Chapter Seven
Catherine
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I ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE , my footsteps echoing against the walls as I made my way inside. There was good progress being made. So far, I had managed to avoid Henry since the blowup with him and Timothy. I still wasn’t sure what all that was about. It did seem strange they’d both ended up in the same small town. It gave credence to what Timothy had said about his old friend wanting to cause problems for him. It wasn’t jealousy. Maybe a little, but their rift went way back.
“Have you seen Luke?” I asked one of the contractors. “The electrician.”
I’d needed to touch base with him before heading to New York City for the day. I trusted him to keep things running while I was away. The man had turned out to be a staunch ally. That was something I needed while working in this environment. The contractor grunted and jerked his head.
I spotted him across the room, kneeling down and working on an outlet. I made my way over, glad he was on the job. I had a feeling that today was going to be a challenging one. I was glad Luke would be here to keep things running so I could focus on my goal.
“Hey, Luke,” I greeted him. “Can we chat for a minute?”
He looked up and smiled. “Hey, you’re early. What’s up?”
“Outside preferably,” I said.
His expression was serious as he followed me outside. “Is everything okay?” he asked with concern.
“Yes, fine. I wanted to let you know that I’ll be in New York City for the rest of the day. I won’t be back until later tonight.”
He nodded. “All right. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, fine.” I smiled. “You have my number. If anything comes up, just give me a call.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked with genuine concern.
Before I could respond, Henry’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “Why the hell aren’t you going to be at work today?” he demanded, his tone sharp and accusatory as he stomped toward us.
I turned to face him, my jaw clenched with frustration. “I’m not your employee, Henry,” I retorted, my voice firm. “I’m your contractor. Right now, I don’t need to be here because my subcontractors are handling the job just fine.”
“I hired you to oversee this project, not some electrician,” he hissed. “I’ve barely seen you here.”
“As I’ve explained to you several times, I am not needed here twenty-four-seven,” I said calmly. “I am overseeing the project. Everyone has their jobs. They all know what to do.”
“You’re leaving a bunch of strangers in my house unsupervised,” he spat.
“I’m doing the job,” I said. “This is how this works. I’ve explained this to you from day one.”
“Why did I hire you if all these guys are the ones doing the work?”
“Your lack of trust is beginning to become a problem, Henry,” I continued, my tone sharpening. “If you hired me for the job, then you need to trust that I know how to do it.”
His face reddened, a vein throbbing in his temple. “You don’t tell me what’s becoming a problem,” he spat venomously. “This is my house.”
“I respect that it’s your house. But remember, you hired me because I’m good at what I do,” I shot back, maintaining my firm stance. “I have everything under control here.”
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he took a step toward me. Luke instantly stepped closer. Henry barely looked at Luke. His focus was on me.
“If you have a problem with me, Catherine, then just say it,” Henry spat, his eyes narrowing with hostility.
I held his gaze, unflinching in the face of his aggression. This wasn’t my first rodeo. Men liked to throw their weight around. “If you have a problem with me, Henry, then you can find yourself another contractor,” I shot back, my voice cold and steely. “I’ll pack up my crew and leave today, and you can fly in the closest contractor approved by the Historical Society. Good luck getting on anyone’s schedule this year.”
He glared at me. I glared right back, daring him to push me. “Your professionalism sucks!”
With that, he stormed off, slamming the door behind him. I let out a sigh of relief, the tension draining from my shoulders as I turned back to Luke.
“Sorry about that,” I said, offering him a small smile. “I just needed to set him straight.”
He nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he looked at me. “You handled that like a pro,” he remarked, his voice tinged with respect. “Good job.”
I smiled at his words, grateful for his support. “Thanks, Luke,” I replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “I’ve dealt with worse.” I thought about the statement. “That’s not true. He’s probably the worst, but I’m not going to let him get under my skin.”
Henry was a hotheaded millionaire used to getting his way with everyone in his path. I wasn’t an exception to that rule, but I wasn’t about to kowtow either.
“You shouldn’t have to put up with that crap,” he said.
“This is the part of the process where homeowners always get a little freaked out,” I said. “They see the walls getting torn down and the floors are covered in dust and crap, and it panics them.”
“I think his panic has more to do with not seeing you,” Luke said. “I know you’re not that na?ve. He’s got a thing for you.”
“Yes, but he’s just going to have to keep that thing to himself.”
Luke chuckled. “If he doesn’t, there are a few men that are going to remind him that he’d better.”
