Her Backup Boyfriend (Entangled Bliss) (Sorensen Family) (20 page)

“Of course. I’ll make sure to do that. Only…when I got the bill, I called the Radisson and asked if they could send me another copy. Which I’ve since received.”

He looked coldly at her, his brow raised. “Oh?”

“And I took a look. It’s not good. It pretty much confirms Ava Herrera’s account of what happened that night, down to the torn blouse.”

“I see.” But he waited, both brows raised. “And?”

“And I think we have a dilemma. Under the rules of discovery, any relevant evidence must be provided to the other side. I’m trying hard not to reach the conclusion that we should notify Ms. Herrera of the DVD’s existence.”

“Ms. Matthews, I’m perfectly aware of the rules of evidence. But I don’t see why this is even an issue. If Ms. Herrera was diligently protecting her interests, she’d have already attained a copy of the surveillance. If they had any interest in the video, they could contact the hotel, as you did, and request a copy. It’s not like it’s very hard. And it’s certainly not up to us to hand deliver them any evidence that they were too lazy to discover themselves.” It was practically the same argument she had made to herself. “Am I making myself clear here?”

Kate chewed her bottom lip. Perfectly. She nodded.

“Good. Because I’d hate it if I helped you get this far only to have you shoot yourself in the foot at this stage in the game.”

He’d helped her, all right. But only for what it could gain him, not out of any personal affection, as she once had believed. Had the McKenna depositions gone any other way, she’d have been hung out to dry without a qualm. And if she went through and produced this DVD for the other side, she’d not be only saying good-bye to her partnership, she’d be out the door in a blink of an eye.

She stared at him clearly for the first time since she had known him. The halo she usually saw encircling his head wasn’t just tarnished but had evaporated entirely.

It made this next decision all the easier.

She stood. “I completely understand what’s at stake. Here, this is a copy of the DVD from the Radisson,” she said and placed it on his desk. It was hard to miss the satisfied grin that crossed his face. She paused, relishing the moment and what she was about to say. “Because it’s only fair you retain that copy so you know what’s on it after I send the copy I’ve made to Ms. Herrera’s attorney. It’s going out certified mail today.”

“Kate.” This time his voice raised several octaves and Tim half stood in his seat. “Wait. You need to understand what you’re about to do. This is a decision you can’t come back from.”

“I know, Tim. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. My resignation will be on your desk by the end of the day.”

Seeing the look on his face as she sailed out of the office was priceless. She just wished she’d be around to see Mark McKenna’s when the stories he’d fabricated came crashing down.

Her heart lighter, she reached her office and shut the door. She had a call to make and a letter of resignation to write.

She stared at the phone for a long minute, though. Because the call she wanted to make wasn’t to Jessica to take that offer, not just then. It was to one person only. The one person who would understand the sacrifice she’d made, and who would make her feel like her choice, no matter what, had been the right one.

Because he had that much faith in her.

Swiping an errant tear, she picked up her phone and made her call.

“Jessica Lund, please.”

…

“You gonna stand there all day and watch me work?” Cruz asked Saturday afternoon as they worked on framing the basement at Dominic’s house.

“I would if I thought you had any idea what you were doing,” Dominic quipped. He had to get his head in the game, though, and he couldn’t keep letting thoughts of Kate and the last time they’d been here together flood his mind. It was pointless.

When Cruz had called him this morning to see if he needed some help, Dominic had considered refusing. Knowing that this last-minute offer probably had something to do with his announcement at dinner last Sunday.

It had taken a few days, but it seemed as if his family had come to terms with what he’d done—if the growing number of voicemails on his phone were any indication. Even Daisy had called and after three voicemails where she yelled at him for butting into her life and lying, she’d calmed down enough by the fourth to tell him she loved and appreciated what he’d done for her but if he ever tricked her again, the time she’d shaved his head in high school the night before class pictures would be child’s play. She’d even mentioned finding a job as a baker at an up-and-coming neighborhood café that gave her flexibility she needed with the kids and the pleasure of getting paid for doing something she loved.

Unfortunately, none of the calls were from the one person he really wanted to hear from.

But he had to join the land of the living eventually, and today seemed as good a time as any. Dominic needed someone to talk to. It was time.

Especially when he thought about the evening that he’d once imagined for them tonight. Celebrating her promotion and dancing with the most beautiful woman in the room at that engagement party.

Now he had images of her and Michael together.

“Don’t tell me. You’re thinking about a certain redhead. If you’re still so obsessed with her, why don’t you pick up the phone and tell her whatever you need to so she can forgive whatever stupid thing you did and you guys can make up and move on?”

“It’s a lot more complicated than that. Kate’s probably back with her ex by now.”

