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“Whatever you and Sophie have going on is none of my business,” Zach told him, purposely sounding bored, as if he couldn’t care less. “If that’s all you have about the house, then we’re finished. But I will tell you this: If you’re jerking me around on this project because of your personal life, I suggest you rethink your strategy.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Zach laughed. “If I threaten you, you won’t have to ask.”
He disconnected the call before he really did something that would cause problems down the road. Zach would love nothing more than to punch Martin in his smug face, but Braxton and Sophie would not approve. Added to that, Zach’s business had an impeccable reputation, started by his father. No way would Zach tarnish it, not when his father was the main person to help Zach turn his life around and give him chance after chance at redemption.
Zach couldn’t help but smile. Sophie had finally ended things with Martin. Smart girl, but what did this mean? He shouldn’t care what she did with her spare time, her personal life, but damn it, he did. He couldn’t push her away and still want to know what was going on in her life. He had no right to anything from her. Yet the fact she was free and single now, especially after they’d kissed and she’d admitted her attraction, would only complicate things further.
Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Zach headed to pay for his supplies. He had a bathroom to tackle and new frustrations to get out. Between the new plans he had to draw up and the bomb about Sophie being single, Zach was ready to do some demolition.
* * *
Sophie rubbed her head. “Yes, Mom. I’m doing fine.”
She loved her mother, she truly did, but the woman hovered. No, hovered wasn’t even the correct term. The woman controlled . . . or tried to, anyway.
“Martin and I just needed a break, and it’s really for the best,” she repeated for what seemed like the fifth time in as many minutes.
“Why on earth would you end things with him?” her mother asked yet again, her tone even more shrill than the last four times. “He was perfect for you.”
No, he was perfect for her mother and the ideal family her mother wanted Sophie to have. Her mother was still in denial about Sophie’s infertility, but that topic wasn’t one she was getting into today. Of course, even if Sophie wanted to discuss it, her mother always blew it off as something a specialist could fix. Yet another area they argued about. Hard to fix what wasn’t there.
“When are you and Daddy coming back?” Sophie asked.
“Changing the subject won’t make it go away,” her mother stated.
“Martin and I are over, and I’d rather discuss your fabulous trip.”
Her parents were constantly taking trips, whether it be to an exotic country or an ocean cruise, they were always on the go. Sophie often wondered how she could be so different from her mother, because being home was all that mattered to Sophie. She had no desire to travel the globe.
“Oh, darling, I just had the best massage and facial.”
Sophie eased back in her office chair as her mother went on about the masseur and his magical hands. Sophie knew all she had to do was turn the topic back to her mother and Martin would be all but forgotten. Her mother was a bit of a narcissist, but at times like this the selfish manner came in handy.
Sophie printed out the forms for the property she’d just done an open house on. The first offer had come in and she needed all parties to sign the agreement before further steps could be taken.
“But, darling, I really must get off of here,” her mother told her. “Your father has scheduled a lunch for us at my favorite place, before we board the ship.”
Sophie said her good-byes and realized her mother never did tell her when they’d be home. The cruise was due to end in a week, but that didn’t mean anything. Her parents were known for moving from one adventure to another without coming up for air.
Her cell chimed once again, this time lighting up Braxton’s name.
She slid her finger across the screen. “Hey, Braxton.”
“Got a minute?”
Pulling the papers from the printer, Sophie placed them in a folder. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Can you meet Zach and me at the new house? Apparently there was an issue with getting the building permit because of the kitchen layout and the electrical work with the exhaust.”
“Seriously?” Sophie eased back in her chair and shifted to relieve the pressure from her hip. “What could be the problem? Has he ever run into issues before?”
Zach might be grouchy, moody, and flat-out frustrating, but he was the epitome of professional when it came to his job. When his father had passed the business down to Zach, Zach had been so surprised at the amount of faith his father had invested in him, he’d thrown himself into the job. Sophie knew he took pride in the business his father had built up and he wouldn’t do anything to tarnish his dad’s reputation.
So the fact that the building permit had been declined was absurd and hard to believe. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.
Dread slid through her. Surely Martin wasn’t taking this breakup out on Zach and Braxton.
