I glanced down at my feet as we turned in to the parking lot. “You don’t have to save me. I’d have figured out a lawyer and a job on my own.”

  He turned off the engine and then placed his hand on mine. “When I went to Mrs. Morris’s house to hang her chandelier, I wasn’t looking for you or anyone to save. It’s not my habit. I just knew I liked you right away.”

  Sparks rushed through me. My lips tingled, but I would never let myself kiss him. I blinked. “We can’t be more than friends.”

  He didn’t move. “Understood.”

  I took my hand away and quickly cupped his face. The afternoon shadow sent thrills through me, but I didn’t move. “Good, because I like you too.” Then I let him go and hopped out of the car.

  My words had to be true. We could only ever be friends. It was all I had to offer.

  11

  Kerry

  The next morning was easy. I made breakfast while he showered. The image of his naked body in the water played in my mind, as did the idea of stripping and joining him.

  However, I wasn’t that much of a risk taker. I whipped together a quiche so that he could take some for his lunch.

  I set the table and turned on the laptop as the coffee percolated.

  I blinked at the no-signal sign and restarted the laptop. I paced, and my heart pounded. I needed to work. My shoulders slumped when he came out, and I met his gaze. He stared at me, and I knew he would ask, so I shook my head. “The internet is down.”

  He licked his lips. “No worries. We can check on that later. How would you like to get out for an hour or two and help me install some ceiling fans? It would be a lot easier with a second pair of hands.”

  The idea of seeing him work again had goose bumps growing on my body. I knew he would be busy. I grabbed my coffee and his cup of water. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

  “Unwrapping stuff and handing it to me so I don’t have to go up and down the ladder saves me half the time.” He tasted his breakfast then ate like he’d never had anything so delicious. My pulse zipped—he still liked my food. Once he finished, he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

  I finished my quiche and coffee then stood. “Okay. When I get back, hopefully, we’ll have the internet working, and I’ll build the website.”

  “Sounds good.” We took our plates in the kitchen, and I put his lunch into the refrigerator. Once we washed everything, he said, “Thank you.”

  I had no idea why he thanked me. I was the one who needed to repay him. We gathered our things and walked to the truck. Once inside, I said, “And I’ll bid and book more jobs for you as soon as I have access to more than just my phone data.”

  He winked at me. “Helping out and keeping the day bright by working together sounds great to me.”

  True. Every day promised new possibilities. I hummed as we headed to a newly constructed home.

  My mind buzzed. With skills like Warren had and following architecture plans that can be bought online, I thought he could probably better design any one of those cookie-cutter homes. We parked. Once we crossed the threshold, a dark-haired woman opened the door then shooed her children up the stairs.

  She didn’t notice me at all, but as she and Warren spoke about ceiling fans, she played with her necklace as if she wanted to take him to her bedroom.

  I unboxed the first of six fans and, when he went up on his ladder, I handed him the first one. “So the owner was interested in you,” I whispered.

  He looked at me like I was crazy. “She’s a mom with small children.”

  It was sweet that he had no idea how sexy he was.

  We worked fast, but my lips tingled as I thought about him kissing me. I knew he wouldn’t, but those glances made my knees feel like jelly. That mother stared at Warren like he was dinner.

  I hoped he never noticed her. Jealousy made me cold, and my hair stood on end. As we finished the last fan, my pulse zipped. As we picked everything up, I said, “I’ll start paying my half of the rent this month.”

  I wasn’t sure why I randomly brought it up—probably the chill on my skin caused by the fact someone else might take him away, and then I would have nothing.

  He shook his head and finished with the wire. “Just keep me fed like you usually do, and I’m happy enough.”

  My phone beeped. I glanced at a message from Jeff saying he would call me soon. Warren smiled as we finished cleaning up and said, “Looks like my brother wants to talk to you soon.”

  If I was divorced and available, I needed to keep Warren only as my friend and business partner. Helping him was now helping me too. However, my stomach fluttered as if I’d lied to myself. I ignored it and smiled. “Hopefully with good news.”

  He led me out. “You deserve that.”

  I waited at the door while the mother flirted and Warren took his pay. Once we left and were back in the truck, I said, “You don’t know half of it.”

  He didn’t move. “Tell me, then.”

  My heart thundered. He had no idea what it was like to be lonely. I swallowed and realized he would never understand what it was like to wait and not believe he had the ability to do anything. I wished I was stronger, but I gave off a laugh that didn’t sound as jovial as I wished. “Let’s check on the internet so I can get to work. I have a schedule to make for you.”

  He paid me then drove off. “Sounds good.”

  I didn’t count the cash. “What made you decide to become a general contractor? Were you practicing before?”

  “Not really. I applied for my general contracting license on New Year’s and dawdled to start my gap year. I love my family and was there when some of my brothers got married. I put it off till my birthday.”

  “Age motivated you to venture out on your own?”

  “Sort of. Now, I’m happy I started in the summer and not the middle of winter.”

  “Sounds nice.” I stared at his profile, aching to be his.

  “We’re home.”