Cruz stopped what he was doing and glanced over at him. “Sorry. I was hoping things would work out. She seemed really nice. And you guys were great together.”

“Come on. You know the reason we were doing all that. For Daisy, and so Kate could get her promotion.”

“Yeah, but you guys played your roles as girlfriend and boyfriend
too
well. I saw how you two looked at each other, and that wasn’t pretend. That was real.”

Dominic laughed, but it was mirthless. “Then you should have seen the sparks that were flying between her and her ex when I saw them together last week.”

Needing perspective, Dominic opened the cooler near his foot and grabbed two beers, handing one to Cruz. They went to the backyard, despite the frigid, icy cold, and sat on the stoop and he told Cruz about Michael and Kate.

Cruz took a long draw from his beer and mulled it all over when he was through. “One thing you haven’t told me in this long story of yours is how you feel about Kate.”

“I told you, she and her ex are as good as together by now.”

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t answer my question. How do you feel about Kate? Do you love her?”

Dominic didn’t have to think very long, because he damn well knew the answer. “Without a doubt. She’s the only one for me.”

“And in all this time you’ve been spending time with her, have you ever told her how you feel?”

Dominic didn’t answer, only took a pull from his beer and stared out over the tree line ahead.

“I’m going to take that silence as your admission to not telling her how you felt. Any reason you didn’t?”

“You know, you’re as chatty and inquisitive as Benny. If I wanted to discuss my feelings, I wouldn’t have called you. Cut me a break here.”

“Hell if I will. You and I both know why you didn’t tell her. And that was totally unfair to Kate. She’s not Melinda. You’ve been afraid to tell Kate how you really feel because you didn’t want to risk her rejection. Or being hurt. Your ex really played a number on you, but that doesn’t mean Kate will.”

“Not intentionally. But eventually, she will come to her senses. Realize that I can’t give her the big fancy house and the fancy friends that she needs and wants.”

“Have you looked at this place? Don’t sell yourself short, bud. More importantly, don’t sell Kate short. Tell her how you really feel about her, no holds barred, and give her that chance to make a choice. You think Michael is the man she always wanted and maybe, before she met you, that was true. Just like before you met Kate you thought Melinda was who you wanted. But things change. And from the glow I saw in her eyes whenever she looked at you or touched you, I’d lay bets she loves you, too. You just need to make her see it.”

It hit him hard, hearing Cruz laying it out like that. Because he was right. He’d bowed out because he thought he was giving Kate what she wanted.

He needed to be honest with Kate. Tell her before it was too late.

Because until he heard the words from her mouth, heard her say she chose Michael or just outright denied him, he was never going to move on.

He owed her that chance.

He owed them both that chance. Because he loved that woman and could make her happier than a million Michaels, and he was not just going to tell her that, but prove it every single day.

Dominic started back inside the house and for the stairs.

“Are we done?” Cruz asked his back, his laughter echoing after Dominic.

Chapter Nineteen

The band Mrs. Vaughn had secured for Payton’s engagement party wasn’t too bad. They were attempting to play one of the Beatles’ love songs while the happy couple danced under the adoring attention of their family and friends. Kate held her glass of champagne, swirling the fluid under the lights.

Trying to pretend she was happy.

She was still sitting there, staring despondently into her glass, when Michael’s voice made her jump. “Hi, Kate.”

“Hi,” she said and barely looked up. But the shiner around his left eye immediately caught her attention. “What happened to your face?”

“Your boyfriend is what happened. Dominic?” he added at Kate’s confused look. “That day outside your office. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you.”

“No. We haven’t exactly been talking lately.” She looked around, not seeing Nicole, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t lurking.

“You know, you’ve already become an urban legend at the office. Turning down junior partnership like that after all the work you did. No one really believes it.” He slid into the seat next to her, in the space where the place card still read Dominic’s name. “So that’s it, then? All that work, all that time, and…you’re gone?”

She smiled wryly. “I wouldn’t put it quite like that. I’ll be around another couple of weeks, closing out some cases, sending out notices to my clients that I’m moving to another firm and that their cases will be reassigned. General housekeeping.”

“Can you tell me where you’re moving? Which big firm snatched you up? MacKenzie? Jacob Snell?”

“Actually, I’ve decided to downsize. I’m going to work at Jessica Lund’s firm. Specializing in employee rights.”

His brows furrowed. “That’s quite the downgrade. I don’t think they have more than ten attorneys on staff. What suddenly made you decide to change your course?”

“Just wanted something different for myself.”

“Kate…” He took a breath and leaned toward her. “I meant what I said in your office that day. And I’ve given you some time and space to get to the same conclusion as I have. We’re meant to be. And I don’t care what anyone says anymore, I can’t bear to be without you.”

“And Nicole?” Kate looked around. “How does she feel about this development?”

