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“I haven’t really thought about that yet,” she admits. “Everything happened so fast, but I couldn’t pass up your offer. I want to finish this project, see what it’s going to be, and spend more time with you.”

My finger brushes against the soft fabric of her shirtsleeve. “Have you thought about staying?”

She’s shifting to face me then, tucking both her legs beside her. When she’s having a serious conversation with me, she always wants to make sure we’re facing one another. That we’re close enough to touch, should we need to, but the real focus is going to be on the words. Wanting to put her at ease, I shift to face her better.

She’s fiddling with her hands as they rest in her lap, but says nothing for a couple more minutes.

“What are you thinking, Kat?”

“I’m thinking that I’m worried we’re moving too fast,” she begins, but I can tell this is going to be one of those moments where once she starts, she’ll just keep gaining momentum. “I’m worried what leaving everything in Charleston behind will mean for me. I don’t want to feel like I’m stepping into someone else’s life, or their dream. I want to find my own thing.”

“Which is exactly why I think staying will be a good idea.” The last thing I want to do is make her feel like I’m taking options away from her, so I choose my words carefully. “We’re not moving too fast. I’m not asking you to move in with me. I’m asking you to be in the same city with me, to give us a real chance. I know it’ll still be months before I’m here full time, but that’s not something that’s changed.”

She bites her lip. “I know. I know you’re not trying to push us into anything we’re not ready for, but after the disaster that came before, I can’t help but worry. We dove into the serious end.”

“Did you really just hit me with a swimming pun about a man I hate?”

She giggles, shaking her head while waving the comment off. “You know what I mean!”

I catch her hand mid-air, lacing my fingers with hers to lower our joint hands to the couch. She tracks the movement with her eyes. “I do, and you know what I mean, too. I won’t let what happened then happen to us. There’s too much at stake for both of us here. We’re adults. I want this to be a real, adult relationship. Which means working at it. I’m ready to do that.”

“So am I,” she promises, quick to make sure I know where her intentions are. “I want that.”

“Good, then we’re on the same page about that.” I give her hand a gentle squeeze. “I know I’m looking at things from the perspective of your boyfriend, but I don’t really know if there’s anything left for you in Charleston. You’ve lost your job, your place, and you’re not exactly anxious to make amends with anyone there. Maybe starting off somewhere new is what you need, and don’t you want to do it with people who care about you? I know what Bryce told you after the walkthrough, and he’s right, you’ll have such a great support system here.”

She goes back to biting her lip. I can see the millions of questions running through her mind and I want to pluck each one out, answering them until the stressed-out look leaves her features. Until the slight worry line in her forehead fades into the tanned smoothness I’m used to. I don’t want her to be freaking out about what comes next; I want her to know and believe that things will turn out okay. And, even if they don’t, she’s not facing it alone. I’ll be there with her, every step of the way.

“You don’t have to make a decision now,” I promise her, which helps to ease her nerves. “Just promise me you’ll think about it? And think about knowing I want you here. We all want you here, and whatever comes next, we’ll be by your side.”

She doesn’t say anything, just turns back to face forward, sinking back against my side. Seamlessly, flawlessly, we’re cuddled back up on the couch in the same position we were in previously, the silence washing over us once again. There’s no place I’d rather be.

May2024

Carter goes back to Georgia the next day. It’s a weird feeling to be saying goodbye to someone you don’t want to see go. I’m literally seeing him at a meet in less than two weeks, but watching him pull out of the driveway made me feel like he was leaving for years and to a destination much further than a couple of hours. Still, I was a mess of emotions—giddy from a new relationship, stressed about not having income after the club is done, and unsure about what I want to do with my life—and I’m handling it in one of the unhealthiest ways possible. By throwing myself into my work.

Just as Bryce has said, all the subcontractors I’d hired easily followed me, wanting to finish the job they’d started. Apparently, Bryce had a lawyer friend draw up new contracts for all of us, using the previous ones from Dalton Enterprises to make sure he had everything covered. Between the club and their house, I had plenty to keep me occupied rather than constantly wanting to distract Carter. He had more important things to focus on.

Things were moving forward at a rapid pace I didn’t expect after I kind of imploded my life. I wasn’t complaining, but I did feel like I was on a hamster wheel, constantly running with no direction or progress.

Right now, for example, I’m at the house, overseeing the expansion of the kitchen, which is the first thing we’re really focusing on. Liam had looked over the plans I’d come up with, made some slight adjustments, and strengthened them, but overall gave me the go-ahead to move forward. Thomas would have a fit if he knew Liam was helping me on the side, a fact my friend knew. It didn’t stop him, though; he just shook his head and told me not to worry about him.

“Building up like this is going to give them more room upstairs, too.” Carl and I are standing in the backyard, watching as his crew works. “But it’s expanding the main bedroom, right?”

“Nope, it’s going to give them more storage and an office space for Josie,” I explain, hands in my back pocket, trying to ignore the prickling sensation of the sun on the back of my neck. “She doesn’t really have that right now, but Bryce wants to make sure she has a space all her own.”

“Smart man,” Carl chuckles out.

One of the guys calls him over to check something, so he gives me a quick nod before heading over to assist them. I pull my phone out to take some pictures in case I need to use this project to help find another job, before heading around the front to check to see if Josie is here yet. I’m surprised to find her chatting with another woman, motioning to the house excitedly. When she sees me approaching, her smile widens, and she calls my name, waving me over.

I smile at the other woman as I approach, who just grins back at me like she was about to be overly polite in that totally patronizing way. I fight back the frown as I look over at Josie. “Is everything okay?”

We’ve been respectful of the neighbors as we work on the house, ensuring anything with loud noises didn’t start too early or run too late. I’ve done my best to keep the site as clean as possible. Still, I’ve done enough home renovations to know that at least one neighbor is almost always annoyed when work is being done. I’ve gotten good at handling it, but I’d rather not deal with it today.

“Everything’s fine.” Josie grins at me, placing a hand on my arm before turning back to the woman. “This is our contractor, Katrina Dalton. She’s been fabulous! She has tons of experience and is also the contractor for the swim club my boyfriend’s opening. Kat, this is our new neighbor, Lucy.”

Lucy’s already sticking her hand out before I fully process what Josie’s saying. “It’s so nice to meet you, Katrina.”

“Yeah, you, too.” I shake her hand, but I’m still completely lost on what’s happening.