Show Me How to Love (Caldwell Family Book 1) (17 page)

“That’s not why I came to Columbia early.”

Curtis laughed. “You must think I’m stupid, boy. I could tell by the look on your face last week that you were still thinking about that girl. It was one thing when I thought you slept with her for fun, but you’re actually getting feelings for this girl.”

“My relationship with Mikayla has nothing to do with this conversation.”

“It has everything to do with this conversation.” Curtis pointed a finger at him. “You showed that video today without hesitation, and laid out what would happen if the Senator disagreed with us without batting an eyelash. You knew what you were doing when you killed this deal. Forget that girl. Ryan isn’t going to let you snoop around his ex-girlfriend without getting jealous. He may be enjoying Angelica’s delights right now, but he will snatch that girl right back from you just out of spite. That’s the way my brother and his kids are. Ryan will make sure he stays in this girl’s thoughts just to keep you out.”

Curtis slid back the chair and rose to his feet. Andre watched him walk away. For Andre, this thing with Dalmtrix only concerned helping C.E.S. Not a way to one up his cousin’s family. He’d protected Mikayla after Ryan hurt her, keeping his involvement in the Dalmtrix relocation meant he would also protect her from this side of himself.

But would Ryan abandon Angelica and go back for Mikayla when he learned she was seeing him? Anger and jealousy played around with the guilt in his stomach. Anger he understood. Jealousy baffled him. Jealousy came before love. Love could make him as foolish as his mother. His palms slickened and his breaths sputtered panicked and short. This thing with Mikayla opened him to feelings he’d hoped to never experience. Feelings that had the potential to do significant damage if they weren’t controlled.

CHAPTER 18

Mikayla’s Monday started with a snide filled how are you holding up conversation with Charity, a passing wardrobe critique from Renee, and proposals for new subdivisions in Georgia and North Carolina from Philip’s secretary. When she sank into the chair at her desk, she quickly pulled the nicotine patches from her purse and put one on her back. Might as well get a handle on the craving before the stress really kicked in.

She stared at the proposals but thought about the Dalmtrix deal. There must be a way to salvage that land acquisition. She tapped an ink pen on the desk. Maybe they could work something out with the school district. Somewhere she’d heard talk about a new high school, which meant a new subdivision nearby would work. Ryan knew the superintendent. They could approach him. This was just the type of idea she’d frequently go to him with. Now, she’d rather skip hair appointments for two months than work closely with him.

A knock on the door broke through her thoughts. Ryan stood in the doorway wearing a tailored navy suit. Several weeks ago she would have admired him, and while still handsome, she didn’t see her friend, only the guy who’d humiliated her.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

He grinned and slowly made his way into the room. “You’re not automatically kicking me out of your office. That’s progress.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t try me this morning. What do you want?”

Her sharp tone didn’t brush the smile from his face. “I’ve gotten word that the Hartsville school district is considering building another high school.”

She nodded. “That’s nothing new. It was another reason I pushed the land acquisition.”

“Have you thought about how to make the land purchase work out with the new high school so close?”

She dragged in a deep breath, drummed her fingers on the desk. “Actually, I was just thinking about that. Once Dalmtrix announced their intentions, I planned to reach out the parks and recreation department to see about incorporating the plans for their new activity center in with our development.”

Ryan sat on the edge of the desk. “Good idea. The Hartsville community development department is looking at building an affordable housing community.”

Mikayla sat up in her chair. “If we could get in on that deal, incorporate mixed-use housing and commercial near the new high school, we may not get back the money we expected but it wouldn’t make the deal a complete loss. The market for that type of development could work there on a small scale.”

Ryan winked. “I knew you’d come to that conclusion. That’s why I set up a meeting with the superintendent for late this morning and later this afternoon with their community development director. Are you ready to ride?”

“You want to go to Hartsville today?”

“I don’t want to, I’m going to. And since you’re the lead on this land acquisition, you’re coming to help.”

She’d learned to get through the days working with Ryan, but that didn’t mean she wanted to spend all day in a car with him. “I’ve got a busy day ahead. I can’t go.”

