Envious (8 page)

“Well, why don’t I show you the building?” Cynthia said, leading the way toward the front door.

“What can you tell us about this place?” Chris settled his hand on the small of Katie’s back as she preceded him up the narrow stone path to the front doors.

“Well, it was a real estate office. In fact, I had my office here, but my broker felt we needed something a little bigger, closer to the downtown core.”

“Makes sense,” Chris said, keeping his eye on Katie as they passed through the two sets of doors. The smell of fresh paint assailed them. “The place has been completely renovated?”

“It has.” Cynthia switched on lights from a panel near the front door. “It’s about twenty-five years old, so it was definitely time for a face-lift. What kind of business do you have?”

“Katie is a pre-school teacher,” Chris supplied as Katie wandered, poking her head into each door lining the wide hallway. “She’d like to open a private pre-school.”

“Oh, this building would be perfect for something like that,” Cynthia said, smiling. “There’s a full kitchen, two bathrooms, a rear exit, main office, and ten generous rooms that would be ideal classrooms.”

Even in the early evening, the expansive windows let in a lot of light, bathing each room in a soft glow. With the neutral floors and walls, Katie could easily imagine the space alive with brightly colored learning aids, long tables for arts and crafts, and miniature chairs. Katie strolled to the back of the building knowing her wide-eyed expression must be conveying her feelings to Chris and Cynthia. She was in love.

“Do you like what you see, Ms. Elliott?” Cynthia asked when Katie returned.

“It’s lovely,” Katie said, smiling. “And it’s Katie, please.”

“That’s my future daughter-in-law’s name,” Cynthia said, beaming. “She’s a lovely girl. She and my son have been dating for years. I can’t wait until they finally tie the knot this fall.”

Katie smiled politely. She was sure Chris could tell her mind was somewhere else.

“Do you have a feature sheet or any additional information we could scan over dinner?” he asked.

“Oh, of course,” Cynthia said. “I don’t know where my mind is tonight. I should have given you this as soon as we walked in.” She reached into the black leather folder she’d been carrying and passed him a glossy brochure. Katie looked over Chris’s shoulder and spotted the asking price in the top corner. $1.7 million.

“Do you think zoning will be an issue?” he asked Cynthia.

“I don’t believe so. But if you choose to make an offer, you can build in a contingency for due diligence, just to make sure you won’t have any problems with licensing or bi-laws.”

“Great.” Chris glanced at Katie. “Do you have any questions?”

She was overwhelmed, not only by the prospect of starting a business, but by the asking price for the property. He was supposed to lend her fifty thousand dollars for a forty percent stake in her business, not buy a building to house her fantasies. “Um, no.” She turned her attention to Cynthia. “Thank you so much for showing us the space. It’s really lovely.”

“It was my pleasure.” She offered her hand to Katie then Chris. “Please let me know if you have any additional questions or would like to set up another appointment to view the space with your own contractors. Just in case a build-out is necessary to meet your needs.”

“Thank you, we’ll do that.” Chris held the door for Katie and waited until they’d reached the passenger’s door of the car before he asked, “So what did you think?”

“What’s not to love?”

***

Looking at her, with the sun setting in the background, he asked himself the same question.
What’s not to love about this woman?
The answer came quickly, startling him with its intensity.
Nothing, she’s perfect for you.
Except for one little problem. She still shared his best friend’s last name. He didn’t trust himself to speak without blurting out his thoughts, so he helped her into the car and took a deep breath as he tried to collect himself before facing her again. He got in and started the car. “I think so, too. Why don’t we make an offer? I’d be willing to go in at one-five.”

“That’s crazy.” She twisted her purse strap between her fingers. “I can’t let you do that. I don’t even have my degree yet. Then there’s the certification and…” Her eyes filled with tears. “What if I fail? I can’t let you take that kind of risk on me.”

