Divided Interests

by Kelly Elliott

  “Shit.” I picked up the bag of frozen corn and put it back on my eye.

  “I’m probably going to get a hotel in Austin tomorrow, since I’ll be out late. They always like to do dinner and drinks afterwards.”

  Paige brushed a piece of my hair back.

  “Okay, I’m meeting with a florist in Fredericksburg to go over the flowers for the wedding. Are you still okay with me meeting her alone?”

  “Totally. I know nothing about flowers, and I want you to pick what you want to have.”

  She smiled. “I found an old picture of the greenhouse, Millie standing in there in her wedding gown. She was holding a bouquet of beautiful white chrysanthemums. I thought a few of those in the arrangements might be nice.”

  “What about for your bouquet? What do you want?”

  The way she smiled made my heart feel like it skipped a beat. “Pink daisies.”

  In that moment, I fell in love with her a little more, if that was at all possible. “The first flowers I ever gave you.”

  She nodded. “I think I might add in a white rose or two.”

  Smiling, I placed my finger on her chin, drawing her mouth to mine. “God, I love you.”

  Our mouths met in a sweet kiss when I heard the porch planks protest with someone walking on it.

  “You want your other eye black and blue, son?” Phillip said, causing me and Paige to smile against our lips.

  “No, sir.”

  “Then get your mouth off my baby girl.”

  “Daddy, that’s enough. You got your shot in, Lucas is now off limits for any future injuries.”

  Phillip crossed his arms over his massive chest. Why hadn’t I ever noticed how freaking built he was? He honestly didn’t look a day older than forty, and he sure as hell didn’t run like he was in his fifties.

  He huffed and gave me an incredulous look. “We’ll see about that. One mess up, and I will tear you apart.”

  I swallowed hard, then cleared my throat. “I have no intentions of messing up anything, sir, ever again.”

  “Holy hell, Foster. Where did you get the shiner?” Pete Mulligan asked as we all took a seat around the large conference table.

  “My future father-in-law, Phillip Miller.”

  Timothy, my old boss and the guy in charge of this venture, laughed. “I still can’t believe you’re engaged.”

  I smiled as I glanced around the table. Luckily, Bianca wasn’t here. She was an investor in this apartment building being built in downtown Austin. I had recently learned about her involvement. I was positive she did it because she heard Timothy had asked me to stay on as the lead designer.

  “I’m thinking the dad doesn’t approve of you,” Pete stated with a chuckle. More light laughter trickled around the table.

  “Well, considering I dated his daughter in high school and then broke up with her before we left for college, he has a few issues with me. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about me, we’re here to go over my design.”

  I pulled up my CAD design and hit the play button, then directed everyone’s attention to the large screen behind me.

  After thirty-five minutes of describing the building, the projected timeframe, and a rough estimate of costs, I leaned back in my chair and waited. Pete made a few notes, leaned over and spoke quietly with his business partner, Roger. Then he looked up at me and smiled.

  “I like the design, a lot. It’s in keeping with the feel of Austin, to appeal to the locals, but the inside amenities will appeal to the investors who want to live downtown.”

  With a brief glimpse at Timothy, I smiled at Pete. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “You’re pretty confident about the timeframe?” he asked.

  “As with any project, things could come up to slow us down. You have to take that into consideration, as well as dealing with the city. Something as simple as pulling a permit can turn into a long, drawn-out process.”

  The door to the conference room opened and a young woman walked in. She leaned down and said something to Pete. He rolled his eyes and nodded. “Tell her she’ll have to wait. The meeting is almost over.”

  Lifting a brow, I watched Pete look down at his notes, then he stared directly at me. “I have an investor who is dumping a lot of money into this project. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. Her social presence alone will sell units. From what I understand, you are…familiar with her.”

  My heart raced.

  “Her name is Bianca Williams. She was late getting into Austin from Rome. Fashion show or something.”

  I cleared my throat and said, “I’m sure she’ll be able to watch the presentation and get caught up.”

