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“Carson Sr. sent him to check up on me this morning at the inspection. Martin seems to think that we’re going to fall in love and run the company together.” She mumbled something under her breath. “And since that will never happen, I’m sure he’d simply settle for stealing it away from me.” This time when she mumbled it was loud enough to hear. Creepy weasel.
“Why do you let them get away with manipulating you?”
“Because he’s my father.” She slumped forward. “He acts like I’m just not good enough to work anywhere else, or even on my own. I wish his approval didn’t matter but…” She dragged a hand through her hair. “It does.”
Neil headed to the sink and rinsed the string beans. The heavy rush of water caused him to speak louder. “I hired you for your designs, your vision.” He hoped she was listening to every word he was saying because it was the honest truth and damn her father for doubting this smart and talented woman. “You just need to stand up to him.”
She laughed and leaned further into the counter. “You don’t know the man very well do you?”
“You seem to have no problem chewing me out.”
“That’s because you infuriate me…and you’re not my father.”
He reached across the sink and turned the tap. “Hallelujah for that.”
She cocked her head to the side and gave him a sexy grin. “You’re funnier than I thought you would be.”
“Is that so?” No one had ever called him funny before. Not even his brothers. “What was your first impression of me?”
“Ah…” She shook her head. “You don’t want to know.”
“Sure I do.” He returned to the counter and placed the colander in front of her pointing to the beans. “You’re helping. Break off the ends.”
She hesitated a moment but set to work.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “We’re friends now…sort of. Friends share.”
“All right, I thought you were an obnoxious asshole with a power complex.” She broke off a tip and threw it into the colander. “It was baffling to me since you weren’t born into this life. You came from foster care and knew the other side of the coin but still acted like a rich douche.”
Ouch. Far from the truth. He remembered his past every day. It was the drive behind why he tried so hard, was determined to succeed.
“But then I spent more time with you and realized that your search for power is simply determination and guilt. You’ll do anything, say anything, bulldoze anyone to get your goals accomplished. All to prove your worth.”
He smashed a clove of garlic with the flat blade of his knife. She was much more intuitive than he gave her credit for. But he didn’t particularly like the term bulldoze. Was he a bulldozer?
He was having to face all kinds of harsh truths about himself today.
“I’m sorry.” She reached across and placed her hand on his. “I told you. Not something you wanted to know.”
He retracted his hand. “It’s probably something I needed to hear.” She might be right. Hell, she was exactly right.
He glanced up and caught her staring at him rather than preparing beans.
“Tell me about Vivian.”
Neil tensed. Unchartered territory. He’d never talked about her to anyone. He barely talked with his brothers unless it was completely necessary.
“She would have liked you. She had admiration for young women who took their profession seriously.”
“Oh yeah.” She resumed her duties and ripped the ends off with vigor. “I’m sure she would have loved you hanging out with a girl who rebelled and raced.”
“Do you forget what woman you’re talking about? She took in four foster kids. We’ve all done bad things. Vivian was kind and loving and supportive. She was everything my biological mother was not.”
His mother hadn’t been a bad woman, but it was hard to respect someone who was comatose for most of the day.
“I was a little skeptical when a middle-aged woman wanted to take me home. I figured she needed a couple of things moved or her house painted and then she’d send me back.” He laughed. “When I saw the house and walked through the front door, I had to pick my jaw off the ground”
“Why did you go with her?”
