Her Backup Boyfriend (Entangled Bliss) (Sorensen Family) (19 page)

Michael was right. He’d always been what Kate wanted. What she needed to put the final piece in the puzzle of the life she’d made for herself.

Who was he to stand in her way, to throw a wrench in her machinations? She’d made it clear that whatever they’d shared had been a mistake.

He’d fought for a woman once before, laid his heart out to her, only to have her walk away from him and everything he could offer her because of what he wasn’t. He couldn’t make that same mistake. He wouldn’t.

So he’d done what he had to do.

And he was walking away from the one woman he’d had fallen the hardest for. Even if it felt like it might kill him. Nearly as much as when he’d seen her waver under Michael’s attention. But he knew he could never make her happy, and he didn’t want to risk the same pain when she realized it and walked away.

Just like Melinda.

So he’d done what he had to and walked away first.

He reached the elevator and pounded the button to the lobby.

“I’m sorry if I ruined your plans.”

Dominic turned to find Michael standing next to him, but “sorry” wasn’t exactly how he would paint the guy’s face. He looked smug and satisfied. And Dominic wanted nothing more than to ball his fist and smash the asshole’s face with it.

“Let’s be honest here for a minute, Michael. You’re not sorry. And the only reason you’re not unconscious and on the floor right now is because I don’t want to do that to Kate. But let’s be clear. Kate is the best goddamn woman either one of us could ever even hope to be with. And for some reason, she seems to still be hung up on you. But if at any time she gives me reason to believe she could be happy with me, I will be in your face so fast you won’t know what hit you.”

The smug smile only widened. “That’s not going to happen. The only reason Kate was even in your life was because of my shortsightedness. Maybe she wanted to see what it was like to slum it for a while.” Michael shrugged. “In the end, she’ll come back to the one and only person who can make her happy. But good luck to you, Dominic. I’m sure I can talk her into giving you a referral for the work you’ve done so far. But that’s all you’ll get from her.”

He’d tried, he really had. But sometimes people just didn’t know when to shut their mouths. And with that, Dominic strode the two steps to close the space and socked Michael in the eye.

The satisfaction at seeing his head fall back and him stumble to the ground was short-lived as Dominic stepped into the elevator and descended to the lobby.

Because Michael had still won the girl, in the end.

…

Kate walked into her house Friday night, her body feeling as heavy as her heart. It was dark and empty and quiet. Oscar had slipped out the minute she’d opened the door, so it was only her. And she didn’t know if she’d ever felt so alone in her entire life.

She dropped her keys on the table but didn’t make a move to turn on the lights. Not just yet. The sounds of her shoes on the hardwood echoed through the house. She stood in the doorway of the kitchen a long moment, knowing that soon the cabinets would be on the walls and Dominic would be permanently gone from her life.

A few weeks ago, this wouldn’t have fazed her at all. She hadn’t even known him. But now, in the short space since she’d met him, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

Which was completely ironic. Because here she was on the cusp of getting the promotion she’d been working on for five years—a step toward that judgeship she’d coveted so dearly for so long—and maybe even the love and commitment of the man she’d always wanted. Or thought she’d always wanted. And she didn’t care.

She thought of a future with Michael. The parties, the social events, the acceptance into the holy circle that she’d always wanted. The love of a man who she’d never thought could ever want her. And it sounded…empty. Just like this house. Empty and without any real meaning.

So contrary to the warmth and laughter and love she’d experienced in the time she’d known Dominic and his entire family. A family that had made her feel so at home. A part of something. Something real, just like her grams had had. She thought about the love she saw between Elena and Petter Sorensen. It was forever, and they had shared so much already and still had so much more to look forward to.

Something like she could have had with Dominic. But she’d lost her chance, if she’d ever had it in the first place. And she’d had to watch him walk away.

A sob from deep in her chest nearly choked her. What was she doing with her life? What did she want? You’d think a grown woman almost thirty would have a handle on that right now.

