Page 141 of From Rivals to I Do

Watching the sunrise over the treetops only reminds me of the painting I made for her, then the paint on my back and the images of us playing like kids are

invading my mind, and how every part of my body was burning to kiss her right there a few days ago.

She is still out of the office while she gets everything situated in her house. I miss seeing her around the office, but I am glad I will not have to address

what happened for a couple more days?

I just wish I could stop thinking about her. When I close my eyes, I see her. When I laugh, I hear her. When I dream all I see is her.

There aren’t many people I can be myself around. Everyone seems like they need something from me, or they expect me to act a certain way. The night in

Rayne’s house was the most fun I have had in ages, and all we did was paint a wall.

My phone rings, interrupting the music playing in my headphones. I stop running and answer it, looking around for a place to catch my breath.

“Hello, this is Leonard,” I answer.

“Leonard, it’s Dad. How’s everything going?” He sounds exhausted and gruff.

I walk over to a bench and have a seat, wiping sweat from my forehead. “Dad, how’s the treatment? You sound tired,” I manage to say.

“I’ve been better but feeling like crap is all a part of it,” he replies. Right after speaking, he goes into a coughing fit on the other end which feels like a knife

in my heart. Just a few days ago, I was in LA grieving my mother’s death, so hearing my dad like this is killing me.

“Are you alright? Call a nurse or something, Dad,” I say with a concerned voice.

“It’s fine, the chemo just has me under the weather is all,” he brushes me off. “Listen, I’m calling because I need to talk to you about the business.”

“You shouldn’t be worrying about that right now, I’ve got it all under control,” I sternly reply.

“I know you do. But I was speaking to Jeff Keating. He’s one of our first international affiliates, I think you’ve met him a few times,” he rambles. “But his

daughter is going to be in town, and I think you should meet with her. She’s a single lady and quite the looker.”

“Dad, come on,” I interject. I know he wanted me to find someone, but it’s been a little over a month since he left the business. How could he expect me to

find someone in that brief time?

“I’m not saying you have to marry her but show her around town. Maybe take her to a movie or something,” he argues.

Once again, my mind wanders to Rayne. Maybe I have found someone? The idea of taking another woman out and Rayne finding out and being hurt was

unsettling, and it was the last thing I wanted to do. But I can’t actually date Rayne because she is my employee.

“Okay,” I concede. “I’ll take her out but please don’t get your hopes up.”

We say our goodbyes and I stand up, regretting sitting down without cooling off. Before I walk away from the bench completely, I notice a flyer for a play.

An off-Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park is holding auditions for a play scheduled in a couple of months.

Without thinking much about it, I pull one of the information sheets and stick it in my pocket. Rayne might want to see it.

I stretch for a minute, trying to limber back up after resting and jog back to my penthouse. Mick is in the kitchen making breakfast and he waves at me

when I walk in. He has been out of the country photographing wild animals in Australia for a week and he must have come back this morning.

“When did you get in?” I ask him, kicking off my sneakers and grabbing some cold water from the fridge.

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