Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Kat stared at the calendar. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been zoning out, but by the time a call rang through on her office phone, she was out of sorts.
She wasn’t sure what triggered the memory. There was no telling how it managed to pop up out of nowhere. One year ago today, she’d met Leo Chambers for the first time. She could recall the day so clearly it was like she was reliving it.
Snatching the phone from the cradle, she cleared her throat. “Kat Jerris speaking.”
“Kat! Oh, good, I caught you.” Jane’s voice was unmistakable. Was it Kat’s imagination? Or did she sound nervous?
“Is this about the therapy center? Is something wrong?”
“No. And yes. I think.” She made a disgruntled noise and her voice was muffled as she spoke to someone else, but Kat could still make out the words. “I can’t believe you let him do that.”
The man she was speaking to was harder to understand. The only clipped words Kat could understand were ‘didn’t know’ and ‘idiot’.
“Jane? What’s going on?”
The woman on the other end of the phone blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m so sorry Kat. This is all Noah’s fault. I wanted to take care of this without involving you, but honestly, I think it’s best if you know.”
Kat could feel her own frustration growing at this point.
“Well, spit it out already.” She had too much going on today to have to deal with cryptic statements like the ones Jane was offering her.
That moderate headache that had started in the back of her skull was morphing into something much larger and out of control.
She had to remind herself to remain calm for the sake of her business reputation.
“Whatever it is,” she said evenly, “I’m sure we can handle it. ”
There was a pregnant pause. Jane was clearly less willing to believe Kat at this point.
“What’s going on, Jane?” Kat attempted again.
“It’s Leo.”
Kat sat upright, her spine stiffening. “What about him?” It had been a while since Jane had mentioned Leo in passing. He’d had a rough go of it the few months following Kat leaving, but since then it appeared he’d moved on.
As much as Kate loathed to admit it, that knowledge had gutted her. Of course she didn’t want him miserable. That would make her a terrible human being. But secretly she’d taken some pleasure from knowing he was just as unhappy about the end of their relationship as she was.
Okay, maybe she was a terrible person.
“Jane?” Kat drawled. “What’s going on with Leo? Is he hurt?”
“No… well, I don’t think so. Who can be certain at this point?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Kat rose from her chair and moved closer to the window. She pinched the bridge of her nose and focused on taking calming breaths. “I meant what I said. I’ve got several meetings today. In fact, I’m probably already running late to one with my fath—”
“He’s in New York.” That wasn’t Jane’s voice. It was Noah’s.
Kat froze. Her hand trembled but not as much as her legs. They weren’t talking about Leo. Not her Leo.
She shut her eyes tight and shook her head. No, he wasn’t hers. He would never be hers.
“What?” she hissed out through clenched teeth.
“I’m sorry, Kat,” Noah muttered. “I didn’t know he planned on flying to New York. He asked to borrow the plane. Told me he was going to check out some horses for auction in New Jersey. But then my pilot checked in with me and informed me they landed safely in New York and…”
She could practically hear how hard he had to swallow before his next words.
“I think we can guess what he’s up to. You haven’t heard from him, have you?”
“What? No. He hasn’t reached out to me since February. It’s been months.”
Noah muttered a curse. “I was afraid of that.”
“Why? What do you think he’s here to do?”
The sounds that came next resembled something like a scuffle.
There were heated whispers before Jane came back on the phone.
“I think he’s coming to speak to your father.
I wanted to warn you so you could intercept him.
I don’t know if… I thought that…” She muttered something unintelligible.
“I had hoped he’d be coming to see you. But if you didn’t know he was on his way, then I’m guessing he’s planning on meeting with your father again. ”
Kat’s mouth went dry. Jane was rambling.
She’d never been a rambler. She’d always been concise with her words.
Strong. The fact that she was flustered over this only added to Kat’s own nerves.
She glanced up and through the glass walls of her office.
From her angle, she couldn’t see the elevator.
It wouldn’t be all that difficult for Leo to slip past her undetected. “Are you sure he’s in New York?”
“Yes,” Jane said firmly. “The pilot confirmed it. And Noah just heard from the driver of the car that waited for him. The address is your office building, Kat.” There was another pause. “I’m so sorry.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Kat assured her, moving swiftly toward her desk. “I’m going to check on my father. I’ll touch base with you later, okay?”
“Okay. Great.”
Kat hung up before saying goodbye. Normally, this was when she’d charge toward the door and go in search of the problem.
She glanced down at her legs. They wouldn’t move.
She couldn’t budge from her spot. What was wrong with her?
She needed to get out of here and make sure Leo didn’t get arrested for harassment.
Closing her eyes, Kat took in a deep breath. She dragged her hands down her pencil skirt and strode toward the door. The second she pulled it open, Chaz blocked her path.
He was all smiles and sunshine—as he had been since she’d returned home back in January. “Hey beautiful.”
Inwardly, she grimaced. She’d been back for going on nearly six months and no one had pressured her to set a date. No paperwork had been signed to finalize the plans for who would run the company. No prenups. Nothing.
Secretly, she hoped her father would come to his senses. But that was unlikely. He was probably letting her drag her feet because he felt guilty.
She plastered her own fake smile. “Hey, Chaz. I have a meeting with my father.”
“I’m on my way there, too. I’ll walk with you.”
Kat rolled her eyes. It was just down the hall from her own. She didn’t need an escort.
Then again, what if Leo was there? Perhaps it would be nice to have a witness.
They heard the raised voices before they reached the door to his office. The privacy blinds were drawn, which wasn’t exactly unusual but at this time of the morning, her father usually had them open.