The only thing she was sure of, though, was that somehow everything had changed. What she wanted had changed.

And it might be too late for her to do anything about it.

Chapter Eighteen

Dinner Sunday evening was unbearable as Dominic rebuffed his family’s efforts at drawing him into the conversation. It was hard to miss the glances his sisters and mother kept sharing, the worried looks on their faces. But what could he tell them? The truth?

He looked at Daisy, who was already back to her bossy ways, ordering her kids to have at least two more bites before they were excused and even chastising their dad for not eating enough to keep up his strength. How would she take the news that he’d offered to pretend to be dating Kate so that he could bum free legal services on her behalf?

“Before you go, Dominic, remind me to give you Kate’s casserole dish. She left it here on Thanksgiving.”

He nodded. He could drop it off next time he was over.

Bites dutifully taken, the kids ran from the table and downstairs to watch television.

“How is Kate?” Benny asked, despite the warning glances their mom was giving. “I was hoping she might be here tonight. I wanted to talk to her about Christmas. If we’re drawing names for gifts again this year, I thought maybe we could have her name added, too.”

Oh, hell. He couldn’t have them placing her name in the hat to draw Christmas presents. He might as well grow a pair and own up to the truth. All of it.

When he was done, the room was eerily quiet. Then Daisy dropped her napkin on the table and pushed her chair out before fleeing the room and all hell broke loose, with everyone shouting at him at once. Even Cruz, who’d known about the ruse since almost the beginning, was sharing a piece of his mind at the insensitive way he’d finally spilled the beans. As if there’d been any way to make this better.

And he sat there and accepted their anger. Because it was nowhere near the anger he felt at himself.

Not for the charade itself, though.

No. But for the chickenshit way he’d taken off Friday. He’d been a coward. Too afraid to tell her how he really felt. Hadn’t even tried to throw his hat into the ring, but pulled it out entirely. Practically congratulated her on winning Michael back and gave her his blessing.

He should have been up front. Told her to forget about Michael.

Told her that he loved her.

And that she should choose him.

So the anger his family was throwing around helped in a way. He didn’t deserve to have anyone feel sorry for him. He deserved their anger and disgust. It echoed his own.

…

If Kate had thought last Monday was tough, waking up this morning and looking forward to a week without Dominic, a week knowing that a woman’s life and career might be in her hands, and a week with a career-changing decision to be made at the end of it made her want to bury herself under the covers for another month.

Reaching the sanctity of her office, she slid behind her desk and stared down at the stupid DVD that had helped bring her walls falling around her. She didn’t know how long she sat there before Trish popped her head in to remind her she had an appointment in four minutes with Tim and Nicole to discuss their strategy on the case.

Kate was expected to deliver the outline of her argument for the summary judgment motion, but first she had something else that she had to get out of the way. Grabbing the DVD and stuffing it back into the envelope, she made her way to the small conference room already reserved for the powwow.

She wasn’t surprised to find Nicole seated and sipping coffee, a folder open in front of her. Tim hadn’t yet arrived.

“Morning,” Kate mustered as politely as she could manage. After everything that had happened with Michael on Friday, she hadn’t even thought about Nicole. Had he told her anything? Cautiously, she took a seat a few chairs away.

Nicole barely looked up. “Morning,” she muttered and kept reviewing the documents.

Were those actual dark circles under Nicole’s eyes? Impossible. It must be the lighting.

To kill time, Kate pulled out her cell phone, hesitating a moment before she activated it as she had every five minutes this past weekend. Checking to see if she’d missed a call, maybe a text or even an email from Dominic. But like it had been the last few days, the phone was absent any such notification.

Kate was more than a little startled to look up and find Tim seated at the head of the table and staring at her oddly. She hadn’t even noticed him arrive.

“You all right?”

“Yes. Certainly.” She slid the phone back into her pocket and straightened. No time for daydreaming.

