An Unconditional Love (BWWM Romance Book 1)

by Shanade White

  “Now we go shopping.” Sadie said, rubbing her hands together.

  “How about we spend the afternoon watching movies instead. I need a little time to collect my thoughts. I’ve never had to buy furniture and stuff for an entire apartment.”

  Sadie wasn’t happy to not have her shopping trip, but she understood how Lauren was feeling and resigned herself to an afternoon of movies.

  *****

  Cole was standing on the deck enjoying the view and thinking about Lauren when his sister came out with a tray loaded down with their lunch. Once she’d fussed over the table placement, they sat down to eat. His sister Rebecca was one of the most perceptive people he knew which was why she headed up his human resources department.

  At times her perception had been difficult to take, usually because it involved her telling him why the woman he was dating wasn’t good for him. He’d expected some kind of lecture about Lauren, but she remained silent. Finally he brought up the subject.

  “Do we have a policy about relationships at work?” He asked.

  “No, remember we talked about this and decided that in a small town like Prospect some of that was to be expected. Why?”

  “No reason, just something I was thinking about last night.”

  “You mean last night when you were up on the roof watching the fireworks with Lauren?”

  “Nothing gets past you does it? I know I’ve said this in the past but I think this might be the one and I’ll never be able to find out if I can’t take her out on a date.”

  Rebecca stopped eating and took Cole’s hand in hers. “Brother I know how much you want someone to share your life with, but you barely met her. How can you possibly know that she’s the one?”

  “I can’t explain it, but when I’m with her I feel like something that’s been missing is finally there. We talked all afternoon yesterday and I just know this is right.”

  “I know better than to try and change your mind when you get like this, but how about if I meet her and see what I think. She’s probably just after your money like all the rest. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re going through. It happens to me too, it gets old constantly being on guard for the gold diggers.”

  “But that’s one of the best things, she doesn’t care about money. Well, I guess that’s completely true.”

  “It never is.” His sister interrupted.

  “She’s trying to save up enough money to climb Mt. Everest. She’s an extreme adventurer, used to write for some travel magazine.”

  “So what is she doing writing the blog for us? Please tell me you didn’t give her the job because you like her.”

  “Actually Beth hired her, I had nothing to do with it.” Cole said, smiling because Rebecca was way off base for once. “I told her to find the best person for the job and pay them what it took to get it done. Funding for a climb isn’t that much to pay for a talented writer. I read some of her stuff and it’s good. She has a way of connecting with the reader, making you feel as if you’re right there with her. Plus her writing has a personal quality to it and that’s exactly what we need.”

  “Beth is never wrong about this stuff so you’re off the hook. But I still think you need to be careful, love doesn’t happen overnight.”

  “Mom said that she fell in love with Dad the first time she saw him. Why can’t that happen to me?” Cole sounded like a kid who couldn’t have what he wanted.

  “Because the story Mom always told you wasn’t completely true. Mom and Dad knew each other for a while before they started dating. She just likes to think that they fell in love at first sight, it’s a lot more romantic than the reality.” His sister patiently explained to him, not for the first time.

  “Just don’t do anything rash, give it some time, you should at least take her out on a few dates before you decide that you’re madly in love. By the way, what does she think about this love at first sight thing?”

  “Rebecca I’m not stupid, I haven’t said anything to her about that. We kissed and that was it. I think it would freak her out if she knew how I felt. Her life hasn’t been all that easy, I think I’m going to have to use that patience you’ve been preaching. But I promise you I’m going to follow through and explore these feelings.”

  “Just be careful, I worry about you.” Rebecca said, standing up and giving him a kiss on the top of the head before clearing their plates and taking them to the kitchen.

  *****

  Monday morning Lauren was up with the sun, knowing that she had a lot to accomplish is a small amount of time. Beth had explained they really wanted the blog to go live in only two weeks so that meant she’d have to furnish her apartment and learn all she could about producing a blog in a relatively short period of time.

  Sadie found her at the kitchen table, dressed and ready for the day, the table covered with papers. “You’re up early.” She said, getting a cup of coffee and refilling Lauren’s cup.

  “I couldn’t sleep, there’s so much to do.”

  “I’m glad to see you’re excited about the new job.”

  “I am excited, but I’m also a little worried about actually being able to do it.”

  “That’s silly, you’re a smart capable woman. I’m sure you’ll not only be able to do it, but you’ll do a great job.”

  Sadie’s words helped calm Lauren, but by the time they reached the shop her worries had resurfaced. On the ride to work she realized, besides all the other things she needed to deal with, she needed a car. She couldn’t rely on Sadie to drive her everywhere she needed to go. Prospect wasn’t a large town, but it was spread out over the mountain and the shop was miles from her new apartment.

  Adding a new car to her list of things she needed, she realized with a sinking heart that by the time she furnished her apartment and bought a car, most of her savings would be gone. Of course she could recoup some of the money by selling the car later, but the furniture would be a long term investment.

