Her Backup Boyfriend (Entangled Bliss) (Sorensen Family) (7 page)

“Oh, before I forget,” Glenda said and stopped before the front door. “That’s the other reason I wanted to stop by. Wednesday is my seventieth birthday—something I’m sure you already know, Dominic—and I’m having a small party. Nothing fussy or anything. Only family and a few friends. I’d really like it if you could come, Kate. Meet everyone.”

Dominic hadn’t remembered his aunt’s birthday but realized how fortuitous this party was to their plan. Kate, however, looked like Glenda had asked her to run around naked on the front lawn.

“Oh, I’m not really sure if I could make it. I usually have to work late, and I’m sure you want to keep things small and intimate.”

He came to stand next to her, easing his arm over her shoulder. If her shoulders tensed up any more, her head might just pop off. “What time should we be there?”

“Party’s at six.” Glenda smiled impishly and started for the front door. “Well, enjoy your new drapes, dear. They’re gorgeous. You coming, Dominic?”

Kate started forward to get to the door, and his arm slid back to his side. He stopped in front of Kate, who still looked a little dazed by this new turn of events as she turned her gaze up to his.

Her eyes were a dark bluish gray in the dimming light. He stood so close to her, he could see the trail of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Could breathe her scent, a mix of sweet and floral, like vanilla and bright sun-kissed petals rolled into one. Kate looked as startled as he felt at their close proximity, her eyes widening a fraction of an inch, and her lips parted.

“See you, Kate.” He realized that his aunt had paused at the bottom step and was watching them now. Well, since they had a part to play…and with Kate still watching him, he leaned down to place a simple, chaste kiss on those soft lips. She blinked but didn’t pull away, but he noticed her eyes narrowed at his boldness.

He winked, unable to stop the slow smile that spread across his face as he took a step back. “’Night Kate. See you tomorrow.”

He could feel her gaze still on him as he crossed the driveway and up Glenda’s steps. But by the time he’d turned around, her door was shut.

This boyfriend act certainly had its advantages.

Chapter Seven

Dominic managed to stifle a yawn the next morning as he and Cruz inspected the plans for their latest project. Cruz looked him over. “So what’s all this about you and some mystery woman? How come you’ve never mentioned her before?”

“Probably because she’s a client. Not someone I would usually get involved with.”

“Who is she?” Cruz challenged, evidently not yet convinced.

“She’s an attorney at some overpriced law firm downtown. And more importantly, Glenda’s new neighbor. She moved into the house next door. You’ll have the pleasure of meeting her tomorrow night at Glenda’s birthday party.”

“A lawyer, huh? So are things serious?”

Dominic shrugged. “Serious enough if I’m bringing her to meet the family. How serious are things between you and Becca?”

“Point made.” Cruz turned his attention to the contracts in front of him, accepting this line of questioning wouldn’t end well for either of them. While Dominic might be considered, from his family’s perspective, wounded and still recovering from his breakup with Melinda and thus in need of someone to get him feeling again, to their knowledge, Cruz had never suffered true heartache from any relationship for which he’d needed to recover. His practice had always been to end relationships before they could grow too serious. And Cruz had gotten away with it because the family felt—or more like hoped—that he just hadn’t met
the one
. Cruz took another moment before continuing. “I’m glad you’re bringing someone. Maybe it can distract Mom. Between worrying about Daisy and Dad and his heart, she’s been pretty stressed.”

“His surgery can’t come soon enough. For both of them.”

Cruz looked up. “And for you, too.” Dominic felt his brother’s gaze on him. Cruz took his time mulling over his next words. “Once Dad’s surgery is behind us, how much longer do you think you’ll stick it out here?”

“Guess as long as Dad’s health takes to recover.”

“Sorensen Construction could survive without you. We did before Dad got sick and we’d manage now. Have you contacted the university to see about getting back into the program?”

Dominic sighed and straightened. Cruz was not going to let up today. “I don’t know about the whole architectural license thing anymore. You know that.”

“Don’t get your license then. But don’t hide away here, either. It’s time you start focusing on getting things in order. Get on with your life. You don’t have to sacrifice your dreams any longer—we’d be all right. You know your heart isn’t in this.”

“I’ll keep it under advisement.”

Cruz shook his head and sighed heavily before looking back down at his desk. The sound of the pencil scratching across the smooth surface of the paper assured Dominic he wouldn’t have to worry about Cruz revisiting the topic today.

It was quiet in the room and Dominic thought over what his brother had said. He knew his dad and the business would probably be okay if he left. So what was holding him back from getting out there and doing what he wanted?