“I think we can all agree that last week’s depositions were a resounding success. You were phenomenal, Kate. And Nicole, thank you as well for all the behind-the-scenes support you gave Kate. I don’t think there’s even really much to discuss this morning, since I know you’ll all agree that a motion for summary judgment is the next logical step.” Tim looked positively gleeful as he looked around the table. “Nicole, would you mind preparing a summary of the case that we can present to our client, explaining our strategy? I think Kate’s going to be a little busy for the next week or so getting the motion drafted, isn’t that right?”

Kate looked at the envelope still in her hand. She would wait until she had a moment in private to confront Tim about it. She owed him at least that. In the meantime, she nodded. “I started the draft last Friday.”

“Yes, I have no doubt you did. Nicole? I think you have enough to get started on that memo. I’m hoping to deliver it to the client by tomorrow.”

“No problem.”

“Good. I’ll look forward to reading it. But I have some other news I wanted to discuss with Kate. You wouldn’t mind excusing us, would you, Nicole?”

Nicole kept her face averted, and Kate had no idea what might be running through her head as she left. Truth be told, the woman seemed almost as distracted as Kate. And probably for good reason. Kate felt a twinge of pity for the woman she’d loathed and hated for the past few months. Sure, she was stuck-up and unfriendly—and everything Kate always wanted to be. But she knew what it was like to feel someone slipping away and feel helpless to stop it. It really sucked.

“I meant what I said, Kate,” Tim said when the door closed behind Nicole. “You really came through, despite the little surprise that came in last week. You affirmed for me and all the partners what a strong asset you are for this firm. Which is why I wanted to share this news with you now.”

He was really making it hard for her to get a word in, and she stared down at the package in front of her as Tim warmed to his topic.

“This morning during the usual weekly meeting, we had a rather unorthodox conversation. Unorthodox in that we usually don’t discuss these matters until the quarterly meeting, but I couldn’t help but share with them all how you came through for our client. What I’m saying, in a surprisingly long-winded fashion, is that we had a little impromptu and informal vote, and I can say with authority that you have more than your performance to celebrate. You have your promotion to junior partnership, a fact that will be announced formally on Friday after the official vote. Congratulations, Kate, Strauss and Fletcher’s newest junior partner.” Tim even cracked a bit of a smile as he added this last bit.

It had been the last thing she’d expected to hear today, and she blinked a few times, trying to process this surprising news.

She was going to be a partner. It was as good as hers.

And instead of the overwhelming giddiness and excitement she thought she’d be feeling, Kate still felt, oddly enough…nothing. Okay, maybe not nothing. Maybe more like a thick rope was being tied around her neck and slowly beginning to tighten.

Now was her moment. The moment she should ask him about the DVD. What he knew about it, and now that they had it, what they were going to do with it.

But for some reason, she couldn’t quite do it. It would be suicide to her job and her career, and she knew it. Instead, she reached out her hand out and accepted his proffered hand. “Thank you, Tim,” she managed to say. “For your encouragement over the years and your belief in me.”

And a few minutes later she was back in her office, not even remembering how she’d gotten there. She looked around her office again, at the diplomas on her walls. The small expensive treasures she’d picked up at each milestone along the way to where she was. And instead of feeling victorious, she still had that hollow feeling. As if she was still missing something.

And if she buried this evidence, just as she knew Tim would want and expect her to, she’d risk losing something else. Herself. Her values. Her moral integrity.

Now, more than anything, Kate wished she had someone she could talk about this with, someone who might understand her dilemma and what she was going through. Someone who could share in her worry, her excitement, her uncertainty.

Okay. Not just someone.

She wanted Dominic.

…

Dominic stood in front of Kate’s refrigerator for a couple minutes first thing Friday morning. Trying to ignore the feeling that his heart had been smashed by a sledgehammer.

