Page 23 of Blue Jean Summer

“He just denied my grant application and cut funding to the Honey Hollow Library. Personally,” she snapped. “Put me on speaker.”

What the fuck? But I went with it, setting the phone down on the desk and tapping the speaker button.

“What are you up to?” I asked as I combed through my emails, mindlessly scrolling so it looked like I was too busy to hold the phone.

“I’m running all over the place to take care of some wedding details,” Catherine said, her irritation quickly masked by a cheery tone. “I wanted to see if I could steal Hallie from you one day soon? I need someone to go wedding dress shopping with me, and you know how she is about leaving the estate.”

I chuckled. “I’ll make her take a day off.”

“Thanks, babe,” Catherine said, the term of endearment rolling easily off her tongue. “Do you need anything from town?”

“Just you,” I said.

Catherine laughed. “I’ll see you later. Love you.”

My throat constricted. We have to say that to each other…

When I had proposed to my ex-fiancée, it had been a clinical, logical decision—stability, tax breaks, and whatnot. Or at least I tried to convince myself that it had been.

I had said “I love you” before, but it never rolled off my tongue with the familiarity that it had for Catherine, even though she was just pretending. The reality of what I was about to do slammed into me, knocking the wind from my lungs.

I just hoped that Lewis didn’t notice.

“Love you too,” I said, then hung up. I glanced up at Lewis. “Is that proof enough for you?”

He sulked out of the study, slamming the door behind him.

My phone vibrated with a text.

Unknown: Did he buy it?

I added Catherine to my contacts and texted back.

Me: Performance of the century. He’s pissed.

Catherine: Excellent. So am I.

Me: You’re a little scary when you’re pissed.

Catherine: Good. Remember that. Happy wife, happy life.

I laughed as I read her reply.

Me: Are you actually coming by the estate today?

Catherine: Probably not. I hope Lewis doesn’t notice. I’ve got most everything out of my mom’s place and am in the middle of the move-out clean.

Me: Don’t bother. I’ll have Hallie hire a cleaning crew to come in and do it for you.

Catherine: Put your credit card away, Daddy Warbucks. I need to do this myself.

Me: When do I get to see you?

Catherine: Does that offer to live at the estate still stand?

Me: Yes.

Catherine: Is tomorrow too soon? We can work out our story and our ground rules.