Читать книгу Love by Design - Lisa Watson - Страница 11

Chapter 2

“You sound like a hot mess,” Susan said.

“Thanks,” Dakota replied. “I didn’t sleep very well. What’s up?”

“Mrs. Anderson called—again,” her best friend and office manager, Susan Summers, replied. “She wants you to call back ASAP.”

“It’s eight in the morning.”

“She said it was important.”

“I’ll bet she did,” Dakota groused. “I’ll call her shortly.”

“Okay, but she said she had some information for you that was pretty important.”

“I’m not really in the mood to speak with anyone right now.”

“Why?”

She sighed. “It’s a long, bizarre story about designer sheets, soup and toupees. I’ll fill you in on the way to work.”

“I can’t wait to hear the details.”

Dakota hung up and went back to her laptop. She checked her schedule. There was only one meeting for the day. That’s hardly going to get you into the black ink.

Her business had been open less than six months. She had several clients, but her customers did not need her on a regular basis. One Eighty Renovations specialized in taking businesses that suffered from outdated decor, branding and staffing woes and turning them back into a hot commodity. Dakota took a holistic approach to re-energize her client’s consumer appeal, from the CEO’s attire, to the office chairs and the plates on the table at a luncheon meeting. When it came to improving the corporate image, nothing was off-limits.

Right now you need to improve your image…your financial image.

Since college, Dakota realized the value of self-reliance. She did not need anyone guiding her path. Not relying on others meant never being disappointed. Failure would be at her own hands, and that was not an option. A wave of melancholia swept over her. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to get swept back to a time when life was simple…easier. Her mother’s warm smile, the sage advice of her father and the one man she thought she would have in her life forever. Logan. With a heavy heart, Dakota forced herself back to the present.

She shut her laptop. Why was his aunt trying to reach her, and what was so dire? Probably another sermon on how I need to settle down and find Mr. Right.

“Well, that’s never gonna happen because there’s no such thing as Mr. Right.” If anything, it was more like Mr. Right Now.

* * *

Two hours later, she stepped into the elevator at work. The small office space she rented on South LaSalle Street in Chicago’s Loop district was the perfect place to grow a business, and near all the major transit lines. It had an art-deco feel with tall, white semigloss walls and tray ceilings. The bright decor contrasted nicely with the rich, cherry wood trim and the dark gray and burgundy textured carpet. There was a conference room, two large offices, a kitchen and reception area. The bathroom was just outside her suite. She loved the compact space. It was elegant, and the accessories and artwork she had chosen complemented the leather furniture. When she opened the glass door to her suite and walked in, a sense of pride practically overwhelmed her. One Eighty Renovations was her life’s blood she had built from whole cloth. She vowed it would flourish.

Susan was in the process of taking a bite out of her bagel when Dakota walked in.

“Well, if it isn’t the sex toy.”

Dakota snorted. “Don’t even get me started. Thanks to the Casanova of Home Goods, I need another path to Amadeus Rothschild—and fast.”

“Let me get this straight—you get propositioned by one of your suppliers, and all you’re worried about are the designer linens?”

“Yes. I’ve got a problem to solve, and I’m going to solve it. Dig up whatever you can on Mr. Rothschild and his company, Sheet Music. Someone we know besides Roger has to have his phone number. Call in some favors, make some promises…do whatever it takes to find him.”

“Sure thing. What about Mr. Thompson?”

“Forget him. I’m not some conquest, or here to appease his ego. I’ve dealt with the situation. Time to focus on landing a new client.”

“Sounds great. Got any ideas?”

“A few. Follow me.”

Susan got up and headed into Dakota’s office. She took a seat in the chair across from Dakota’s desk with her computer tablet in hand. “I’m all ears. Impress me.”

“She’s been doing that to me for years.” A man’s voice sounded behind them.

Both women looked up in unison. Dakota’s eyes flew to the doorway. The color drained off her face. She stood up shakily and braced her desk.

“Dakota, are you okay?” Susan whispered.

“Logan.”

“Hello, Koty.”

“Koty?” Susan’s eyebrow rose. “I thought you hated that nickname?”

Dakota glanced at Logan. Despite the shock at seeing him, she schooled her features. When she spoke, her voice was firm. “No, just the person who used to use it.”

Logan crossed the room at an unhurried pace. “Is that how you greet a long-lost friend?”

“You were hardly lost,” she clarified. “You left, if I recall.”

“Well, that part may be true.”

“May be?” Dakota retorted. “You destroyed our friendship, Logan. You left abruptly—and you didn’t look back.” She left out the part about when she needed him most.

