Almost Like Being in Love (16 page)

“I'm in.”

“You're . . . in?”

“Yes. It sounds fun.”

“You'll stage the home?”

“Yes, I'll stage the home.” A hint of laughter tinged her words.

“That's great!” Kade stood, running his hand through his hair. “How soon can you get out here?”

“Well, you said this is urgent, so how about if I fly out to Colorado on Sunday and come to work on Monday?”

“That would be fantastic.” Kade sat back down. “Do you want me to make your flight reservations for you?”

“Why don't I do that and you can reimburse me? And I'm staying with Margo—so no hotel costs. But per diem and a car—”

“Of course. Just pick up a car at the airport. I'll draw up a contract tonight and e-mail it to you. While I'm at it, I'll include the floor plan of the house so you can start thinking about what kind of furniture you want.”

“Sounds good, but I can't guarantee how much I'll get done. I have some things to do here before I leave.”

“Understood.”

“I would like to know what kind of budget we're working with and if you have any furniture in storage we can use.”

“I'll include that information, too.” No need to tell Caron that she was starting from ground zero on this project. He wanted her yes to stay a yes.

“All right, then. I need to get online and make a plane and car reservation.”

“And I need to start compiling some information.” Kade stood again, the up-down-up movements mirroring his emotions. “Thank you.”

“Glad to help.”

“I'll see you in a few days.”

“Yes. See you in a few days.”

Kade turned his cell phone over and over in his hands. Caron Hollister would be here Monday morning. She was now the home stager for Eddie Kingston's home.

There was no going back now. He'd made the call, and against all the odds, Caron had said yes. He was two years older, two years wiser, when it came to Caron Hollister. He knew she could stage the home. But he also knew he'd already given her the opportunity to break his heart. He wouldn't let that happen again.

A
lex hunched over the bathroom sink, holding himself steady with one hand as he made short work of brushing his teeth.

Brush. Rinse. Spit.

Time to shave.

Friday. Another too-full day of work, thanks to a rival company poaching their new tech. The business had enjoyed a couple of weeks of breathing room, and now they were back to being understaffed, scrambling to keep up with customer calls.

Once he was dressed, Alex cleared his stuff off the top of his dresser—wallet into his back pocket, watch strapped onto his left wrist, a few pens slipped into his shirt pocket, cell phone—

Wait. He'd missed a text from Caron?

Good morning! Are you awake?

Alex tucked his work cap in his back pocket, texting a reply on his way to the kitchen.

Getting ready for work.

Caron replied as if she'd been doing nothing else but waiting for him to answer.

Got time to talk? Need to tell you something.

Huh.
Maybe she'd found a job, or maybe she'd managed to smooth things over with her father and gotten her old job back.

Sure. Want me to call you?

No. Just come to your front door.

Come to his front door?

Sure enough, Caron stood on the porch in the early-morning sunlight, the air already drenched with humidity, dressed as if her next stop was the gym, her hair pulled into a messy bun.

“Good morning.” She offered a small wave before stepping into his embrace. Her head barely reached the middle of his chest, but she fit just right in his arms. Familiar. Comfortable.

“Good morning. This is a pleasant surprise.”

She brushed a quick kiss across his lips. “I know you don't have time to chitchat, but this can't wait. And I know once your day gets started, you never know when it will end.”

“True.” He rested his arm around her waist, moving her toward the kitchen. “Can you tell me what's up while I get coffee?”

“Sure.” She lowered her voice. “Is your dad here?”

“He already left. And Mom is . . . sleeping.” Alex inhaled the strong aroma of coffee as he filled his thermos. He held up the glass carafe. “Want some?”

“No.” Caron paced a small circle around the kitchen, stopping to grip the back of one of the wooden chairs. “So, Alex . . . I got a job.”

“You're kidding me.” He settled the coffeepot back on the burner.

“I most definitely am not kidding about this. It's unexpected—”

“I didn't even know you'd started looking.”

“I hadn't. Someone called and offered me a job. It's only temporary.”

“A temporary job? Okay. That's good to have while you look for something permanent.”

Caron held up her hand. “Let me just tell you about it, okay?”

Alex rubbed the back of his neck, the memory of their too-recent argument seeming to skulk into the kitchen. He would do better this time, even if doing so made him late for work. He pulled out a chair, the scrape of the feet against the worn linoleum like a whispered complaint. He took Caron's hand and tugged her down into the chair next to him. “Okay. I'm listening.”

“I was asked to stage a home. It's not buying or selling homes, but since it's out of state, I can't work as a Realtor anyway.”

“Wait. This job isn't here in Florida?”

“It's in Colorado.” Caron laced their fingers together and offered him a smile—the one that he'd noticed back when he was fifteen and realized Caron Hollister was more than just his parents' friends' daughter. “It's only for a month. And I think it'll be good to get away. Not from you, of course. But things are so tense with my dad right now. Four weeks away will allow everything to blow over. Let me get used to the idea of his partnership with Nancy Miller. And then I'll be back and start looking for a permanent job.”

“Who knows? Maybe you'll come back and you and your dad will talk and he'll offer you your old job back.”

Caron shook off his hand, standing. “Alex, stop. I know you like my dad. And I know that you've listened to me talk about working for him ever since we started dating. But I'm done. Okay?”

He needed to keep the peace and still hope and pray things could change. “Okay. My bad. So, tell me more about this job in Colorado.”