Kat could feel Chaz’s concerned gaze locked on her, but she didn’t offer him anything in return. Just as she reached the door, two large security officers pushed past her, causing her to stumble back against Chaz’s chest. His hands immediately found her waist and she yanked herself away from him.
Her worst fears were confirmed when the two uniformed men practically dragged a larger-than-life cowboy from her father’s office.
He didn’t see her immediately. His eyes were spitting fire, and he was dressed in one of the nicest suits he owned.
The only indication that he wasn’t from here was that Stetson on his head.
“I’m not going anywhere, Jerris. You and I both know she’s not happy.
She’ll never be happy here. She’ll never be happy with him,” he spat.
That was when his eyes locked with Kat’s.
There was a brief moment of surprise, followed by guilt, that then morphed into determination.
Even as he was dragged toward the elevator, he looked every bit the man she’d fallen in love with.
Leo didn’t call out to her or demand to speak to her even as his eyes remained locked on her, even as he was shoved into the elevator and the doors closed between them.
“You okay?” Chaz murmured. His hand grazed her arm and she jerked away from him. She’d been incapable of tolerating even the most platonic touches from him lately.
“Fine,” she snapped. Then she marched into her father’s office. “What was that about?”
Her father stared down at the street. The building was tall, but they could still make out the people who scurried below. She moved closer to him and came to his side, mirroring his folded armed stance.
“Why did you have him dragged out of here like a criminal?”
The man who had raised her didn’t bother looking in her direction. His voice was flat and unfeeling. “Because he is. He didn’t make an appointment. He was trespassing.”
She scoffed. Then her eyes found him down below.
He was thrown from the building and he stumbled back a few steps before tugging on his suit jacket and straightening.
Then he lifted his head. It would be impossible for him to see them up here.
Even still, she couldn’t help the way she wanted to shrink away from the window at his penetrating gaze.
“Why did he come?” It was the only thing she could muster as she continued to watch him.
True to his word. Leo wasn’t leaving. He’d set up shop across the street on a bench—just sitting there, watching the building.
“It’s no concern of yours,” her father murmured. Then he turned to face her. “There’s that event tonight. Are you still planning to attend?”
It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. Her father made it a point to attend as many charitable functions as possible. It was the easiest way to stay in the good graces of the city at large.
She sighed. “Yeah, Chaz and I will be leaving straight from work. I have my personal shopper bringing my dress.”
Her father nodded then turned his attention back to the cowboy watching the building. Technically there was nothing they could do about him. He wasn’t on company property. Kat could tell that it irritated her father more than he wanted to let on that Leo could camp out there if he was so inclined.
“Maybe you should let him say his peace,” she murmured.
“He already did. I didn’t agree with his sentiments.” He offered her a strained smile. “Come on, we’re late for that meeting. I’m sure our clients are wondering where we are.”
Kat didn’t know what to expect when she exited the building later that night. She was wearing a dress that hugged every one of her curves. The slinky black fabric spilled around the floor at her feet despite the three-inch heels she wore to match.
When she exited the building, her eyes snagged on Leo immediately.
He shot up from his bench and took a step toward her. Then he froze. She glanced down the street both ways with a heavy sigh then picked up her skirt and strode toward him. Leo’s hands twitched at his sides as his gaze roamed over her body before finally landing on her face.
“What are you doing here, Leo,” she demanded.
“I’m going to win you back.”
She tossed back her head with a sharp laugh. “And you thought that cornering my dad would be the best route?”
“I’ve tried everything else.”
She wanted to know what he meant by that, but he cut her off when he closed the distance between them and took her hand in his. Her heart leaped into her throat at the contact.
“I’ve missed you, Kat. I know I’ve been MIA for the last couple of months while I was getting my head on straight, but I’m here. And I’m not leaving without you.”
She laughed again, and this time it almost sounded manic. “Do you even hear yourself? What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I’m in love with you, Kat. Deeply. Unabashedly. Crazy in love with you.”
Her head refused to work in that moment. She likely looked like a complete fool as she stared at him with mouth agape.
His eyes seemed to plead with her to accept what he said to be true.
The way he almost leaned into her made the warmth that had flickered to life in her chest uncurl and flood parts of her soul that had been starving for something she hadn’t realized was missing.
But then his eyes flicked to something at her back and his whole body stiffened.
Leo dropped her hands and took a step back.
Leo’s expression flattened, but his eyes burned with an intensity she’d never seen before.
Then the press of a hand to her lower back brought her to reality. “Hey, beautiful, the limo driver is waiting for us.” Chaz’s breath washed over her neck.
Red never looked so enticing on a man. It looked like Leo was about ready to detonate. And yet it wasn’t okay for her to be thinking this way. She turned just enough to face Chaz. “Get in the car. I’ll be just a second.”
Chaz’s eyes swept from her to Leo and back. The cocky smirk he wore made her want to punch his lights out, but she refrained. As soon as he was gone, she whirled to face Leo.
“You have to go home. Jane and Noah are worried about you.”
Leo scoffed. “They’re worried about their relationship with your father’s company.” Then his features softened. “Don’t go, Kat. Stay here with me. Let’s… get some dinner. Talk.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Leo. It’s over.
We can’t.” Kat had to close her eyes to fight the tears and the temptation to throw herself into his arms one last time.
No matter how much it hurt, she had to cut ties completely.
“I’m with Chaz, now. We’re engaged. Go home, Leo.
” Without waiting for him to respond, she turned on her heel and hurried toward the limo.
Kat refused to look back. She wouldn’t allow herself the agony of seeing the pain in his eyes. This was for the best. He needed to move on… even if she hadn’t yet.
She prayed he would.
And yet a small part of her also prayed he wouldn’t listen—that he’d keep fighting like he’d promised.