Catia (Starkis Family #6) (3 page)

My human resources manager, Wendy, popped her head in my office door. “Chase, can I have a word with you? It won’t take long. I have a new project manager I want you to meet with in a bit, and I thought I’d fill you in about her first.”

I wasn’t in the mood to hear about someone else we’d added to the growing roster of people we needed to keep up with the demands for our services, but Wendy was one of my most valued employees—and she reminded me just a little bit of my mother—so I couldn’t take my bad mood out on her. “Sure, come on in.”

She offered me a sympathetic smile. “Rough weekend?”

I scraped a hand over my face, sighing. “Is it that obvious?”

“To someone with three children and six grandchildren, it is.”

“How did you and Randy do it? Most days I feel like pulling my hair out trying to manage two of them.” My daughters were my world, but some days they didn’t make it easy to love them.

“We worked as a team. If you’d married a woman you could’ve counted on instead of that—” She clamped her lips firmly shut, and I smiled.

Few people would have dared remind me of the biggest mistake I’d ever made, but Wendy had been with me since day one, ten years ago, so I gave her a lot of freedom. “Can’t change the past, Wen. I can only move forward, right?”

“Speaking of moving forward…” She slid a nondescript folder across the desk. “My new hire.”

I opened the folder and was stunned when I saw Catia’s name at the top of the resume. A distinctly familiar address was listed on the attached forms. “What the hell? You hired Catia Starkis without talking to me? Why would she want a job working for me? She works for her father.”

Wendy shrugged, obviously trying to look innocent. “All I know is she was the most qualified person for the job, boss.”

I didn’t believe her for a second. Sure, Catia may have been the most qualified candidate, but I didn’t believe that was the only reason Wendy had hired her. Wendy knew that we’d worked together on the restaurant and I’d been a mess when she left town.

I tried to process what I was reading. Not only was she working for me, she was now living across the street from me? Since when? I racked my brain, trying to remember if I’d seen a sold sign on the Parkers’ old house when I drove by that morning. I didn’t think so. As far as I knew, it had been vacant since Mr. Parker was transferred to Connecticut last month.

“I don’t believe this.” The last thing I needed right now was Catia sweeping into my life, creating more drama. I got enough of that from my kids. I swiped a hand over my hair. “What kind of game is she playing?”

I remembered all too well the night we’d spent together, when I told her I was falling in love with her and she told me good-bye. I still got a pit in my stomach every time I thought about it. And whenever my friends asked me why I wasn’t dating, I recalled that moment, knowing it had changed me more than my divorce.

“I don’t think she’s playing games,” Wendy said gently, drawing my attention back to the present. “I asked all the right questions just to be sure, and she seems intent on making this her home base for the foreseeable future.”

“Why?” If she was ready to start over somewhere else, she had a standing offer to join Kara, Darius, and Dustin, so why get hired on by my company when she could have been a partner with them? “Cat isn’t used to taking orders from anyone. She’ll be a lousy employee, you know.”

Wendy chuckled. “She did seem a little headstrong, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Especially since she’ll be dealing with a bunch of stubborn men all day. In fact, I think it’s practically a prerequisite.”

She had a point. “I can’t do this today,” I said, closing my eyes. “I don’t think I can see her. Not now.”

Just the thought of seeing Catia again reopened old wounds that had never really healed. The few times I’d seen her since she abandoned me and the project we’d been working on, I’d shut her down when she tried to talk to me, convinced it was the only way to protect myself. But how the hell was I supposed to protect myself now that she’d infiltrated every part of my life?

“I’ve never known you to run away from anything,” Wendy said softly. “You’re the one who’s all for tackling a challenge head on.”

“This is different.” Business problems I could handle, but this was intensely personal.

“So what do you want me to do?” Wendy folded her arms and looked down her nose at me over her dark-rimmed glasses, shaking her head slightly to let me know she wasn’t impressed. “Tell her she can’t work here after all? The poor girl has bought a house and everything,” she said, sounding even more irritated.