•  •  •

And now came the most difficult part of the conversation. No matter how many times she'd practiced saying “I'll be working for Kade Webster,” there was no way to be nonchalant about accepting a job with her ex-boyfriend—especially since she hadn't mentioned seeing him while she was visiting Margo.

“Kade Webster called yesterday and offered me the job and I accepted. I fly out to the Springs on Sunday morning.” The words rushed out, one after the other, the resulting silence making it seem as if she'd shouted at Alex.

“Kade Webster?”

“Yes.”

“Why would Kade Webster offer you a job?”

“I saw him when I was visiting Margo. I mean, the only reason I saw him is because he's Margo's Realtor.” Caron sat back down, her knees almost touching Alex's. “And she slipped up and mentioned that I was job-hunting.”

“And why didn't you tell me that you saw your ex-boyfriend?”

“I didn't mention it for that exact reason, Alex. He's my ex. I dated him for a few months. I've been dating you for two years.” Caron reached for his hand again. “And I saw him for an hour because Margo wanted me to go see a house with her. To be Ronny's stand-in. I saw Kade for less than an hour and I spent most of my time avoiding him. End of story.”

“Except now you're going to work with him for a month.”

“Exactly. I'm going to work for him.
For a month.
I'll get out of town. Stage a home. Talk wedding stuff with Margo. Come home and job-hunt. Simple as that.”

Alex's phone rang, stalling his reply. He stood as he answered. “Yes, Dad, I'm going to work. I won't be stopping by the shop before I go to my first appointment. I'll talk to you later.”

Caron stood, too, waiting to resume their conversation until he was done speaking with his father. “Are we going to finish talking about this?”

“I, uh, I've got to get to work.” Alex grabbed his thermos and keys from the kitchen counter.

She stopped him with a light touch of her hand on his arm. “I wasn't hiding anything from you, Alex, because there was nothing to hide. It just wasn't important that I ran into Kade. I mean, I won the destination wedding and was already trying to figure out how to tell you about that—”

“Yeah.” Alex's huff of laughter held no humor.

“I guess we can talk about that when I get back, too.”

“Sure.”

She slipped her hand into his on the way to the work van parked in front of the house, allowing the sound of buzzing insects and frogs to fill the silence between them.

Alex opened the van door, standing with it between them. “Do you need a ride to the airport?”

“I've got an early flight—”

“I'm always there for you, you know that.”

“I know. And there's no one else I'd like to take me to the airport—and pick me up when I get back.”

“Think we can squeeze in a quick date before you leave?”

“Absolutely. It's going to have to last for a month.” She savored Alex's kiss. “Pray for me, okay? I still have to tell my parents.”

•  •  •

Either she got out of her car and marched into her father's office and told him her plans, or she'd have to admit she was a coward.

That thought alone forced Caron from her car.

Yes, she was trembling in her high heels, but Caron refused to just tell her mother she'd taken a job in Colorado with Kade Webster, and then make her mom break the news to her father.

The same bright white, blue, and yellow pillows adorned the couch in the waiting area, but the fresh flowers had been replaced by a formal array of white calla lilies. Something Nancy Miller had suggested, perhaps?

Shelby was on the phone as Caron entered, her eyebrows skyrocketing as Caron waited in front of the receptionist's desk.

“Caron!” Shelby leaned over the phone console and hugged her as soon as she hung up the phone. “It's so good to see you.”

“You, too. How are you?”

“Insanely busy. This whole merger thing . . . everything is in an uproar—”

“I can imagine.”

“Are you coming back to work?”

“No. No.” Shelby's question sent an unwanted jolt of electricity through her already-on-edge nervous system. “Just need to talk with my father, if he's available.”

“He was in a meeting with Miss Miller, but I just saw her go out.” Shelby picked up the phone. “Do you want me to check?”

“No. I still know the way to his office. This won't take long.”

The building pulsed with activity—ringing phones, the interwoven threads of multiple conversations, people moving in and out of offices. An occasional “Caron! Hey, Caron!” broke through her concentration, and she acknowledged the greetings without stopping. A smile. A nod. But always moving forward to her father's office. The smaller of the three conference rooms in the middle of the building was a shambles—empty of the long table and chairs, carpeting pulled up.

What was going on?

The answer to her unspoken question was no longer any of her business.

Her father hung up the phone as she stood in his open doorway, rising to meet her. Had Shelby notified him of her arrival? Fine. It's not as if she was going for the element of surprise. That would happen soon enough.

“Good afternoon, Caron. I'm assuming this is a social call.”

She could read between the lines
.
Her father's “Don't come back looking for a job” edict still held.

“Of course.” Caron stood behind one of the chairs situated in front of his desk, so similar to his office at home. Her father was a creature of habit. “And I realize I'm interrupting you at work. I would have waited to talk to you this Sunday at lunch, but, well, I won't be there.”

“You won't? Have you and Alex made other plans?”

She started to grip the edge of the back of the chair, and forced herself to release her hold. Exhale. Relax her stance. Her father knew how to read people. “Alex and his parents may very well still join you and Mom on Sunday. I, however, will be on my way to Colorado.”

“Didn't you just get back from a trip?”

“That's correct.” Caron clasped her hands in front of her. “I'm going back for a job.”

“A job? You're not licensed as a Realtor in Colorado.”

“No, sir, I'm not. I'm going to be staging a home . . . for Kade Webster.”