Frick. That’s right.
Kate had resigned herself to seeing Michael at Payton’s engagement party, since Kate knew the Vaughns were close friends with Michael and his family. But that didn’t mean Kate was ready to see him moving on with her new second chair. Not at Payton’s engagement party and certainly not for a whole weekend retreat under the fishbowl gaze of the entire law firm.
Especially since she still hadn’t found anyone to bring as her own date.
She only hoped the horror she felt didn’t register on her face as she smiled so wide her cheeks were hurting.
Michael came to his feet, pausing a moment. “I’m glad things are going so well for you, Kate. You deserve it.”
She looked into those familiar brown eye
s, remembering how she’d once thought the future was theirs. Together.
“Thanks, Michael. You, too,” she lied.
…
Kate managed not to look too horrified as she stared at the bottom figure on the bid that the contractor handed her. Corroded pipes that needed to be replaced? Electrical rewiring? It just didn’t mesh with the information she’d learned from house’s inspection report done only two months before.
“Thanks for your time. I have a couple more people I’m talking to and then I’ll be in touch.” Kate followed the guy out to the front porch. She watched his slow gait as he plodded his way toward the truck parked in the driveway. With a marked grimace, he managed to pull himself into the cab and shut the door.
Good riddance.
The air a little nippy, she rubbed her hands along her arms and looked around the neighborhood. Quiet, peaceful, and painted in bright, vibrant fall colors thanks to the leaves from the large, century-old sycamore trees that lined the streets.
She noticed the mail truck at the end of the block, and a sense of dread overcame her. Payton had mentioned she’d sent the engagement party invitations out on Thursday. It was bound to be there. She supposed she’d better go look.
The contractor’s rusty brown contraption sputtered to life as she passed it, but he remained in park while he read something from his cell phone. She tried not to crinkle her nose in distaste at the gray plume of smoke that spewed from the tailpipe.
Things were not looking good on the contractor front. She’d already contacted five different guys since Tuesday. The only one with an opening on a Saturday at such late notice had been this guy. Two had told her the earliest they could stop by was next week, although the soonest they could start any work would be mid-December, after some of their bigger projects slowed down. She was keeping her fingers crossed until then.
Kate grabbed the pile of mail and snapped the mailbox shut. There it was. The dreaded cream-colored envelope addressed to Ms. Kate Matthews and guest.
She opened it, despite already knowing what it said, having seen a copy a couple of weeks ago. But this was official. Only a few more weeks until Payton’s party, where she would be surrounded by several wealthy and prestigious families—including Michael’s—at the city’s most exclusive country club. Payton’s mother wouldn’t hear of anything less.
Maybe she should take Payton up on her offer to set Kate up with one of the groomsmen. At least then she wouldn’t have to go solo or to explain to Michael why her fabulous new boyfriend was absent.
For a moment, the image of the sexy contractor with the devious grin came to mind. With someone like him as her escort, Kate would be sure to score some jealousy points from Michael.
Preoccupied with her thoughts, Kate almost didn’t look up in time to see that her near contractor had thrown his truck into reverse and was hurling down the driveway.
Headed directly toward her.
She leaped to the left and fell to the ground just as the truck screeched out onto the road—almost colliding into another oncoming truck. Fortunately the other driver responded quickly and managed to swerve in time. With barely a wave of his hand, the contractor put his truck in drive and continued down the street, unconcerned with the near wreckage he’d caused.
The other truck moved forward again, made a wide turn, and pulled into Glenda’s driveway.
Of course, it would be him.
…
Dominic parked his truck and stared outside his window at the redhead sitting in the middle of her lawn. She was surrounded by mail and wet leaves, a few of which almost matched the color of her hair, save for a couple stuck in the thick riot of waves and curls. Gone was the cool lawyer, replaced with someone more touchable—and human. Not to mention cute when she was flustered like that.
He opened his truck and climbed out. “You two related? I may have to take out extra hazard insurance to park here.”
She sprang to her feet and started gathering the letters, not bothering to look up before she answered. “It seems as if the whole contracting profession believes common courtesy, speed limits, and other rules of the road are optional.”
He leaned back against his truck, enjoying the view. He’d bet she had no idea how the damp fabric of her jeans practically molded to her backside as she bent down. He should probably help her, but by the way she was huffing and throwing disgruntled looks his way, she’d sooner eat the mail than accept his help.