Drawing a deep breath, she filled in the credit card form and hit the enter button, then forced a calming breath as it processed. Finally the acceptance page appeared on the screen. There. She’d done it.
Step one toward independence.
* * *
Beck walked into the building where his office was located. Normally the sight of the property he owned, this place in particular, gave him immense pleasure. The 1930s hotel-like feel, with its black-steel-framed windows, the brushed brass fixtures, and glamorous décor let him swell with well-earned pride. Coming from a background where money was tight, he’d worked his way here and never let himself forget it.
Today, not even the reminder of success gave him the peace he needed. He sat at his desk, distracted for multiple reasons. His father’s colonoscopy was at nine a.m., and his mother wouldn’t let Beck or his brothers sit with her while she waited. She insisted everything was fine, the procedure was routine, and she’d be home with his dad in no time.
So he had to wait for her phone call, which left him at loose ends and with time on his hands. He couldn’t concentrate on work, and that let him think about his houseguest.
Beck had been living under the same roof as Chloe Kingston for a little over one week. She was an easy houseguest, careful to clean up not just after herself but him, wanting to make herself useful and show her gratitude. She didn’t act like a spoiled princess despite his nickname for her, which had stuck. But as easy as she was to have around, that was as hard as she was to forget.
He was constantly aware of her. Cooking in his kitchen and sharing meals, curled up on the sofa in the family room, reading on an iPad or staring at the screen as if she had a lot on her mind, and sleeping across the hall from him. Her light cinnamon scent lingered everywhere she went, keeping him in a perpetual state of arousal. Especially after that kiss.
The memory of her sweet mouth had kept him hard as a rock and wide awake, knowing he’d turned her away. Ending things before they went further had been the right thing to do. Telling her they’d sleep together eventually hadn’t been. And if he needed proof of why, the development project specs that came in his email from the architect he was working with reminded him.
Beck had made the deal with Kenneth Kingston, Linc and Chloe’s father, who’d passed away a couple of months ago. He’d come to Beck with the proposal on the land deal and offered a piece of Kingston Enterprises as collateral if he couldn’t come up with the payment for closing. Kenneth had died before that time came, and Linc had been in the dark about his dad’s dealings.
On finding out, Linc had exploded, and Beck would be lying if he said he hadn’t made it extra hard for his nemesis in the process. Linc had come up with the money, and not wanting anything to do with him, he’d left Beck to handle the deal.
Beck had only recently heard that Kenneth Kingston had been suffering from dementia and hadn’t been of sound mind when making deals in his last couple of months. No wonder Linc had been pissed, and Beck didn’t blame him for keeping the information to himself. To make it public would jeopardize the Kingston empire.
Clearly Chloe didn’t know anything about Linc and Beck’s dealings, personal or business. Getting involved with her would cause all sorts of drama in her life at a time when she needed her family. Besides, Chloe, the jilted bride, was a woman who intended to settle down, and Beck was a man intent on living his life without attachment. No attachment, no possibility of more loss.
This morning, he’d left Chloe asleep or so he assumed, considering he hadn’t seen her before walking out the door. She was definitely falling into a state of, if not depression then definite moodiness, and needed someone to give her a kick and get her moving again in whatever direction made her happy.
So far she hadn’t confided much about her life except for her frustration working within the confines of Linc’s design needs. That didn’t give him much to go on in how to help her.
Each night over dinner, he’d ask prodding questions about how she spent her day, and she’d always avoided a specific answer.
His cell rang. His brother’s name flashed on the screen, and Beck answered immediately. “Tripp. Any news about Dad?”
“Nothing yet but it’s early. I doubt they’ve even taken him in yet. Relax.”
Beck released a ragged breath. “Okay, yeah. What’s up?”
“One of my nurses had her Page Six app open, and guess what she was reading about? Your jilted bride,” Tripp said before Beck could answer.
He closed his eyes and groaned. “Shit. The woman can’t catch a break.” It had been a week since her non-wedding, as she liked to call it. “Why are they still focusing on her?”
“Because her fiancé has been out with another woman, and he hasn’t skimped on the PDA. People are wondering where the jilted bride has gone,” Tripp said.
“Because she hasn’t left my apartment,” Beck muttered.
“Exactly. Look, I have a patient to see. I have to go. Whoever hears from Mom first, call the others. Talk to you soon.” Tripp disconnected the call.
Knowing he wouldn’t get anything done here, Beck decided to go home and wait for the call from his parents. He walked out of his office, pausing by his assistant’s desk.
“I’m leaving for the day. Cancel my afternoon appointment. Call me for emergencies only,” he said to Ronnie.
“Yes, Mr. Daniels.” She looked up from her computer and smiled.
“Thanks.” He headed toward the elevator when he heard his name and turned to see Natasha Banks, a family friend since childhood and now his in-house designer for Beck Realty, walking toward him, iPad in hand.
Natasha had been close friends with Tripp and Whitney when they were younger and had remained close with them all ever since.
“Beck. Where are you going so early?”
“Home to wait on word about my father. He’s having a procedure done and I’m useless here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Reaching out, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Is there anything I can do? Would you like some company?”
“No, thanks. I just need to be alone.” Except he wouldn’t be by himself. Chloe would be at his apartment. And suddenly being with someone else while he paced didn’t seem so bad.
“Okay, well… I’ll check in on you later.” She squeezed his shoulder and smiled. “Send your dad my best.”
“I will.” He strode over to the elevator and headed home, where a blue-eyed beauty waited for him.
* * *
Chloe sat across from her newfound sister, Aurora, and her adorable baby daughter, Leah, who was about ten weeks old. When Aurora had called and asked if she could come visit, Chloe had immediately agreed. She didn’t think Beck would mind her having someone over, and Aurora was worried after the mess of Chloe’s non-wedding the week before. She admitted to herself she’d been hiding out at Beck’s, but she wasn’t any closer to deciding her next step.
She and Aurora had spent the morning talking, and Chloe had shown her the clothes she’d had sent over, keeping the mood light. She didn’t want her family any more concerned about her than they already were, so she deliberately hadn’t given Aurora anything concerning to report back to her brothers or mother.