Lone Star Millionaire (23 page)

Bracing herself, she turned the dead bolt. With her practiced, professional smile firmly in place, she opened the door. “Scott. I'm glad you could make it.”

“Me, too.” He walked in and smiled.

“You're right on time.”

She shut the door after him, then turned to find him looking around. He'd walked the length of her entry and waited to step down into her great room. As always, her gaze was drawn to his impressive physique, and it occurred to her that this was the first time she'd seen him in something other than jeans and work boots. In his khaki slacks and the navy knit shirt molded to his broad shoulders, muscular back and trim waist, he cleaned up pretty good. She marveled at her instantaneous female response to that realization. It was nice to know that part of her still worked. Nice, but nerve-racking. In order to avoid more of the same, she resolved to suck it up and get this over with.

She looked up at him. “I'll show you around.”

“Okay.”

With her arm out, she indicated the long kitchen with a nook at the end where her dinette sat. “This is where For Whom the Bell Toils was born.”

“I can see why you lease an office. It doesn't have a lot of counter space.”

“Is that a problem for you?”

“On the contrary,” he said. “Less is more as far as I'm concerned.”

“This is my living room. There's my office where I do paperwork,” she said, indicating the room set off with French doors. “It could be a downstairs bedroom if you wanted. Although, obviously a solid door would need to be there.”

He grinned. “I'm a builder. Doors are my domain.”

“Oh. Right. Of course. That would be a piece of cake for you.” She indicated the stairway. “I'll show you the upstairs.”

“The last time we did this, there were surprises.” He held out his arm for her to precede him. “You go first.”

“I guarantee there's nothing to be afraid of,” she teased.

“I'm not taking any chances.”

She led him up, past where the stairs turned, opening to a loft on the left. Through double doors, she took him into her bedroom. “It's spacious. Big, walk-in closet, double sinks, separate stall shower.”

“Nice,” he said, looking around.

She'd chosen roses and ruffles for her bedroom. The walls were painted a neutral rosy beige color and there were vases of dried flowers and a dish of potpourri on her nightstand. It couldn't be more feminine. And he couldn't possibly look more masculine and out of place in her froufrou space. The thought was like a speed bump to her racing heart and just as surely it shook her up.

“There are two more bedrooms.” As he looked in, she swallowed the breathlessness she'd heard in her voice. When she felt in control, she said, “These would make perfect guest rooms for Gail and Kendra when they come to visit.”

He met her gaze and the corners of his mouth turned up. “I can see why you're such a busy caterer. Never miss an opportunity to market your product.”

She shrugged. “I'm not doing a sales presentation. It's the truth.”

When they were back downstairs, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she ask him to sit down? Offer him a drink? At his place it had thrown her when he'd offered her a glass of wine. If she hadn't been pregnant, she'd have been tempted to take it. That reaction had unnerved her. She was the businesswoman; he was the client. But with Scott, the line between business and pleasure blurred. Something sizzled between them that fried the professional parameters and turned the politically correct into soot.

But she'd been taught that you could never go wrong being polite. Her mother's voice in her head wouldn't let her be anything less. Maybe he had to get home and would turn her down. “I'm sorry I don't have any beer. Would you like a glass of iced tea? Or a soda?”

“Iced tea would be great.”

She should have known. But since she'd opened her big mouth again and made the offer, she couldn't very well take it back. If only she didn't feel the power of his appeal every time they were in the same room.

She walked into her kitchen and reached into the cupboard beside the refrigerator for a glass. After putting in some ice, she pulled out the tea pitcher and poured. “Would you like lemon and sugar?”

He shook his head and took the drink. After sipping, he looked at the glass, then at her. “What flavor is that?”

“Passion fruit.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she blushed like a teenager. She hadn't blushed this much around a guy even when she
was
a teenager.

To his credit, he didn't say anything except, “It's really good.”

She leaned her back against the counter. “Town house living is ideal for a busy professional like yourself.”

“How so?”

“Outside maintenance is taken care of by an association. I
have a small yard in back—patio large enough for a barbecue and a bit of grass and flowers. But essentially there's no upkeep.”