Chris’s heart broke seeing the proof that no one had ever believed in her as much as he did, including herself. He wanted her to develop the confidence that came from stepping outside of her comfort zone and pushing the boundaries of what she believed was possible. “I have no doubt you’re going to pass with flying colors. In the meantime, we can set this in motion. We have a few months before the new school year starts. That should be just enough time, right?”

Her eyes darted from one side of the road to the other as though she were plotting an escape. “It’s a huge amount of money. You offered fifty thousand dollars initially, and even that’s too much to play with.”

“I’m not playing.” If only she knew how serious he was. “This is an investment, and real estate is a good bet. Whatever it takes to get the business up and running, I’m willing to put it up.”

She looked at him, seemingly stunned by his generous offer. “I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be able to spend that kind of money without thinking twice about it.”

“I’m a careful investor. I work hard for my money and I’ve busted my butt to get where I am, but when I see a good thing, I don’t have to wait around for a bank to give me their approval. I won’t deny that’s a pretty damn good feeling.”

“But how do you know I’m a good thing?” She blushed. “I mean, how do you know this business is a good idea?”

“I spent a little time doing some research. I came up with the framework for a plan. Now that we know some of the details, we can fill it in and see where we end up with projections and operating costs, based on the size of the space, number of students you could enroll, and tuition you could charge.”

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” she said, her eyes shining with eagerness.

“When you want something badly enough, there’s always a way to make it happen. Don’t ever forget that.” He knew when his head hit the pillow that night, he’d remind himself of the very same thing. It may take a while before she was ready to take a chance on love again, but when she was, he’d be waiting.

***

Katie was having the time of her life with Chris. They’d laughed, talked, planned, indulged in mouth-watering pasta and decadent dessert, and smiled so much her cheeks hurt. She’d known he was an amazing man, but spending time alone with him was a rare treat. She sipped on the cappuccino she’d ordered because she wasn’t ready for the evening to end. “Did you want a big family?”

“Still do.”

“So you think you’ll get married again?”

“I’d like to, when the time is right.”

She was sure he would. Men like Chris didn’t remain single forever. There was no reason the image of him standing at some altar, exchanging vows with a faceless woman, should make her chest hurt.
Must be heartburn
. “Do you think Bianca would be okay with her daddy getting married again?”

“I guess that depends,” he said, smiling. “You know her. She’s very opinionated. Any woman I fall in love with would have to love my little princess too. We’re a package deal.”

Katie couldn’t imagine a woman alive who wouldn’t melt at the sight of that cherub face and those big blue eyes… so much like her daddy’s. Katie counted Chris’s ex-wife among her friends, but she thought Courtney must have been out of her mind to walk away from a man like Chris. “I doubt that will be a problem.” Katie blushed when she realized she’d said that aloud.

“Are you saying you think we’re irresistible?”

Rolling her eyes, Katie said, “I meant your kid is irresistible, Rozen. I didn’t say anything about you.” They’d always had an easy rapport and been able to tease each other. Katie knew how rare that was, but while she’d been sharing a home with Lee, she hadn’t given it much thought. It was become increasingly difficult to ignore. They just fit. He accepted her for who she was, didn’t judge her for her past, and made her believe she could accomplish any goal she set. No one in her life, not even her own family, had ever believed in her the way Chris did.

“What are you thinking about?” Chris asked as he twisted the stem of his wine glass between his thumb and forefinger. “Don’t say nothing. I can see the wheels turning.”

Dare she tell him the truth? How could she not? He deserved to know how much his support meant to her. “I was just thinking about how nice it is to have you in my life.” She smiled as she realized she should have told him a long time ago how much she appreciated him. “I understand why Lee counts you among his closest friends. You’ve always been there for him and for us. Most people these days are too caught up in their own lives to give much thought to what’s happening with other people, but you’re not like that. You’re different. Selfless.”

Chris chuckled. “Before you nominate me for sainthood, you should ask whether I have ulterior motives.”

Although he was smiling, something in the way he looked at her told Katie he was serious. “What do you mean?”

“I love Lee like a brother, but it was painfully obvious that you guys have just been going through the motions for a long time. Probably since day one.”