Susan glanced between the two of them. “Uh, I think I’ll let you two catch up.”

She stood up and bolted from the room.

The lofty reply got under Dakota’s skin in record time and spurred her to action. She was across the room in seconds.

“What are you doing here?”

Logan sat down on the couch. “Are you going to stand here hissing at me like an angry kitten, or are you going to welcome a good friend home?”

“There’s that word again,” she replied. “I haven’t seen you in how many years, Logan? I’d hardly call us friends—good or otherwise.”

“We were inseparable once.”

“Yes, we were…and then you ruined it.”

He nodded. “Fair enough, but it’s not like I’ve changed much, Koty.”

“Nope, still the selfish jackass you’ve always been,” she quipped. “And it’s Dakota. Nobody calls me Koty…not anymore.”

“How about we call a cease-fire, and you ask me why I’m here?”

“How about you explain why you stayed away in the first place? Better yet, why you didn’t level with me if your feelings had changed, and why you’re sitting here like I’m supposed to run into your arms and give you a big welcome-home hug. I can tell you right now, that ain’t happening.”

“Can you please sit down and let me explain?”

With an exasperated sigh, Dakota took a seat across from him. “I’m sitting. Now why are you here? I thought Chicago was the last place you wanted to be?”

He winced at the not-so-subtle reminder of words spoken long ago that she had overheard. “For a long time it was…but things change.”

Her expression was guarded. “I know that better than anyone.”

He sighed. “I did come back, often, if I recall.”

“Yes, you did, but nothing was ever the same. Tell me I’m wrong. Each time I saw you things were…awkward between us.”

“I don’t expect you to understand, but I stayed away to make a name for myself.”

“Last time I checked, you were a Montague. How many names do you need?”

“You know what I mean. I left at my father’s insistence to learn the family business, but I also went in search of life on my own terms…without all the baggage—and the money. It was important to me.”

“Obviously more important than our friendship.”

His expression turned remorseful. “You know that wasn’t the case.”

“Do I?” She stared at him. “What was I supposed to think, Logan? You spouted some gibberish about going off to work at Montague…something you said you’d never do.”

“It was at my parents’ insistence, Dakota. I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter. I never wanted to leave Chicago—or you.”

“But you kissed me…we kissed, Logan. You literally ask me to wait for you, and then you leave and go to New York, but that’s not the best part. Then you go to California to attend Stanford instead of Georgetown University like we planned. You didn’t tell me about your decision until it was too late to stop you. Which I’m sure you bargained for.”

Logan glanced up. “Dakota, nothing during those years turned out the way I’d hoped. It was wrong of me to ask you to put your life on hold for me, but…I thought we had something developing between us that we should explore.”

“So did I, but then things changed.”

“I know. I’m sorry, Dakota.”

When she remained quiet, he continued. “So you did end up going to Georgetown?”

“That was the plan,” she said pointedly. “I kept my end of our promise. And to add insult to injury, you didn’t keep in contact.”

The bitter censure in her words was not lost on Logan.

“So what about you?”

She looked confused. “What about me?”

“You didn’t bother to visit. You knew where I was, and you didn’t come. Not once.”

“Are you kidding, I—”

Dakota clamped her mouth shut. She was about to confess that she had come to visit, but stopped before she could humiliate herself by telling him the truth. She would never admit that she did go to see him, but that when she reached his dorm room and a friend let her in, she discovered Logan in bed with another woman. That’s when her heart had shattered into a heap at her feet, and she realized that she had loved Logan—and lost him. She swore he would never know the extent of her pain, or heartbreak. That one kiss they shared before he left was their first…and last.

“You what?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “You’re right. I’m the bad guy here.”

“I never said that.”

“I didn’t come see you when I could have. Truth is, I found myself very unmotivated to travel across the country to see a man who didn’t want to be in the same city with me.”

It bothered her, being so affected by their busted-up friendship. It should have been water under the bridge—too many things had occurred since he left. He was absent when she needed him most. To see him now after so many years of silence was like a well-placed chisel chipping away at a wall of ice.

“It wasn’t that, Dakota. I…wanted to see you. I never stopped wanting to see you.”

“Yeah? Well, your actions spoke way louder than words, Logan.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs. “Koty, I know that I hurt you…terribly, and that I can never fix what I…threw away. And I get that you don’t want to see me, but I’m here to make things right between us.”

“How do you propose to do that, Logan?” she scoffed. “A time machine?”