“I don’t think we’re cut out for each other after all. I’m here alone, aren’t I? Same as you.” He smiled and leaned forward.

“I’m sorry to hear about you and Nicole. Really. I thought you were pretty perfect for each other.”

He shrugged. “Her priorities were all skewed. And she was always railing on you and my parents’ interference. I got tired of it.”

Michael was running away from another relationship. Why didn’t that surprise her? But instead of any kind of satisfaction, she only felt sadness.

“Look, Michael. I want to be straight with you. I’ve come to realize a lot these past few days, and one of those things is that…I’m not in love with you anymore.”

“Kate, stop. I know that you’re hurt and upset because of how I—”

She held her hand up. “I was hurt and upset, but I’m speaking from a place of absolute honesty. And all I want for you right now is…happiness. Whether with Nicole or someone else. But you should know, a relationship, any relationship, is going to be tough. It’s not always going to be roses, and you can’t keep running away when things get tough. Before you blow this thing with Nicole, you should be sure you’re not making a huge mistake. Whether her priorities are skewed or whatever, what matters is how you feel about each other. Whether, when you come home at the end of the day, it’s her face you want to see waiting for you on the other side of the door. Her smile, her touch that will be the last thing you experience when you fall asleep. That’s what matters.”

Kind of how she felt about Dominic.

Michael sat back, blinking. “Wow. That’s…interesting.”

And she knew with absolute certainty at that point she meant everything she’d said. She no longer felt any tie to Michael. She only wanted to be with one person and make his future her future. Now.

Kate saw Michael’s parents on the dance floor, their attention focused on the two of them sitting there. They looked worried and Kate couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She waved at them.

“Michael. There’s something I have to do. Will you excuse me?” And she rose and grabbed her purse before he could respond.

There was a person she needed to see. Someone to whom she had a new proposal to make. Her fingers flew across the keys of her cell phone as she headed toward the club’s fancy powder room, where she might have some privacy.

Please pick up.

Half an hour later, her calls were still going to voicemail and her texts were showing unread.

Why wasn’t he taking her calls?

On the eighth call, she decided to leave a quick message.

“Dominic? It’s me. I really need to talk to you, so please call me when you get this message. I—I need you to know something.” She thought about how much to share and finally thought,
To hell with it
. “I love you. So when you get this message, please call me. No matter your answer.”

Okay. She’d done it.

Oh. God.

What had she done?

She should have at least waited to tell him face-to-face. What if he didn’t feel the same way? What if he’d never even come close to feeling that way? After all, they’d made love and then he’d taken her request to stay professional without any argument. Maybe she’d just been another notch in his tool belt before moving onto the next attractive client.

He might be on a date right now.

It
was
Saturday night.

She didn’t know how long she sat like that before she realized she wasn’t alone. Payton’s hand was on her arm. “You okay, Kate?”

Kate looked into her friend’s caring eyes, full of love and sympathy. “He’s not answering. I think I waited too long to tell him how I felt.”

Payton patted her back, not even needing to ask whom she was referencing, aware of what had transpired over the past few weeks. “It’s only been a week. He couldn’t possibly have already moved on. You’re hard to forget. I should know, I’ve been your best friend since we were twelve.”

Kate tried to will the tears away but they slipped down her cheek. “He’s not taking my calls. And I just left him a message telling him I love him”—she glanced at her cell phone—“ten minutes ago. And he hadn’t responded.”

Payton pulled her in and hugged her tight. “You’ve got to have faith. It’s all going to work you, just watch. You’re too sensible a person to fall in love with someone who wasn’t smart enough to love you back.”

Kate drew back and accepted the tissue her friend handed her. She hiccuped. “Yeah? What about Michael, then?”

“Oh, come on, we both know you didn’t really love Michael. Not when love has been making you all moony eyed these past few weeks. In truth, I’ve been a little envious of you.”

Kate paused as she held the tissue to her eyes. She’d never asked outright if Payton was in love with her fiancé, but she had always had some doubts. But Payton, for all her open friendliness and exuberance, wasn’t one to share everything when it came to matters of the heart. More softly, Kate asked, “Aren’t you in love with Brad?”

For a moment, Kate thought she saw something wistful in her friend’s eyes, but then it was gone and Payton laughed. “Of course. He’s the perfect guy for me—just ask my mother. You don’t mind me. I’m trying to be sympathetic and doing a terrible job. Come on. Let’s go have too much champagne and dance to my mother’s horrified distress.”

Kate smiled and took Payton’s extended hand. She was lucky to have her. And as for Dominic…she’d at least put it out there. He—and she—finally knew how she felt about him.

No regrets.