For a long time, it had been Melinda. She’d crushed him when she left him. She hadn’t been interested in being the wife of a general contractor. Or a carpenter, as she’d called him. She’d wanted more. He hadn’t realized how much she had bet on him getting his architectural license to finish the picture. When he’d told her he was going to have to bail to help out with the family business after his dad had his heart attack, she’d warned him it wouldn’t be enough for her. And she’d meant it. He’d heard she’d married some banker a couple of years ago.

He’d been hiding out here ever since, going on three years. It had been okay for a while, reeling from Melinda’s decampment and worried about his dad and the business. It was the right thing to do. At the time. But now…

Cruz had the business end of things well under control. In fact, he’d made quite a name for Sorensen Construction in the past couple of years. And Dominic was itching to get out on his own again. Immerse himself in his own designs, his own plans for renovating and designing homes, new and old. Making each one special.

Suddenly Dominic realized, with a jolt, that the thought of Melinda had barely caused him any pain. In fact, this past week only one woman had been filling his waking thoughts and his dreams.

Kate. She intrigued him. She wasn’t what he expected, and he itched to find out more of what made her tick.

He also had to admit to wondering if their ruse was for the sole purpose of earning partnership, or if there was another agenda. Like making her ex jealous. Maybe even getting him back.

Something he’d have to remind himself of many times over the next month. He’d already fallen for the wrong woman before. He wasn’t going to repeat that mistake again.

…

From her position spying behind the folds of her new drapes, Kate stared at the cars parked in front of Glenda’s house and her driveway. Laughter echoed in the night air. In Kate’s estimation, there were about two dozen people inside. None of whom she knew.

Frick, she hated these things.

She’d been watching the house for the past ten minutes, not sure if she was relieved that Dominic was running behind and she’d earned a reprieve or frustrated that she was just prolonging the inevitable. But truth be told, they didn’t look that bad. Actually, they looked pretty nice. Friendly. Down-to-earth. Unlike the guests at the parties she and Michael used to attend. And the people at the events the Vaughns hosted that Payton had dragged her to. They had seen through her. Known she wasn’t one of them.

Which was why she hated these kinds of things.

She looked down at her watch as the time edged closer to quarter after. Had she misunderstood the plan? Last night she’d worked past ten, arriving home to find Dominic had finished an hour earlier. He’d left a note on the fridge saying he’d see her at six.

Had he meant she should meet him there at six?

Crap. She really didn’t want to go over there alone, but if her grandmother had taught her anything, being punctual was the most important rule of etiquette. Actually, her grandmother had been fond of sharing a lot of her own personal rules. Her favorite being that opportunity knocked only once, while temptation leaned on the doorbell. A weird little saying that hadn’t meant much to Kate before.

Then she’d met Dominic.

He was nothing but temptation. And she’d be sure to remember that this was nothing more than a business arrangement. She didn’t want to get caught up again in something that could have no future, only inevitable heartache, since Dominic didn’t seem like the type of guy who let himself get wrapped up in any one woman. He was a love-’em-and-leave-’em type of guy.

And if he wasn’t? Well, even if he could commit, it wasn’t likely he’d appreciate a woman who worked upward of sixty hours a week and chose billable hours at the office over a late movie with him. That’s why being with Michael had been so…perfect.

A purr from near her ankles reminded her she still needed to feed Oscar. Kate stepped away from the curtains and went to the kitchen to crack open a can of cat food. She wasn’t procrastinating. Not at all.

Although she
should
wash her hands for a good sixty seconds after handling the cat food. There could be a pregnant woman there or something. Or was that the kitty litter?

Quick tapping at her back door broke the quiet of her kitchen and nearly sent her jumping out of the skin. She leaned back until she could make out a face peering through the glass panes of the door.

Dominic. Temptation itself.

She sucked in a deep breath and crossed the kitchen to flip the dead bolt and open the door. As if on cue, he smiled in that dangerous way of his that made her body hum with a discomforting need. The kind of hum that was going to get her in trouble if she wasn’t careful.

“Sorry I’m late. I had an emergency at a job site to take care of. You ready? I have about a dozen texts from the family already telling me I’m late and that if I didn’t get you over there I would suffer bodily harm. You’re not thinking of bailing or anything, are you?”

“Of course not,” she said, trying to sound indignant, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to meet his gaze. “I have every intention of coming, which is why I’m here and not at the office.”

He didn’t look like he believed her.

“Hello?” called out a female voice. “Is everyone decent?”

A dark-haired, ponytailed woman who was somewhere about Kate’s age appeared behind Dominic. Her figure was obscured by hospital scrubs that had to be three sizes too big. But what really stood out to Kate were the woman’s large, bright blue eyes fringed with long dark lashes that Kate would have killed for. Eyes the same shade as Dominic’s.