“I’d use it if I had one. Since I don’t, I need you to hear me out. I’ve got an idea that could be advantageous—to both of us.”

Dakota crossed her arms in front of her. If she was going to be fed a line, she wanted to be good and comfortable. “Fine, Logan, let’s hear it.”

“I want to hire you to renovate my resorts.”

“Your resorts? I thought your parents were still at the helm.”

He shook his head. “They stepped down a few months ago and put me in charge. Dad still runs Montague, but I’m the new CEO of Belle Resorts.”

“Great for you, but why do you want me?”

“You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.”

Her eyebrow arched upward. “You could’ve fooled me.”

“For this job,” he explained. “Your caliber of expertise is just what Belle Cove needs to introduce her to a whole new demographic. She has to change with the times, Dakota. Right now we’re viewed as too elitist, and unapproachable. If we’re to prosper, we need more overall appeal. While still remaining luxurious, of course.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe you want me to work for you.”

“I do, but more important, given our history…can you work for me?”

Dakota pondered all the ramifications to herself and her business. It was a no-brainer. Business trumped heart, every time. Dakota’s gaze connected with his. “Yes.”

Relief suffused his face. Logan stood up. “I’m glad to hear that. I thought you’d throw me out on my ear.”

“I considered it.”

Logan headed to the door, and Dakota followed.

“I just want you to know that I believe that eventually, we can get past our differences.”

Dakota looked skeptical. “Only time will tell.”

* * *

Later that evening, Logan was at his condo going over his discussion with Dakota. Their initial meeting after years of silence had not gone exactly to plan. Somehow, he thought that time would have mellowed both of them, but he was wrong. Dead wrong. Surprisingly, Dakota was still angry at him. It was true that he had severed all ties unexpectedly and completely, but Logan was not without remorse. He wanted so much more, and leaving her had damn near killed him, but he always held out hope that they could reconnect.

Though they were best friends, Logan had developed feelings for her early on. When she had begun dating, and found her first boyfriend, Logan was upset at his hesitation at declaring those feelings. His jealously had directly resulted in his betraying that friendship—and her.

There were hundreds of times he wanted to confess his part in the breakup with her first boyfriend, Michael, a few months before Logan left, but something always stopped him. His heart had overruled his head and better judgment. It gave him hope that Dakota could return his feelings. It was a small chance, but he had allowed the seed to grow inside his heart. He reasoned that she would be free, and then he would confess his love to her in hopes that they could have a relationship.

In his mind, she would turn to him and reciprocate his love, but that plan went wrong. Horribly and irrevocably wrong. He had not anticipated that Michael would alert Dakota to his part in their breakup. When she found out, there were no words to describe her anger. He also had not factored in his parents stepping in with their family crisis and ruining his perfectly thought-out plan.

Suddenly, it was all too much. His family’s expectations for his future, and Dakota’s discovery of his role in her unhappiness.

The argument that resulted between them had been bitter. He deserved every angry and hurt-laced word she had hurled at him. When they reconciled, he decided to come clean and tell her the truth about his motivation behind his actions, but then he was forced to leave town. His biggest regret was that he had not been brave enough to level with Dakota, and that she had been collateral damage in his father’s quest for bringing him into the family business, and his jealous tampering with her love life. Logan had vowed to tell her the truth, and now was his chance to come clean. About everything.

Time had a way of fostering introspection, and sitting there earlier staring at Dakota’s rigid, angry, gorgeous face was making him ponder his ability to remain quiet. And sane. It was like a glimpse back in time. In many ways she was the eighteen-year-old girl he had left, but she was different, too. She had matured, and grown into her beauty. She was taller, shapelier, and her skin was still flawless, except for the dark circles under her eyes that she had attempted to hide with concealer. Though these eyes were bright with challenge, Logan could still see the underlying pain in them when she looked at him.

Because of you.

A knot of regret blossomed in Logan’s stomach. He assumed that only he would carry the loss of their relationship, and that she would forget him and immerse herself in other friends and school. Logan wagered that only his heart would be sacrificed.

You were wrong.

That realization hit Logan squarely in his gut. He wasn’t blind. Dakota had done more than suffer at his desertion. There was a sadness about her that he had not anticipated. She was still troubled. She deserved much better than that—than him. But God help him, he refused to give up the minuscule hope that he could make amends. The one kiss they shared still resided in his memories and taunted him with the realization of lost dreams. Whatever it took, Logan would earn her forgiveness, and eventually her heart. It was a herculean task, but the prize was a lifetime of happiness spent with the only woman in the world whom he had ever loved.