  Right. My body buzzed as we walked together, but at the door, I saw a brown box. I raised an eyebrow. “You have a package.”

  He laughed and opened the door. “Always, but that one’s for you.”

  My mouth dropped open. I hadn’t expected him to flirt, so I hugged the box and brought it in with me. I shook it and asked, “What is it?”

  He went to the refrigerator and grabbed his lunch for later. “Open it when I head out. First, tell me the internet works.”

  I glanced at the laptop. The signal was there, so I nodded. “It’s on.” Then I opened the package, took out a red dress, and closed my eyes. The silky feel against me made me pause, but then I met his gaze across the room and said, “You didn’t need to get me clothes.”

  He shrugged and headed to the door. “I thought you’d look pretty in that dress.”

  I followed him to say goodbye but I whispered, “No guy has ever made me feel attractive like you do.”

  He traced my cheek. “Whoever you were near must have been blind or stupid, as you’re the most beautiful woman I ever met because it comes from inside you.”

  I believed him. My lips tingled to kiss him. Our breaths were close, as we were inches apart, but my phone beeped.

  Heat rushed into my face as I said, “Your brother texted.”

  He opened the door and waved. “When you talk to him, tell him I said hi. I have to go. See you tonight.”

  “See you.” My heart beat faster. I’d wanted to confide in Warren entirely because he was the best man I’d ever met. Soon, I would have to tell him everything.

  12

  Kerry

  More than half a day later, I finally stood up from the laptop after completing my work to build Warren’s website. I made myself another pot of coffee before settling back to work, checking emails, bidding, confirming jobs, and keeping the schedule.

  Warren’s current workload was a start, but he had a bigger goal, so I needed to figure out how to help his business grow.

  Helping him was letting me prove to myself that my worth was more than just skin deep. The coffee percolated, and I stretched as I smelled the earthy, delicious scent. In a few minutes I would have a cup of heaven.

  About an hour later, as I put my coffee cup down, my phone rang. For a second, I blinked as I’d not given out my new number yet, but then when I returned to the desk and saw Jeff the lawyer’s name on screen I answered, “Hello?”

  “So I have news, and I wanted to call you, as you didn’t call me yesterday.”

  The night before, I’d lived in a fantasy world where I might be Warren’s and he would kiss me then take all of me.

  I’d pushed reality out of our evening. Jeff didn’t sound like Warren with that deep bass tone, but I didn’t care at the moment. I tensed. “What happened? Did Romeo refuse?”

  He laughed. “The opposite. He took your deal, and since the marriage license was in Florida, it’s much easier to file for divorce since you both kept residency there. Connecticut would have taken months, but your tax haven worked in our favor. So I have the PDFs of his signature and will have the handwritten original when it arrives via courier tomorrow.”

  Tears formed in my eyes. I hadn’t realized divorce could be so easy, and he’d threatened just days before to drag it out. Maybe it was just because Jeff filed and lawyers became involved. My heart thumped. “Really? That’s it?”

  “I’ll file today, and if you want, I’ll speak to a judge friend to process it as soon as tomorrow.”

  Good. His judge friend must be close. I took a deep breath. There was no reason to delay anything ever again. “So I’m really free?”

  “There is no reason to fear. He agreed to sign in exchange for no alimony. Keeping you out of the workforce from college till now otherwise would have meant a significant loss to his monthly check, and his lawyers didn’t like the numbers I threatened with.”

  My mind raced. Romeo was always cheap when he could be. Letting me go saved him cash and set me free. I poured myself a fresh cup of coffee and asked, “How much did you tell him I was entitled to?”

  “Ten thousand.”

  My fingers tensed as I put the glass pitcher back. “That’s not much.”

  “A month for the rest of your life.”

  “I thought since the marriage was so short, that wasn’t possible…”

  “I have a reputation for fighting for my clients and winning.”

  “I want my freedom.”

  “So I won.”

  I uncurled my hands, which had almost fused to the mug. A long fight would have meant I would never truly be free from him. I picked up my cup, confident I could work again, and squared my shoulders. “I don’t want anything from him except to never see him again.”

  “Well, consider yourself a free woman.”

  My heart soared. I set my cup beside the computer. “Thank you.”

  We said goodbye, and I texted the one man I wanted to see, with his reddish-blond hair and blue eyes that came alive in my dreams. Warren, call me.

  I put the phone down. He was working and couldn’t check his phone every second, and I had bids to make for the local government.

  I checked various sites and rubbed my eyes as I reread a new listing. I quickly hit Reply since the bid was almost too good to be true and it was last minute, but I filled out the form. “This sounds like a dream come true. Hopefully, they get back to me right away,” I said out loud.

  I attached Warren’s general contractor license as requested, and as I finished the email, I realized I needed to be specific about his skills.

  I found his references for kitchen-cabinet installs, described his installation methods, ensured the business license was in the correct format, and filled out the bid application. Once I hit Send, I rubbed my eyes then stood to make a quick lunch.

  A secretary called me right away.