“Good to know.”

“It's important information to have when one is phasing out responsibility.”

“That's something impossible for a father to escape. With two kids in college I'm looking at mega-obligations for a long time to come. And if either of the girls wants to go for a master's degree, I'll be doing dad duty even longer.” He lifted one broad shoulder. “I'm just looking to simplify my living arrangements.”

Thea understood that. This town house was where she'd moved to escape the painful memories after her husband died. It became her haven, allowed her to uncomplicate her life. Now she was ready to take on the responsibility of being a mother. She ached with the need to hold her baby in her arms.

She looked at Scott and said sincerely, “This is the perfect place to simplify your lifestyle. It's a little over twenty-three hundred square feet, by the way. Big, but not too big. Just the right amount of space without being overwhelming.”

He set his empty glass on the counter. “You're preaching to the choir. I like your place. A lot. It's exactly what I need.”

When he said the last words, his gaze darkened with intensity as he looked at her mouth. The realization made her skin grow warm and put a hitch in her breathing. She felt as if she needed to suck in air, yet she couldn't manage to because of the tightness in her chest.

She cleared her throat. “Maybe it's something we should pursue. The real-estate deal, I mean.”

He nodded. “I agree.”

“I'll call Joyce. If you're serious about swapping spaces, maybe she can cut us a break on her commission. This deal would be half the work.”

“Maybe.” The soles of his shoes scraped on her tile floor as he shifted his weight. “We can look into that. But—”

“Yes?” she asked eagerly, excited at the prospect of buying his house. It was everything she wanted. A kitchen large enough to do a lot of her work in, as well as being in the school district where she wanted her son or daughter educated. The perfect place to raise her child. And, she thought, the house had a positive parental vibe. She would be living in the same place as the man who'd successfully raised two fine young women.

He jammed his hands into his pockets as he shifted his feet. “There's something I'd like to ask you.”

“Okay.” He looked nervous. What was that about?

“Would you have dinner with me sometime?”

Dinner? To talk things over? Just the two of them? Not a good idea. “That's very nice of you, Scott. But it's not necessary for you to take me out to dinner to discuss real-estate details.”

He shook his head. “Actually, talking business was the furthest thing from my mind. I meant, I'd like to take you out for a meal and discuss anything
but
business.”

“You mean, a date?”

“Yeah.” His expression went from tense to sheepish. “But if you have to ask, I guess I'm way rustier at this whole thing than I realized.”

He wasn't the only one. If she was more with it, she'd have seen this coming, but she hadn't.

“No.” She shook her head. “Dinner's out of the question.”

He stared at her with a puzzled expression. “The last time I checked, dinner was a meal that most people take for granted they're going to eat.”

Drat. He wasn't going to let it drop. But a date simply wasn't going to happen. And she couldn't violate her prime directive to explain why. She refused to talk about her baby yet. Call her superstitious, but it felt like asking for trouble—a challenge to the fates.

“I'm just too busy right now. We're on the cusp of summer.
That means weddings. Where there are weddings, there are bridal showers. And all of that is in addition to graduation parties. On top of which people still celebrate birthdays.”

“You don't even need to check your schedule?” he asked.

This was awkward. Actually, she amended, she was awkward. She didn't know how to do this. She didn't want to do this. And, for Pete's sake, what part of
no
didn't he understand?

“Look, you said yourself that you're trying to simplify your life. You're going to be an empty-nester soon. I think this dating thing is a knee-jerk reaction to that.”

“You're wrong. It's a knee-jerk reaction to wanting to see you socially.”

Now what? Straightforward refusal, that's what. “I just can't. I'm sorry, Scott.”

“I'm sorry, too.” After an awkward moment, he turned and walked to the door, putting his hand on the knob. “Thanks for letting me barge in. I hope it wasn't too much trouble.”

“Not at all. It was my idea.”

“Yeah. I remember. Good night.” Then he was gone.