  She was nervous when they walked through the front door, but felt better when she saw Beth waiting for her in the reception area. Sadie handed her off to Beth with a big grin and headed off to Cole’s office. They started with a tour of the building, Lauren decided to keep quiet about the private tour she’d gotten yesterday, knowing that as the new employee it might not go over well that the boss had shown her so much attention.

  Chapter 5

  By the end of the day Lauren’s head was spinning with all she’d learned and all she still had to learn. Plus Beth had explained that since it was important that she make a connection with the readers, she wanted Lauren to start documenting her life immediately.

  “Can you take decent photographs? Photos are the key to a successful blog, you want just enough to show what’s happening without filling the post with too many. I’m thinking for the first post we should make a quick video showing the apartment being furnished, then we’ll make another when the system is installed. After that we’ll rely on pictures and your words to keep people interested.”

  “Beth, I’m still worried this is more than I can handle. You should have seen my apartment in New York, I only owned a few things for the kitchen. I haven’t had a real home since I started my writing career, maybe I’m not the right person for the job.”

  “Well, it’s about time you had a real home and we’re going to make that happen. I could hire a decorator if you want, take the stress of furnishing the apartment out of your hands.”

  “Wouldn’t that cost a lot, I mean it seems like a big investment to make considering my lack of experience.”

  “This project has a big budget, big enough to hire a decorator if you want one.”

  “I don’t think I need a decorator, I have Sadie. But...” Her voice trailed off, she was too embarrassed to admit that she didn’t have enough money to go out and furnish the apartment the way it should be.

  “If you’re worried about the cost, don’t be.” Beth said, sliding a credit card across
the desk. “Use this card to purchase what you need, don’t skimp, there’s plenty of money in the budget for furnishings. I’ve also been authorized to offer you the use of a company car if you need one. Cole keeps a small fleet of vehicles for company use and there’s one with your name on it if you want.”

  “This is all a little bit overwhelming.” Lauren admitted.

  “Don’t think you won’t be earning every dollar we spend. The biggest drawback to writing a blog is that your life becomes an open book. Everything you do has the possibility of becoming part of the public domain. I’ve done one before and there will be times when you just want to forget about the blog and hide from the world.”

  “You’re not helping.” Lauren said, laughing. “But I suppose I should thank you for being honest.”

  “I just want you to know what you’re getting yourself into before we get started, but I also want you to know that it can be a lot of fun. Honestly, I really wanted to do the blog myself, but I know too much about the system to be impartial.”

  “I’m not sure where to start, there’s so much to do.”

  “How about if you and I spend a few hours working on the blog then take the afternoon and go shopping. But first we have to find you an office and do some paperwork.”

  By the end of the morning, Lauren had not only the credit card, but a new laptop, tablet and phone, as well as a cute little compact car. When she left the shop with her new electronics her first stop was the new apartment. She wanted to meet her landlords who had gotten home that morning.

  She discovered that she genuinely liked the couple who seemed to be happy to have her as their new tenant. They were proud of the work they’d done and wanted someone to live there who would appreciate all their hard work. Lauren left them knowing that given time she could grow close to them. They invited her to join them for dinner, but she knew Sadie would be waiting for her, eagerly anticipating the marathon shopping they would have to do in the next few days.

  She and Sadie started shopping that very night, hitting all the stores in town and filling both the trunk and the back seat with packages and boxes. They found a lot of things Lauren needed, but she was having a hard time finding the right furniture. If she’d been simply buying it for herself it wouldn’t have mattered so much, but she knew that her apartment needed to look good.

  “I think you’re going to have to make a trip to Seattle, we’ve exhausted all our options here in town and all you’ve bought was a bed. I hate to take business away from the local merchants but you’ve got to have furniture and fast.”

  Lauren had known this was a possibility, but she wasn’t looking forward to trying to find her way around Seattle alone. She wanted to ask Sadie to go with her but she was a grown woman capable of taking care of herself.

  “Okay then, it looks like I’m going to be making a trip to Seattle.”

  “You should go tomorrow, the sooner you get started the better since you’ll have to have everything delivered. Not much is going to fit in that little car they gave you.”

  “Sadie, they didn’t give me the car, it’s only a loan. I’ll take the money they offered to furnish the apartment, but I’m going to buy my own car. I have the money and it makes me nervous driving one that isn’t mine. Besides, as cute as that car is, I’m not crazy about it. I think I want something bigger, like a truck.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. Let me guess, you’ve already figured out that you won’t be able to fit much outdoor gear in that little thing.”

  “You know me too well. Job or no job, I can’t stay away from the outdoors for long.” Lauren said, laughing and shrugging her shoulders.

  “Add a car and camping gear to your list then. You’d better plan to stay for a few days, that’s quite the shopping list.”