“Hey, don’t blame this on me,” I said defensively. “If anyone should be pissed, it’s me. She applied for a job here knowing this is the last place I would want her to work, and you hired her knowing I wouldn’t have. As far as I’m concerned, you two can share the blame for this mess.”

“Fine, if you don’t want her, you tell her,” Wendy said, standing.

“Excuse me?” I asked, tipping my swivel chair forward. I gave Wendy a long leash, but if she wasn’t careful, she was going to hang herself with it. “I thought hiring and firing people was your job. Since you hired her, you can damn well fire her.”

Wendy glared at me as she paused at the door. “Fine, I’ll just invite her in and let you watch me fire her.”

“Goddammit, Wendy,” I said, slamming my hand on the desk. “Just get her in here. Go back to your office. I’ll deal with Catia.”

As Wendy tried to hide her triumphant smile, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I didn’t know why I was nervous. If anyone should have been on edge, it was Catia.

I swallowed convulsively when I looked up and saw Catia standing in my doorway. She was wearing a tight black suit with a short skirt and blazer covering what appeared to be a shimmery black tank. In what universe was that appropriate office attire, especially for a woman working on construction sites? If she ever wore that to a job, half the guys would stroke out.

I glanced down to see her four-inch spiked heels and muttered, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Hi, Chase,” she said, dipping her head. Her long dark hair fell forward, partially covering her face, and I realized she was more nervous than I’d ever seen her. Apparently Miss Calm, Cool, and Collected was worried about getting tossed out on her perfect little derriere.

Just thinking about how perfect her body was, how it aligned with mine as though we had been made for each other, made me shift in my seat, trying to find a more comfortable spot. “Come in.” I gestured to the chair across from mine. “And close the door behind you.”

She did as I asked, setting her huge designer purse in the seat next to her before crossing her bare legs. “I guess you’re wondering what I’m up to, huh?”

“In deference to your sister and brother, I’m trying really hard to keep my temper in check, but you better start talking. Tell me how the hell you wormed your way into my company and why you thought that would be a good idea.” I’d deal with her house purchase later, when I figured out what her angle was.

Her gaze met mine and held as she lifted her chin. “You know I’m good at what I do. You should be happy to have me on board.”

She was one of the best project managers I’d ever worked with. Any company in the city would have been happy to have her, which begged the question, why mine? “That’s not the point, and you know it. Why are you here? I thought you were so happy living in Chicago. That is why you went back, isn’t it?”

“I went back because I was confused about a lot of things. Being there helped me gain the clarity I needed.”

I wanted to know what the hell that meant, but I was determined to stay focused on my work, and I suspected she’d had revelations of a personal nature. Like a child, I wanted to tell her,
“Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.”
“Why not go to work with your siblings?”

Looking thoughtful, she asked, “What is it they say about working with family? It’s never a good idea.”

I rolled my eyes when she reminded me how obtuse she could be. “You worked together for years with no problem.”

“That was different. We were working for my father, so there was no power struggle. Their business is already established now. I’d be walking in as an outsider, trying to usurp authority. I’m not sure it would sit well with their crews.”

“I don’t believe you,” I said, lacing my hands on the desk as I leaned forward. I’d always found the direct approach to work best with Catia, and since I wasn’t in the mood to consider her feelings, direct she would get. I’d promised I wouldn’t let this interview get personal, but it was difficult to avoid when every question swimming through my head revolved around us, not the job she’d been hired to do. “I think this is some kind of end run to get back in my good graces. But why?”

“Maybe I hate the way things are between us,” she said, her level gaze capturing mine. “Maybe I feel like a coward for running away and I just want to make things right.”

I wasn’t buying it. “You don’t have to move here and get a job working for my company to do that. We still see each other from time to time. You could have cornered me at some party and apologized if you wanted to ease your conscience.”

“I’m not sure that I have anything to apologize for,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “Besides, you made it clear on several occasions that you weren’t interested in hearing anything I had to say.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for?” I asked, dumbfounded. “You slept with me, knowing how I felt about you, then you told me you were leaving town to get away from me.”

