Page 23 of Tangled in Temptation

Catherine

––––––––

I COULD SMELL FALL in the air. Granted it was still a month or better away, but I could feel it. The hot summer days were behind us. It was warm and humid but not hot. As I drove to the shop with the window down, I took a moment to reflect on the crazy summer I’d had. It was easily the most memorable one I’d ever had. Meeting Timothy was the best and worst thing to happen to me.

The dream of getting to love him openly and having a real relationship was fading by the day. I believed he had feelings for me. There was a connection, but it wasn’t strong enough to bridge the gap between us. We were two very different people. He had an ex-wife determined to make his life hell. He was entangled in a web of drama, and I didn’t know how to untangle him from it.

I parked my truck and headed inside to see if Dad needed me for the day. The paycheck from the Gloriana Manor was great and definitely gave me some breathing room with the bills, but I couldn’t just not work anymore. The renovations at my house were going to be costly. I was already running into issues with the plumbing that were going to get very expensive.

When I walked into the shop, Luke was there. He had his toolbelt hanging around his waist and was rewiring an outlet or something. My father was at his workbench with a router, working on a piece of wood. When he saw me, he smiled and turned it off.

“Hey,” he said and pulled off his safety glasses. “What brings you by? Checking to see if I ate my Wheaties this morning?”

“Yes, and I thought I would see if you needed any help.”

“Hi,” Luke said before going back to his work.

I pulled my dad aside, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Did you hire Luke?”

Dad grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Yes, I did. He’s got skills, and we’re going to be working on a project together. We’ve always talked about pairing up with other contractors to put together bids that cover every element of a job.”

I frowned, sensing a hidden agenda beneath my dad’s seemingly innocent decision. “What project?”

“It’s a project for Gloriana Manor,” he said. “I didn’t think you wanted to be on it given the situation.”

“What project?” I asked.

“We’re going to fix up one of the outbuildings. Timothy needs some help with the estate, and since you won’t work up there anymore, Luke is stepping in.”

I sighed, my unease growing. “Dad, you didn’t have to do that. I can be professional.”

He patted my shoulder, the look in his eyes telling me he was up to something. “Luke is a good guy, Catherine. I thought it would be a good opportunity for both of you.”

I shot Luke a glance, realizing he was well aware what my dad was doing. He was watching us while trying not to look like he was watching us. He gave me a friendly smile, but there was a subtle understanding between us. It was very clear Dad was playing matchmaker. Luke seemed to be a good sport and was going along with it.

“What do you mean both of us?” I asked.

“He’ll be helping me here, and you can focus on other projects,” he said.

“He’s an electrician, not a carpenter,” I pointed out.

He chuckled. ”But he’s a jack of all trades really.”

“Sure, Dad.”

“Are you ready to take on a new client? I’ve had some calls since word got around about the work on the manor. Your talents are the talk of the town.”

“Sure, send them my way. That was the goal, right? We want some free advertisement. We might just have to hire an apprentice.”

Dad seemed satisfied with my response. “I’d like that.”

I was grateful to work on some of my own projects. I loved working with my father, but I also needed to carve out my own niche. My dad had his areas of expertise, and I had mine. My dad could see a room and envision a space without walls or with a new wall. My thrill was restoration and making something old look new. Truthfully, I was enjoying the down time. The drama with Timothy had taxed me. I wanted time to work on my own house, to do it my way. I didn’t have to answer to anyone.

“Do you need anything done?” I offered.

“I’ve got a couple of little things I could use some help with,” he said.

I helped Dad with a few tasks, finishing up some small projects that had been left half-done for various clients. As I worked, I could feel Luke’s eyes on me from across the room. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but there was definitely something going on behind those brown eyes of his.