9. Doing Something Different
9
DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT
I f Charlotte was being honest, the least he could do was speak his mind too.
Would he be as honest as her if she started to ask questions?
Probably not. But he wouldn’t lie if he could avoid it.
“Thanks for that,” she said. “I feel as if all I do is say thank you or I’m sorry. Not really the best first, second, or third impressions.”
“I’m not one that judges,” Foster said. He’d had it happen way too much to him.
“Everyone judges,” she said.
“You mean they could look at you through my eyes and might think you’re a ditzy blonde that can’t paint, cook, or mow a lawn without blowing up the engine and need a man to take care of you?”
She sighed. “Yeah.”
“And I just told you I don’t see that when I look at you. Someone who is trying and if you’re knocked down you get right back up and try it again. That is what I see.”
She nodded her head. “You’re not like other men I’m around.”
“Sounds like it’s a good thing I’m not,” he said. He’d probably want to put his fist in their face. Yep, that wouldn’t go over too well with West.
Or his mother.
“Good for me,” she said. “Considering how much I’m fumbling around.”
“You’re too hard on yourself too,” he said.
“Product of my upbringing,” she said.
Which made him wonder if she wanted an older man to take care of her because her father was a dick.
How do you ask that without being insulting?
And if he did, she might ask more about him and he had to watch what he said.
Just because he found he liked spending time with her, didn’t mean he was ready to let her know who his brother was. Or what his own worth was.
Seemed as if she liked men with money too, so he’d wait and see what happened if she just thought he was a regular guy.
Which was stupid considering she saw his house, which cost him over a million five years ago. Now it was worth close to triple that sitting on the land he owned with it, not to mention the updates he’d done.
Her little house was listed for over six hundred. Easy purchase for him and he should have done it, but now was kind of glad he hadn’t.
“Aren’t we all?” he asked.
“True,” she said. “Anyway, many would say I’m looking for someone to take care of me and that isn’t the truth though I end up with men that want to. It’s as if subconsciously I’m drawn to it. No clue. So I’ve sworn off anyone like I used to date.”
“So talking to me is just a game?” he asked.
“No!” she shouted loud enough that Marco woke up from his nap. “See, I’m hard on myself because I mess up around you. I’m normally all planned out when I’m dating.”
“Planned out?” he asked. He didn’t know if he liked where any of this was going, but he couldn’t bring himself to get up and walk out like other times he’d done on a date.
Yep, it’d been a dick move, but it was better than losing his shit that someone wanted him for who he was related to.
“I think I feel I have to be someone I might not be so it takes work to plan it out. I do like dressing up and being girlie yet I haven’t done that once since I’ve lived here. No reason for it. I have to go into the office next week so I’ll get dressed up for that. It might feel good. Or it might make me long for my home office.”
He nodded his head. He wanted to believe what she was saying considering he’d only seen her sporting one style.
“No one should be forced to be someone they aren’t,” he said.
“Sounds like someone who has had to do that too,” she said.
“At times,” he said.
“Like showing up for family events?” she asked.
“It was a big event,” he said. “A wedding. Lots of people I haven’t seen in a while. I don’t do well with small talk.”
“I would have never guessed when you’re doing so well with me.”
Which was another thing he’d have to think about too.
“Maybe we are both doing something different. Why do you think that is?”
“I don’t know about you, but I feel a level of comfort with you I haven’t with anyone else. Could be there is no pressure here other than coffee and me hoping I don’t spill it on me as another embarrassing move.”
He laughed. “We’ve all spilled things.”
“We have,” she said. “Since you know what I do, what do you do for a living? If you don’t mind sharing. You don’t have to tell me. I can see right away you’re a private person.”
She gave him an out, but he wouldn’t be an ass and say it’s not her business. There was no reason to.
“I work in technology. Set up networks and security for businesses.”
“I can see that,” she said.
“You can?” he asked. “Why?”
“Because I picture you as someone content to be with electronics over people. You can control those things and not always people.”
“You’re right,” he said, finishing off his coffee.
“Do you want another?”
“I’m good,” he said. But he didn’t make a move to get up and leave when most times he’d be bolting for the door.
“I bet you don’t mind awkward silences, but I hate them. I also don’t want you to think I’m grilling you for information either so I’m at a standstill on what to say.”
He didn’t want her to feel that way.
He looked around her kitchen. “I like the color in here. Did you paint it recently?”
It was white the last time he was in here bringing her ladder. Now it was a soft sunset orange. It went well with the cream cabinets and white counters that looked to have flecks of brown in it.
“I did,” she said. “I didn’t even get any on the molding or cabinets. This great guy showed me how to use painter’s tape. I’m not as fast as him, but I’m pretty proud of myself.”
He smirked. “You should be. Are they the only two rooms you painted?”
“I can show you the others,” she said.
“Sure,” he said, standing up. She’d waited for him to make that move and he liked she didn’t push it or assume.
They left the kitchen and the table they’d been sitting at and went to the living room. There was a light calming blue on the walls in there that went well with her gray furniture. It was a small room but didn’t feel crowded.
She put her hands out as if she was on a game show. “In here we’ve got blue. It was the second room I did, so better than my office, but not as good as the kitchen. I improved as I went along.”
He smiled. “Looks good to me.”
They moved down the hall and she showed off her bathroom in a light yellow, then her bedroom in the same blue as the living room.
Foster did his best to not focus on her bed. Looked to be a queen and had a white quilted spread on it with blues.
“I like the colors of the water if you can’t tell. That and the sunset. I never realized it, but I found that I was pulling colors from nature around me.”
“It works,” he said.
“What colors are in your house?” she asked. “Not asking you to show me, just asking.”
“I’m more cold and sterile,” he said. “Whites and grays.”
“Foster,” she said. The sound of his name on her lips set off an avalanche of warm fuzzies cascading in his body. “There isn’t one thing cold about you and I’m sorry if anyone made you think that.”