Katie smoothed the white linen napkin in her lap, trying to ignore a stab of pain. Chris was right. She’d spent the last five years with a man she wasn’t in love with because she was afraid to face her demons alone. What did that say about her?

“I’m not judging either one of you,” Chris said softly. “No one wants to be alone. Sometimes just having someone to hold in the middle of the night is reason enough to stay married.”

“Do you ever miss being married?” Katie was still getting used to the idea, but she knew when reality set in, she would miss having someone to talk to at the end of the day or share a meal with once in a while. She and Hannah were essentially alone, and she had to figure out how to survive as a single parent.

“Sure, sometimes.” Chris grinned. “I can’t deny there are things I don’t miss about it, though.”

“Such as?”

“Courtney used to call me at five o’clock every night to make sure I was on my way home. She didn’t get the fact that I couldn’t keep banker’s hours. She hated that I had to travel so much. It’s kind of nice to be able to work late or hop on a plane without arguing with anyone about it. But…”

“But?”

“It was kind of nice to have someone who cared too.” He set his napkin on the table. “I miss that.”

“Yeah, it’s nice to have someone in your life who cares.” Katie had lived most of her life feeling as though her sister was the only person who cared whether she’d live to fight another day. That had changed when her mother started battling her alcoholism, and Katie was grateful to have her mother back in her life, but it wasn’t the same as having a partner who thought she was the most important person in his world. She’d never had that. Not even with Lee.

“I care about you,” he whispered, leaning forward as he braced his elbows on the table. “I hope you know that.”

Something told her Chris did care about her, perhaps in a way no one else ever had. It was exhilarating and unnerving. “I do. I feel the same way about you.” She hadn’t intended to admit her feelings for him, but it was likely written all over her face.

“Katie, I—”

“Oh, look at the time,” she said, glancing at her watch. She didn’t know what he was going to say, but whatever it was, she didn’t think she was ready to hear it. She’d already failed at love once. The thought of trying again with a man she couldn’t stand to lose was too risky. “I’m sure Lee brought Hannah home hours ago. We should probably get going.”

Chris looked as though there was so much more he wanted to say, but he stood. “Can you stop by my office tomorrow? I’d like to review that business plan with you.”

She wanted to ask why they couldn’t do it tomorrow night at her home after Hannah went to sleep. Given the tingle dancing up her spine when he stood over her, offering his hand, she decided his office would be a much safer option. “I’ll ask my mother or Cassidy if they would mind watching Hannah for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon, if that works for you?”

“I’ll make it work. Just text me the time.”

Chris stared at the TV screen, barely seeing the picture. His mind was somewhere else—in the bed across the street. He was falling for her, harder and deeper every day, even though it was too soon for him to feel anything for the woman still married to the man sleeping in his guest room. He and Lee went back too far to ever let a woman come between them, but Katie wasn’t just any woman. She was the mother of Lee’s daughter, and if Chris was being honest, he would admit she was the one he could imagine as the stepmother of his own child.

Lee rounded the corner into the family room. “Hey, did I leave my phone down here?”

Chris had been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn’t even heard Lee come down. He glanced at the end tables on either side of him. “I think you left it on the kitchen table.”

“Thanks, I’ll check there.” But instead of going in search of his phone, Lee sat on the chair next to Chris’s sofa. Chris refused to tear his eyes away from the screen. He didn’t want to invite conversation when he was trying to work through the chaos in his head. “You never said; how’d it go with Katie tonight?”

“We checked out the unit, but we also spotted another place that looks interesting. Tomorrow we’ll plug the numbers into the spreadsheet I created and see where we end up.”

“So you’re seeing Katie again tomorrow?”

Chris faced Lee when he heard the edge in his friend’s voice. “Yeah, you got a problem with that? I thought you wanted me to help Katie with this business.”

“I do, I’m just…”

“You’re just what?” If Lee asked Chris to back off, he didn’t know how he’d handle it. The last thing he wanted was to cause Katie or Lee anymore pain, but walking away from her was unthinkable.