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“I may be old, but I’m not blind, dear. There’s been something simmering between you two this whole time. I saw that much at my garden party and during the Fourth of July gathering. It didn’t matter that you rarely spoke and never touched. You were always stealing glances at each other when the other wasn’t looking. I could feel the sexual tension in the air. If you were trying to hide how you feel, you were doing a terrible job, both of you.”
Kat didn’t bother to argue with her. There was no sense in lying about it now that things with Finn were settled. “Well, I honestly don’t know how Sawyer feels about me. He never said anything.”
“That doesn’t mean much. Men are always stubborn about their feelings, especially in this family. I shouldn’t say so, but Sawyer is my favorite grandchild. Even as a baby he was more serious and thoughtful. He would quietly sit in the grass and study a butterfly, while his brother ran through the yard, terrorizing everything in his path. He is my quiet grandchild, but still waters run deep in him. Just because he doesn’t say it doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel it. How did he treat you?”
“When we weren’t arguing...like gold.”
“That sounds about right. Did you ever tell him how you felt?”
She gave a guilty shake of her head. “No. I was afraid to. And I kept telling myself that I should be with Finn, even though I knew it felt wrong. I thought it was best for the baby.”
“What’s best for the baby is what will make you happy, dear. Babies don’t know anything about DNA or legitimacy. They just want to be surrounded by love and warmth. Don’t you think Sawyer could give her that?”
“Absolutely. But he’s not here. I haven’t seen him since he ran out on dinner that night.”
“I’m sure he’s sitting at home wrestling with the situation, just like you are. He didn’t bolt from the room in the middle of your brother’s proposal because he had food poisoning. He couldn’t bear to sit there and watch the woman he loved get engaged to someone else. I guarantee it.”
“Yes, well, it’s been days and I’m sure he’s heard how it turned out by now. If he was trying to be a gentleman and let Finn have his chance first, it’s done. He hasn’t even texted to ask how I am.”
Ingrid sipped her tea and then set it aside. “Sawyer is a lot like his grandfather in many ways. Maybe that’s why I’ve always had such a soft spot in my heart for him. They’re both perfectionists. Strategists
. The two of them would play a single chess match for hours in the library. They didn’t like to make a decision or move on a project until everything was just so. That might make them seem like they’re slow to act, but once they’ve made a decision, they’re absolutely certain they’re making the right choice.”
“So he’s sitting at home trying to decide if he really wants me?”
“No, no. More than likely, he’s plotting and planning how to woo you properly.”
Kat wasn’t sure she’d ever been wooed. But whatever he was planning—if anything—she wished he would go ahead and do it. She didn’t like being in limbo.
“I wish I were as confident as you are,” she said. “I asked him if he could tell me a reason why I shouldn’t marry Finn, and he said he couldn’t.”
“Of course he couldn’t. He wouldn’t interfere if he thought that was what you wanted. It doesn’t mean he didn’t want to give you a reason. He probably could’ve named five reasons why you shouldn’t marry Finn, without trying very hard. But he didn’t believe it was the right thing to do.”
“You think so?”
“I’ve seen my grandchildren grow from headstrong toddlers to corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. I know how they think. And I know,” Ingrid said, as she reached out to cup Kat’s cheek, “that he cares for you. Just give him time. I have faith that if you want to be a Steele, you will be before too long.”
Ingrid looked down at her watch. “Well, dear, this was a lovely visit, but I’ve got to get going. I have an appointment to see my jeweler.” She got up and slipped her purse over her arm.
Kat stood and followed her to the door. “Thank you for stopping by. I feel better about everything.”
“I’m glad, dear. I’ll be awaiting news.”
Kat watched Ingrid go down her walkway and over to where a man was waiting to open the door to the Rolls. Once she’d settled inside, he shut the door and got in to drive her to her jeweler, or wherever her agenda was taking her next.
As the car disappeared around the next block, Kat let the piazza door close and returned to her spot on the sofa. She shoved the book to the other side of the cushions and thought over everything Ingrid had told her.
Perhaps Sawyer was sitting in his house, trying to decide on the perfect way to woo her. But she had no guarantees of that, just a confident grandmother. He could just as easily be working on his renovation plans for the District. That was right around the corner, and despite her best efforts, Kat was unable to stop it from happening. She was right back where she’d started, although now she had a baby on the way and a broken heart to complicate things.
That said, Kat wasn’t the kind to sit around and wait on a man to decide what he wanted. She had a studio to relocate and a baby to plan for, so she would focus on what she could control. And if he ever showed up with his heart in his hands, maybe she wouldn’t stomp on it the way he’d stomped on hers.
Twelve
It was the last day for the District as Kat knew it and loved it. By five today, everyone had to be gone, for renovations to begin. Most of the tenants had already moved out, leaving the old warehouse hollow and empty sounding, when it had once been filled with life and art.
She did love Sawyer, but a part of her would never forgive him for turning this place into some high-end mini-mall for people who liked to be seen as art savvy. Even if he just made repairs and reopened, it wouldn’t be the same. Most of the people she knew wouldn’t be returning, because they couldn’t afford the rent. With each artist who had packed up and gone forever, the District lost a little bit of its soul.
Kat wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She was one of the few who could afford the new rent. She just wasn’t certain she wanted to come back. It wouldn’t be the same without Hilda and Zeke arguing, or the little chocolate shop owner coming around to test a new recipe on willing volunteers.
