Crossroad to Love (Fab Five Series) - By Anna Kristell Page 0,23
from Chicago, he wanted to learn more about her.
They spent the last hour of their meeting talking and getting to know each other a little better. “So why is it that you are just now, at this stage of your life, starting a business? Why isn’t this something you’ve done before now, if you don’t mind my asking?” Ryan ventured, hungry for more details about this lovely lady’s life.
Katy paused before she answered. How much should I tell this man I’ve just met? How much of her life was she ready to reveal to a virtual stranger?
“Oh, you know how it is. Life got in the way. I was raising a son alone and didn’t really have the time to take on anything like this.” There, that was a good enough answer.
“I take it you’re divorced, then?” he asked. What man in his right mind would let this little lady get away?
Katy winced at the question. She was silent for several seconds before she quietly answered, “No, my husband passed away several years ago.”
“I am so sorry, Katy, I didn’t know. I’m also a widower,” he said with a grimace. “Well, I think your business will definitely be a success if all your work is as good as what you have shown me here today. Since you don’t officially have an actual business yet I guess we need to find Shane and Chloe and work out some details. Then you can get back to your friends. There will be plenty of time for us to make arrangements for you to come back to Dallas when we are ready to start ordering things.”
Katy’s breath suddenly caught in her throat. She had not even thought of what would take place if they liked her work. She would be coming back to Dallas and working with Ryan. Her heart jumped at the idea. She would be seeing him again.
Ryan patted her hand and smiled. The gold flecks in his eyes were jumping out at her. Katy thought she would die on the spot. How can a simple touch from this man make me feel as if my insides are on fire? He was going to be one dangerous man to be around. That was for sure. She would really have to watch her step when she was around him. Better not let him see how he gets to me.
He looked into her eyes and smiled that special smile of his again and said, “I have the feeling that working with you is going to be one hell of an experience, little lady.”
Katy smiled back. I am sure you’re right, she thought.
This was the scene the other three walked in on. Shane and Chloe looked at each other in disbelief. Surely Ryan was not flirting with their new designer.
Lizzie watched her friend closely. She seems to be very much at ease with this man. If Katy was nervous, it did not show outwardly. Is she falling for his playboy ways, or is he being genuine in his obvious attraction to her? Surely he wouldn’t play with her emotions if they were to work together. Or would he?
“Ryan, take a look at these ads Lizzie created while we look over Katy’s designs. We probably need to schedule another meeting to work out the details. It’s getting late.” Shane reminded his brother. “We were very satisfied with Liz’s work, by the way.”
Ryan came back to reality and told the couple that Katy’s designs were right on target for what they wanted. He began talking with Lizzie about the ads and he too was impressed with them. Shane and Chloe liked Katy’s work as well. Chloe could not believe her good fortune in finding Lizzie and Katy right here in her own restaurant. Her little joke about fate might not have been too far off track.
“I’ll stop by tomorrow, after I speak with my husband, to schedule a meeting between the three of you and the two of us,” Lizzie said as she gathered her materials, silently wondering how Rex was going to react to this new development.
“That sounds good. And, Katy, we need to decide how to handle your contract, since your business isn’t up and running yet,” Ryan added. “If you’d like, I can give you some pointers on how to get set up.”
“I will give it some thought and stop by tomorrow with Lizzie, then, if that’s all right.”
“It’s more than all right,” Ryan said under his breath.