  Lauren only groaned, her idea of fun was not an extended shopping trip. “I’ll have to clear this with Beth and I don’t think I can go until I get at least one more blog lesson. I’m supposed to be documenting all this for the blog and I’ve only taken a few pictures and they weren’t very good.”

  “There won’t be any problem with you taking off for a few days, it’s your job.”

  Sadie had been right, but there was a twist that Lauren hadn’t expected. She’d explained to Beth what she needed to do and Beth had agreed, but suggested that she spend the day working on her blogging skills to which Lauren had readily agreed. By the end of the day she was feeling much more competent, able to take and post pictures, add text, and even change the look of the blog if she wanted.

  As she was getting ready to leave, Cole came strolling into the PR department. His eyes scanned the room, then settled on her. When their eyes met, there was a moment of recognition that made Cole smile and Lauren suddenly very nervous. Any question she might have had about their brief encounter the other night being more about the setting than his feelings vanished when she saw the look in his eyes.

  He crossed the room to her desk and sat down without being asked, “I hear from Sadie that you’re going into Seattle to buy furniture and a new car.” He said, making himself comfortable.

  “I can’t find everything I need here, so it looks like I’m headed for the city. It’s very generous of you to give me money to buy furniture and stuff but the car is just too much.”

  “In the grand scheme of things it’s not that much to invest in a good writer, but if you don’t like the car we can find you something different. I know a few people in the city that might be able to help us.” Cole said, waiting for her reaction.

  “That’s really not necessary, I can handle it on my own, but thanks for the offer.”

  “It’s not a problem, I’m going to the city anyway. I have a couple of meetings tomorrow so I’ll be going that way anyway. It only makes sense for us to carpool, then you won’t have to worry about how to get two vehicles home.”

  “It’s going to take me a couple of days to get everything done, I doubt you want to hang around for that long.” Lauren said, her trip to the city suddenly turning into much more than she’d imagined.

  “I know a great place to stay and they have two rooms waiting for us for as long as we need them. I promise I won’t be in the way, I might even be able to help.”

  Lauren didn’t know what to say at first, the thought of spending several days in the city with Cole was both exciting and scary. She knew saying no wasn’t an option, not because he was her boss, but because deep down, she was excited about Cole going with her. Plus he had said he had connections in the car world, which would be helpful since she’d never bought a car before. She’d never had the need for one, few people who lived in New York drove, most took public transportation instead and she’d been no different.

  “I guess that would be okay.” She finally said.

  “Good.” Cole said, ignoring her less than excited response. “I’ll pick you up in the morning, I’m afraid it’s going to have to be early though. My first meeting is scheduled for ten o’clock. I’ll drop you at my friend’s car dealership then go on to my meeting. I’ll pick you up afterward unless you have a new car by then.”

  Again Lauren felt like her life was out of her own control, but since this newest development could only be seen as positive, she decided to go with the flow and enjoy herself. She could just imagine the kind of place they would be staying, it would probably be one of the best hotels in town. That thought was a little bit daunting, but it wasn’t often she got the experience of true luxury since her travels usually involved tents and sleeping bags.

  *****

  When Cole picked her up the next morning she was nervous about the hours they would be spending in the car together. But she discovered those awkward silences she’d been dreading never materialized, in fact they talked about their childhood trips to Seattle with their parents.

  “Some of my best memories of my dad happened on the trips to Seattle that we took before my mom got sick. He’d load us up in the car and we’d be off on so
me kind of adventure, he had a way of making even a boring trip to town for supplies into an exciting experience.”

  “Have you ever tried to find your dad?” Cole asked, throwing her off balance for a second.

  “No, I’ve thought about it, but if he wanted to see me it wouldn’t be hard to find me. I’m not sure I would even want to see him after the way he behaved. My childhood could have been much different if he’d had the guts to stick around.”

  “It seems like you’re still really mad at him.” Cole said, almost wishing he hadn’t asked the question.

  “Don’t you think I should be? I mean he abandoned us when we needed him most. It’s hard to let go of that kind of anger, he was supposed to be the one person we could count on and evidently that was just too much for him.”

  Cole was silent for a long time after that, obviously carefully considering his next words. “It’s probably none of my business, but it seems to me that you need to let go of that anger, it’s not healthy to carry that kind emotion around with you.”

  Lauren was tempted to tell him that it was none of his business, but he wasn’t the first one to make that observation. Instead she said, “I know, but sometimes it feels like I’m stuck in the middle. I don’t want to find him, but I know I’ll never heal those wounds if I don’t confront him.”

  “I’ll stop poking my nose into your business.” Cole said, wishing he hadn’t brought the subject up. “But if you ever decide you want to find him let me know and I’ll help you.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t think now is the time. It already feels like my life has been turned upside down, adding the stress of confronting my dad is more than I can handle.”

  “I know you’re not all that happy to be where you are right now, but I’m glad you’re here.” Cole said, lightening the mood when he flashed one of the smiles that made her heart thump a little faster.