  Pete gave me a shit-eating grin. “She has requested that you fill her in. I’m going to ask that you do this as a personal favor to me, since she is the largest investor we have on the project. I’d like to keep her…happy.”

  I moved uncomfortably in my seat and shot a look at Timothy. “What exactly are you asking me to do here, Pete?”

  “Lucas,” Timothy scolded.

  Pete laughed and held up his hands. “I’m not asking you to fuck her.”

  A few people moved in their seats, clearly put off by Pete. It pissed me off even more, considering there were two women in the room.

  “Is that really how you talk in business meetings?” I asked, anger laced in my voice.

  “I need this woman to be kept content. I don’t give a fuck why she ended up wanting to invest in this project, but it has something to do with the lead designer. So, what I’m asking you to do is go to the bar in the hotel lobby with the rest of us, have a drink with her and play nice.”

  “He can most certainly do that,” Timothy said. “Lucas is a professional, and he knows Bianca. He can handle her, isn’t that right, Lucas?”

  I shook my head and stared down at the table. I needed this fucking job to build up a nice nest egg for me and Paige. Working for my dad would pay pretty well, but it wouldn’t pay what I was previously making.

  “Sure, no problem,” I said. When I looked up, one of the women was staring at me. She looked familiar, and I tried like hell to place her. Her jaw muscles flexed, and she looked at me with pure disgust. She picked up her phone and started to type on it.

  What the hell is that all about?

  “Okay, let’s all go down to the bar now that we’ve gotten the boring stuff out of the way,” Timothy said, clapping his hands while he stood.

  I gathered up my computer and put it into my bag. Timothy stayed back, waiting to talk to me.

  “Lucas, I need you to be civil with her.”

  “I’m not fucking sleeping with her, Tim. I’m engaged. I’m in love with another woman.”

  He nodded as he let out a frustrated breath. “I know, I know. I also know how unhappy you were with Bianca, and we both know the only reason she invested in this is to be near you.”

  “Why can’t Pete see that?”

  “All he sees are dollar signs. Have a drink with her, then slip away and head back to the country.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m staying at the hotel tonight. I didn’t want to drive back late, and I knew we’d be drinking.”

  “Smart move. Just be nice to her, we’ll get through this.” He gave me a slap on the back and headed toward the elevator.

  “Tim, wait. The woman sitting to the left of Pete. Who was that?”

  He thought for a moment. “Harper, she is Pete’s VP in marketing.”

  “She looks familiar to me.”

  Tim shrugged. “Maybe y’all met before in one of the beginning meetings.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, must be.”

  Twenty minutes later, I was at the bar, on my second drink while Bianca told me all about her trip to Rome. It wasn’t lost on me how Harper kept looking at us. She was shooting daggers, and I wasn’t sure if they were aimed at me, or Bianca. Or both of us.

  Another thirty minutes went by, and I had had enough. I pulled my phone out and saw I had a text message from Pai
ge. With a smile, I opened it up to read it.

  Paige: How is it going?

  Me: I’m about to head up to my room. They loved the design, so looks like we are a go.

  Paige: That’s great! I’m happy for you.

  Me: Thank you, babe. What are you doing?

  Paige: Oreo and I just put on a movie and are snuggled up on the sofa. I finished painting the upstairs bathroom. It looks great!

  Me: I can’t wait to see it. How did the appointment with the florist go?

  Paige: Amazing. All flowers are ordered and she even gave me some pointers for my own shop.

  Me: That’s awesome.

  “It’s rude to be texting, Lucas,” Bianca said, trying to place her hand on my arm. I moved it away and glared at her.

  Paige: Anyone interesting you’re talking to?

  I stared at her text. The right thing to do would be to tell her Bianca was here. I sighed and pushed my phone into my pocket. I’d tell her about Bianca once I got up to the room.

  When I looked across the table, Harper took a picture of me. I frowned, but then she moved her phone to the side and took another picture of Timothy and Pete talking. Maybe she was taking them for marketing reasons. Although, why take photos of us all drinking at a bar?