Two glasses of champagne later, Kate was almost able to forget the fact that Dominic still hadn’t returned her call. She looked out on the dance floor, where Payton and Brad were whirling around. They did make a beautiful couple. Like Barbie and Ken—although if Payton heard her say that she’d murder her on sight.

Mrs. Vaughn looked deliriously happy as she and Payton’s future parents-in-law sat back and watched the two as if she’d orchestrated every dance step herself. Hell, maybe she had.

Kate had one thing going for her. She didn’t have the overbearing weight of a mother like Emily Vaughn on her shoulder. And from here on out, she’d let the usual arrows and barbs the old crow threw at her slide off.

She didn’t care what the woman thought about her anymore, because she knew the only person who could make her bad was herself. And making the wrong choices all these years had indeed made her feel bad.

But not anymore.

She only wished she’d realized all of this sooner. Before she’d lost Dominic.

“Is this seat taken?”

Her fingers tightened on the champagne flute. She must be hallucinating, because there was no way…

She glanced to her right and saw the disarming crooked smile on the achingly familiar face of the man standing next to her. Her stomach rose to her throat like she was about to go over a big drop on a roller coaster. And her hands were up in the air. Not holding on.

He slipped into the seat, not waiting for a response, which, frankly, she was having a hard time forming.

His fingers went to the collar of his white shirt and a sleek bowtie, pulling it away from his throat.

He was wearing the dreaded monkey suit. For her.

And looking mighty damn fine in it, too.

He leaned forward, his breath tickling at her ear. “You look beautiful.”

Somehow she found her voice. “What are you doing here? And why haven’t you been taking my calls?”

“Your calls?” It was hard to miss the sound of relief and excitement in his voice. “Have you been trying to reach me?” He patted his pockets for a moment. “I must have left my cell at home. I took off in such a hurry to find someplace that might be open to rent me this thing. I won’t bore you with the details of the number of threats I had to make, just shy of needing you to come and post bail for me.”

So he hadn’t been ignoring her calls.

And he hadn’t heard her proclamation of love.

“But to answer your question,” he continued, “I’m here because I promised to escort you. And because if I didn’t tell you that going back to Michael would be the biggest mistake of your life then it would weigh on me the rest of
my
life.”

Her heart was about to pound out of her chest. “Oh, really? And why is that?”

“Because he could never love you as much and as devotedly as I do.” He leaned forward, a soft smile on his lips, his eyes holding a definite promise. He slid his fingers through a strand of her hair, almost caressing it, and she shivered. “I love touching you, and ever since that incredible night we shared, I’ve dreamed of many more nights like that. Of being able to memorize every mole and freckle on that amazing body of yours with my lips, my tongue, my fingers, and my eyes. Of learning every special touch that will leave you quivering with pleasure. But most of all, of being able to hold you in my arms, sated and happy. Knowing that I could repeat it all the next hour, the next morning, the next night…forever.”

It was almost too good to be true, as if she were in a dream, a fantasy, really. Because no man could be this good. This perfect. The tears she’d finally stopped earlier were now threatening again, and she didn’t care. She only wanted this moment to continue. This feeling, this euphoria, to last always.

But he wasn’t done, and his fingers now touched her bare shoulder, featherlight, and the goose bumps revealed his effect on her. “And I don’t care what you do for a living or what you aspire to be. As long as you include me in all that planning, I’ll be happy to be along for the ride. Because I know that no one will ever be a better fit for me than you.”

She closed her eyes, the tears slipping out. When she opened them, he was still there, smiling at her. How had she ever come to deserve someone like him? And why had it taken her so long to see he was the only man she could ever love?

He cleared his throat. “I’m hoping those are happy tears, because I don’t ever want to cause you to cry unless they’re tears of laughter. Or because I’ve made you the happiest woman alive.”

This time she did smile. “They are tears of happiness.” Her voice sounded mangled and not the clear, confident sound she wanted to convey. “I just can’t believe you’re here. And that this is real.”

“Because you’re completely in love with me and not because you’re mentally taking notes to file a restraining order against me, right?” he teased.

This time she did laugh and tilted her head against his shoulder. “Right. And yes. I’m completely, totally in love with you. If you knew the crazy thoughts I was thinking right now you might just file a restraining order against me.”

“Don’t bet on it.” His fingers touched her chin and tilted her head up toward him. A second later, he brushed his lips across hers, and she didn’t care if she was surrounded by a hundred different people who might all be looking scandalously at them, shaking their heads in disapproval.

The only person whose opinion she really cared about was holding her right now, his breath on her lips, his tongue even now teasing her mouth open. And giving her a full, languorous kiss that made her want to wrap herself around him and never let go. Naked, preferably.

But he apparently had the good sense to pull back and exhaled a loud sigh of relief. “I thought this was going to be harder,” he said and chuckled.