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WITH THE START OF A new week looming ahead, I made a quick stop at my father’s shop before heading over to the manor. I needed to drop off my boxes, AKA my whole damn life.
“What are all these boxes, Catherine?” he asked with confusion.
“They’re from my new apartment,” I told him.
“Did you get evicted?”
“No,” I said, laughing. “They’re doing mold remediation and we all have to leave for a week or two. Or three.”
“You’re going to move in?”
I knew what I was about to tell him was not going to make him happy. “No, I’m going to be staying at the manor until things get sorted out.”
“You’re what?”
“Timothy offered to let me stay at the manor until my apartment is cleaned up.”
He sighed and shook his head. “I knew it. I knew it the moment I saw him.”
“Knew what?” I asked.
“The guy is smooth. I know his type. I know you’re fresh out of a long relationship and that asshole Scott hurt you. You’re vulnerable.”
“It’s not like that,” I said.
“Catherine, you’re coasting toward heartbreak. That billionaire is only going to break your heart if you get too close.”
“Dad, what the hell are you talking about?” I asked. How could he possibly know what was happening between Timothy and me?
“I’ve seen the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you, Catherine. I don’t like it. I don’t want to see my daughter get her heart broken again. You just got out of a long-term relationship. I think you need to realize you need some time. Let your heart heal. Don’t jump into another relationship.”
“Nothing is going on between us, Dad,” I assured him, my voice laced with conviction. “We’re just friends. We’re helping each other out. That’s all. I’ll be able to work longer hours without disturbing him or his daughter. Dad, please. Trust me. I wouldn’t let myself get into anything I can’t handle.”
“Well, Timothy better remember that you’re my daughter. If he so much as blinks at you wrong, I’ll have a word or two with him,” he warned, his protective side showing through.
“Dad,” I said, laughing again. “I’m not a little girl anymore. I can handle myself.”
“I know you can,” he said softly, his stern expression softening into a smile. “But you’ll always be my little girl.”
My chest tightened at his words. My father was right. As always. I needed to stop getting my hopes up about Timothy. But how could I when he was so compelling?
He had shown me a side of him I was certain he didn’t show many people. He was a good guy. Sure, he had baggage, but he was a good man deep down. I was certain we could have been happy. It just didn’t seem fair that we weren’t on the same playing field.
“Promise me, Catherine,” he said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Promise what?” I asked, even though I knew exactly what he wanted.
“That you won’t let yourself fall for him.”
I stared at him for a moment, swallowing the lump in my throat. Taking a deep breath, I nodded. “I know better, Dad. We only have another month, two at tops, and then I doubt I’ll ever see him again.”
“Doubt isn’t a promise, Catherine,” my father warned. He had an uncanny ability to see right through me.
“I promise, Dad. I’m not going to fall for him.” But the words felt heavy, even as they tumbled from my lips. It was like I was trying to convince myself more than my father.
“Good,” he finally said with a nod. “What’s on the schedule for today?”
Initially, I planned on doing some work in the shop, but I changed my mind. I didn’t like lying to my father and I was lying. I told him I wouldn’t fall for Timothy but it was too late for that.
“I’m going to head to the manor and work on some refinishing stuff,” I told him.
“Okay. I might stop by later. I still have some stuff I’m working on.”
I gave him a hug. “I’ll see you then.”
I loaded up my truck and caught a glimpse of my father watching me. I saw the disappointment and skepticism in his eyes. It hurt to see him like this, doubting the choices I’d made. He didn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t going to fall for the rich billionaire. I had always been a horrible liar. Apparently, I wasn’t getting any better. But I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward Timothy.
Deep down, I understood my father’s concerns. He only wanted what was best for me, to protect me from the heartbreak and disappointment that life could bring. But sometimes, we had to take risks and follow the path that felt right for us, even if it led to uncertainty. My relationship with Scott wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but I didn’t regret it. I wished it would have ended differently, but life had to teach us lessons.
Bennet welcomed me in the foyer. “Good morning,” he said, smiling.
“Good morning.” I looked around, wondering why he was meeting me.
“Did you bring bags?”
“Excuse me?”
“I can take them to your room,” he said.
“My room?”
“Timothy said you were going to be staying with us. You can choose any room you would like, but I think I’ve picked the best one.”
I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t even told Timothy I was going to accept his offer.
I couldn’t help but smile. “He did, huh?”
“Catherine, I think you might have figured out by now Timothy is a man that gets what he wants.”
We both laughed. “Well, there is a room I have a particular fondness for,” I said.
“Out of the twenty available rooms, I think I know the one you speak of.”
“Oh?”
“I bet it has a book nook and large windows that allow natural light to flood in.”
I smiled. “How did you know?”
“Because Timothy told me to get it ready for you.”
