughter was in her arms. I nodded to my assistant and said, “I’ll see Ms. Night since she’s already shown herself in.” With a nod, Ms. Townsend quickly shut the door.