Envious (7 page)

“But I don’t want you to go…” She lowered her head, and her little shoulders shook.

Lee pulled her into his side, resting his chin on top of her head. Katie saw the tears in his eyes. She mouthed, “She’ll be okay.” At least the worst of it was over. They’d told Hannah the truth.

“Can’t you just stay tonight?” Hannah asked, resting her hand on Lee’s knee. “Please?”

“I can’t, baby.” He kissed the top of her head. “But I’ll be back to see you tomorrow after work, okay?”

“Actually,” Katie said, “I have an appointment tomorrow night. Maybe you guys could go out for pizza.” She slid a finger under Hannah’s chin until she was looking at her. “I bet daddy would even take you for ice cream after if you’re a good girl.”

“Would you?” Hannah asked, looking at Lee.

Lee chuckled, looking relieved when he saw there were no fresh tears in Hannah’s eyes. “I think that can be arranged.”

***

Chris knew it was ridiculous for him to be nervous about his evening with Katie. They weren’t going out on a date. They were just going to look at the unit and grab a quick dinner to discuss her plans. But that didn’t stop him from pulling his favorite black jeans, custom black cowboy boots, and a designer shirt out of the closet. He didn’t want to overdo it, but he wanted to look as though he’d gone to some trouble to look good for her. Whether she realized it or not, she deserved a man who understood that no effort was too great to impress her.

Lee had already gone to Katie’s house. Chris wanted to give them some time alone before. He knew it would be an adjustment for Hannah, and he thought his presence might raise questions, so he waited until he saw Lee’s truck pull out before he walked across the street.

Katie opened the door before he walked up the stairs. She smiled shyly as she looked at him. “Hi. You look great.” Giving him a quick hug, she ran a hand down the front of his gray-and-black button-down shirt before letting him go. “I love this shirt.”

Chris knew he was supposed to say something, but it wasn’t easy to form a sentence when his tongue felt as if it were tied in a knot. He was used to seeing her in “mommy” attire: skinny jeans, sweats, leggings. She always looked great, but she looked amazing in high-heeled black sandals and a snug black dress with thin straps over her bronzed shoulders. It was a warm night, so her legs were bare. He itched to stroke them and find out if they were as soft as they looked.

She laughed self-consciously. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m sorry.” He felt heat rising up his neck. So much for playing it cool. “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks.” She smoothed a hand over her stomach. “I hope it’s not too much for what you had in mind. I bought this dress a few months ago, and I haven’t had a chance to wear it yet.”

“No, it’s perfect.” A friend of his owned a little Italian restaurant not far from the unit. Since she had a weakness for pasta, he’d made reservations when she called to tell him she was free.

“Great, just let me grab my purse and we can be on our way.” A little black purse hung over the wooden banister at the end of the stairs. She walked quickly across the tiled floor to fetch it.

He smiled when he saw her sneak a peek at her reflection in the hall mirror. She’d gone to as much trouble to impress him as he had to impress her. Her effort was paying off in spades. He’d barely been able to string two words together since he walked in and saw her in a dress that made him realize fantasies could be born of a scrap of material. She gestured for him to precede her out the door as she reached into her purse for her keys. He noted her hand trembled a little as she slipped her key into the lock. When she turned around, he slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and led her across the street.

“I think I’ll park the pick-up tonight,” he said, punching in the code to raise one of the doors to his detached garage.

Her eyes widened when she saw the pair of vintage cars. “Oh… They’re gorgeous.”

He wanted to tell her they were just shiny scraps of metal.
She
was gorgeous. “Thanks. Take your pick.”

Biting her lip, she pointed to a cherry red ‘69 Shelby Mustang GT 500. “How about that one?”

“Cool. You wanna drive?” He reached into his pocket for the keys.

She shot up a sidelong glance before giggling. “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course I am.” Dropping the keys into her palm, he winked before walking to the driver’s side and opening the door for her.

With a breathless giggle, she rushed to the driver’s side. “Okay, if you insist.”

