Page 37 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

Bending over, I lifted my jeans to show her the scars on my leg. In the low light, she wouldn’t be able to see the detail of how gruesome it was, but she’d know it was there. That was more than I could say about most people.

Lila moved closer, grimacing. Her gaze ran up and down my shin, from the bottom of my knee to where the thick, shiny welts disappeared into my sock. “Shit, how many surgeries did you have?”

“Eight. At least I can walk again. They weren’t sure that was going to be possible.” I glanced over at her, startled by how safe I felt having this conversation. “How did you know to ask how many?”

She smiled and it was definitely a knowing one, which I hadn’t expected. “I’ve spent my fair share of time in hospitals. I got pretty used to comparing battle scars, even when the scars being compared were sometimes the invisible ones.”

Before I could ask why she’d spent so much in hospitals, she got up. “I should get going. I’ve got homework I need to work on tomorrow, but I liked talking to you. We should do it more often.”

My eyebrows swept up. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. “You got it. Good luck with your homework.”

“Thanks.” She gave me a lingering smile before she turned around and walked away. Rook whined as he watched her go.

My hand shot toward his neck and I petted him, watching her silhouette disappear onto the deck and into the house. “I get it, boy. I don’t want her to leave either.”

19

LILA

On Monday morning, I was in my office and wondering if Ford was going to make an appearance today. Things between us had seemed better at the barbecue. Although neither of us had mentioned the kiss, the conversation we’d ended up having had been a lot deeper and more meaningful than discussing something that was probably better left forgotten.

A soft sigh escaped as I thought about it, already knowing I would never forget even if it sure would make things easier if I did. That had been the most powerful, rawest kiss I’d ever had. A girl didn’t magically forget something like that.

My computer chimed with an email alert and I tore my gaze away from the empty hallway I’d been absently staring at. As my gaze moved to the screen, I found a message waiting for me from Eliza. She wanted to meet for lunch.

I glanced at Ford’s office out of instinct. I knew he wasn’t here, but now that meant I couldn’t ask if it was okay if I met with a client without him.

Last week, I’d honestly thought he’d been avoiding the office because of our kiss, but at the barbecue, I’d found out that it was pretty normal for him during the summer, seeing as how the job sites were moving at a hundred percent this time of year.

A whole week away had seemed excessive even to Judith, who’d told me that Ford liked to be hands-on at the sites, but still. No one had seemed overly surprised that he was spending so much of his time at this specific site, especially knowing how hard he’d worked at winning the contract.

As it occurred to me that this exact relationship I had with the client was what had won us that contract to begin with, I replied yes, agreeing to meet her despite not having cleared it with Ford. If he had a problem with it, well, he’d have to just try to come at me again.

Within two hours, I was sitting at a bistro I knew I couldn’t afford with Eliza, who had already ordered for us by the time I’d arrived. She had an assortment of appetizers on the table as well as a bottle of white wine chilling in an ice bucket beside her.

I’d dealt with high-profile clients before when I’d been working at the gallery, but this wasn’t New York City and I wasn’t sure CE would appreciate me drinking alcohol on my lunch break. Eliza hadn’t even asked, though.

Simply pouring some into my glass as I’d crossed the polished floor toward her, she smiled, her lips painted a deep, gorgeous red today to match the vibrant dress she had on. “I loved those designs you sent over. You truly are talented, Lila.”

“Thank you.” I picked up my wine, deciding that I’d have it regardless of what the people at CE might say. I had to keep the client happy, right? “How are you, Eliza? I hear work is progressing nicely at the house.”

“Oh, it is,” she said excitedly, but she didn’t seem to be interested in talking about it very much. “We’re extremely happy so far, but I wanted to meet with you to discuss your sketches. I feel like you looked right into my brain while you were working on them. Honestly, I was blown away by your talent, darling.”

My eyebrows hiked a little higher. “Blown away? Wow. I’m flattered. I mean, obviously, they’re not actual designs, but I got excited after we talked that day and when I was done, I thought you might like to see them.”

She flipped her long, graying black hair over her shoulder and sent me a wide, albeit slightly puzzled smile. “Darling, they are actual designs. Amazing ones, at that.”

My eyes widened and a deep sense of satisfaction settled into my very soul. Here was a real client, a woman who was well-known in the art world no less, and she thought I was talented. If that wasn’t validation, I didn’t know what was and I grinned, so freaking grateful that she’d even looked at my sketches.

“Well, thank you. I had a lot of fun doing them for you and I’m glad you like them.”

Those bright, dark eyes held mine intently, and I suddenly got the feeling she hadn’t only asked me here to give me the compliment in person. “I want you to know that I heard what you said the other day when you told me that you’re not a qualified interior designer yet. I haven’t forgotten, but I still want to hire you as our designer. It would be a paid, contracted role.”

Shock trickled through me like an egg made of ice had been cracked over my head. “Excuse me?”

“You’re excused,” she teased. “Only if you agree to take the job, though. I’m serious about this. I really do love your work and I’ve never been one to let a piece of paper hold me back. You and I connect, Lila. No one else has been able to produce exactly what I was imagining as accurately as you did.”

“Uh, thank you. I am so honored that you’d think of me, but I’m Ford’s assistant and…” I trailed off, so gobsmacked that I honestly didn’t know what else to say. “I really am honored.”