Leo nodded, turning to press a kiss to her palm. “Okay.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Guilt wasn’ta normal emotion Kat ever experienced in her life. Even when they had to dismantle a company her father had acquired, Kat was smart enough to see the promise of their decisions in how they handled everything.
Unfortunately, something had changed.
Whenever Kat met Leo’s eyes, she felt that guilt. It practically strangled her. She couldn’t breathe. She felt sick to her stomach. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been honest with Leo about her plans to meet with her father, but at the same time she got the feeling she was going to be unsuccessful.
Her father was a pro at reading people. He would be able to tell that her heart wasn’t in it. He’d likely tell her that the plan had merit, but that it wasn’t something they’d work toward for several years.
Yesterday, Leo had made it perfectly clear where he stood. He expected her to move to Montana. And she’d done nothing to dissuade him from that belief. The idea of living out here—withLeo—filled her with such a terrifying sort of joy that it gave her pause.
What if she moved here and everything changed?
Right now, Leo was supportive of her job. But he didn’t know what it was like when she was in the thick of it at the office. Would he think of her differently when he realized that she would prioritize her job?
The fact was that Leo had no idea just how deep she’d get into her work. And until he understood that, she wasn’t sure moving out here to start up another location would be a good idea.
Two weeks.
Fourteen days.
She’d have to stand in front of her father and tell him she wanted to move away. Well, she didn’t want to move away. But she wanted to be closer to Leo.
Kat shut her eyes, allowing the sounds and smells of the ranch to permeate her soul. A cup of steaming coffee warmed her hands as she stood out on the front porch of Leo’s house. It was freezing out here, but she couldn’t stand to be inside at the moment. Any second now, Leo would return from his morning duties and he’d be able to tell that she was feeling more than a little lost.
What was she supposed to do?
The sound of a car door slamming shut had her eyes flying open. She hadn’t actually noticed the approach of the vehicle. She was out of it more than she realized. What started out as curiosity shifted into surprise and then into fury.
There was only one reason why Chaz would be here and it had everything to do with the way Kat’s father thought she was running things.
Her face flushed hot and her hands shook. Kat had been sent to Montana as a way to prove herself. She’d done everything right. She’d made sure to fill her father in on every single update there was possible. She’d put out several fires along the way. So why in heaven’s name was Chaz showing up in Rocky Ridge?
Her jaw tightened until she nearly feared she’d crack her teeth. Eyes narrowing, she watched as Chaz first glanced around the immediate area before he turned his attention on her. His shoulders were stiff initially, but the second he met her gaze, he relaxed and flashed her his perfect smile.
Any girl would be lucky to have his affection. He was handsome, tall, well put together, and he was close to becoming one of the most eligible bachelors in New York. But there had never been a point in Kat’s life where she had viewed him as anything more than a co-worker and that was why she was so furious with his presence.
“Hey, Kat,” he called out, trudging toward her. He was dressed in what was likely a several thousand-dollar suit. His shoes were too shiny and his hair was slicked back with gel. He was clean-shaven and the suit coat he wore came down to his thighs. He looked so out of place standing before her at the base of the stairs.
“Chaz,” she said through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”
He gestured around himself. “Your father would have been the one to come, but he got caught up in another merger. So he sent me.”
“He sent you to… what? Babysit me? Check up on me? Why? Does he think that I’ve been lying in my reports?”
“Kat,” Chaz said softly, placatingly. “You know he didn’t.”
“Don’t I?” She shook her head with a dark laugh. “He sent me out here to do a job and he can’t even trust me to do that. What was the point if he’s only going to send someone to look over my shoulder?” She left out the part that Chaz was less experienced than she was when it came to working for her father. She’d been working for him since she was a teenager. But Chaz was older and a man. Maybe that was the reason her father had issue with her.
“Don’t be like that, Kat. He only wanted to send his support.”
She scoffed.
Chaz climbed the steps and met her at the top. “Mind if I join you?”
“I’d offer to get you some coffee, but you’re a little too picky for this stuff.” She lifted her still steaming mug.