“Hold on.” He reached for her wrist before she could slip inside. “You can only do the honors on one condition.”

Rolling her eyes, she said, “I knew there had to be a catch. What is it?”

“Promise you’ll drive it like you stole it.” She threw her head back and laughed, making him wish he could lean in and kiss the tender skin at the nape of her neck. “Is that a deal?”

“You’re gonna be so sorry you said that, Rozen.” She slipped into the driver’s seat. “Remember, I was once a very, very bad girl.”

He slammed the door and leaned over when she rolled down the window. “Show me how bad you can be, beautiful.”

“You’re on.”

As Chris rounded the rear of the car, he knew there was no turning back. He could deny his feelings for this woman while she shared a bed with his best friend, but as a free agent, all bets were off.

Instead of turning into the parking lot of the plaza with the unit they were supposed to view, she drove right past, laughing out loud as she hit the gas to beat a yellow light. “If I had a car like this, I wouldn’t let it sit in a garage collecting dust. I didn’t even know you’d bought this.”

“Just picked it up a few weeks ago,” he said, grinning. She was having so much fun driving the car, if he’d had any reservations about the six-figure price, he didn’t anymore. It was worth every penny just to see her smile like that. “A buddy called and asked if I might be interested in taking a run out to Oklahoma with him. He restores classic cars, and he had to pick up one he bought. The guy he bought it from had this baby in his collection. He didn’t want to part with it at first, but I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

For someone with his means, Chris lived a pretty low-key lifestyle. Muscle cars were one of the weaknesses he enjoyed indulging when the opportunity arose. He didn’t go looking for cars, but when he saw one that made his mouth water the way that one had, he couldn’t walk away. That was the nice thing about earning more money than he would ever spend. He could afford to treat himself once in a while… or the lady in his life.

Shooting a sidelong glance at Katie, he couldn’t think of a woman who deserved to be pampered more. She hadn’t had an easy time of it growing up. While he was playing sports and fishing, she was dealing with an alcoholic mother and wondering where they would get their next meal. It was no wonder she’d fallen in with the wrong crowd and turned to drugs. She was looking for a place to belong, a family to belong to. She found that with the kids on the streets who were as lost and alone as she was. If things had been different, he would have grabbed her hand, but he had to keep reminding himself it wasn’t a date. That wasn’t easy when her little black dress screamed
take me.

“Oh my God,” she said, slowing down in front of what appeared to be a newly renovated building just off a quiet residential street. “I didn’t even know this was here. Did you?”

“Can’t say that I did.” Seeing the way her eyes lit up, he knew they’d have to stop and check it out. “Pull in.” He gestured to the near-empty parking lot.

“I don’t think we should,” she said, slowing to a rolling stop near the curb. “It looks like there are people working. They’ll wonder what we’re doing here.”

“There’s a ‘For Sale’ sign,” he said, gesturing to the realtor’s sign. “I’m sure they expect people to stop and check it out.”

“Wow,” she whispered, looking up at the small building as if she was seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time. “It’s perfect.”

Chris guessed it was a twelve thousand to fifteen thousand square foot building. The newly finished stucco exterior gave it a more modern appearance than the older, more traditional homes surrounding it. It was a great neighborhood, perfect for the kind of business she had in mind. The building had ample parking for staff and parents dropping off their kids and a large grassy area in the side and back, which would be ideal for a playground.

“We should keep that other appointment, but why don’t I give the agent a call and see if she can meet us here in about forty-five minutes?” He pulled his cell phone out and started dialing before he realized she was gaping at him. “Is there a problem?”

“Look at this place.” She gestured wildly. “Do you have any idea how much something like this would cost in this area?”

It was commercial space, so it wouldn’t cost as much per square foot as residential. Given that it was on a large lot, Chris guessed the price tag to be in the vicinity of a cool two mil. “No, but I’d like to find out.”

“But, you can’t—” Katie fell silent when Chris shushed her and smiled. She looked at the building as though she was awe-struck at seeing her fantasy laid out before her.