“Thanks for the backup,” I said. “I’ll only be gone a day. I don’t have anything I need to be doing here. Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, and I don’t imagine there will be any issues, but if there are, can you be the mediator?”
“Of course.” He nodded. “What are you doing in the city, anyway?” he asked, his tone casual.
I hesitated for a moment, debating how much to reveal. “Just running a few errands,” I replied vaguely, not wanting to delve into the details of my personal life.
He nodded understandingly. “All right, have fun.” He smiled. “I’ve got to get back to work. Don’t worry about things here. Like you told him, these guys know what they are doing. I’ve been on a lot of job sites and never had anything run quite so smoothly. They respect you and want to do a good job.”
“Thank you,” I said. “
I left the house, catching a last glimpse of Henry shooting me dirty looks. The guy was a dick. I didn’t understand what he wanted from me. Timothy’s warning was turning out to be very real. Henry seemed to want to control me. Boy, did he have another think coming. It wasn’t going to happen. I would walk away before I ever gave in to that man.
I pulled up to Amber’s place and honked the horn. She came out looking like she was going to a fashion show. She climbed in the truck. “Ready,” she declared.
“Let’s do this,” I said.
“Are you excited?” she asked. “It’s your chance to face off against the wicked witch of the west.”
“I’m not sure excited is the word I would use,” I said. “I can’t shake the feeling of guilt.”
“You didn’t tell Timothy you were meeting with her?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I know I should have, but I didn’t know what to say.”
“Good point,” she said. “He might not be thrilled to know you’re meeting with his ex-wife on his behalf.”
“It’s not just his behalf,” I said. “It’s for Paisley. And If I’m being honest, it’s for me too. This woman has way too much control over my life. She controls Timothy’s mood, and that impacts me.”
As we navigated the bustling streets of New York, I couldn’t help but go over the conversation I planned to have with Regina in my mind. It was a delicate situation, and I wanted to handle it with care.
“So what exactly are you going to say?” Amber asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us.
I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts before responding. “I just want to ask her to let Paisley spend time with Timothy,” I explained, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “I know it’s not my place to interfere, but I can’t stand to see them hurting like this.”
“Plus, you’ve got to protect Paisley,” Amber added, leaning back against the seat. “She’s only a kid, and she shouldn’t have to deal with adult problems.”
“Exactly,” I replied, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “She’s been through enough as it is. And she doesn’t deserve to be caught up in her mother’s games. Regina doesn’t want to talk to Timothy, which I can understand. He loathes her. I’m hoping I can be a mediator.”
“You’ll just have to keep your cool,” she said. “Regina is going to try and get under your skin. You can’t let her.”
“I know,” I groaned. “And she’s very good at pissing people off. It’s a skill she has perfected.”
“What are you going to say to her?”
I grimaced. “I’m not entirely sure. I thought maybe just stick with the facts. Paisley would have a stable home in Sleepy Hollow. She has friends there. It’s a good school, and she’ll be able to take college classes for credit.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” she replied. “Paisley deserves to spend time with her father, and Timothy deserves the chance to be a part of her life. Keep it focused on Paisley. Somewhere inside that woman must be a mother’s instinct.”
“I hope you’re right,” I murmured, my eyes resting on the shining glass buildings that towered above us.
“If this blows up in my face, Timothy is going to be furious,” I said. “I know I’m risking ruining any chance of Paisley getting to come back. If Regina freaks out, I may as well kiss Timothy goodbye. He is not going to be happy with my meddling.”
Amber put a comforting hand on my arm. “You’re doing what you think is best, for both Timothy and Paisley. If he can’t appreciate that, then maybe he’s not the guy we all thought he was.”
My heart twisted at her words, but I knew she was right. This was a risk I’d decided to take. I had to follow it through now. There could be no turning back, no chickening out.
“Thanks,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime,” she replied, her friendly smile taking the edge off my anxiety.
A sense of reassurance washed over me. It was comforting to know that she supported me in my decision to reach out to Regina, even if it meant stepping into a potentially volatile situation. I was going to do my best to tread lightly. Some silly part of me believed I could appeal to her human side with a woman-to-woman talk.
“I hate this traffic,” I muttered.
“I cannot wait to go shopping!” Amber squealed.
Amber was coming along for moral support, but I would be meeting with Regina alone. I didn’t want her to think we were ganging up on her. Amber was happy to do some shopping while I faced the beast. And if I needed her to save me from Regina’s clutches, she would be a phone call away.