Page 25 of Hers to Marry
“I work for a small investment firm. We are involved in building better communities, working with veterans to get them into homes better equipped to handle their disabilities, and helping people like you”—he tapped her on the tip of her nose—“realize their dream of opening a business.”
Not only did her heart stop, she’d lost the ability to both breathe and speak. She cleared her throat, sipped some fantastically bold red wine that was paired with the pasta, and said, “You mean, you’d help me open a bakery?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
“Because if the bank won’t—”
“Stop. My company’s the bank.”
“Your company?” She remembered Parker mentioned something about him being involved in an investment firm, but it washiscompany? “You just said—”
“I know. I don’t go around talking about being the owner of a business.”
“Why not? Aren’t you proud to do that?”
“Absolutely. But I feel it’s more of a collaboration and not me…you know, controlling everybody.”
“I get that.”
“So, you want to work together?”
Kat bit her lip. She thought about Parker’s offer to travel the world, make more money, and live wherever she wanted if she was going to be on retainer with the company. That was important if Drew and Parker were going to move back into town. She’d run into Drew everywhere, and the way her erratic heart was beating, if she didn’t find a new boyfriend fast, being near him wasn’t going to work.
And her heart was still too tender for her to trust anyone with it. She had made such a colossal mistake with Marcus that it was more than just an emotional cost.
She stared at the leftover creamy tomato and mushroom pasta sauce that lingered on her plate. She read honesty in Drew’s eyes, but she had trusted Marcus as well. Maybe he wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but even now Kat felt like she had when they were children—that he could devastate her. “I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Kat, it’s a no-brainer!”
Her eyes snapped up. “Is it?”
He sputtered. “Compared to what you’ve got going on with Susie? I’d think so. When did you get like this?”
He slammed back into his seat, jabbed one of the last stuffed pasta shells with a fork, and shoved it into his mouth.
Kat’s back stiffened. “Like what?”
“Like…spineless.”
“Excuse me?” she hissed, the passion she used to feel when they argued as kids stirred from deep within. “You come back here after I don’t know how many years and tell me that I’m spineless?”
He held her gaze. “You’re just a lot different than what I remembered. The girl who could jump from tree to tree with no fear and you let a jerk like Marcus stop you from realizing your dream?”
“You think it’s that easy? That a man I trusted—who I thought I loved—betrayed me and I should just shake it off?”
Drew’s gaze dropped and was silent for a minute. Kat set her fork down and looked around for the waiter. They were done.
“I know what it’s like to be depressed,” Drew said, lifting his gaze. “I know what it’s like to have your situation dictate your outlook on life. I don’t want the same for you.” He leaned forward, his eyes earnest. “Opportunities still exist. It may take a while to find them, but they’re out there.”
“You’re offering me one.”
“Exactly!”
“No, thank you,” Kat said stiffly. She offered an apologetic smile. “If you remember the girl, then you know I want to do this on my own. That I need to do this alone. I have to pick myself up and move on. That’s how I’m going to win.”
Drew shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt to accept help.”
“Parker helped you? When you were depressed?”