Pain flashed in his dark eyes, and then resignation took over. He straightened and squared his shoulders. “I don’t call rank often, but today I am. You’re going with me to Hartsville.”

She pointed to the stacks of contracts on her desk. “I have work to do.”

“And I am part owner of this company. Your work can wait.” His firm expression slackened. He leaned on the desk. “I want us to be friends again. I miss talking to you.”

Her spine stiffened. “Talk to Angelica.”

He stood straight. His eyes hard. “Meet me at my car in five minutes.” Ryan spun on his heel and strode out the door.

Mikayla picked up her phone and texted Andre.

Hey you. Got a long day ahead. I fear I may backslide.

She waited for him to respond. Nothing came. Ryan knocked on her door, asked if she was ready. Mikayla stuck the phone in her purse and followed him out.

*

Mikayla and Ryan didn’t return to the office until well past seven. The empty parking lot meant no one worked late that day. He parked next to her car, turned off the ignition, leaned back in his seat, and blew out a breath. Facing her, a huge grin spread across his face. Mikayla’s smile matched his. The day was a success. Though many more details still needed to fall into place, for the most part they’d secured the agreement from the school district and the community development office. They would begin talks of incorporating their plans with the land Caldwell Development owned.

As much as Mikayla wanted to keep her distance with Ryan during the trip, doing so was impossible. They’d been good friends because they worked well together. Halfway through their first meeting with the superintendent, they’d fallen back into their tag team approach.

“We did it,” she said.

“No, you did it. I just sat back and let you do all of the talking.”

Mikayla laughed. “Since when do you let anyone do all of the talking. I just brought us back to the topic whenever you started floundering.”

He pressed a hand to his chest, mock disbelief on his face. “I never flounder. Get that right.”

“Correction, you tend to go off on tangents and I bring you back on course.”

He swiveled in his seat to face her. “That you do.” The smile on his face softened as he watched her. “We work well together.”

She broke eye contact. Things were quickly becoming too chummy between them. They may have had a good day at work, but it didn’t change the fact that they were no longer friends.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She reached for the door handle, he placed a firm hand on her arm.

“Mikayla, can we ever get past this?” He asked solemnly.

“Ryan—”

“I know, I shouldn’t ask. I shouldn’t care, but I do. I care about you Mikayla.”

She held up a hand. “You don’t care about me, you’re mad that I won’t fall over myself to forgive you.”

“No, I care. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Too late, you already did.”

He ran a hand over his face then shifted in the seat. When his eyes met hers, wariness reflected in them. “I know I did, but it wasn’t just a random incident. You know me, I wouldn’t have done that to you if it weren’t…” he sighed. “I told you the story, you know, what happened in Paris. Angelica was the one that got away. I was overwhelmed and I didn’t think, just reacted. I love her, Mikayla. You’ve been in love before. You know how love makes you feel.”

His words struck home. She was falling in love right now with Andre. Rational thought went out the window when it came to Andre. All, she wanted, was to talk to him, be close to him, so she could relate to Ryan in that.

Mikayla’s phone vibrated. She pulled it from her purse and Andre’s name and number lit up the screen. A giddy grin spread across her face and tingles traveled through her body.

Ryan grabbed her hand. One glance at the screen and his lip curled in a snarl.

“This is who you’ve been texting all day? He’s the one making you smile whenever you check your phone?”

Jerking her hand out of his, she dropped the phone into her purse. “Goodbye Ryan.” Mikayla opened the car door and hopped out.

His door flew open and he bounded from the car. “Mikayla, I know I was wrong, but you can’t do this. He’s using you.”

“He’s not using me.” She marched over to the driver’s side of her Rav 4.

He hurried around her car and held the door shut. “You don’t know how my family works. Andre is only trying to get back at me through you.”

“We’re just friends.”

“No man is friends with a woman unless he’s trying to have sex with her.”

“Oh really.” She placed a hand on her hip. “We were friends without having sex.”

He scoffed. “And if you would have given me the time of day I would have slept with you months ago.”

