“It’s just a rough draft, so we can tweak anything you’re not happy with.”
She gaped at the fourteen-page document. “Wow, you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
After getting a master’s degree in business, he was confident he could prepare a business plan in his sleep. “It’s no big deal. I did a bit of research into comparable facilities in the area. I found out what their enrollment was, how long they’d been in business, the number of people on staff, their learning philosophy, ratio of students to teachers—” He stopped talking when he realized she was staring at him. “I’m sorry, is there a problem? Would you have rather done the legwork yourself?” He got nervous when she didn’t respond. “If I’ve overstepped—”
“No.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I wouldn’t have had any idea where to begin. Thank you so much for doing this.”
She lingered in his space a moment too long, and he brushed his lips against her cheek. It wasn’t a friendly peck on the cheek. The touch felt like the intimate caress lovers shared. His eyes drifted closed as he slipped his hand into her hair and wrapped his hand around her neck in case she tried to pull away. “Katie, I want you.” He knew that may be the stupidest thing he could have said, but he’d been hiding his feelings for her too long.
She planted her hands on his shoulders. “This would be a mistake.”
But she wasn’t even trying to pull away. That had to be a good sign, didn’t it? “I don’t think so. I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. I kept them in check out of respect for Lee, but it’s obvious he never loved you the way you deserved. I don’t think you loved him either, not really.” He knew he would likely go straight to hell for that, but it was too late to back out.
“You don’t know…”
He used the hand coiled in her hair to tip her head up until she had no choice but to meet his steady gaze. “Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you loved him, that you still love him, and I swear I’ll back off.” Her eyes drifted closed. He could tell she was waging a war between right and wrong. He understood that; he felt the same way. “I’m not trying to get in the way. Lee’s a great guy. If he’s the man for you, I can respect that.”
“He’s not,” she said so quietly he had to strain to hear her. “Lee wasn’t the love of my life, but he is the father of my child. I owe him some respect. We both do.”
He leaned his head against her forehead, brushing his lips against hers. It was enough to make him want more. “Let me talk to Lee tonight, see where his head’s at. If he’s okay with it, will you consider going on a real date with me?”
“Chris …” She sighed softly. “I adore you, but this seems risky. You’re my friend and possibly my business partner. What if we started dating and things didn’t work out?”
“What if they did work out?” He had little doubt they would. Katie was the woman he’d been waiting his whole life for. He would make her see that too.
“I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared, but that shouldn’t stop you from taking risks.”
“It feels like it’s too soon.”
Chris chuckled. “Really? ‘Cause I feel like I’ve been waiting for you forever.”
“You know what I mean. Lee just moved out. Shouldn’t I wait a few months or maybe even a year before I start dating? What will the neighbors say if they see us going out?”
Chris released her and slid his chair back so he could see her face. “Do you care what other people think, or do you care about being happy? Do you want a man who’ll love you and your little girl, or do you want to be alone?”
Reaching for his hand, she said, “Let’s see what Lee has to say about us.”
Us . He really liked the sound of that.
***
Katie was trying to focus on Chris’s projections, but she knew her fear must show on her face. He said, “Tell me what’s
She gaped at the fourteen-page document. “Wow, you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
After getting a master’s degree in business, he was confident he could prepare a business plan in his sleep. “It’s no big deal. I did a bit of research into comparable facilities in the area. I found out what their enrollment was, how long they’d been in business, the number of people on staff, their learning philosophy, ratio of students to teachers—” He stopped talking when he realized she was staring at him. “I’m sorry, is there a problem? Would you have rather done the legwork yourself?” He got nervous when she didn’t respond. “If I’ve overstepped—”
“No.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I wouldn’t have had any idea where to begin. Thank you so much for doing this.”
She lingered in his space a moment too long, and he brushed his lips against her cheek. It wasn’t a friendly peck on the cheek. The touch felt like the intimate caress lovers shared. His eyes drifted closed as he slipped his hand into her hair and wrapped his hand around her neck in case she tried to pull away. “Katie, I want you.” He knew that may be the stupidest thing he could have said, but he’d been hiding his feelings for her too long.
She planted her hands on his shoulders. “This would be a mistake.”
But she wasn’t even trying to pull away. That had to be a good sign, didn’t it? “I don’t think so. I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. I kept them in check out of respect for Lee, but it’s obvious he never loved you the way you deserved. I don’t think you loved him either, not really.” He knew he would likely go straight to hell for that, but it was too late to back out.
“You don’t know…”
He used the hand coiled in her hair to tip her head up until she had no choice but to meet his steady gaze. “Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you loved him, that you still love him, and I swear I’ll back off.” Her eyes drifted closed. He could tell she was waging a war between right and wrong. He understood that; he felt the same way. “I’m not trying to get in the way. Lee’s a great guy. If he’s the man for you, I can respect that.”
“He’s not,” she said so quietly he had to strain to hear her. “Lee wasn’t the love of my life, but he is the father of my child. I owe him some respect. We both do.”
He leaned his head against her forehead, brushing his lips against hers. It was enough to make him want more. “Let me talk to Lee tonight, see where his head’s at. If he’s okay with it, will you consider going on a real date with me?”
“Chris …” She sighed softly. “I adore you, but this seems risky. You’re my friend and possibly my business partner. What if we started dating and things didn’t work out?”
“What if they did work out?” He had little doubt they would. Katie was the woman he’d been waiting his whole life for. He would make her see that too.
“I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared, but that shouldn’t stop you from taking risks.”
“It feels like it’s too soon.”
Chris chuckled. “Really? ‘Cause I feel like I’ve been waiting for you forever.”
“You know what I mean. Lee just moved out. Shouldn’t I wait a few months or maybe even a year before I start dating? What will the neighbors say if they see us going out?”
Chris released her and slid his chair back so he could see her face. “Do you care what other people think, or do you care about being happy? Do you want a man who’ll love you and your little girl, or do you want to be alone?”
Reaching for his hand, she said, “Let’s see what Lee has to say about us.”
Us . He really liked the sound of that.
***
Katie was trying to focus on Chris’s projections, but she knew her fear must show on her face. He said, “Tell me what’s
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