Feeling like the slime that formed on rotten vegetables in the refrigerator, she stared at the spot where he'd been standing a second before. She was relieved that he'd finally accepted her no. But she couldn't help the tiniest bit of disappointment, too. Which was stupid, since she didn't want to go out with him. She didn't have room in her life.

Shaking her head, she realized it had been a long time since she'd thought in terms of having a life. After losing David, it had really and truly felt as if a part of her had died, too. Coming back had been long and painful but she was getting there. The problem with having a life was the potential for complications.

There was no question she found Scott attractive. Everything about him appealed to her. He was a good man and a good father. It was impossible not to like him. But that was useless
information. She was going to have a baby. Thanks to modern science, she didn't need a man and that was just fine with her.

Having her husband's baby wasn't the only vow Thea had made on David's deathbed. She'd also promised herself that she would never want or need a man again. And she'd just made sure there was no chance of that happening.

S
cott walked into his younger brother's office at Matthews and Sons and slapped a folder down on the desk.

Mike Matthews glanced up from the spreadsheet on his computer screen. “Something wrong?”

Scott looked at his brother, working at the computer as if he didn't have a care in the world. And he probably didn't, because he'd never married and had kids. Not that Scott regretted his kids. He did, however, regret the woman he'd chosen to be their mother.

People had always said the two of them looked like twins. But that was where the resemblance stopped. Mike wore wire-rimmed glasses, compliments of being a computer geek. And his position as a desk jockey, instead of out in the field doing construction, meant that to stay fit he spent lots of time in the gym. Other than the fact that he envied his brother's simple lifestyle—no commitment, no way, no how—they
were good friends. But he didn't really want to answer the question—was anything wrong?

“No,” he finally said. “Why?”

Mike swiveled his desk chair and faced front. “Scuttlebutt has it that mortgage rates are expected to creep up. That could slow new home sales.”

Scott shrugged. “Not in this area. Santa Clarita is booming and shows no signs of slowing down.”

“I heard Josh McCardle is quitting. Isn't he your best crew foreman?”

“Yeah. Richmond West is really busy and offered him a better deal than we could. I told him to take it.”

“He's been with the company for ten years. You taught him everything. Doesn't it tick you off that he went with a busy company—and our biggest competitor?”

Busy. That's what Thea had said. She was too busy to go out to dinner with him. She might just as well have said he was ugly and his mother dressed him funny. Too busy meant the same thing. Everyone had to eat. How could you be too busy to go out to dinner? It wasn't like he was asking her to sleep with him. He just wanted to take her out to a damn dinner.

Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted Thea any way he could get her. And if a romantic rendezvous afterwards at her place was in the cards, he wouldn't wimp out and throw in his hand.

“Scott?”

“Hmm?”

“You look like someone left your favorite drill out in the rain to rust. What's up with you?”

“Nothing.”

“Something wrong with the girls? Did Kendra get turned down at UCLA?”

“No. The girls are fine.”

His brother leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers
over his abdomen. “Look, bro, you've been in a crap mood for a week now. I'm trying to be supportive, but I gotta tell you, playing twenty questions is getting real old. Either you tell me what's wrong or get out of my office. I don't much care which.”

Scott released a long breath and stared out the window for several moments. “Okay. You win. Besides, I'm going to explode if I don't talk to someone about this.”

“I'm here for you, Scott, you know that.”

“I know you've had a lot of experience with women.”

Mike's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “This is about a woman?”

The skeptical look on his brother's face didn't do anything to sweeten Scott's mood. “Don't look so shocked.”

“Sorry. I can't help it. It's been a long time between women for you.” He shrugged. “I just didn't think—”

“That I could have a problem with one?”

“Well, yeah.” He grinned. “You made it clear that your personal life ran a distant third behind the girls and your job. It never occurred to me that you've been walking around in a black funk for a week and it was all about a woman.”

“So it's breaking news?”

“I'm proud of you, bro.”

“Don't be.” Scott snorted. “She turned me down flat.”

“Who is she?”

“Her name is Thea Bell and she owns a catering business here in town. I've hired her to take care of Ken's graduation party.”

“And she's hot?”

“She's a very nice, very attractive woman,” he answered. His tone must have held a warning because Mike lifted a hand as if to say she's all yours.