It was there. A check for the rest of the work he’d done. Sure, he was owed it, he knew that. But for some reason, seeing the payment clipped to the fridge like she would the water bill or the electric bill made everything they’d been to each other over the past months feel…worthless. Like it was all just another job. Like he was just a contractor and nothing more.

What had he expected? After what he’d seen last week, he’d bet that Kate and Michael had already made up and were going to paint the town red after she heard the word about her promotion. Because they’d be idiots if they didn’t give it to her.

Only it made him sick to his stomach to think of Michael walking through this house that had come to almost feel like home. To place his hands on the woman Dominic had also come to think of as home.

Hell. She was better off. He’d been saying since the beginning that Michael was the exact type he envisioned for Kate. And he’d been stupid to think for a minute that she might have felt him something more than a friend, a cohort in this plan they’d come up with. But nothing more.

He took the check, holding in his fingers for a long minute, and ripped it in half. Then he took the two halves stuck them back on the fridge with the magnet.

…

It was nearly eleven thirty. Half an hour before the formal announcement went out that she and one other associate had been promoted to junior partner. But instead of celebrating, Kate sat at her desk, her chair turned to look out over the Salt Lake Valley. Thinking about her lunch meeting yesterday with Jessica Lund.

There was a lot to consider.

In confidence, she’d shared with Jessica the impending announcement of her junior partner position. But Jessica must have seen some of the doubt on Kate’s face as they sat across from each other, because instead of congratulations, Jessica had renewed her offer to find a place for Kate at her firm.

And this time, Kate actually listened as Jessica laid out everything that the small, employee-focused firm could provide Kate.

Fewer, less intrusive billable hours.

A decent health care plan.

The perk of only taking on the cases
she
wanted to take on. Cases like Daisy’s.

Never before had the offer been so tantalizing. Having the discretion of declining a case if the facts—and the client—weren’t scintillating or bearable sounded like heaven. God knew she’d have dropped the McKenna case long ago had she had the ability to say no—and the promotion riding on its success.

Flexibility was what it offered. Freedom.

Her work hours at Strauss had never really bothered Kate before. She’d kept her nose to the grindstone, not really looking around to see where she was and how she’d gotten there, determined to reach that long-awaited goal of partner.

And now that it was hers…now what? Continue at her frenzied pace until in ten or twenty more years she might have that judgeship and the respect that might or might not come with it?

But what else would she have? Someone to share with and rejoice in her accomplishments? To rejoice in all the milestones? Or would she likely be alone?

Kind of how this past week had gone. Without Dominic.

She was only grateful that Michael had been in California the past week closing some real estate deal, so she’d been able to put off having to deal with that mess. But this partnership couldn’t wait. It was time to make a decision. Set the course for the rest of her life.

A course she could live with.

Enough. She needed to speak with Tim, and before she could change her mind, she grabbed the DVD one more time and marched out to find him.

He sat in his office sipping a seltzer water, reading some journal. She took a breath and knocked on the door.

“Kate? Can I help you with something? We didn’t have an appointment, did we?” He glanced at his watch.

“No. We didn’t. But there is something we need to discuss, and I can’t put it off any longer.”

He waved her in. “All right. Have a seat.”

She was surprised at the calm sureness that came over her as she walked across the rug and took a seat. Folding her hands over the package, she started. “I don’t know if you remember my mentioning that I had contacted the Radisson about getting a copy of the surveillance video from the time Mark McKenna and Ava Herrera went on that business trip.”

Tim nodded, his face devoid of any telling emotion.

She continued. “Funny thing is, we received a bill last week for some security footage they recovered and sent on to us. But I never received it. Did you happen to get it by mistake?”

For the briefest moment, Tim hesitated and his eyes flew from her to the door. When he returned his gaze to her, steady again, she knew the truth.

“I never saw it,” he lied. “But it could be floating around the office, I suppose. Might be sitting in someone’s mailbox by mistake. I wouldn’t worry about it. Just put the invoice on the firm’s bill.”