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LIBBY
My father and brother have an ostentatious office in the tallest building downtown. I mean, sure, they need an office. They have dozens of employees and have to coordinate teams of people. They need a headquarters. But in the middle of downtown? Several stories up?
I sigh as I step out of the elevator. It’s just like them to flaunt their money.
But they’re still family, and I still love them. Even when I’m sure they’re about to tell me about fiancée number six or girlfriend number twelve.
Inside the office, my dad, Dave, and my brother, Dustin, sit at the oval table in front of the window. They have drinks and sandwiches set up like they’re about to have a lunch meeting. Okay, maybe this isn’t about fiancées and girlfriends. Maybe it’s just lunch.
My shoulders relax some.
“Libby,” Dad says, standing and giving me a hug. “I’m glad you made it.”
“Hey,” Dustin says, giving me a smile. He gestures to the chair across from him. “Have a seat. And a sandwich. We have good news.”
“Good work news?” I ask, sitting down and setting my purse aside.
I hear a chime from my phone, indicating I have a voicemail, but I ignore it. If this really is work, I’m going to give it my full attention. Besides that, despite our different outlooks on life and business, I miss my family. When we’re not arguing with each other, we actually get along really well.
“Of course work news,” Dustin says, grabbing a sandwich. “If it was personal news, we would have gone out to lunch.”
Of course. I should have known better.
“So what’s the good news?”
“We landed the Riverfront project,” Dad says.
“Riverfront? That whole stretch of condos that’s only about ten years old?”
Dustin nods. “Yeah, but they already look like shit. And with the city growing, they want to put something nicer on the edge of town. Rip out the condos and put in luxury lofts. River view on one side, city view on the other.”
I pull over a sandwich of my own. “I didn’t know you guys were looking for a project like this.”
“We weren’t looking exactly,” Dad says. “But it was on our radar—and when their contractor fell through, they approached us.”
“This is like…a corporate project. This is big.”
Dustin nods. “Yeah, it is. And to think—that other guy they hired was going to do it with a couple of guys.”
“What other guy?” I ask.
“Kyle something or other.”
I freeze. “Kyle Shreveport?”
“That’s him,” Dave says. “Why? You know him? Don’t tell me it’s the same ass who you signed to do your place with? He’ll screw you over, too.”
He already did. But I don’t want to tell my dad that. Besides, I’m not working with Kyle anymore. I’ve got Carson and things are going fine. In fact, I was planning on inviting my dad and Dustin over to see the progress on the house so far. I have an image of their surprised expressions stored up in my head.
They’re going to be shocked at how good the place looks.
“I’m working with someone else,” I say.
“Of course you are,” Dave says. “You’re smart—you probably checked this guy out beforehand, too.”
Dustin nods. “Right? Like, his whole business is a mess. I mean, supposedly he walked off with all the money and screwed his partner, and then screwed his partner’s girlfriend, too.”
My stomach twists at the familiar words. So similar to what Carson told me happened. But that can’t be. I’ve mentioned Kyle around Carson more than once and he never said anything about knowing him. Being friends.
He never said anything about working together.
He wouldn’t lie to me about that, wouldn’t he? I mean, maybe at first if he was embarrassed, but then he took a job with me. That would have been the perfect time to say something.
“Hey,” Dustin says, nudging my sandwich. “You going to eat?”
“I’m…I’m not hungry.”
“Come on,” Dad says. “We’re celebrating. We want you to be part of the team. This is a big project and we need you, Libby.”
They need me. Since when? And I can’t think about this project right now. I have my own business. Professional and personal.
“Do you know who Kyle’s partner was? This guy he screwed over?” I ask, then force a smile so they don’t get suspicious. “I’m making a mental note of all the contractors to stay away from while I’m working out here.”
“Good idea,” Dad says. “It was something with a C, right? Conner?”
Dustin shakes his head. “No, more like Carter. Or Cartwright.” He laughs and shrugs. “Whatever. I’m sure you can do a search.”
Carter sounds exactly like Carson. I press my hand to my head. No, this can’t be. I trust Carson. It has to be a mistake. Somebody’s confused. Carson is working on my place and doing a great job. I’m…falling in love with him.
Secrets like that just aren’t in relationships like ours.
I stand slowly, feeling like everything is in slow motion. I’m not sure what to do right now, only that I need to get out of here. I want to get out of here. If my family finds out who’s been helping me, who my choices are with my investment, they’ll let me have it for sure. They’re not going to be sympathetic. They’re going to say I told you so.
“I really should be getting back,” I say.
“But you didn’t eat,” Dustin says. “And what about the project?”
“We need to know if you’re in. We have teams to put together and we need your help.”
“Can I…” I clear my throat, trying to focus. “Can I get back to you? I’m busy on my current project. For at least another month.”
“A month?” Dad asks, standing. “Surely you can take a break from that.”
“I’ll let you know,” I promise, giving him a hug. “Soon.”
Dave nods, but glances at Dustin like he thinks I’ve lost my mind. I don’t care. I have to get out of here.
I ride the elevator down to the lobby and walk to the parking garage. I check my phone and see the message from the unknown caller. No, not unknown. I remember that phone number. I remember because I had to call it over and over again when I was trying to get him to commit to our project.
Kyle Shreveport. Why would he be calling me? Just to touch base on a project that isn’t his anymore? Or is it something else? Something I don’t want to hear?
I ignore the message for now and get into my car. I start it up and connect to Bluetooth to call Cheyenne.
She answers right away. “Hey, girl.”
“Hi,” I answer weakly, pulling out of the parking garage. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Yeah. Of course. Everything okay?”
“It’s…” I swallow hard, trying to tamp down emotions that want to rise. Worry that wants to eat away at my stomach lining. I don’t know anything for sure yet, so there’s no point in being upset. “You know that guy who’s working with me? Carson? You said he looked familiar?”
“Yeah, sure. The contractor hottie.”
“Right.” The hottie. And maybe liar. “Do you know who he worked with before?”
“Uh…I can check.” She pauses a minute. “No wait, Henry’s here. He knows all the contractors out there. I’ll ask him. Hang on.”
I have nothing to do but wait. I need to know the truth. I just can’t believe Carson would work for me and not tell me the truth. Unless…he’s hiding something. But why?
I squeeze the steering wheel tight to stop my hands from shaking.
Cheyenne comes back on the phone, sounding out of breath. “Henry says he worked with Kyle. Shreveport.”
My stomach sinks. No, no way…the partner who screwed him over. So what did Carson do? Decide to screw him right back?
“Isn’t that the guy who was supposed to work on your house in the first place?” she asks.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“And now Carson is?” Her voice turns hard. “He lied to you, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Probably to get back at his asshole friend.”
“Yes, probably.”
Which means he’s just using me. He was then and he is now.
“I’m coming right over there,” Cheyenne says. “Right now. I’m going to kick his ass—and then I’m going to kick him out. Just—”
“No, Cheyenne. I’m not there.”
“Well, when you get there, then. I’m going to kick—”
“His ass. Yes, I heard.” I exhale a shaky breath. “Just…don’t. Not yet.”
“Why? What are you going to do? Talk to him?”
I nod, more to myself than anything. “Yes. I’m going to talk to him. And then I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Right on.”