  With a shake of my head, I called for Timothy. “Tim, I’m going to call it an evening.”

  He nodded. “Good work today, Lucas.”

  I shook his hand. Standing, I grabbed my bag and waved to everyone at the table.

  “Calling it a night. Y’all enjoy yourselves.”

  Chancing a look at Harper as I walked by, I saw she was laughing with Lou Hansen, the marketing manager for Timothy’s company.

  Quickly, I headed out of the restaurant to the elevator.

  “You weren’t even going to say goodbye?” Bianca said from behind me. She moved next to me in front of the elevator.

  “No, I wasn’t. I didn’t even want to see you.” It was harsh, but truer words had never been spoken.

  She jutted out her lower lip. “That’s rather mean of you. We were close for a long time. Lovers.”

  I rolled my eyes and let out a frustrated noise. “We were nothing but two people who used each other. A distraction.”

  With a humorless laugh, she said, “Ouch. That’s all I was to you?”

  “Yes.”

  She let out a soft whimper of displeasure. “I wanted more. I couldn’t help it if you were stuck in the past. I heard you’re marrying the little dimwit.”

  I sent her a look that would have pinned any man in his place. “Don’t utter a word about her. Don’t even say her name.”

  Her eyes widened in mock shock. “Wow. Okay, seems like she’s got her claws into you pretty good.”

  Another man walked up and stood next to us. The elevator opened, and he walked in first, not even allowing Bianca to walk in. I might have not been able to stand her, but I was still a gentleman. I motioned for her to walk in, and she reached up and laced her arm with mine.

  “Why thank you, Lucas.”

  I jerked my arm from hers. She pushed the button for her floor, then looked at me. “What floor are you on?”

  With a smirk, I replied, “I think I’ll wait for you to get off before I push the button for my floor.”

  With an evil laugh, she shook her head. “You really think highly of yourself, Lucas. Do you honestly think I’ll try to sneak into your room? You weren’t that good of a fuck.”

  “If that’s the case, why do you keep coming after me?”

  The man in the elevator let out a soft chuckle. When his floor came up, I stepped out with him so I wouldn’t have to be alone with the vulture. She shot me the finger as the elevator doors closed.

  The guy turned and faced me. “Dude, she was hot, but I can totally see why you’re worried. She has a bit of crazy in those eyes.”

  “You have no idea. Besides, I’m engaged, very happily engaged.”

  He nodded. “Got ya. Good luck.” He headed down the hall. I went to the stairs and climbed the three flights to my floor. By the time I got to my room, my head was pounding.

  When I walked into my room, I pulled out my phone and cursed. I only had one percent left on my battery.

  “Fucking hell.”

  I quickly sent Paige a text that I was in my room and my phone was about to die. I hit send and the phone went black. I threw my bag onto the bed, sat down and looked through it for my phone charger. Once I plugged it in, I got undressed and took a shower. I’d call Paige when I was out.

  After standing in the shower for a few minutes, letting hot water run over my body, I got out, dried off, and walked over to my phone. Paige hadn’t texted back.

  I typed out a text to her.

  Me: You still up? Was going to call.

  She didn’t reply so I figured she had fallen asleep.

  Me: Sorry, it was a bit crazy at the bar. Unfortunately, I ended up having to talk to Bianca tonight. She’s one of the investors on this project and the president of the company building the condos found out we had a history. He wanted me to make nice with her. I’m in my room now, if you wake up, call me. I love you.

  After setting my phone on the table, I sat down on the bed, propped up the pillows, and turned the TV on. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I smiled when I saw it was from Paige.

  Paige: I already knew you were there with Bianca. You made good on making nice.

  “What the fuck?” I mumbled as I looked at the screen shot Paige had sent me. Bianca was leaning over, saying something to me as I looked down at my phone. That’s when it hit me. The picture Harper had taken. She had sent it to Paige. But how?

