Not Quite Mine

Jack regarded her with narrow eyes. “Is that what you’re doing? Preparing your own meals and making your own bed?”

She didn’t meet his eyes. “In a way.”

“Where?”

“Excuse me?”

“Where? Where are you doing this? Cuz I’ve not seen the backside of you walking out the door all week and I don’t think you’ve bought a house.”

Oh, no…this isn’t good. “I have friends.”

“Male friends?”

She hadn’t seen that coming. “Maybe. What’s this about, Jack? Since when do you dig into my personal life?”

“Dammit, Katie, you know I care. You dug into my personal life not too long ago and I couldn’t be happier for it. I want to see you find the same happiness.”

She’d talked with Monica for the first time when Jack had gotten pissing drunk after he’d asked Jessie to marry him and she’d refused. It was comical, really. Jack had posed as a waiter…a broke waiter working at The Morrison and not the son of the Morrison. As a single mom, Jessie wanted nothing to do with dating or marrying a man who had no bigger aspirations than waiting tables. And Jack, the fool, posed as a broke loser because he was tired of women going after him for his money. The two of them had nearly lost their future together because they hadn’t been honest with each other. Sure, Jessie might have been honest about not wanting to fall in love with Jack…but she was in love. It took Monica and Katie working together to hook them up to make it all happily ever after in the end.

“I’m going through a few changes right now, Jack. I’m going to be fine.”

Jack rubbed his chin. “You’d tell me if you’re in any trouble…have anything you need help with?”

She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “If I’m ever in a position where I don’t know what to do…or my options are washed up, I’d call you.”

“People care about you.”

“I know that.”

“You can always call on Dean if I’m not here.”

Her gaze shot to his.

He didn’t flinch.

What do you know? “Or Mikey. They’re both nearby.”

Jack nodded. “Right. Dean is closer. You work with him.”

“He reminds me who the boss is every chance he gets.”

Jack let one corner of his mouth lift up. “Promise me you’ll call if you need me.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Promise me!”

“OK, OK…I promise to call if I need you.” Right now she was doing fine on her own. She had a PI working day and night to find Savannah’s birth mom and Katelyn was juggling living in two places at once. She didn’t need anything other than a good night’s sleep.

Katie leaned against one of the finished walls in the huge open space that would eventually be the lobby of the hotel. Beside her, Jo sipped a beer and focused on what her boss was saying.

Dean stood in front of at least three dozen workers, all of them with drinks in their hands, and thanked them for all their hard work.

“Does he always do this?” Katie asked Jo.

“Every time we hit this phase and then again when the project is complete. It’s his way of keeping the employees and subs happy.”

“Paying them makes them happy.”

Jo snorted. “Yeah, but blowing off steam and sharing a beer builds loyalty. At least that’s what Dean says.”

Katie looked around the room and the smiling faces and men listening attentively to their boss. She couldn’t argue with his approach to loyalty. Work had come to a halt just after noon and a large grill was set up outside. A caterer had arrived with tables, chairs, food, and drinks. Not only was Dean springing for the party, everyone on site was getting paid a full day’s wages to drink with the boss.

No, Katie couldn’t argue with Dean’s approach.

She sipped her champagne, thankful that Dean had the good sense to make sure a couple of bottles were available. Beer wasn’t her drink of choice.

“I know I say this every time, but I couldn’t do this without all of you,” Dean told the crowd. “You’re dependable and skilled…the best damn crew I’ve ever worked with.”

“We’re the only crew you’ve ever worked with,” someone shouted.

Several men laughed.

“Not true,” Dean corrected him. “Five years ago I went through a group of framers who couldn’t be counted on to save my life. Then there was that excuse for an electrician…no, you guys are what gives Prescott Construction its good name.”

“And a few good women!” Jo yelled across the room.

Katie smiled at Jo, lifted her glass in salute to the statement.

“Even if one of them steals the boss’s hat and never gives it back.” The comment came from inside the crowd and all eyes were on Katie. She still wore Dean’s hard hat while his had gone through a number of pranks. First was the strip of pink paint then came a few rhinestones glued into the brim. Dean switched the hat out once the words “I’m so pretty” were printed on the back.

Yet he never asked for his hat back.

And Katie never offered it.

That, she knew, was their way of teasing each other. Even after Jack had flown back to Texas and she’d had a brief but firm conversation with Dean saying that she wasn’t ready to have him kissing her right now.