Angela looked around the table uncertainly. She'd never hosted anything in her life. "I… I'm not sure."
"Maybe start with a nice dining area that could accommodate the immediate family," Duncan suggested. "You can always expand later if needed."
"That makes sense," Kiara agreed. "What about outdoor space?"
"Definitely," Garrett said. "Four season sunrooms are popular, and with the right design, you could have outdoor dining and seating areas that would be usable all year."
Angela found herself getting caught up in the excitement of planning. "Could we have a garden? I'd love to grow my own herbs and vegetables."
Not all of the things they’d done on the homestead had been horrible. In fact, Angela was quite grateful for a lot of the skills she’d learned growing up there.
"Of course," Duncan said with a smile. "We can have the landscaping team help design that for you."
"What about security considerations?" Garrett asked, turning to Jude.
Jude had been quiet throughout most of the discussion, but now he straightened in his chair. "Same protocols as the other residences. Security system integrated with the main house, reinforced entry points, fireproofed walls, and automated protective blinds."
Garrett nodded as he made notes. “I’ll have to get more information about what was used on the other houses since I wasn’t the one who worked with you on those security precautions.”
“I take the protection of my family very seriously,” Duncan told him. “There is never any expense spared when it comes to keeping them safe.”
“We will definitely come up with something that meets Angela and Kiara’s needs, but also satisfies the need you have for their security.”
“Thank you,” Duncan said. “How long until you have some preliminary sketches that the girls can look at?”
“Not long.” Garrett flashed him a smile. “Your project is at the top of my list.”
Duncan’s money probably helped to make that the case.
“How long does it usually take to build a house?” Kiara asked.
Duncan looked at Garrett, obviously deferring to him.
“Normally, it could take anywhere from twelve to eighteen months,” Garrett said. “However, since Duncan has expressed his desire to have this done quickly with no regard for cost, we’ll probably have it done in eight months.”
That seemed like a long time. Where would she and Kiara be in eight months? Would they have settled in on the estate? Would they have found things to do to fill their time?
Most importantly, Angela wondered how she’d feel about Jude in eight months’ time. Would her heart still race at the sight of him? Would she still long to be something more to him than just a job?
Or would she have accepted the inevitable and tried to move on from her feelings for him?
One thing she was fairly certain of was that they wouldn’t have any type of relationship beyond a professional one. It hurt her heart to think about that, but it was a reality she’d need to accept sooner than later.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jude wanted to bail on the driving lessons he’d promised Duncan he’d give Angela and Kiara. There was a tension between him and Angela that caused him to hurt in ways that made no sense.
How had he allowed this to happen?
Ever since his one serious relationship had ended years ago, he’d gone out of his way to make sure he didn’t get close enough to a woman to fall in love.
Had he been attracted to women over the years? Sure. However, he’d kept his distance from them, so it never developed into anything more. And that had worked… until it hadn’t.
With Angela, he'd failed completely. Every time he saw her, he felt that pull toward her—that desire to protect her that went beyond his job description. His efforts to keep his distance from her had been pathetic and ineffective, because even when he wasn’t with her, he was constantly thinking about her.
"Are you okay?" Dawn asked as she popped her head into his office. "You're staring at that report like it personally offended you."
Jude sighed and set down the security assessment he'd been pretending to read for the last twenty minutes. "I'm fine."