  My fingers jerked through my wet hair. Holy hell. Harper was Paige’s roommate her freshman and sophomore year of college! I suddenly remembered seeing pictures of her on Paige’s Facebook and Instagram.

  I hit Paige’s number.

  “Can’t sleep?” she said instead of saying hello.

  “Seriously? Is this what we’re going to do? Play games?”

  Paige remained quiet for a moment. “I’m not playing any games, Lucas. You’re the one who neglected to tell me you were spending the evening with your ex-girlfriend. I simply was caught off guard when an old friend sent me a text. Needless to say, I would rather you had told me, that’s all.”

  “I didn’t know I was going to be seeing her.”

  “You knew she was an investor. You didn’t think that was something you should have told me? I wouldn’t have cared, Lucas, but when you keep things from me, of course it gives me a moment of pause.”

  “Usually investors don’t show up for shit like that. She wasn’t there for the meeting and only showed up afterwards because she knew we’d all head to the bar. So how was it you had a little spy in the fold?”

  She laughed. “Spy? Hardly. You mentioned my father’s name and then mine, Harper put two and two together and realized you were the same Lucas who broke up with me in college. That’s all.”

  “That explains all the dirty looks coming my way. If you knew Bianca was there, why didn’t you just say so?”

  “I didn’t know until Harper sent the picture a few minutes ago. Earlier she texted to tell me she finally got to meet you.”

  “Funny, she didn’t introduce herself to me. Too busy giving you a play by play of my moves? Would you maybe like to FaceTime so you can see that my room is empty?”

  She remained silent, then I heard a slow exhale. “Believe it or not, I actually trust you, Lucas. Even when Harper sent me the picture of you stepping into the elevator with Bianca. I texted her back and asked her to stop and said that I trusted you a hundred percent.”

  Anger boiled in my veins, and I had no fucking idea why.

  That was a lie. I did. I hadn’t stood my ground and said no. Bianca had tried to play a game tonight and here I was blaming Paige for playing games instead.

  Paige didn’t say anything for a few moments. She mistook my silence for anger. “Did the pictures t
hrow me? Yes, but I’m smart enough not to believe everything I see. Honestly, what makes me more upset right now is how angry you are with me. I’m tired, and I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, Lucas. I love you.”

  The phone went silent, a clear sign she’d hung up. I drew back and stared at it. She had every right to be pissed at me. I quickly got dressed, packed up my things and made my way to the front desk to check out. There was only one place I wanted to be, and the quicker I got there, the better.

  Paige

  THE SOUND OF the bedroom door opening made me freeze. Oreo lifted her head and looked toward the door.

  I swallowed hard. “I don’t mind if you want to co-exist in the house. But a ghost in my bedroom when I’m home alone is not going to sit well with me.”

  A soft male chuckle made me sit up.

  “Lucas, what on Earth are you doing here?”

  He dropped his things on the floor, then pulled his shirt over his head. I watched him come to a stop next to the bed and kick off his shoes, then his pants and boxers. He climbed into the bed, drawing my body flush against his.

  “I’m sorry I acted like an idiot. I was pissed at myself for not telling Pete that I wasn’t going to make nice with Bianca. Timothy and Pete were still at the bar when I checked out of my room. I told Timothy that I was done, one hundred percent finished with all projects.”

  “What?” I said, sitting up to look down at him. “Lucas, you said you were going to be paid really well for that job. If you leave the company, you’re out of work completely.”

  “Not true, I’m working for my father. And besides, they signed off on the final design. I’ll still be paid.”

  With an disbelieving laugh, I shook my head. “You do realize the pay cut you just took.”

  “We can afford it, don’t worry. We can still have the wedding and fix up the house. I’ve got some money put aside.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t care about that. Are you sure you want to walk away from your job? I thought you loved it.”

  He pulled me down to him. “I love you more. I love the life we’re starting for ourselves, and honestly, I want to be here for the house remodel and helping you start your store. That’s what I love.”