She rolled her eyes and shoved his arm from her car. “You’re disgusting. This isn’t about worrying about me, you just don’t want me sleeping with him when you didn’t.”

“Mikayla, I know I fucked up, but don’t sell yourself short by getting with Andre.”

His words made her doubts swirl. Her dad thought she’d sold herself to Ryan. Ryan accused her of the same thing with Andre. She took a mental stranglehold on her reservations. She had to trust herself.

“I’m through talking to you, Ryan. Who I see is not your business. Stop worrying about me and concentrate on someone who wants your attention.”

She jerked open the car door, jumped in, and sped off.

CHAPTER 19

Andre stepped out of his car and checked his phone to see if Mikayla called. His disappointment at missing her calls and text messages only increased his guilt after the meeting with Senator Leventis. An unfamiliar feeling for him.

He’d returned to the office in Greenville after lunch, but his mind couldn’t focus on work. He was curious to know about her day. Her first text indicating her day started badly upset him. He hated that Mikayla worked with Ryan every day. Ryan posed no threat, but Andre believed what his dad said. If Ryan discovered he and Mikayla were seeing each other, he might try to work his way back into her life. He doubted Mikayla would fall for any reunion schemes from Ryan. The more he got to know her, the more he trusted what she’d said about not wanting Ryan back.

Jonathan called right after he exited his vehicle. “What’s up?” he asked.

“I’m downtown, near your condo,” Jonathan said over the murmur of music and conversation.

“And what do you want me to do about that?” He said just to annoy his friend.

“Just walk your ass over here and meet me for a drink. You probably need it.”

More like two, he thought. “What makes you think I need a drink?”

“I know you, you need a drink.”

Andre nodded even though Jonathan couldn’t see him. He took down the name of the bar and hung up. Putting his bag with his laptop and other work files in the trunk, Andre loosened his tie and walked the short distance to the bar. He would have preferred to drive to the country tonight. As usual, work kept him closer to the office. There were several new contracts he needed to negotiate, not to mention the new landfill they were moving the methane project to. Which brought his thoughts back to the way he was unintentionally hurting Mikayla.

Yeah, he needed a drink.

Within a few minutes, he reached his destination. He walked into the bar and deeply inhaled the smoke filled air. Andre needed a cigarette too. He pictured the way Mikayla’s lips curled around the tip of that one cigarette they’d shared. His blood heated and his crotch throbbed.

The crowd was light and expected on a Monday. Might as well be the weekend based on the way the top 40 hits blared from the speakers. Jonathan sat at the bar a bottle of beer in hand, watching the television highlights of the weekend’s games. While Andre could appreciate a good football or basketball game, Jonathan loved sports.

“What are you doing downtown?” Andre stood beside Jonathan at the bar.

Jonathan shook his head and took a long swig of his beer. He was dressed up, for him, in a grey button up shirt and khaki pants. His curls were cut shorter, and he didn’t have the hint of a beard he seemed to always carry. Disappointment clouded his friend’s eyes.

“You alright?” Andre asked.

Jonathan nodded. “Yeah. I came down here to see Karen.”

Andre frowned and sat at the bar. The last he’d heard, Jonathan worried Karen wanted things to progress faster between them. Andre agreed. The woman was always around whenever he called Jonathan. He’d been so wrapped up in his thing with Mikayla, he forgot to ask about her when he visited Jonathan the week before.

The bartender came over. Andre pointed to Jonathan’s beer and held up two fingers. The bartender nodded then walked off. “How did it go?”

“Another guy answered the door.”

Andre cringed. When the bartender brought the beers Andre slid one Jonathan’s way. Despite the concern of his friend, Andre knew Jonathan cared about Karen. The woman had everything his friend loved. A voluptuous size sixteen figure, she knew her way around the kitchen and looked good without being flossy or high maintenance.

“That’s fucked up.”

Jonathan scoffed. “Tell me about it.”

“That’s why we’re drinking tonight?

“Nah. I’ll never let a woman get to me like that. I wish her and her new man well.” Jonathan drained his beer, then reached for the other one. “Where were you all weekend?”