“She must be all that and more to get your attention.”

“What does that mean?” Scott asked.

“Just that since your divorce, you haven't shown enough
interest in any woman to walk around in a funk for a day, let alone a week.”

Scott sat on the corner of the desk and blew out a long breath. “Here's the thing, Mike. She's different. She's not the type who talks much about her personal life.”

“So ask her out and get to know her.”

“I did. Like I said. She rejected me.”

“What did she say?”

“That she was too busy.”

Mike winced. “Ooh. That's bad.”

“Even I know that. But it gets worse.”

“How?”

“She knows Kendra is graduating from high school and going to college. She said that my asking her for a date was a knee-jerk reaction to the fact that I'll be an empty-nester.”

“Ouch.” Mike shook his head. “But you defended yourself, right? Set her straight?”

“I didn't think my ego could handle it. I got the feeling she was trying to let me down easy. It seemed to me if I pushed her, and she let me down any easier, I'd be a rust-colored stain on the carpet.”

“Yeah. I can see how you'd get that impression.”

Scott rubbed the back of his neck. “But here's the other thing, Mike. I really like her. And I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed where women are concerned, but I would bet my favorite hammer that she likes me, too.”

“So?”

“So, I guess I could accept a
No
more gracefully if she just flat out said she's not interested.”

“You want it up front and right between the eyes?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, I guess I do.”

That was preferable to having children and spending years with a woman only to find out he didn't know her at all. After
Kendra was born, he'd thought things were better than ever between him and his wife. So when she gave him her sweeping pronouncement that she wasn't happy being a wife and mother, it had come out of nowhere. And her timing couldn't have been worse. He'd been patting himself on the back for making it over the speed bumps in their marriage. Hell, he'd taken pride in the fact that they'd nipped their problems in the bud and were going to make it as a family. Then, to find out he'd been so wrong, he'd felt like the world's biggest chump.

“Maybe Thea's married,” Mike suggested.

Scott shook his head. “She's a widow.”

“Could be she's already got a boyfriend.” Mike leaned forward and rested his forearms on his desk. “But if she does, wouldn't she just say so?”

Scott would be the first to admit he wasn't the best judge of character. But his gut was telling him that Thea was out-spoken and direct. If she was personally involved with another guy she wouldn't hesitate to say so.

“Yeah. She would have been up front about dating someone else.”

“So what's her deal?” Mike asked.

“Damned if I know.”

And that was the hell of it. He didn't know. Not even what tragedy had taken her husband from her too soon. If he knew what was good for him, he would just drop the subject. Get through his daughter's party and walk away in one piece. Forget about Thea Bell. Why should he stick his neck out? Why put himself on the line again? He didn't much enjoy feeling like he'd been flattened by a speeding locomotive.

The thing was, he had a feeling Thea had been flattened even worse than he had. And he'd been telling the God's honest truth when he said he liked her. How long had it been
since he'd met a woman he could say that about? He wasn't willing to blow it off without at least giving it another try.

He met his brother's gaze. “Mikey, I'm going to find out what her deal is if it's the last thing I do.”

“That's the spirit. But, Scotty—”

“Yeah?”

“Don't ever call me Mikey again. If you do, I'm gonna have to hurt you.”

Scott grinned. “You and what army?”

But he felt better than he had in a week. Because now he had a plan. Come hell or high water, he intended to find out personal information about Ms. Thea Bell.

 

“I'm grounded.”

“But why?” Thea asked, settling herself on the sofa.

She'd arrived for her appointment with Scott at the agreed-upon time but he wasn't home from work yet. Kendra had let her in and invited her to sit in the family room. The first words out of her mouth were about her punishment.

“He's so unreasonable. I came in just a little after my curfew.”

Thea remembered what Scott had told her about the rule. “I guess he figures if he gives an inch, you'll take a mile.”

“But it's not fair.”

“He said you were working on something for school. Did you need more time?”

Kendra shrugged. “It took a little longer than we thought.”

“I don't get the impression your dad is completely unreasonable. Did you call and explain the situation?”

