Michelle Major – Fortune's Fresh Start (страница 9)

“It isn’t the same,” he muttered.

“I can tell.” She leaned forward until he lifted his gaze to hers. “Your divorce doesn’t define you, Callum. At least it shouldn’t.”

“I know,” he agreed, although the wreck of his marriage had changed him. All the things he’d thought he wanted from life shifted in the wake of his pain and the blame his ex-wife placed squarely on his shoulders.

He deserved every bit of it. Growing up in a large family had led him to assume the path of marriage and kids was the one that made the most sense for him. But he’d been dedicated to his business and not able to give Doralee the attention she’d wanted. They’d had a whirlwind courtship of only six weeks before getting married, both of them enamored by the heady feeling of new love.

Once the novelty wore off, it had become clear they weren’t compatible in most of the ways that counted. She had unrealistic expectations and he seemed doomed to fail at meeting them. It was a blessing for both of them that she’d had the guts to end things. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her but couldn’t seem to do anything right. He’d believed he was building a future for the two of them, laying the groundwork for their life together. Turned out to be a foundation built on sand, shifting and crumbling under the pressures of life.

Of course his failings had shaped him, but in a different way from how Becky’s had her. She’d had tragedy befall her and risen above it, while he’d been the cause of his own pain. He might be infatuated with her, but he wasn’t about to open himself up to that kind of hurt again. Becky’s life was complicated and he remained determined to keep his as simple as he could manage.

“You can find love again,” Stephanie continued.

“I’m not looking for love.” He pushed back from the table and walked toward the counter to refill his coffee. “It was one dinner. You’re making too much of it.”

“I know you, Callum. All I’m saying is don’t shut the door on a possibility before you’ve given it a chance.”

He paused with his hand on the coffeepot’s handle. His sister was right, of course. He’d decided after his divorce that he valued his independence too much to make a committed relationship work. The decision hadn’t been a problem because no one he’d met had made him question it.

Until Becky.

“When did you get too smart for your own good?” he asked.

Stephanie grinned. “I’ve always been brilliant. You’re just realizing it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a laugh. They talked some more about possibilities for an upscale restaurant in Rambling Rose, and then Callum headed out to start his morning.

He appreciated the pace of life in Texas. He could move quickly, but things also seemed to adjust to fit the wide-open spaces and the sense of community pride that felt uniquely Texan. This was a setting that made a man earn his place. The residents of Rambling Rose might be curious about his ties to the famous Fortune family, but people seemed more concerned with his dedication to the town.

Callum felt at home here in a way he hadn’t during any of the other projects he’d taken on over the years. It made his desire to succeed burn even brighter and caused the future to beckon in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

Later that week, Becky looked up from the lunch she’d packed to see Callum walking toward her across the pediatric center’s sunny courtyard. A slow smile spread across her lips as awareness tingled along her spine. This was the third day Callum had appeared during her lunch break.

Maybe she shouldn’t read too much into it. He’d explained he had business at the pediatric center. She had no reason not to believe him.

“What’s on the menu today?” he asked as he slid into the seat across from her. Becky always took her lunch early since most mornings she didn’t have time for breakfast.

“Turkey and cheese,” she said, then pulled out the extra sandwich she’d made. “I have one for you if you’re hungry.”

He stared at the plastic baggie for so long she wasn’t sure if he was going to take it or get up from the table and run the other direction. When he finally reached for the sandwich, it embarrassed her that she’d even made the effort to bring something extra for him. “Thank you,” he said. “That’s thoughtful.”

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