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“No. I just figured it out myself.”
“Have you told her about Joyce?”
“Not yet, but soon.” He was afraid Karen would have the same thoughts Troy had, that she was a substitute for another woman. Damian hoped he’d find the right words by the time he returned to California.
He and Troy talked a few minutes longer before getting back to work. He only had today and tomorrow to get everything ready, because they were closing the office for the holiday. Thinking about the holiday made Damian remember the conversation he’d had with his mother that morning. Since their conversation a few weeks ago, she’d been sending him emails and texts suggesting the “perfect woman.” Once again, he reiterated that he wasn’t interested in any of her potential candidates and threatened to leave Thanksgiving dinner if one showed up. All of his problems would be solved if he just told her about Karen, but he decided to wait until he was sure their relationship stood on solid ground.
He leaned back in the chair and drummed his fingers on the desk. What would his parents think of Karen? He sat up and rotated the chair toward the computer. He’d have his answer soon enough if things progressed the way he hoped.
Damian worked steadily over the next two days, staying late both nights. As a result, he didn’t have a chance to talk to Karen. By the time Wednesday morning rolled around, he missed her more than he would ever have thought. He sat in his favorite chair on the screened-in porch sipping a glass of orange juice. He had purchased the house a year ago as a first step in moving toward the future. Painstakingly, he had boxed up all of Joyce’s things and donated them to charity, only keeping a few precious mementos. The move proved to be the right one because there were too many memories in the house they shared, keeping him stuck in a place of grief and misery that he couldn’t escape.
His thoughts shifted back to Karen. He wanted to hear her voice. The three-hour time difference made it only seven in California, and he knew she was probably sleeping in and enjoying her vacation. He stared out the wall of windows, finally seeing the sun peeking through the clouds. The temperatures here were at least thirty degrees cooler than in California.
He ran upstairs and grabbed a sweatshirt, then reached for the keys to the shed and left through a side door. Now that he had some free time, Damian figured it would be a good time to prune the tree in his backyard. It took him over two hours to complete the task and clean up. He put away the ladder and saw, locked the shed and went inside for a hot shower. As soon as he got dressed, he called Karen.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said when she answered.
“Hey, Damian. Are you working?”
“No. The office is closed for the rest of the week. What time are you going to your parents’?”
“Actually, I just got here. My cousin Deborah and I are going to hang out before the rest of the family arrives tomorrow. We haven’t seen each other in a few months. What about you?”
“Unless my mother calls with a long to-do list—which she usually does—I won’t go over until tomorrow.”
She laughed. “What about your father?”
“Oh, she has a whole other one for him,” he answered with a chuckle. They quieted for a moment. “I’m missing you, girl.”
“I miss you, too, and can’t wait for you to get back on Sunday. Didn’t you promise me something?” she asked seductively.
“Yeah, I did. And if you keep talking like that, I might just hop on a flight tonight.”
“Promises, promises.”
“So you like to tease. We’ll see if you can back it up.”
“Oh, I can back it up.”
She gave him a play-by-play of what to expect, and Damian’s body reacted with lightning speed. “I think we need to get off this phone.”
“What?” Karen asked innocently.
He laughed softly and shook his head. “Just wait until I get back. It’s gonna be you and me.”
“Mmm. I can’t wait for that. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
They said their goodbyes, and Damian stretched out on the bed, trying to bring his body under control. He had been in a state of arousal since they’d exchanged those texts a couple of days ago, and he prayed that the next four would pass quickly.
* * *
Karen disconnected and smiled. Something about Damian brought out the naughty girl in her. With all the chemistry they had, it would take a herculean effort to remain professional and cordial around him at the school.