“With my dad that's a waste of time and cell phone minutes.”

“So you didn't even try?”

The teen flopped back on the couch. “My battery was dead. I tried to explain, but he said being grounded will give me time to think about remembering to plug it in.”

Scott
was
tough as nails, Thea thought. In the same situation, she'd have been tempted to relax the rules, as long as schoolwork was involved. But she could certainly see the wisdom of running a tight ship the way he did.

“But what about your friend's house? Is it a cave without phone service?” Thea's mouth curved up. “No, let me guess. Both of your hands were broken and you couldn't dial the phone. And all your friends had the same problem.”

The girl grinned reluctantly. “No. Zoe's house has a working phone. But I forgot because…”

“What?” she asked, when the girl got a funny look on her face.

She didn't quite meet Thea's gaze. “Because we left.”

“And? What aren't you telling me?”

“Zoe wanted to go to Java 'n Jazz where her boyfriend works. He was going to ask her to prom and we all got excited. I didn't think. And—”

“There's more?” Thea asked, surprised.

“Dad says Zoe doesn't have enough parental supervision and he's not happy about me hanging out with her.”

The way things turned out, he was right to be concerned, Thea thought. But all she said was, “A rule is a rule.”

“You sound just like him. He said the same thing. Followed by—and I quote—next time you won't forget.” She heaved a big sigh.

Thea reached over and patted her arm. “I'd love to bash your father with you,” she lied. “Except I agree with him.”

“Traitor.” But there was no heat or hostility in the word.

“Tell me honestly that if he relaxed the rule on this, you wouldn't push the envelope again under the same circumstances. Or next time you're out on a school night working on a project with your friends, tell me you won't remember this consequence and be home by curfew.”

Kendra tucked a strand of long dark hair, the same shade
as her father's, behind her ear. “Okay. You might have a point.”

“I knew you were a reasonable young woman the first time I met you.”

“Not so much,” the girl said. “I plan to stay mad at my dad for a long time.”

“You might consider one thing.”

“What?”

“He's letting you have a catered graduation party
and
picking up the tab. And I'm not just saying that because I got the job.”

Kendra's shoulders slumped as she shook her head. “I hate it when people are rational, logical and sensible.”

“I can be annoying that way,” Thea agreed.

The teen met her gaze. “So you think I should be nice to him?”

“I think you should accept your punishment gracefully and move on.” She tapped her lip thoughtfully. “If you really want to freak him out, tell him you completely understand why he punished you, then thank him for caring so much.”

Kendra grinned. “You're diabolical.”

“It drove my parents crazy,” she agreed. She opened the notebook on her lap. “Did you taste the dishes I left?”

The teen nodded. “I loved them all. Especially the lasagna and quesadilla. The Greek salad not so much. Egg rolls,” she closed her eyes and heaved a huge sigh. “To die for.”

“So do you want to do an international sort of menu?”

“Dad said you didn't mind if that's what I wanted.”

Thea nodded. “It makes no difference to me. Like I told him, the client is always right.”

“Then how come I got grounded?”

“Because you were wrong not to follow your father's rules.” Thea looked at her. “You might want to consider law school after college. Way to twist the daylights out of an innocent remark.”

“Thanks.” Kendra grinned proudly. Then she asked, “Isn't it more expensive to mix up different foods?”

Thea shook her head. “It's all about the ingredients. If you wanted a recipe with shrimp, lobster or crab or something with expensive fixings, I'd have to pass on the cost to your father.”

“What are the most expensive things you make?” the girl asked, a gleam in her eyes.

“Oh, no you don't. I'm not getting caught in the middle of World War III.”

Thea heard the front door open and close and her heart skipped a beat. Scott was home. She'd been half relieved and half disappointed he wasn't there when she'd arrived. Although mostly she dreaded seeing him again after their awkward last meeting. If only he hadn't tried to make things personal. Under different circumstances, she would have been like a teenage girl at her first boy/girl party. But letting things between them become more than a simple business association was a recipe for disaster. And she'd had enough of that to last her a lifetime.