It was uncanny how well the man knew me. The room wasn’t finished, but I didn’t care. It was an opportunity for me to work on it during my stay. I could stay up late working without ever leaving my room.
“Okay, I did bring a suitcase,” I confessed.
He winked. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
He walked out to get my suitcase while I took a look around to see what work needed to get started on right away. I didn’t want to lose the progress we were making.
Bennet brought my suitcase in and insisted on carrying it upstairs. I took a few minutes to unpack the meager belongings I brought with me. I had brought the diamonds Timothy had loaned me. I refused to keep them. The dress and everything else were more than enough. I couldn’t resist opening the box and taking one last look at them.
I ran my fingers over the cold gems, their substantial weight a testament to their worth. I remembered the moment he put them on me. How could I forget? A sigh escaped my lips as I gently closed the box and decided to return them to Timothy later.
I turned around to survey the room. The large windows offered a breathtaking view of the lush gardens outside. The landscapers had been working overtime to bring it back to life.
“I’m glad you decided to stay.”
I spun around and found Timothy standing in the doorway. “Yes. Thank you again.”
“Do you need anything?” he asked. “For your stay. I want you to be comfortable.”
“Uh, no, I’m good,” I said. “It’s perfect.”
“I knew you would say that, but I don’t know why. It’s one of the few rooms that isn’t finished. I knew you were going to want to be in this room.”
“Maybe it’s because I see the potential in it,” I suggested, looking around. “It’s just like this entire manor. And besides, this way I can work in my bedroom without anyone disturbing me.”
He chuckled, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Always thinking about work, aren’t you? But since you’re going to be here for a while, I hope you’ll take some time to enjoy yourself too.”
I felt a blush creep up my neck and I quickly turned away to hide my face. “Yeah, maybe,” I replied noncommittally.
“I’ll let you settle in then,” he said.
“Wait,” I said and walked to the dresser to grab the necklace and earring boxes. “Here. Thank you so much for letting me borrow them. It really completed the look.”
“They were a gift, Catherine. Keep them.”
“I can’t accept this,” I protested. “It’s too much.”
The display of wealth and luxury clashed with the modest life I had always led. My jeans, splattered with paint and caulk, along with the grubby button-down shirt that had become my daily uniform while working, didn’t exactly go with diamonds.
“Keep them,” he said. “And the card.”
“Timothy! I can’t do that. Look at me! I’m not a diamond-wearing kind of girl. I don’t go shopping with a black card or spend long hours at the spa or salon. I appreciate your generosity. I do, I really do, but I can’t be that woman. It’s just not me.”
“I know,” he said and walked away.
“Timothy!” I called out to him.
He turned back to look at me. “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
He walked away and that was that. I went back to the room and looked at the diamonds. They were so not me, but maybe they could be a part of my life.
Then I remembered what my dad said. He warned me about falling for a man that was not going to be mine. I was walking directly into a broken heart. But dammit, I couldn’t seem to stop it.
I put the jewelry into the top drawer of the dresser and headed downstairs to meet with the contractors. I needed to make sure everyone knew what they had to do for the day.
Work was filled with discussions of technical details, blueprints, and deadlines. The subcontractors were competent, but they often needed a push to stay on schedule. They didn’t understand the urgency I felt, the burning need to restore this place as quickly as possible. It was an obsession that kept me awake at night.
I went back up to the second floor to finish some minor trim work. I could hear the music pumping out of Paisley’s room. I rarely saw the girl. Not since the day she helped me with the wallpaper. I saw her by the pool on occasion, but she did a great job hiding from everyone.
I decided to check and see how she was doing. I knocked on the door and waited. I was about to walk away when the door opened.
“What?” she snapped.
“Hi.”
“Oh, hi,” she muttered.
“Are you going for a swim today?” I asked her.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s pretty hot outside. I think it’s a good day for a swim.”
She sighed heavily, a typical teenager’s response to an adult’s suggestion. “I guess.”
“Great,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light and friendly. “Can I join you later?”
She looked at me, surprised. “You want to swim with me?”
“If it’s okay with you,” I said. “If not, it’s fine. I’m not sure if your dad told you, but I’m going to be staying at the house for a week or two. Maybe we can hang out.”
After a few silent moments, she nodded. “Sure. But don’t expect me to be all chatty.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I assured her with a small smile.
“Okay, well, whatever.”
“I’ll be down the hall working if you want to help,” I offered.
“Timothy doesn’t want me to. When the master speaks, the peasant must obey.”
I tried not to laugh. “Okay, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
As I walked back to the room that I’d been working on, I couldn’t help but think about the conversation with Paisley. It reminded me so much of my own teenage years, full of rebellion and distaste for authority. But unlike Paisley, I didn’t grow up in a mansion with a generous father. Instead, I was raised in a small house with my single father who worked day and night to provide for us.
She didn’t know how good she had it.