Chris knew, no matter the cost, the building had to house her new business. After exchanging a few words with the selling agent, he disconnected the call and gripped his phone. “We’re all set. She’ll meet us here in about forty-five minutes, so we should probably make our way over to that other unit now.”

“But this is too big. I mean, it’s exactly the kind of place I imagined having someday, but—”

“Let’s just check out both places. For the sake of comparison.”

“Okay,” she said quietly, stealing one last look at the building before easing away from the curb. “If you say so.”

The landlady had shown them the storefront unit, and Chris was driving them back to the building they’d spotted. Katie had suggested he drive so she could collect her thoughts. Everything was happening so fast. She hadn’t even completed her courses, and he was offering to set her up in business. Could she really handle that kind of stress?

“You’ve been quiet,” Chris said, pulling into the now-empty parking lot. He eased into one of a couple dozen parking spaces and turned off the car. “What did you think of that unit?”

“It was nice,” she said. “It was a good size for about twenty kids.” That was the kind of enrollment she was anticipating for the first couple of years. It may not seem like a lot to him, but to her, the idea of being responsible for the care and educational development of twenty pre-schoolers seemed like a daunting task. She wasn’t even sure she could handle that many, but she didn’t think voicing her concerns to the man who’d offered to invest in her business would be prudent.

“Is that your vision for this business?” Chris asked. “Twenty kids? Tell me what you’re thinking. And don’t say nothing. I know you.”

He could probably see the wheels in her head turning, she thought. There was no point in trying to conceal her fears from him. He would see right through her act. She stared out the window at the large oak trees dominating the generous yard. She could imagine a playground there full of kids blowing off steam at recess, screaming with delight and chasing each other, her little Hannah right in the middle of all the fun. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”

“Tell me about your concerns.”

“I’ve had jobs before,” she said, lifting her shoulder. “You know, waiting tables, retail…” She looked at the building that could very well give life to her dreams. “But I’ve never had my own business. I don’t know anything about starting a business.” A little sob escaped, and she covered her mouth. “Before Lee came home that night, I was sitting at the kitchen table Googling how to write a business plan and I still couldn’t figure it out. If I can’t figure out how to devise a plan, how do you expect me to execute one?”

He cupped her shoulder to get her attention. “You won’t be doing this alone. You have me to help you, and I know a thing or two about starting a business from nothing.”

She knew Chris had a master’s degree in business, but he had a large company to run and a daughter to raise. It wasn’t fair of her to expect him to waste his valuable time helping her. It was probably time to back out, before she got in too deep. “I just don’t think it’s the right time for me.”

“I’d never force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said, watching a dark blue BMW pull into the lot and park a few spaces away from his car. “But if you’re turning down this opportunity because you’re afraid of failure, don’t. I know you have the potential to do things you’ve never even dreamed of. Don’t sell yourself short.”

He saw potential in her? No one had ever said that to her. She knew she should say something—thank him for his kindness, tell him how much it meant to her that he believed in her—but before she could find the words, he was out of the car and walking around to the passenger’s door.

“Are you ready to do this?” he asked, holding out his hand to help her out of the car.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She took a deep breath. Looking at him, she found the words she needed to say. “Thank you for doing this for me. No matter what happens, this means more to me than you know.” Katie didn’t wait for a response as she turned toward the approaching realtor.

“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” the mature woman in a conservative navy suit said. With a warm smile, she offered her hand to Chris. “You must be Mr. Rozen.”

“I am, but please call me Chris.” He shook her hand with a smile before gesturing to Katie. “Mrs. Phillips, this is my business partner, Katie Elliott.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and it’s Cynthia.” Her eyes glided to Chris’s car. “My youngest son would go crazy over this car. Not that he’d ever be able to afford it.” She winked. “He’s still working on paying off those student loans.”

“I remember what that’s like,” Chris said, chuckling. As a truck driver, his father couldn’t afford to put four boys through college. They’d all paid their own way, working odd jobs and incurring debt so they could finish school.