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Chapter Ten
Standing in the living room window watching, Lillian opened the front door the instant Steve’s car pulled into the driveway. He came up the three steps, a big smile on his face, kicked the door shut behind him, and wrapped her in his arms, crushing her mouth with a searing kiss.
“I’m going to miss you like hell these next three days.” His face buried in her hair, he squeezed her against him and trailed hungry kisses along her throat.
Reassured by his ardor, she hung onto his neck. “I’ve been worried about you all day.”
“What a day! I spent hours on the phone with the real estate agent, my lawyer, the bankers. I’ll tell you all about it over dinner. Listen,” he moved her away, “I’m leaving for the airport at six a.m. I won’t have time to feed the pets. Can you pack an overnight bag?”
A smile danced on her lips. “Okay.”
He wanted her to spend the night at his house…with him in residence.
“While you’re at it, pack a bathing suit. The maintenance company opened the pool over the weekend. The water is fantastic. I tried it last night. We can have a swim after dinner.”
“Give me five minutes.” She hurried to her room, dug out her beach bag, and packed enough clothing to last her three days, her toiletries, a bathing suit, shorts, pajamas, her shawl and flip flops. On second thought, she added a three-piece velvet lounge set, then grabbed two uniforms, complete with hangers, her work shoes, and a jacket from her closet. The beach bag strapped to her shoulder and the two hangers in hand, she announced, “Ready.”
“Great.” He took the bag from her, and she grabbed her hand bag and tablet on the way to the door. “You’ll have to take your own car to go to work tomorrow. I’ve ordered Chinese food. We’ll pick it up on the way.”
Delighted to see him including her in his plans, she smiled. “I’ll follow you.” She would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked her to.
When they arrived at his house, a mansion in this gated community, she followed the curved driveway and parked her SUV in front of the house. Steve had already pulled into the garage, and opened the front door for her.
Nervous tension caused her stomach to clench. She leaned against the ornately carved staircase banister. “I’ll put my stuff in the guestroom.”
“I’ll go change.”
He followed her up the stairs to the second floor and headed to the master suite, while she sprinted to the small room she usually occupied when looking after things here.
Impatient to hear his news, she dropped her bag on the bed, hung her uniforms in the narrow closet, and hurried downstairs.
While waiting for him, she opened the boxes and transferred the food to plates. There were egg rolls, chicken and porkchow meinwith noodles, onions, and celery, and the inevitable fortune cookies. She set the table in the impressive kitchen she’d always admired. If she lived in this house, she would spend hours in this room with its quartz countertop, a mosaic of tiles on the walls, a huge refrigerator, and six-burner range, not to mention a center isle as big as a bed.
“Smells good.” In shorts and T-shirt, Steve sat at the table, and she served him. “Anything to drink?”
“Nothing alcoholic for me, if we’re going swimming. Just water.” She’d already filled a carafe with water and ice cubes. “So tell me about your day and your phone calls.”
“I’ve decided to go ahead and purchase the whole building. The real estate agent called me again this morning. They’ve lowered the price. Apparently the three shops are doing well and will continue to lease. The restaurant needs a face-lift. He’s willing to split the expenses. So no major problems there. The biggest issue is the hotel. The real estate agent will try to find a hotel chain to rent the place, while the contractor who rebuilt the clinic and lab has agreed to update the plumbing and electricity. I managed to get a bank loan at an excellent rate. That’s what kept me busy all morning.”
“If I understand this, you won’t have to manage the hotel or the shops, right?”
“Right. I’ll own the property and lease the various places, but as the new owner, I’ll have to modernize it. Actually, my contractor will handle that work, and the bank will provide the funds for it.”
“While you run the clinic and lab.”
“Correct. A medical recruiter has set up a website for applications. Eventually, I’ll have to interview them, but the ball is rolling. Tomorrow, I’ll meet with the real estate agent and the contractor and take a thorough tour of the building before signing the final contracts.”
The ball is rolling.
Soon he would leave for good. Lillian swallowed awkwardly, coughed, and reached for a glass of water.
They chatted as they ate. He detailed his ideas for the renovations, and she listened, struggling to keep an interested look on her face and her emotions hidden.
After the main course was eaten, Steve reached for a fortune cookie, tore the plastic wrapper from it, and cracked the cookie in half, pulling the ribbon of paper from it. “Adventure in your future. Oh well, I know that. This whole thing is one crazy adventure, but it’s what I need now.” A smile stretched across his face.
She broke open her cookie and read. “Your dream is coming true.” She dragged in a breath. She only had one dream, the same dream she’d nurtured for fifteen years—to win Steve’s love.
Be realistic, girl. He’ll never fall in love with you.He may sleep with you, give you a great job, a high salary, but…