“Do we really have to rehash all this now?” she asked, looking at the framed photos of my kids on the credenza behind my desk. “I think we can agree that we were in a period of transition then. It seems your life is more stable now, and so is mine.”

“Is that so?” I couldn’t imagine Catia, the whirlwind, ever being settled.

“Yes.” She raised her chin, looking annoyingly defiant. “I know what I want. That’s why I’m here—to get it.”

“And what the hell do you want exactly?” She better not think I’d be stupid enough to give her a second chance, ‘cause that was never gonna happen.

“I want a chance to prove myself at a company that doesn’t bear my last name. Where I have to sink or swim based on my abilities.” Her lips twisted in a wry smile. “Because let’s face it, I know you’d have no problem tossing me out if I’m not doing a good job. In fact, you’d probably take pleasure in it.”

“You’re right about that.” I was being ornery, but I couldn’t help it. Cat had a way of bringing out the worst in me. “But I’m still not convinced this is a good idea.”

“I understand. Would it help if I told you I’m serious about this commitment? I even bought a house. It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but—”

“The Parkers’ old house. I saw your address in your personnel file.”

Her cheeks colored slightly as she licked her pink-tinged lips. “I didn’t think Wendy would have shown you that. I was figuring out how to tell you myself.”

“I’m listening.” I wanted to hear what her motivation had been for buying the house across the street from me. Surely she didn’t expect me to be neighborly, given our history.

“I hope you don’t think it’s creepy,” she said, brushing her long dark waves aside. “I kind of thought you might think it was weird—”

“It is weird.” She looked taken aback, and I frowned. What the hell had she expected me to say—that I was used to my ex-lovers moving in down the street and securing a position with my company? “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d seen
Fatal Attraction
one too many times.”

She laughed, revealing those perfect white teeth and soft dimples. Damn. Seeing them felt like a gut-punch. I’d forgotten how potent her smile was. Scowling or sullen Catia was much easier to resist than happy Catia.

“I don’t blame you for feeling that way. If our situations were reversed, I’d probably feel the same, but the truth is, I was ready to shake things up. I wanted a major life change, and since I enjoyed my time here, working with you, this seemed like a logical decision.”

I couldn’t deny we’d made an incredible team. If only our time between the sheets hadn’t been the highlight for me. “How long do you plan to stay? I know you bought the house, but for someone with your resources, that doesn’t mean much. Next month, you could decide you don’t like being here after all and rent the house out.”

“I suppose I could,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “But I won’t. Like it or not, I’m here for the long haul.”

“Huh.” I still wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not. At the moment, I was leaning toward not, but with this woman, my feelings could change at warp speed.

“You control whether or not I can work for you, I’ll admit. But you can’t control whether we’re neighbors. I love the house and the neighborhood, so I intend to stay, even if it means I have to get another job.”

Thanks to her generous trust fund, Catia didn’t have to work, but the fact that she choose to, rarely touching her trust fund, was admirable.

I stared at her, trying to convince her to back down, that this crazy idea could only end badly. “Why put yourself through this?”
Better yet, why put me through this?
But I couldn’t ask that. If I did, she’d know how much I still cared.

“Because running scared didn’t make me feel good,” she admitted. “It’s not who I am. I stick it out and work through my problems. But something about you and what I felt for you scared me enough to make me want to run.”

Wow. I’d never expected her candor. She’d never been the kind of woman to pull punches, but she was showing unprecedented vulnerability.
If she’s being sincere.
“Fine, we’ll try it out. I need the help. You want the job, and I can’t deny you’re more than qualified.”

Her smile lit up the room again when she clasped her hands together. “Thank you so much, Chase. I promise you won’t regret this.”

“The jury is still out on that,” I muttered. My eyes swept over her. I tried not to fixate on her legs, but damn it was hard not to remember how incredible they’d looked wrapped around my waist. “But you can’t go to job sites like that. You’ll break your neck in those heels, and that”—I gestured to her low-cut blazer—“is totally inappropriate. Have you forgotten the kind of guys you’ll be working with?”