He moved to her side of the kitchen bench, gently took her arm and led her to the table to sit down. ‘That’s the other thing. This job. You’re being secretive about it and I don’t know why.’
Prue took a deep breath. ‘I’ve been appointed as a real estate sales manager.’
‘Wow, I’m impressed.’ He genuinely was. ‘It sounds like a great position.’
When she hesitated, he asked, ‘Am I missing something?’
‘I’m working for the Amersham Group.’
‘I don’t understand. You got a job working for the people who bought me out? Why would you want to do that?’ If he’d been angry Prue didn’t show for Jacob’s nativity, that was nothing compared to how he felt now. And when she spoke, all the pieces fell into place; but instead of the smooth edges of a puzzle, each had a jagged edge that hurt him more as Prue told him Daddy owned the subsidiary company and when she’d gone to him a while ago and confided about Connie’s debt, they’d looked in to expanding their own business to take over the premises Dylan now owned, and turn it into apartments. Residential demands were high in Manhattan and lucrative for the owner, an opportunity Prue’s father apparently couldn’t pass by.
‘Talk to me, Dylan.’ Prue put a hand on his shoulder. ‘It was an opportunity for my father’s business and for you at the same time.’
Dylan shrugged her hand away. He was standing now, over by the sink, facing the wall. His eyes zoned in on a splash of meat sauce from the bolognese he’d had last night. He reached out, took a cloth and wiped it away until the splashback shone.
‘I don’t see why you’re so angry. My father has investors in his company and they agreed a fair price to pay you. I thought it would solve everything.’
‘It wasn’t your business.’
‘How can you be angry with me, Dylan? You’re out of debt and then some. You’ve got money to put the kids through school, and possibly college if you’re working at the same time. What more could you ask for? What more could I possibly do?’
‘Exactly. What more couldyoudo. It’s all about you. Never about me. It never was.’
‘That’s unfair.’
‘Is it? You wanted to move from the city so I did that. You wanted the enormous house in the suburbs so I bought it for you. You wanted to give up work and stay at home so you did. You had enough so you left. You want me back so here you are.’
Prue had let a tear escape but he wouldn’t weaken. He needed to get through to her how he felt. God knows it was time.
‘The whole time we’ve been together, Prue, you’ve always called the shots. It may not have seemed that way but you have. When you left I was devastated, worried for my family, but then I got used to it. I was happy, am still happy. I put my kids first, I throw my energy into web design and one day I will have a lucrative business, but you’re all about manipulating people your way.’
‘Is this about the other woman?’
‘What other woman?’
‘The one you met and told me about. Is she why you don’t want to try again with me? Is she so perfect and amenable that a life with me sounds so hard?’
‘The woman you’re referring to is more than likely leaving the country. She owns a business.’ He harrumphed. ‘The Little Knitting Box, you might be familiar with it.’
She pulled a face until realisation dawned. ‘Dylan, this is business. It was you who sold up to the Amersham Group, remember. So you are as much to blame for closing up her store as I am.’
He couldn’t argue with that. Ruby came running in rubbing her tummy. ‘I’m hungry, can we please have some popcorn?’ She batted her eyelashes at her daddy.
Dylan hugged her close. ‘You’ll ruin your dinner. I’ll tell you what. How about after we all eat, I’ll light a fire and we’ll snuggle up to watchHome Alone Two, with an enormous bowl of popcorn between us.’
Jacob came running through, eyes hopeful and Dylan told him the same as he’d told Ruby. He chopped up some cubes of cheese, some apple slices and put out a few crackers to keep them going until he had a chance to think about what to feed them tonight. He handed the plate to Ruby. ‘Take them in the living room and eat in front of the TV, special treat.’
Jacob raced off first as his sister followed close behind.
‘I met Cleo,’ said Prue. Her pained expression told him she was processing the idea of him wanting someone else and not her. ‘She’s pretty.’
She was. ‘Wait. Why did you see her? And when?’ Cleo hadn’t mentioned anything when he’d bumped into her last night.
‘Late this afternoon I went to the West Village to see all the current tenants. I didn’t want to leave it any longer because come Christmas and New Year most of them will be with their families. The kids were happy enough and stayed with mom, cooking.’
‘Why did you need to see them in person? Surely you’ve heard of posting a letter.’ He couldn’t help the snide remark. He thought, under the circumstances, he was being fairly well behaved.
‘I wanted to ensure they knew when the termination of the lease comes into effect. We have a date in mind to get things moving with our redevelopment and I don’t want anything to get in the way. I’m the face of the company and I want to succeed in this.’
