Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Rob
I couldn’t get Skye Winchester out of my head. The woman was amazingly hot, and I knew she felt the same attraction. It had all been there in her body language and the things she’d said on the phone to whomever she’d been talking to. Her wild hair and curvy body were branded in my mind.
After the showing, I went back to Manhattan.
For now, I lived in a hotel by Central Park.
I was currently on a run through the park, and I had to admit, I’d forgotten how humid New York was in summer, even at night.
Most people liked running early in the morning, but I preferred the evening.
I liked clearing my head before going to sleep.
But tonight, running seemed to have the opposite effect.
The faster I ran, the more Skye came into focus.
She’d been so passionate in the presentation of the house, even though she wasn’t actually making any money out of it.
She just wanted to help out her neighbors.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d met someone who did things without expecting anything in return—from me or anyone.
I chuckled, remembering her delicious blush, the way she fidgeted when she realized I’d overheard her. I’d been close to kissing that woman, even though I’d barely met her.
I pushed myself to run faster, breathing in the hot air. The thumping in my ears blocked out any sound. Far from clearing my mind, I couldn’t stop imagining how Skye would react if I kissed or touched her. I wasn’t one to give up, but it was time to admit there was no forgetting about Skye tonight.
I slowed my pace when my phone started vibrating. Anne was calling.
“Hey! I’m running,” I panted into the phone.
“Wow. Even after the long day? I need to borrow some of that determination of yours. Except, wait. I hate running. Oh, never mind. Heard you scared the whole team today?”
I grinned. “A few of them looked as if they were about to shit their pants. They’ll get used to it.”
“I bet they will. How did you like the house? Is it what you want?”
“The house is solid. Big, but you know me. I like my space.”
“So you’re taking it?”
“Not sure.”
Anne groaned. “Why not?”
I chuckled, barely believing what I was about to say. “I’m attracted to the woman who did the showing. She lives right next door.”
“Rob… you’ll never find a place at this rate.”
Well, shit. I didn’t want to disappoint my sister. I was determined to help her through this tough time. Every day I was prolonging this search was one more day I wasn’t there for her. This was the closest place to Anne I could find.
“I’m still considering the house,” I told her, hoping to encourage her and ease her mind.
“Good. But leave the poor woman alone.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I mean it.”
“Didn’t think you were joking,” I assured her.
I wasn’t exactly known for having long-lasting relationships.
For the past few years, I hadn’t even considered it.
I’d moved from New York to Paris for culinary school, then back to New York, then to LA.
My last steady girlfriend had been in high school.
I’d moved too often, given too much of myself to the business to seriously think about relationships.
I didn’t see that changing in the near future considering where I was at this point in my life.
I needed to get things here in New York back on track and take care of Lindsay and Anne.
“You never know. Just don’t break her heart.”
“Ouch.”
“Ah, sorry… just oversensitive with everything happening with Walter.”
The tone of her voice killed me.
That scum and I were nothing alike, but I knew she was in pain. The divorce had been hard on her.
I didn’t do relationships, but I was upfront about that. I didn’t mislead my dates or mistreat them. I didn’t marry someone and then cheat behind her back for ten years. I balled my free hand into a fist. Every time I thought about that scumbag, I wanted to hit something.
“What I meant was that things can get messy, and you don’t want that kind of relationship down the road, especially when it comes to neighbors.”
That was true, especially since I planned to buy and not rent.
I’d always preferred that. I even owned a house in LA, though it had been clear from the beginning that I was only going to be there temporarily. I just didn’t feel like a place was truly mine unless I owned it.
“Anne, I’ll get a place soon, I promise. Can you put Lindsay on?”
“Sure.”
A few seconds later, my niece giggled in the phone. “Hi, Uncle Rob.”
“Hey, bops. How are you?”
Before reaching the edge of the park, I slowed my pace even more, not wanting the sound of the traffic to drown out the conversation.
“When are you moving close to us?” she asked.
“Soon,” I promised.
“Can you take me out for ice cream, like Daddy did?”
“Sure thing.”
“ Yes . Do you know why Daddy doesn’t call? Mommy says it’s because he’s busy.”
I ran a hand through my hair, gritting my teeth. I’d promised Anne I’d never bad-mouth Walter to Lindsay, and I wouldn’t. But if that asshole wasn’t even calling, it was high time I had a chat with him.
“Your mom is right.”
“Okay. When you move, can you teach me how to make fries?”
“We can certainly try.” I was grinning now, making a mental note to tease Anne later about this.
Anne and I were in a friendly competition, wondering which part of the business Lindsay would like when she grew up: the restaurants or the supermarkets.
So far, the restaurants were winning by a decent margin.
Since I’d be living close to them, I foresaw plenty of opportunities to teach Lindsay some tricks in the kitchen.
Anne had never liked cooking—at least not as much as I did, hence why she preferred the supermarket end of the business.
The competition was all just a friendly pastime, because Lindsay might choose to do something else entirely, and that was fine. We didn’t want to put any expectations on her, just as our parents hadn’t laid any on us. We’d chosen to work in the family business because we’d liked it.
“I love you, Uncle Rob.”
“I love you too.”
I wasn’t used to hearing her say it. She’d only started doing that recently, and I had a hunch why. She missed her father. I couldn’t replace him, obviously, but I wanted to be there for her in any capacity possible. Anne and I had had a happy childhood, and I wanted the same for Lindsay.
After hanging up, I guzzled down water, taking in deep breaths, deciding I wanted to go for another few miles.
I’d forgotten that Central Park was the official gathering place in Manhattan.
I spotted couples going for a walk and fellow joggers on the pathways snaking under the thick foliage of the trees.
Somewhere nearby, someone was listening to loud music.
I was slowly putting the day behind me, even though I was still pondering whether I should soften my leadership style. But it was just my way, which resembled Dad’s.
He’d always said I was a born leader. I’d itched to change things even when he was still the CEO.
I’d been young and determined and wanted to make him proud.
I still wanted that. He and Mom were having the time of their lives in France, and they rarely asked about business, but they were bursting with joy every time Anne and I brought them up to date regarding our numbers.
My being a hard-ass (yeah, I could admit that to myself) had gotten me results. It made no sense to change it.
I looked at pictures of the house again. I could practically visualize Skye in every single photo. I shook my head, laughing at myself.
I did like the house. It wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but something about it just spoke to me. I could see myself there, and I couldn’t explain it, which was odd for me. I was rational, always weighed pros and cons. I didn’t follow whims or instincts.
I was torn. I hadn’t made up my mind about the house, but I was sure about two things.
One: I wasn’t going to let down my sister and niece.
Two: I wanted Skye Winchester.