Her Backup Boyfriend (The Sorensen Family 1)

He was holding up a bright canary yellow.

She laughed, forgetting for a moment the pain of the previous moment. “Not a chance.”

And at that moment, when Dominic chose to let Kate off the hook, she realized she liked him a little more than she probably should.

Chapter Five

“Okay, you’re doing fine, just hold it steady and it will go in easily. I promise.”

“I’m not sure, I feel like it’s going out of control. Look. I’m shaking.”

Dominic could hear the panic in Kate’s voice. But he refused to help her and after another twenty seconds, she drove it home. And looked down at him, a surprised but satisfied look in her eyes.

“I think I did it.”

“That you did. Now get down and give me a hand with these drapes. Which one goes in front again?”

Kate hopped jubilantly down the two steps of the new stool she’d bought earlier that morning, her cheeks flushed and her eyes shining. She’d only drilled the posts for her new drapery rods into the wall above her front room windows, but from the way she looked, you’d think she had invented a cure for cancer.

“The white panels go between the windows and the teal draperies. This way I can pull the heavy drapes back but still have some privacy,” she said holding the gauzy fabric up. “See what I mean?”

“Oh, yeah. I can’t see through it at all,” he said sarcastically, since he could still see that hourglass shape of hers through any kind of fabric. She’d discarded the jacket from earlier, leaving him to try to keep his eyes off her curvy assets.

“Here, hold this,” she said.

She climbed up and slid a panel across the rod, leading him to a few not-so-professional thoughts. Thoughts he was crazy to entertain when this one came with so much baggage, if today’s scene was any indication. Something he was more than a little curious about.

Michael was exactly the type of guy Dominic would have pegged for Kate. Wealthy, well educated, and cultured. Likely from a family of some means and social standing. Probably also drove a late-model Mercedes he leased new every year. Throwing away money hand over fist.

Kate probably fit well in that type of world. She had beauty and class, education and obvious wealth. Hell, look at her car. These all served as reminders that despite the fact he had spent the morning in the company of a beautiful and smart woman—who definitely knew how to fill out a pair of jeans—she was way out of his league. Getting mixed up with her would only inevitably cause them both pain. Was a shame, though. Her pining over such a douche bag. She could do better.

And against his better judgment, he decided to ask. “About earlier. With that guy, Michael. Want to help me understand what was going on there?”

Her shoulders tensed, and she didn’t answer him at first, arranging the curtains back and forth. “It’s…complicated.”

“Try me.” Not that he hadn’t already filled in most of the puzzle, after seeing the rock that snotty chick had been sporting. But he wanted to torture Kate a little bit.

She climbed down from the stool and sat on the top rung. “Well, long story short, in a moment where I apparently totally lost my mind after hearing the news of his impending nuptials, I may have given Michael and…a few others the impression that I was in a serious relationship myself. And thanks to this morning’s fateful meeting, you’ve kind of become that someone.”

“I see. And how long have you been pretending you’ve had a boyfriend? And is this something you usually do?” he teased.

She actually laughed, and her eyes lit up her face. “No, I don’t usually make up phantom boyfriends. I was just taken off guard. And thanks to how quickly the rumor mill works at the firm, it didn’t take long for my boss to hear about it and make his own congratulations.”

“Aw, the intrigue. And what were you planning on at this little firm retreat? Were you hoping no one would notice your boyfriend was imaginary?”

“To be honest, I hadn’t thought about it at all until my boss made a point of telling me how my shot at partnership was tied into convincing the senior partners that wedded bliss was on the horizon.” She studied her fingernails. “The next board meeting is in early December, where they make the final vote. If I can keep up the charade through then, I’ll be in. And then I can make up a sad breakup story and move on. As to the retreat, I’ll just say you”—he noted the mischievous gleam in her eyes—“couldn’t get away. Some construction emergency, blah, blah, blah. I think now that there’s been an actual boyfriend sighting, I’ll be okay.”

“I’m glad I could be of service. But to tell you the truth, from the looks of this Michael guy, I don’t see why you felt the need to have to make up any boyfriend at all. He’s kind of a douche.”

Her laugh was deep and full, her head falling back to reveal a smooth pale expanse of skin. She should do that more.

“I think that’s exactly what my friend Payton called him. She’ll be glad to hear someone else is of the same opinion.”

His phone buzzed in his back pocket. He pulled it out and glanced down. His brother.

“I’ve got to take this,” he said with some reluctance before heading to the kitchen.

“Mom just called,” Cruz said. “Some guys just came and repossessed Daisy’s car. She’s a mess. When she got Leo on the phone, he admitted he stopped making the payments. Told her he wants a divorce. He’s decided Daisy and the kids are no longer his responsibility. I’m going to kill him.”