“I thought I’d come over and see what the holdup was. You must be Kate. I’m Benny.” She pushed past Dominic and stepped into the kitchen. “Dominic’s sister.”

“Benny is the youngest and also the family brat. Be forewarned.”

Benny smiled sweetly at her brother and slugged him in the arm.

Kate couldn’t help but chuckle. “Nice to meet you.”

“Wow,” Benny said, taking a look around Kate’s kitchen. “I can see why you hired Dominic. The previous owners didn’t leave you with much to work with, did they?”

“I’m just grateful the sink works and I can use the microwave.”

“Excellent point. I’m a Lean Cuisine gal myself. I’d sooner give up my stove than my microwave. Do you mind if I take a look? I always wondered what it looked like in here.”

Kate gave her the tour, letting Dominic take over when they reached the decimated master bathroom. “Believe me,” Kate said while Benny gaped at the bathroom walls and the exposed pipes, “this is an improvement.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Although I’m sure Dominic will make it beautiful in no time. It’s kind of his talent. You should see what he’s done with the place he bought over the summer. His house is going to be amazing.”

That surprised Kate. With his playboy good looks and easy charm, she’d pegged him for the eternal bachelor. She’d been sure an apartment with a hot tub on the premises was more his style than something with…roots. Something so respectable. Curious, she looked over at him. “Really?”

He shrugged. “We probably should be going,” he said, obviously trying to steer the conversation off of him.

“He’s an artist, is what he is,” Benny continued. “Did he tell you he majored in architecture? Would have his license by now if he hadn’t pulled out of the program to help with the family business after Dad’s heart attack.”

Of course Kate didn’t need to know Dominic’s whole biography or anything. But she wondered why he hadn’t mentioned any of this before.

“Unless you guys want Glenda calling nine-one-one, we should get going,” Dominic said.

They shut off the lights and headed downstairs. Kate’s thoughts whirled as she considered what Benny had said about Dominic. Of him giving up his career goals to help out his family. Giving up on his passion, his dreams. How many people would do that?

Definitely not her own mother.

An uncomfortable emotion swept over her, something akin to shame. For someone who’d grown up having people judge her because of her lack of money and social status—never once basing their decision on who she was and what she’d accomplished—she had make the same snap judgments about Dominic. Assumed the worst of him without really knowing him.

Dominic held the back door for them, his eyes on her as she passed. He wasn’t smiling now. He clearly didn’t like his sister blabbing his history.

They stepped outside into the brisk fall air, Benny in the lead, Kate behind her, and Dominic following. Kate was conscious of the crackling of the leaves under their heels, the visible steam from her breath—and Dominic’s presence behind her. She wouldn’t turn to confirm it, but she was certain he was watching her. She knew the goose bumps that trailed up her arms were as much from Dominic’s nearness as from the chill in the air.

The havoc his presence was creating had temporarily displaced Kate’s nervousness over the party, but when they reached the steps leading to Glenda’s side door, the nerves returned in full force. Until Dominic’s hand grazed hers, and she flinched at the unexpected heat such a slight touch could create. When his arm went back around her shoulders, she almost shot out of her skin.

“Here they are,” Benny announced and swept into the kitchen.

A dozen faces turned in her direction at once. She tried to smile and raised her hand in greeting.

Act natural. Breathe.

Glenda jumped up from her seat and bustled over. “Everyone, this is Kate. I’d tell you all to watch yourself or you’ll answer to me, but since she’s also a highly paid lawyer, I have a feeling she can take care of herself. You’re all forewarned,” she finished to laughter. She turned to Kate and gave her a wink. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

Kate nodded.

“I’ll take care of it. You go take a seat,” Dominic said to his aunt. “You’re the guest of honor.”

“Such a gentleman,” Glenda said. “Come sit down, Kate. You’ll find everyone scattered in here and the next room. But you’re welcome to sit wherever you’d like.” She patted Kate on the arm and returned to her seat.

Kate stood awkwardly for a second until Benny grabbed her arm and dragged her over to a table laid out with food. “Tip number one. In my family, grab any food that may tempt your palate now and decide later if you want it, because things go fast.”

There was an array of dishes to tempt her, but Kate wasn’t feeling hungry. Still, at Benny’s urging, she took some samplings of a few items and, without much choice, found herself settled in a seat between Benny and a tall, dark, brooding guy who, if he smiled, would look like a dead ringer for Dominic. Save for the guy’s dark, velvety-brown eyes. Dominic brought her a glass of white wine as Benny introduced her. “If the gray hair and wrinkles don’t tip you off, this is Cruz. The eldest of us four.”