  We spoke, and I agreed to everything. At the end of the call, I said, “We’re excited to help you install the cabinets within your thirty-day window. Please send the contract.”

  I had not one but two huge pieces of news for Warren. The job I’d just secured was the ticket to his seed money. Minutes ticked by quickly. I finished my sandwich and coffee then poured myself a second cup. Time to reschedule the booked jobs.

  An hour later, Warren finished his job and called me.

  I jumped, as every cell in my body wanted to shout, stood, and glanced out the window to the parking lot outside. “Two huge things to talk about. First, I spoke to your brother.”

  “What did Jeff say?”

  For the first time in a long time, I had hope. “He signed. I didn’t want any money, and Jeff made that a selling point. And Jeff said he knew a judge who can speed it up. For the first time in my life, I’m truly free.” My heart thumped. I wished he was there and I could see him. Maybe it was better that he wasn’t. I’d been so alone for so long.

  “Amazing! I’m happy for you. I’ll pick up champagne on my way home.”

  “Champagne is expensive. You don’t have to.” I cupped the bottoms of my elbows and went back to grab the bid to read him the second bit of news.

  “My treat,” he said quickly before we were disconnected. I wasn’t sure why tears came so quickly, and I wiped eyes.

  Unlike my family, Warren listened to me and helped me whenever I needed him. I wasn’t sure if I was making the right choices, but I wanted one day to have a family like Warren’s, where anything could be possible.

  13

  For some reason, Jeff Norouzi filed divorce papers for a woman in Connecticut and found a judge to speed up the process. Is she pregnant with a Nourozi baby? Why the rush? I’ll find out more and let you know, but I do wonder if Warren’s been missing because he’s out ignoring marital rules and committing adultery. I wouldn’t be surprised.

  Gossip and burn the rich.

  Yours truly,

  Regina, your gossip goddess you can’t escape from.

  Warren

  “Are you alone?” she asked.

  My eyes widened. “One minute.” I paid the cashier for my water and headed back to my truck.

  I placed the bottles next to me then started the engine. “I’m alone.”

  “Before you drive anywhere, I want you to check the job I just sent you. I think you need to jump on this one.” She had a higher voice than normal, and goose bumps grew on my arms as she spoke.

  I stayed in the parking lot and opened my email. She had attached a contract. I opened the file and stopped at the amount listed. My heart sped. “Twenty-five thousand.”

  She laughed. “It will take you three weeks.”

  My pulse still zipped, but I pulled out onto the road to head home. “You’re a marvel.”

  “No one has ever said that to me.”

  For a moment, I pictured her dancing in the living room. She would be divorced soon, and we would both make a decent profit on that job. Luckily, home was close. “How did you do this?” I pulled into the lot and parked.

  “The subcontractor fell through, and the builder put the ad for the bid up this morning. I’ve been talking to his team all day, and they’re excited that you’re available for the cabinet install.”

  I walked up the stairs quietly.

  “Then we kept talking, and he wanted you to install all the cabinets”—I found my keys and reached for the door—“in the subdivision, so we negotiated the contract.” She jumped out of her computer chair. “You’re home!”

  She was my rock. I left the bags in the kitchen and headed toward her. Then I picked her up and twirled her. She held on to me, and at this moment, it was like we were the only people in the world. When I set her down, I pointed to her chair. “Are you kidding? With the seed money, I can skip the rebuild and buy commercial property.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I want to get empty land and build from the ground up.”

  “I researched architecture websites to buy building plans. I’ll email those.” She ran her hands through her hair and nodded as if she needed a second. “And dinner is in the oven.”

  “Tonight we celebrate your divorce, as friends.” My email alerted me to the gossip blog. I scanned the rumor mill. My pulse quickened with the thought that someone might find us soon and blow up my plan and life with Kerry, but it was mostly incorrect speculation. I tensed but reminded myself that my brother hadn’t mentioned addresses on any public filing. We would probably be fine.

  I opened up my business bank account then looked at her. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Kerry.”

  She laughed as she fixed our dinner plates. “Keep talking like that. I’ll find the glasses for the wine.”

  I needed to help her. I quickly filled out a mortgage application at a bank I often used, and a preapproval letter appeared the second I hit Submit. We could start working with an agent to find a property.

  She finished setting the table with the chicken dinner that smelled delicious.

  “I’m filling out a bank application, but the bank is going to need the contract.”

  She nodded then showed me the site she’d used to find the building plans. “Everything is here for you to find a design then submit the plan for preapproval with the city.”

  She’d thought ahead. Math and forward thinking were two of her great qualities. Maybe we could keep the entire twenty-five thousand in play. I joined her in the kitchen to carry things. “Maybe we can invest more, if you’re interested in keeping the money bundled for now and investing it in the bigger plan.”

  “I’m listening,” she said as we sat at the dinner table.

  I folded my hands in front of me and pitched the plan that was formulating in my mind. “While I’m working tomorrow, can you set up research time on getting city and county approval for a subdivision as well as researching empty land in the area.”

  She tapped the side of her face as she met my gaze then blinked. “So we’re creating our own residential community.”